TIRE AND METHOD OF SECURING AN OBJECT THERETO

• US 20110113630A1
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Bell, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,657,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/894.3
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0077 Directly attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization, e.g. microchips
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10 Tires, resilient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49492 Land wheel

Abstract

A method of attaching an object to a tire includes providing a tire and providing a mechanical two-piece fastening system having a first portion and a second portion. The method further includes attaching a first portion of a mechanical two-piece fastening system to the tire and positioning an object to be attached to the tire on one of the first portion and the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system. The method also includes attaching the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system.

Claims

1. A method of attaching an object to a tire, the method comprising:

providing a tire;

providing a mechanical two-piece fastening system having a first portion and a second portion;

attaching a first portion of a mechanical two-piece fastening system to the tire;

positioning an object to be attached to the tire on one of the first portion and the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system;

attaching the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising curing the tire.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the curing the tire occurs before the attaching the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the tire.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the curing the tire occurs after the attaching the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the tire.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning the object to be attached to the tire includes securing the object to the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning the object to be attached to the tire includes positioning the object on the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system, and wherein the attaching the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system includes securing the object between the first and second portions of the mechanical two-piece fastening system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the attaching the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system includes securing the second portion to the first portion with one of a hook-and-loop fastener and a hook-and-hook fastener.

8. A method of securing an object to a tire, the method comprising:

providing a tire;

providing a mechanical fastening system having a first portion and a second portion;

providing an object to be secured to the tire;

affixing the first portion of the mechanical fastening system to a surface of the tire;

attaching the second portion of the mechanical fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical fastening system; and

securing the object to the mechanical fastening system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising curing the tire prior to affixing the first portion of the mechanical fastening system to the surface of the tire.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising curing the tire after affixing the first portion of the mechanical fastening system to the surface of the tire.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the securing the object to the mechanical fastening system includes positioning the object on the first portion of the mechanical fastening system prior to attaching the second portion of the mechanical fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical fastening system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the securing the object to the mechanical fastening system includes securing the object to the second portion of the mechanical fastening system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the affixing the first portion of the mechanical fastening system to the surface of the tire includes affixing the first portion of the mechanical fastening system to an innerliner of the tire.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the object is an electronic device configured to monitor a property of the tire.

15. A vehicle tire monitor apparatus comprising:

a first portion of a two-piece mechanical fastening system configured to be attached to a tire, the first portion having a first plurality of connectors;

a second portion of the two-piece mechanical fastening system having a second plurality of connectors attached to the first plurality of connectors; and

an electronic device configured to monitor a property of the tire configured to be secured to the two-piece mechanical fastening system.

16. The vehicle tire monitor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of connectors is a plurality of hooks and the second plurality of connectors is a plurality of hooks.

17. The vehicle tire monitor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of connectors is a plurality of hooks and the second plurality of connectors is a plurality of loops.

18. The vehicle tire monitor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of connectors is a plurality of loops and the second plurality of connectors is a plurality of hooks.

19. The vehicle tire monitor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the two-piece mechanical fastening system is configured to be attached to a green tire.

20. The vehicle tire monitor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the two-piece mechanical fastening system is configured to be attached to a cured tire.