Securing to a pneumatic tire

• US 9,056,435 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Hinque, Daniel Paul Luc Marie, Peronnet-Paquin, Anne Therese, Haegel, Yannick Raymond Georges, Bonnet, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, Ryan J
• Application Number:
  US14/580,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 175 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/00 Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof producing inner tubes B29D23/24; constructional form of tyres or parts thereof B60C; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; testing of tyres G01M17/02
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0061 Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0601 Vulcanising tyres; Vulcanising presses for tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0654 Flexible cores therefor, e.g. bladders, bags, membranes, diaphragms elastic cores or mandrels for shaping of plastics B29C33/505; bags for isostatic pressing in compression moulding B29C43/12, B29C43/3642
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/246 Uncured, e.g. green
• 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 23/123 Elongate peristaltic pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/135 activated due to tyre deformation
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/00 Apparatus or tools adapted for mounting, removing or inspecting tyres testing of tyres G01M17/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49492 Land wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49538 Tire making

Abstract

A pneumatic tire assembly includes a pneumatic tire having an inner cavity and an inner surface at least partially defining the inner cavity, a rigid structure for facilitating operation of the tire assembly, and a docking base for securing the rigid structure to the inner surface of the inner cavity. The docking base has been integrally bonded to the inner surface during curing of the pneumatic tire. The docking base has a shape formed by a mold attached to the inner surface of the inner cavity during curing of the pneumatic tire. The mold subsequently is removed thereby resulting in the docking base integrally secured to the inner surface.

Claims

1. A method for securing a device to a pneumatic tire, the method comprising the steps of:

filling a mold with green rubber;

positioning the mold and the green rubber within the mold on an inner surface of an inner cavity of a green tire;

temporarily securing the mold and green rubber to the inner surface;

shaping the green rubber of the mold into a lever arm for facilitating operation of the device during rotation of the pneumatic tire under a load;

applying heat and pressure by a bladder to the mold and surrounding green rubber thereby molding the rubber of the green tire and the green rubber within the mold together with an appropriate shape;

locating the green tire within a vulcanizing press;

curing the green tire by the vulcanizing press;

removing the cured tire from the vulcanizing press;

removing the mold from the inner surface; and

securing the device to a docking base formed integral to the inner surface by the mold,

temporarily securing a second mold and more green rubber to the inner surface prior to curing the green tire;

removing the second mold from the inner surface subsequent to removing the cured tire from the vulcanizing press; and

securing a second device to a second docking base formed integral to the inner surface by the second mold.