Tyre comprising an electronic unit and a method of installing said electronic unit into said tyre

• US 7,908,918 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Tyre SPA (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Tyre SPA (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Fioravanti, Anna Paola, Mancosu, Federico, Brusarosco, Massimo
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US12/226,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre

Abstract

A tire having an internal surface of substantially toroidal conformation, includes an electronic device including an electronic unit and an antenna, the latter being connected with the electronic unit and having an inner perimetral edge, and an anchoring body mounted on the internal surface for engagement between the electronic device and the tire, the anchoring body including at least two portions, said electronic unit being arranged between the portions. Each of the portions has a fastening surface secured to the internal surface of the tire and a groove in which the inner perimetral edge of the antenna is fitted to maintain a constraint between the electronic unit and the anchoring body. Also disclosed is a method of installing an electronic unit into a tire.

Claims

1. A tyre having an internal surface of substantially toroidal conformation, comprising:

an electronic device comprising an electronic unit and an antenna, the latter being connected with said electronic unit and having an inner perimetral edge; and

an anchoring body mounted on said internal surface for engagement between said electronic device and said tyre, said anchoring body comprising at least two portions, said electronic unit being arranged between said portions, each of said portions having;

a fastening surface secured to the internal surface of said tyre; and

a groove in which the inner perimetral edge of said antenna is fitted to maintain a constraint between the electronic unit and the anchoring body.

2. The tyre as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said portions has a retaining portion having a top surface facing away from the fastening surface, said groove being formed between said fastening surface and said retaining portion.

3. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said portions has a first side surface, on which said groove is defined, and a second side surface, in contact with said electronic unit.

4. The tyre as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second side surfaces of said portions mutually face for engaging said electronic unit.

5. The tyre as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second side surface of said portions are substantially parallel to each other.

6. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anchoring body has a substantially cylindrical shape, the fastening surfaces of the portions defining a base of said cylindrical shape.

7. The tyre as claimed in claim 6, wherein said substantially cylindrical shape has a tapered end diverging toward the internal surface of said tyre.

8. The tyre as claimed in claim 7, wherein an angle defined between the fastening surface of each portion and an external inclined side wall of a respective tapered end is between about 25°

and about 60°

.

9. The tyre as claimed in claim 8, wherein said angle is between about 40°

and about 50°

.

10. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining portion of each of said portions has a hollow for allowing elastic deformation of said retaining portion and following engagement between said antenna and said grooves.

11. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anchoring body is made of an elastomeric material.

12. The tyre as claimed in claim 11, wherein said elastomeric material has a hardness between about 28°

Shore A and about 75°

Shore A at temperature of 23°

C.

13. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic unit has an elongated shape extending along a main longitudinal direction from a first contact area of said antenna to a second contact area of said antenna.

14. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic unit is positioned on a liner of said tyre.

15. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main longitudinal direction is substantially perpendicular to the equatorial plane of said tyre.

16. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic unit is positioned on a sidewall of said tyre.

17. The tyre as claimed in claim 16, wherein said longitudinal direction is substantially parallel to the equatorial plane of said tyre.

18. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic unit has a prismatic shape.

19. The tyre as claimed in claim 18, wherein said electronic unit has a couple of side walls substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction and each in contact with a respective second side surface of said portions.

20. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio between the height of said anchoring body and the height of said electronic unit, both measured in a direction perpendicular to the fastening surface and/or a top surface is larger than 1.

21. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said antenna has a substantially annular shape.

22. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portions are substantially identical to each other.

23. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portions are separate portions.

24. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anchoring body further comprises a connection layer on which said portions are fastened.

25. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portions are integrally made with a connection layer.

26. The tyre as claimed in claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a first auxiliary antenna of an open type, and a second auxiliary antenna of a closed type.

27. The tyre as claimed in claim 26, wherein said antenna further comprises an annular support for housing said first and second auxiliary antennas.

28. A method of installing an electronic unit in a tyre, comprising:

providing a tyre having an internal surface of substantially toroidal conformation;

providing an anchoring body comprising at least two portions, each of said portions having a fastening surface and a groove;

providing an electronic device comprising an electronic unit and an antenna, the latter being connected with said electronic unit and having an inner perimetral edge;

fitting the inner perimetral edge of said antenna into the groove of each of said portions for engagement of said electronic unit between said portions; and

securing the fastening surfaces of said portions to the internal surface of said tyre.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein each of said portions has a first side surface, on which said groove is defined, and a second side surface, and the step of fitting said inner perimetral edge into said grooves comprises:

arranging said portions so that second side surfaces face each other;

inserting said electronic unit between said second side surfaces; and

inserting said antenna into the grooves of said portions.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein each of said portions has a retaining portion having a top surface facing away from said fastening surface, the insertion of said electronic unit between said second side surfaces and insertion of said antenna into said grooves being obtained by elastic deformation of said retaining portions.

31. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein said portions are arranged so that said second side surfaces are substantially parallel to each other.

32. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein said electronic unit has an elongated shape extending along a main longitudinal direction from a first contact area of said antenna to a second contact area of said antenna.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said portions are arranged so that a distance between said second side surfaces is substantially equal to a dimension of said electronic unit measured along a direction perpendicular to said main longitudinal direction.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said distance is measured along a direction substantially perpendicular to said second side surfaces.

35. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of fitting the inner perimetral edge of said antenna into the groove of each of said portions comprises mutually moving toward each other said anchoring body and said electronic device along a direction substantially perpendicular to said fastening surfaces.

36. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the portions of said anchoring body are substantially identical to each other.

37. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the portions of said anchoring body are made of an elastomeric material.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, wherein said elastomeric material has a hardness between about 28°

Shore A and about 75°

Shore A at a temperature of 23°

C.

39. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of securing the fastening surfaces of said portions to the internal surface of said tyre comprises positioning said anchoring body onto a liner of said tyre.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the step of securing the fastening surface of said portions to the internal surface of said tyre comprises arranging said anchoring body so that said main longitudinal direction is substantially perpendicular to an equatorial plane of said tyre.

41. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of securing the fastening surfaces of said portions to the internal surface of said tyre comprises positioning said anchoring body onto a sidewall of said tyre.

42. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the step of securing the fastening surface of said portions to the internal surface of said tyre comprises arranging said anchoring body so that said main longitudinal direction is substantially parallel to an equatorial plane of said tyre.

43. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of fitting the inner perimetral edge of said antenna into the groove of each of said portions is carried out before the step of securing the fastening surfaces of said portions to the internal surface of said tyre.

44. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the steps of inserting said electronic unit between said second side surfaces and of inserting said antenna into the grooves of said portions are carried out substantially at the same time.

45. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said anchoring body is made separately from said tyre and is fastened to said internal surface.

46. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said portions are separate portions.

47. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said anchoring body further comprises a connection layer on which said portions are fastened.

48. The method as claimed in claim 47, comprising a step of mounting said portions on said connection layer.

49. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said antenna comprises a first auxiliary antenna of an open type, and a second auxiliary antenna of a closed type.