TIRE SENSOR INSTALLATION STRUCTURE AND A MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20170136832A1
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hankook Tire Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hankook Tire Company Limited
• Inventors: So, Soon Hong, Kim, Jeong Heon
• Granted Patent: US 10,737,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0083 Attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization by inserting them inside tyre cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0061 Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 5/14 with impervious liner or coating on the inner wall of the tyre

Abstract

The disclosed technology generally relates to an installation structure for installing a sensor module, and more particularly relates to an installation structure for installing a sensor module on a tire, and to a method of manufacturing the installation structure. In one aspect, the installation structure includes a sensor module housing configured to accommodate a sensor module and at least one sensor patch each comprising a bonding portion configured to attach to an inner side of a tire and a pressing portion configured to place and maintain the sensor module housing in contact with an installation position on the inner side of the tire. The pressing portion is configured to apply a downward pressure on a top portion of the sensor module housing by elastically extending and contracting.

Claims

1. A sensor installation structure configured for installing a sensor module for collecting data associated with a state of a tire at an installation position on an inner side of a tire, the installation structure comprising:

a sensor module housing configured to accommodate a sensor module; and

at least one sensor patch each comprising a bonding portion configured to attach to the inner side of the tire and a pressing portion configured to place and maintain the sensor module housing in contact with an installation position on the inner side of the tire,

wherein the pressing portion is configured to apply a downward pressure on a top portion of the sensor module housing by elastically extending and contracting.

2. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein the sensor module housing has a fixing projection having a predetermined shape formed on the top, wherein the at least one sensor patch has a fixing hole configured for inserting the fixing projection, and wherein the fixing hole and the fixing projection are configured to be coupled to each other such that the sensor module housing is prevented from laterally separating out of the installation position.

3. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor patch is a band having a rectangular or an elliptical shape, and the bonding portion is formed at both sides of the band.

4. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein two or more sensor patches are provided and the two or more sensor patches are arranged to cross each other and each of the pressing portions is arranged over the installation position.

5. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor patch is formed of one or more homopolymers, copolymers or monomers selected from a group of consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), synthetic resin, natural resin, and urethane.

6. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein the structure is formed on an inner liner of the tire.

7. The installation structure of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor patch has thickness that is between about 20% and about 120% of the thickness of the inner liner.

8. The installation structure of claim 6, wherein the the at least one sensor patch is formed of the same material as the inner liner.

9. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor patch has a shape selected from the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse and a polygon, wherein the at least one sensor patch comprises:

the bonding portion having a predetermined width around at least a portion of edges of the sensor patch,

a sensor insertion hole formed at a predetermined position of the pressing portion and configured expand and to be restored to initial dimensions after the sensor module housing is inserted, and

the sensor module housing fixed in a space defined by the sensor patch and the inner side of the tire.

10. The installation structure of claim 9, wherein a fixing projection having a predetermined shape is formed on a top portion of the sensor module housing, and

the sensor insertion hole and the fixing projection are configured to be coupled to each other such that the sensor module housing is prevented from laterally separating out of the installation position.

11. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein the bonding portion and the inner side of the tire are attached to each other a bonding process or a fusing process such that a bonded interface or a fused interface is formed therebetween.

12. The installation structure of claim 1, wherein the bonding portion and the inner side of the tire are attached by vulcanization such that a vulcanized interface is formed therebetween, and

an anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure is provided under the pressing portion before vulcanization to prevent the surface of the pressing portion and the inner side of the tire from being attached to each other during the vulcanization.

13. The installation structure of claim 12, wherein the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure is made of a high-temperature polymer that does not melt at a temperature for vulcanization.

14. The installation structure of claim 12, wherein the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure has thickness that is between about 20 and about 120% of the thickness of the sensor patch.

15. The installation structure of claim 12, wherein the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure has an ejector configured to be held with a hand to easy removal of the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure.

16. A method of using the tire sensor installation structure of claim 2, the method comprising:

extending upward the sensor patch by applying a force to the pressing portion;

placing the sensor module housing under the pressing portion;

coupling the fixing hole with the fixing projection;

removing the force extending the sensor patch such that the sensor patch contracts and presses down the sensor module housing; and

maintaining the sensor module housing in close contact with the inner side of the tire using the sensor patch.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising applying a temporary or a permanent adhesive to a portion of the sensor module housing.

18. A method of using the tire sensor installation structure of claim 9, the method comprising:

expanding the sensor insertion hole using a force;

inserting the sensor module housing through the expanded sensor insertion hole;

removing the force expanding the sensor insertion hole such that the sensor patch contracts and the pressing portion presses down the sensor module housing; and

maintaining the sensor module housing in close contact with the inner side of the tire using the sensor patch.

19. A tire comprising the tire sensor installation structure of claim 1.

20. The tire of claim 19, comprising a plurality of the tire sensor installation structures.