Graduated stiffness for electrical connections in tires
First Claim
1. A method of creating a fatigue-resistant electrical connection in a tire patch, comprising the steps of:
- providing an electrical conductor having at least one end configured for connection to an electrical circuit;
providing an electrical circuit including at least one connection point;
connecting said at least one end of said electrical conductor to the at least one connection point; and
encasing said electrical conductor and said electrical circuit in a stress reducing material so as to provide a transition zone wherein strain applied to the electrical conductor varies as a function of distance from the at least one connection point, whereby the stress reducing material distributes strain applied to the electrical conductor and forms a tire patch.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A strain-resistant electrical connection and a method of making the same is provided. A wire or other conductive lead is connected to a circuit in a manner that makes the connection more resistant to mechanical stresses such as movement or rotation of the lead relative to the circuit. A material is configured around the lead and near the point of connection to the circuit so as to create a region of decreasing flexibility or graduated stiffness near the point of connection. In certain embodiments, the lead may also be coiled or otherwise shaped to provide additional ability to withstand mechanical stresses. In other embodiments, additional elements may be provided to assist in controlling the stiffness near the connection point.
24 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method of creating a fatigue-resistant electrical connection in a tire patch, comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrical conductor having at least one end configured for connection to an electrical circuit;
providing an electrical circuit including at least one connection point;
connecting said at least one end of said electrical conductor to the at least one connection point; and
encasing said electrical conductor and said electrical circuit in a stress reducing material so as to provide a transition zone wherein strain applied to the electrical conductor varies as a function of distance from the at least one connection point, whereby the stress reducing material distributes strain applied to the electrical conductor and forms a tire patch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of creating a strain-resistant electrical connection to an electrical circuit in a tire patch, comprising:
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providing a resilient material capable of distributing mechanical forces;
providing an electrical circuit mounted on a support, the electrical circuit having at least one connection point;
positioning an electrical conductor proximate to said at least one connection point, said electrical conductor having a first end and a second end;
connecting said first end of said electrical conductor to said connection point of the electrical circuit in a manner that fixes the position of said first end relative to said support; and
attaching said resilient material to said support and said electrical conductor, whereby said resilient material provides a transition zone for said electrical conductor such that the mobility of said electrical conductor decreases along a direction from said second end of said electrical conductor towards said point of connection of said first end to the electrical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A durable connection for an electrical circuit in a tire patch, comprising:
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a substrate supporting at least a portion of an electrical circuit;
a conductor having at least one connecting portion attached to said electrical circuit; and
a resilient material positioned proximate said connecting portion and surrounding said conductor, said resilient material attached to said substrate and configured for gradually restricting the mobility of said conductor along said end in a direction moving along said conductor and towards said electrical circuit and forming a tire patch. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A tire patch comprising:
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an electrical circuit comprising at least one electrical component;
an electrical conductor having a predetermined length and including a connection portion connected to said at least one electrical component; and
a strain distributing material encasing said electrical circuit and said electrical conductor, whereby the strain distributing material distributes any strain applied to the electrical conductor and connection to reduce strain induced damage to the electrical conductor and connection and forms the tire patch. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for providing a durable electrical connection, comprising:
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providing an electrical conductor having at least one end configured for connecting to an electrical circuit;
providing an electrical circuit;
connecting said at least one portion of said electrical conductor to the electrical circuit; and
encasing said electrical conductor and said electrical circuit in a strain distributing material, whereby the strain distributing material distributes any strain applied to the electrical conductor and connection to reduce strain induced damage to the electrical conductor and connection. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification