Monitoring device and tire combination

• US 7,592,902 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Koch, Russell W., Wilson, Paul B., Trew, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US11/593,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.33, 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/445, 340/446, 340/447, 731/465, 731/46
• US Class Current: 340/426.33
• 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: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

The invention provides a monitoring device and tire combination wherein an antenna is mounted to the tire in a location spaced from the monitoring device. In one embodiment, the antenna may be mounted to the tire sidewall outside the body cords of the tire. The antenna may be mounted on the outer surface of the sidewall or embedded within the body of the sidewall. The antenna is connected to the monitoring device with a connector. The connector may be electrically coupled to the monitoring device or may be connected to the monitoring device with a plug and socket connection. When the antenna is outside the body cord, the connector may extend from the antenna through the bead filler, over the top of the turn up, or under the bead ring.

Claims

1. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle;

the tire comprising;

a tire body having an innerliner

a mount secured to the innerliner;

a monitoring device secured to the mount;

the monitoring device having at least one sensor and an antenna in communication with each other;

the sensor being adapted to sense at least one engineering condition of the pneumatic tire;

at least a major portion of the antenna being carried by the mount;

the portion of the antenna carried by the mount being adapted to transmit signals from the monitoring device and receive signals transmitted to the monitoring device; and

the antenna being in electrical communication with the monitoring device through close proximity electromagnetic coupling.

2. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle;

the tire comprising;

a tire body having an innerliner;

a mount secured to the innerliner;

a monitoring device secured to the mount;

the monitoring device having at least one sensor and an antenna in communication with each other;

the sensor being adapted to sense at least one engineering condition of the pneumatic tire;

at least a major portion of the antenna being carried by the mount;

the portion of the antenna carried by the mount being adapted to transmit signals from the monitoring device and receive signals transmitted to the monitoring device;

the antenna being in electrical communication with the monitoring device through close proximity electromagnetic coupling; and

an attachment patch, the monitoring device mounted on the attachment patch and the attachment patch being secured to the mount.

3. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle;

the tire comprising;

a tire body having an innerliner;

a mount secured to the innerliner;

a monitoring device secured to the mount;

the monitoring device having at least one sensor and an antenna in communication with each other;

the sensor being adapted to sense at least one engineering condition of the pneumatic tire;

at least a major portion of the antenna being carried by the mount;

the portion of the antenna carried by the mount being adapted to transmit signals from the monitoring device and receive signals transmitted to the monitoring device; and

the antenna being in electrical communication with the monitoring device through close proximity electromagnetic coupling; and

a first coupling element electrically connected to the monitoring device and a second coupling element electrically connected to the antenna;

the first and second coupling elements being aligned and spaced apart to provide the close proximity electromagnetic coupling.

4. The tire of claim 3, wherein the first and second coupling elements are coils.

5. The tire of claim 3, wherein the first and second coupling elements are pads.

6. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle;

the tire comprising;

a tire body having an innerliner

a mount secured to the innerliner;

a monitoring device secured to the mount;

the monitoring device having at least one sensor and an antenna in communication with each other;

the sensor being adapted to sense at least one engineering condition of the pneumatic tire;

at least a major portion of the antenna being carried by the mount;

the portion of the antenna carried by the mount being adapted to transmit signals from the monitoring device and receive signals transmitted to the monitoring device;

the antenna being in electrical communication with the monitoring device through close proximity electromagnetic coupling; and

the mount includes a foot portion that extends away from the monitoring device, a portion of the antenna being disposed in the foot portion of the mount.

7. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle;

the tire comprising;

a tire body having an innerliner;

a mount secured to the innerliner;

a monitoring device secured to the mount;

the monitoring device having at least one sensor and an antenna in communication with each other;

the sensor being adapted to sense at least one engineering condition of the pneumatic tire;

at least a major portion of the antenna being carried by the mount;

the portion of the antenna carried by the mount being adapted to transmit signals from the monitoring device and receive signals transmitted to the monitoring device;

the antenna being in electrical communication with the monitoring device through close proximity electromagnetic coupling; and

the monitoring device is encapsulated by an encapsulation material to form an encapsulated monitoring device.

8. The tire of claim 7, further comprising a first coupling element electrically connected to the monitoring device and a second coupling element electrically connected to the antenna;

the first and second coupling elements being aligned and spaced apart to provide the close proximity electromagnetic coupling.

9. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle;

the tire comprising;

a tire body having an innerliner

an anchoring layer cured to the innerliner;

an antenna carried by the anchoring layer;

a monitoring device having at least one sensing element;

the position of the monitoring device being fixed with respect to the anchoring layer; and

the antenna being in electrical communication with the monitoring device through close proximity electromagnetic coupling.

10. A pneumatic tire for a vehicle;

the tire comprising;

a tire body having an innerliner;

an anchoring layer cured to the innerliner;

an antenna carried by the anchoring layer;

a monitoring device having at least one sensing element;

the position of the monitoring device being fixed with respect to the anchoring layer;

the antenna being in electrical communication with the monitoring device through close proximity electromagnetic coupling; and

an attachment patch, the monitoring device mounted on the attachment patch and the attachment patch being secured to the anchoring layer.

11. The tire of claim 10, further comprising a first coupling element electrically connected to the monitoring device and a second coupling element electrically connected to the antenna;

the first and second coupling elements being aligned and spaced apart to provide the close proximity electromagnetic coupling.

12. The tire of claim 11, wherein the first and second coupling elements are coils.

13. The tire of claim 11, wherein the first and second coupling elements are pads.

14. A method of mounting a monitoring device to a tire comprising the steps of:

providing a green tire;

providing an anchoring patch having an anchoring layer and an antenna carried by the anchoring layer;

the antenna having an antenna coupling element;

connecting the anchoring patch to the green tire;

curing the green tire and anchoring patch to secure the position of the antenna with respect to the tire;

providing a monitoring device having at least one sensing element;

the monitoring device having a monitoring device coupling element; and

mounting the monitoring device to the anchoring layer to provide electrical communication between the monitoring device and antenna through close proximity electromagnetic coupling between the coupling elements.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing an anchoring patch includes the step of providing an anchoring patch having a cover, and a layer of cure material disposed between the anchoring layer and the cover.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of removing the cover and layer of cure material after the step of curing the green tire and anchoring patch.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of providing an attachment patch, mounting the monitoring device on the attachment patch, and mounting the attachment patch on the anchoring layer after the step of curing occurs.