Tire having antenna attached to elastic fiber textile strip and method of mounting antenna assembly to tire

• US 7,104,298 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Starinshak, Thomas Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Maki, Steven D.
• Application Number:
  US10/745,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20050133131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 152/152.1, 156/110.1, 156/293, 343/868, 343/897, 340/445
• US Class Current: 152/152.1
• 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: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres

Abstract

An antenna system and method for tire monitoring systems provides an elasticized substrate in combination with an antenna wire(s). The antenna cable can be wrapped around or otherwise applied to the elasticized substrate, preferably in a wave or sinusoidal configuration. When subjected to forces of external origin, the substrate can elongate while the antenna wire straightens. Upon release from the influence of such forces, residual spring forces within the elasticized substrate relax and return the substrate and the antenna cable carried thereby back to its original, optimal configuration. The pitch of the antenna material on the substrate may be customized to suit the needs of the particular tire and communication. The antenna may be sewn or woven into the elasticized fabric, helically wound around a core composed of such material, or attached in an alternative manner.

Claims

1. A tire having an antenna assembly incorporated therein, the tire comprising:

a tire body having an inward facing wall;

an elongate antenna;

an elongate carrier strip formed of non-conductive elastic material attached to the antenna to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration, the carrier strip attaching to the inward wall of the tire and extending from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recovering from the extended state in the absence of said stresses;

wherein the carrier strip is composed substantially from an elastic fiber material and the carrier strip comprises at least one textile fabric strip woven from the elastic fiber material; and

wherein the antenna is at least partially sewn to the one textile fabric strip.

2. A tire-having an antenna assembly incorporated therein, the tire comprising:

a tire body having an inward facing wall;

an elongate antenna;

an elongate carrier strip formed of non-conductive elastic material attached to the antenna to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration, the carrier strip attaching to the inward wall of the tire and extending from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recovering from the extended state in the absence of said stresses;

wherein the carrier strip is composed substantially from an elastic fiber material and the carrier strip comprises at least one textile fabric strip woven from the elastic fiber material; and

wherein the antenna is at least partially woven through the textile fabric strip.

3. A tire having an antenna assembly incorporated therein, the tire comprising:

a tire body having an inward facing wall;

an elongate antenna;

an elongate carrier strip formed of non-conductive elastic material attached to the antenna to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration, the carrier strip attaching to the inward wall of the tire and extending from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recovering from the extended state in the absence of said stresses;

wherein the carrier strip is composed substantially from an elastic fiber material and the carrier strip comprises at least one textile fabric strip woven from the elastic fiber material; and

wherein the antenna is configured in a zigzag pattern extending at a pre-selected pitch across the textile fabric strip.

4. A method of mounting an annular antenna and transponder to a tire, comprising the steps:

providing an elongate antenna;

forming an elongate carrier strip from least one textile fabric strip woven from an elastic fiber material;

attaching the antenna to the elongate carrier strip, the carrier strip being formed of the elastic fiber material to extend from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recover from the extended state in the absence of said stresses to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration;

at least partially sewing the antenna to the one textile fabric strip; and

attaching the carrier strip to an inward wall of a tire.

5. A method according to claim 4 comprising the further step of configuring the antenna in a zigzag pattern extending at a pre-selected pitch across the textile fabric.

6. A method of mounting an annular antenna and transponder to a tire, comprising the steps:

providing an elongate antenna;

forming an elongate carrier strip from least one textile fabric strip woven from an elastic fiber material;

attaching the antenna to the elongate carrier strip, the carrier strip being formed of elastic fiber material that extends from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recover from the extended state in the absence of said stresses to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration;

at least partially weaving at least a portion of the antenna into the one textile fabric strip; and

attaching the carrier strip to an inward wall of a tire.