Method to protect tire electronics

• US 8,336,183 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Martin, Terry J
• Primary Examiner(s): Omgba, Essama
• Application Number:
  US12/602,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 152/152.1, 731/46, 361/111, 294/28
• US Class Current: 29/428
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07764 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier attachable to a tire tire temperature or pressur control arrangements, see B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0215 Flexible forms, sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A method is provided for protecting an electronics device, attached to a tire, during tire inspection, comprising placing a barrier in proximity to the electronics device wherein the barrier surrounds the electronics device, and removedly affixing the barrier to the tire with magnets.

Claims

1. A method for protecting an electronics device, attached to a tire, during tire inspection, comprising;

placing a barrier in proximity to the electronics device wherein the barrier completely surrounds the electronics device; and

removably affixing the barrier to the tire with magnets, wherein the barrier is a rubber barrier no greater than 1 millimeter thick;

the rubber barrier further comprising a first set of rubber reinforcements on the rubber barrier, and a second set of one rubber reinforcement located proximal to the center of the barrier, each of said reinforcements having a thickness greater than 1 millimeter with the magnets embedded in the first set of rubber reinforcements and arranged so that the magnets do not protrude past a bottom side of the barrier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the barrier between the magnets and a tire ply.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises an electrically insulating material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises an electrically conductive material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises a material with a surface resistivity of least 10¹² ohms/sq and a volume resistivity of at least 10⁹ ohms*cm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnets for affixing the barrier to the tire are iron magnets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnets for affixing the barrier to the tire are rare earth magnets.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the rare earth magnets have a flux density of at least 0.9 teslas.

9. A barrier for protecting an electronics device during tire inspection, the electronics device attached to a tire, the barrier comprising magnets embedded in a flexible material, the flexible material comprising a rubber layer no greater than 1 millimeter thick;

the barrier further comprises a first set of rubber reinforcements on the barrier, and a second set of one rubber reinforcement located proximal to the center of the barrier, each of said reinforcements having a thickness greater than 1 millimeter; and

the magnets are embedded in the first set of rubber reinforcements and arranged so that the magnets do not protrude past a bottom side of the barrier.

10. The barrier of claim 9, wherein the magnets are rare earth magnets and have a flux density of at least 0.9 teslas.