Tire structure for externally mounted device

• US 9,827,724 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Dorfi, Hans R., Scheifele, Kevin, Wei, Terence Eugene, Wilson, Paul, Miklic, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer, Justin
• Application Number:
  US14/028,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20150075693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• 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: B29D 2030/0607 Constructional features of the moulds moulds or cores in general B29C33/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/728 Decorating or marking the sidewalls after tyre vulcanization protecting, decorating, marking tyre sidewalls B60C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0061 Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0606 Vulcanising moulds not integral with vulcanising presses for solid tyres B29D30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/72 Side-walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/001 Decorating, marking or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/04 having annular inlays or covers, e.g. white sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00 Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0447 Wheel or tyre mounted circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A method of mounting an object on a tire includes providing a tire having a sidewall, wherein the sidewall includes a mounting portion configured to receive an object. The method further includes mounting the object on the mounting portion of the sidewall, such that the object is visible without extending outwardly beyond the mounting portion.

Claims

1. A tire comprising:

a circumferential tread;

a pair of beads, including a first bead and a second bead;

a pair of sidewalls, including a first sidewall extending from the first bead to the circumferential tread, and a second sidewall extending from the second bead to the circumferential tread,

wherein the first sidewall further includes at least one oval-shaped rib at a location between the first bead and the circumferential tread;

a tire electronic device package mounted to an external side of the first sidewall, such that the tire electronic device package is surrounded by the oval-shaped rib without contacting the oval-shaped rib,

wherein the tire electronic device package includes a radio frequency identification tag,

wherein the tire electronic device package is exposed, such that the tire electronic device package is visible, and

wherein a distance from an equatorial plane of the tire to a point on an outer surface of the oval-shaped rib is at least as great as a distance from the equatorial plane of the tire to a point on an external surface of the tire electronic device package.

2. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire electronic device package is mounted in a recess of the first sidewall.

3. The tire of claim 2, wherein the oval-shaped rib includes a first portion proximate to a first side of the recess and a second portion proximate to a second side of the recess opposite the first side of the recess.

4. The tire of claim 1, wherein the oval-shaped rib includes a first portion proximate to a first side of the tire electronic device package and a second portion proximate to a second side of the tire electronic device package opposite the first side of the tire electronic device package.

5. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire electronic device package further includes rubber embedding material.

6. The tire of claim 5, wherein the pair of sidewalls are constructed in part of a rubber material having substantially the same composition as the rubber embedding material.

7. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire electronic device package further includes indicia that indicates the purpose of the tire electronic device package to a user.

8. A tire comprising:

a circumferential tread;

a pair of beads, including a first bead and a second bead;

a pair of sidewalls, including a first sidewall extending from the first bead to the circumferential tread, and a second sidewall extending from the second bead to the circumferential tread,

wherein the first sidewall further includes at least one rib at a location between the first bead and the circumferential tread, wherein the at least one rib has a substantially oval shape;

a tire electronic device package mounted to an external side of the first sidewall, at a location proximate to the at least one rib, without contacting the at least one rib,

wherein the tire electronic device package is exposed, such that the tire electronic device package is visible, and

wherein a distance from an equatorial plane of the tire to a point on an outer surface of the at least one rib is at least as great as a distance from the equatorial plane of the tire to a point on an external surface of the tire electronic device package.