RFID wear sensing for tire applications

• US 9,944,131 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Wei, Terence E., Wilson, Paul B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beckley, Jonathan R
• Application Number:
  US15/540,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20170361661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/243 Tread wear sensors, e.g. electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/06 Signalling devices actuated by deformation of the tyre , e.g. tyre mounted deformation sensors or indirect determination of tyre deformation based on wheel speed, wheel-centre to ground distance or inclination of wheel axle
• 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

Abstract

A tire or tire tread features a helical, metallic RFID tag antenna, configured to provide an operable frequency response between 900 and 930 MHz upon receiving 100 electromagnetic waves having a power between 12 and 24 dBm. The helical, metallic RFID tag antenna is disposed within the at least one tread feature and has a wear rate commensurate with a wear rate of the at least one tread feature. The response(s) from the helical, metallic RFID tag antenna are used to track tread wear.

Claims

1. A tire comprising:

a first annular bead and a second annular bead, a body ply extending between the first annular bead and the second annular bead, a circumferential belt disposed radially upward of the body ply and extending axially across a portion of the body ply, a circumferential tread disposed radially upward of the circumferential belt and extending axially across a portion of the body ply, a first sidewall extending between the first annular bead and a first shoulder, the first shoulder being associated with the circumferential tread, a second sidewall extending between the second annular bead and a second shoulder, the second shoulder being associated with the circumferential tread, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip disposed radially between the circumferential belt and the circumferential tread, an RFID tag antenna disposed radially between the RFID chip and a radially outer surface of the circumferential tread, wherein;

the RFID chip comprises a chip casing and a local antenna,

the RFID tag antenna is an elongated, metallic spiral having a coil length and a coil diameter, and

the RFID tag antenna is operably connected to the local antenna.

2. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire completely encases the RFID tag antenna when the circumferential tread is new.

3. The tire of claim 1, wherein a radial outer surface of the RFID tag antenna is exposed when the circumferential tread is new.

4. The tire of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag antenna has an initial threshold power of less than 20 dBm at 915 MHz.

5. The tire of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag antenna has a degradation ratio of 0.1-0.9 dBm threshold power at 915 MHz per mm of antenna length change.

6. The tire of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag antenna is made from metal having a Mohr'"'"'s hardness of less than 4.0.

7. The tire of claim 6, wherein the RFID tag antenna consists essentially of substantially pure aluminum.

8. A tire tread comprising:

a tread having a surface;

at least one tread feature at the surface of the tread, wherein the at least one tread feature is selected from a group consisting of a rib, lug, block, and slick surface; and

at least one helical, metallic RFID tag antenna, configured to provide an operable frequency response between 900 and 930 MHz upon receiving electromagnetic waves having a power between 12 and 24 dBm,

wherein the helical, metallic RFID tag antenna is disposed within the at least one tread feature and has a wear rate commensurate with a wear rate of the at least one tread feature.

9. The tire tread of claim 8, wherein the at least one tread feature further comprises a rubber encasement that surrounds at least two sides of the at least one helical, metallic RFID tag antenna.

10. The tire tread of claim 9, wherein the at least one helical, metallic RFID tag antenna includes a second antenna and wherein a second rubber cylinder surrounds at least two sides of the second antenna.

11. The tire tread of claim 8, wherein the at least one helical, metallic RFID tag antenna is configured to provide an operable frequency response between 900 and 930 MHz upon receiving electromagnetic waves having a power between 14 and 18 dBm.

12. A method for sensing tire wear comprising:

providing an RFID chip within a tire structure;

providing an RFID tag antenna within a tire tread;

positioning the RFID chip and the RFID tag antenna within operable communication of each other;

directing electromagnetic waves toward the RFID tag antenna;

receiving a response from the RFID tag antenna, the response having a frequency between 900 and 930 MHz and a power between 10 and 30 dBm; and

correlating the power or frequency of the response to a level of wear.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the RFID tag antenna includes injection molding a rubber cylinder around the RFID tag antenna and then providing the rubber cylinder within the tire tread.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising vulcanizing the tire tread after providing the RFID tag antenna within the tire tread.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the providing the RFID tag antenna within the tire tread includes drilling a slot in the tire tread and inserting the RFID tag antenna into the slot prior to vulcanization.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the diameter of the slot is between 80 and 120% of the diameter of the RFID tag antenna.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving the response from the RFID tag antenna is performed by a stationary, pass-by reader.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic waves are directed toward the RFID tag antenna only under stationary conditions.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating an alert when the level of wear has reached a predetermined threshold.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising replacing the RFID tag antenna with a second RFID tag antenna.