TIRE STRUCTURE FOR EXTERNALLY MOUNTED DEVICE

• US 20150075693A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Dorfi, Hans R., Scheifele, Kevin, Wilson, Paul, Wei, Terence Eugene, Miklic, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,827,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/523
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0077 Directly attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization, e.g. microchips
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0607 Constructional features of the moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/728 Decorating or marking the sidewalls after tyre vulcanization
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0061 Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0606 Vulcanising moulds not integral with vulcanising presses for solid tyres B29D30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/72 Side-walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/001 Decorating, marking or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/04 having annular inlays or covers, e.g. white sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00 Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0447 Wheel or tyre mounted circuits
• 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

Abstract

A method of mounting an object on a tire includes providing a tire having a sidewall, wherein the sidewall includes a mounting portion configured to receive an object. The method further includes mounting the object on the mounting portion of the sidewall, such that the object is visible without extending outwardly beyond the mounting portion.

Claims

1. A tire comprising:

a circumferential tread;

a pair of beads, including a first bead and a second bead;

a pair of sidewalls, including a first sidewall extending from the first bead to the circumferential tread, and a second sidewall extending from the second bead to the circumferential tread;

a tire electronic device package mounted to an external side of the first sidewall, at a location between the first bead and the circumferential tread,

wherein the tire electronic device package is exposed, such that the tire electronic device package is visible, and

wherein a distance from an equatorial plane of the tire to a point on the first sidewall proximate to the tire electronic device package is at least as great as a distance from the equatorial plane of the tire to a point on an external surface of the tire electronic device package.

2. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire electronic device package is mounted in a recess of the first sidewall.

3. The tire of claim 2, wherein the first sidewall further includes at least one rib proximate to the recess.

4. The tire of claim 3, wherein the at least one rib has a geometric shape and at least partially surrounds the recess.

5. The tire of claim 3, wherein the at least one rib includes a first rib proximate to a first side of the recess and a second rib proximate to a second side of the recess opposite the first side of the recess.

6. The tire of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall further includes at least one rib proximate to the tire electronic device package.

7. The tire of claim 6, wherein the at least one rib has a geometric shape and at least partially surrounds the tire electronic device package.

8. The tire of claim 6, wherein the at least one rib includes a first rib proximate to a first side of the tire electronic device package and a second rib proximate to a second side of the tire electronic device package opposite the first side of the tire electronic device package.

9. A tire mold comprising:

a circumferential tread forming portion; and

a pair of sidewall forming portions, wherein one of the sidewall forming portions includes a segment configured to receive an object;

means for retaining the object against the segment such that at least a portion of the object is disposed inward from at least a portion of the segment configured to receive the object.

10. The tire mold of claim 9, wherein the segment configured to receive the object is a removable segment.

11. The tire mold of claim 10, further comprising a replacement segment incapable of receiving an object.

12. The tire mold of claim 9, wherein the means for retaining the object is a magnetic means for retaining the object.

13. The tire mold of claim 9, wherein the means for retaining the object is a mechanical means for retaining the object.

14. The tire mold of claim 9, wherein the tire mold is configured to receive a green tire in a manner such that the object contacts the green tire.

15. A method of mounting an object on a tire comprising:

providing a tire having a sidewall, the sidewall including a mounting portion configured to receive the object;

mounting the object on the mounting portion of the sidewall, such that the object is visible without extending outwardly beyond the mounting portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tire is a cured tire and wherein the mounting the object on the mounting portion of the sidewall includes using adhesive to mount the object to the mounting portion of the sidewall.

17. A method of mounting an object on a tire comprising:

providing a green tire having a sidewall;

mounting the object on an external surface of the sidewall, such that the object is visible; and

curing the green tire and the object together.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mounting the object on the sidewall includes positioning the object on a sidewall forming portion of a mold, and placing the green tire in the mold such that the sidewall contacts the object.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the positioning the object on the sidewall forming portion of the mold includes retaining the object on the sidewall forming portion of the mold with a magnet.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the object is placed on the green tire prior to placing the green tire in a mold.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising positioning the green tire in the mold such that the object is aligned with a sidewall geometry forming portion of the mold.