Apparatus and method of providing electrical power to an active electronic device embedded within a tire

• US 6,192,746 B1
• Filed: 04/29/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Paul B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oen, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): AW MUSSE, ABDULLAHI H
• Application Number:
  US09/302,069
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/465, 152/152.1, 156/123
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre

Abstract

A method and apparatus for connecting an electronic monitoring device to a pneumatic tire includes the steps of providing a green tire and attaching the electronic monitoring package to an anchoring patch. The anchoring patch having the electronic monitoring package is then mounted to the green tire and cured during the green tire cure process. A battery is then provided and a direct electrical connection between the electronic monitoring package and battery is then formed by plugging the battery into the electronic monitoring package. The electronic monitoring package may also be mounted in the green tire itself and cured with the green tire. The battery is connected to the electronic monitoring package after the cure process.

Claims

1. A method of connecting an electronic monitoring device to a pneumatic tire and providing power to the monitoring device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a green tire having an innerliner;

(b) providing an anchoring patch and an electronic monitoring package;

(c) attaching the electronic monitoring package to the anchoring patch;

(d) mounting the anchoring patch having the electronic monitoring package on the innerliner of the green tire;

(e) curing the green tire and the anchoring patch;

(f) providing a battery that is not connected to the electronic monitoring package; and

(g) forming a direct electrical connection between the electronic monitoring package and the battery after the green tire is cured.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of encapsulating the electronic monitoring packaging with an encapsulation material to form an encapsulated electronic monitoring package.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (c) includes the step of embedding the encapsulated electronic monitoring package within the anchoring patch.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (b) includes the step of providing an anchoring patch having an anchoring layer and a cover.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of embedding the encapsulated electronic monitoring package includes the step of embedding the electronic monitoring package in the anchoring layer.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of removing the cover of the anchoring patch after the step (e) has been performed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing an attachment patch and mounting the battery on the attachment patch prior to performing step (g).

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of connecting the attachment patch the anchoring patch.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of encapsulating the battery in an encapsulation material prior to the step of mounting the battery on the attachment patch.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes the step of providing a first connection element electrically connected to the electronic monitoring package and wherein step (f) includes the step of providing a second connection element electrically connected to the battery.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (g) includes the step of connecting the first connection element with the second connection element.

12. A method of connecting an electronic monitoring device to a pneumatic tire and providing power to the monitoring device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a green tire having an innerliner with an electronic monitoring package connected to the innerliner;

(b) curing the green tire;

(c) providing a battery that is not connected to the electronic monitoring package; and

(d) forming a direct electrical connection between the electronic monitoring package and the battery after the green tire is cured.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (c) includes the step of encapsulating the battery with an encapsulation material.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of providing an attachment patch, mounting the battery on the attachment patch, and mounting the attachment patch on the innerliner.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein step (a) includes the step of providing a first connection element electrically connected to the electronic monitoring packaging and wherein step (c) includes the step of providing a second connection element electrically connected to the battery.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein step (d) includes the step of connecting the first connection element with the second connection element.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein step (a) includes the step of embedding the monitoring package within the innerliner.

18. A monitoring device having a selectively removable power source and pneumatic tire in combination, the combination comprising:

a pneumatic tire having an innerliner;

an anchoring layer mounted on the innerliner;

an electronic monitoring package connected to the anchoring layer; and

a battery disposed outside the anchoring layer and selectively electrically connected to the electronic monitoring package whereby the electronic monitoring package may be selectively powered after the electronic monitoring package is connected to the anchoring layer.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein the battery is mounted on the anchoring layer.

20. The combination of claim 19, further comprising an attachment patch mounted on the anchoring layer;

the battery mounted on the attachment patch.

21. The combination of claim 20, wherein the battery is encapsulated with an encapsulation material.

22. The combination of claim 18, wherein the anchoring layer is cured to innerliner.

23. The combination of claim 18, further comprising a first connection element connected to the electronic monitoring package and a second connection element connected to the battery;

the first connection element selectively connected to the second connection element.

24. The combination of claim 23, wherein the first connection element is a receptacle and the second connection element is a plug that at least partially fits within the receptacle.

25. The combination of claim 23, wherein the first connection element is a plug and the second connection element is a receptacle;

the plug at least partially fitting within the receptacle.

26. The combination of claim 18, wherein the electronic monitoring package is embedded within the anchoring layer.

27. The combination of claim 26, wherein the electronic monitoring package is cured within the anchoring layer.

28. A monitoring device having a selectively removable power source and pneumatic tire in combination, the combination comprising:

a pneumatic tire having a body, the body including an innerliner;

an electronic monitoring package embedded within the body; and

a battery selectively electrically connected to the electronic monitoring package;

the battery disposed outside the body.

29. The combination of claim 28, further comprising a first connection element connected to the electronic monitoring package and a second connection element connected to the battery;

the first connection element selectively connected to the second connection element.

30. The combination of claim 29, wherein the first connection element is a receptacle and the second connection element is a plug that at least partially fits within the receptacle.

31. The combination of claim 29, wherein the first connection element is a plug and the second connection element is a receptacle;

the plug at least partially fitting within the receptacle.

32. The combination of claim 28, wherein the electronic monitoring package is embedded within the innerliner.

33. The combination of claim 32, wherein the electronic monitoring package is cured within the innerliner.

34. The combination of claim 28, further comprising an attachment patch mounted on the innerliner;

the battery being carried by the attachment patch.

35. The combination of claim 34, wherein the battery is encapsulated with an encapsulation material.

36. A method of providing power to a monitoring device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electronic monitoring package;

(b) providing a battery connected to a patch; and

(c) forming a selective direct electrical connection between the electronic monitoring package and the battery after the battery has been connected to the patch.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of providing a patch and connecting the electronic monitoring package to the patch.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of connecting the electronic monitoring package to the patch includes the step of embedding the electronic monitoring package within the patch.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of curing the patch while the electronic monitoring package is embedded within the patch.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the step (a) includes the step of providing a first connection element electrically connected to the electronic monitoring packaging and wherein step (b) includes the step of providing a second connection element electrically connected to the battery.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of connecting the electronic monitoring package to the patch includes the step of connecting the first connection element with the second connection element.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of encapsulating the electronic monitoring package with an encapsulation material prior to step (c).

43. In combination:

an electronic monitoring package;

a battery selectively electrically connected to the electronic monitoring package; and

an attachment patch, the battery mounted on the attachment patch.

44. The combination of claim 43, in further combination with a patch, the electronic monitoring package connected to the patch.

45. The combination of claim 44, wherein the attachment patch is mounted on the patch.

46. The combination of claim 45, wherein the battery is encapsulated with an encapsulation material.

47. The combination of claim 43, further comprising a first connection element connected to the electronic monitoring package and a second connection element connected to the battery;

the first connection element selectively connected to the second connection element.

48. The combination of claim 47, wherein the first connection element is a receptacle and the second connection element is a plug that at least partially fits within the receptacle.

49. The combination of claim 47, wherein the first connection element is a plug and the second connection element is a receptacle;

the plug at least partially fitting within the receptacle.

50. The combination of claim 44, wherein the electronic monitoring package is embedded within the patch.

51. The combination of claim 50, wherein the electronic monitoring package is cured within the patch.