Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-29
2001-03-27
Pope, Daryl (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
C340S445000, C340S448000, C073S146200, C343S873000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208244
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to monitoring devices used to monitor the conditions of a pneumatic tire and, more particularly, to a monitoring device and patch combination with the antenna of the monitoring device disposed in the patch and being electrically coupled to the monitoring device when the combination is assembled. Specifically, the present invention relates to an encapsulated monitoring device having a first electrical pad that is aligned with a second electrical pad in a patch wherein the connection between an antenna in the patch and the monitoring device is established by electrical coupling between the aligned electrical pads.
2. Background Information
It is often desired in the art to monitor the conditions of a tire while it is installed and in use on a vehicle. Typical desirable measurements are tire wear, internal temperature, and internal pressure. These measurements are preferably taken while the tire is in use on the vehicle without having to remove the tire from the vehicle or specifically position the tire to take the measurement. Numerous types of monitoring devices are known in the art to perform these measurements. One type of monitoring device uses a passive integrated circuit embedded within the body of the tire that is activated by a radio frequency transmission that energizes the circuit by inductive magnetic coupling. Other prior art devices used for monitoring tire conditions include self-powered circuits that are positioned external of the tire, such as at the valve stem. Other active self-powered programmable electronic devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,573,610, 5,562,787, and 5,573,611 which are assigned to the assignee of the present application.
Each of the active self-powered programmable electronic devices includes an antenna that is used to transmit the data created by the monitoring device to the data gathering device positioned outside of the tire. One of the problems in the art is to position the antenna such that the data created by the monitoring device is accurately transmitted to the data gathering device outside of the tire. It is desired to position the antenna as close to the outside of the pneumatic fire as possible so that the transmissions pass through as little of the tire as possible. In the past, the antenna of the monitoring device generally extended into the interior chamber of the tire such that the radio waves had to pass first through the air inside the tire, through the innerliner, through the tire sidewall, and then through the air to the data gathering device. It is desired in the art to provide an antenna for an active, self-powered programmable electronic device that is positioned so that the radio waves do not have to first pass through the inner chamber of the tire before entering the tire sidewall. The bead ring and apex filler of the tire tend to block the radio transmission from the monitoring device. It is thus desired in the art to position the antenna away from the bead ring and apex filler so that the transmission through the tire sidewall is as strong as possible. On the other hand, it is also desirable to position the monitoring device as close to the bead ring as possible because that area of the tire sidewall experiences fewer forces and stretching than the middle portion of the tire sidewall. It is thus desired in the art to provide a method for attaching the antenna to the monitoring device that accommodates the ideal position for both elements.
The monitoring devices known in the art are typically encapsulated with an encapsulation material that provides structural support to the monitoring device so that the device is not destroyed by the forces normally encountered and experienced by a pneumatic tire. In some applications, the process of encapsulation will take into account that the antenna must extend from the encapsulated monitoring device. It is desired to provide a monitoring device configuration that eliminates this encapsulation problem by positioning the antenna apart from the monitoring device.
One method of connecting the monitoring device to the innerliner of a tire includes the use of a rubber attachment patch to carry the monitoring device with the inner surface of the rubber patch being configured to securely adhere to the innerliner of a tire. It is desired that the sensitive electronic monitoring device and the rubber patch be capable of being manufactured in separate locations and assembled when the monitoring device is attached to the innerliner of a tire. Separating the rubber attachment patch and the sensitive monitoring device also allows the rubber attachment patch to be aggressively attached to the innerliner of a tire without the risk of damaging the sensitive monitoring device. After the rubber attachment patch is securely anchored to the innerliner, the monitoring device may be attached to the patch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a monitoring device and patch that may be fabricated at separate manufacturing facilities and then connected together when the monitoring device is installed in a pneumatic tire.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device and patch combination wherein the antenna for the monitoring device is carried by the patch.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device and patch combination that positions the antenna in a manner that causes the radio signal to pass directly into the tire sidewall away from the bead ring and apex filler of the tire.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device and patch combination that positions the monitoring device close to the bead ring and apex filler of the tire and positions the antenna away from the bead ring and apex filler.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device and patch combination that does not require a physical connection between the antenna and the monitoring device.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device that may be connected directly to the innerliner of a tire wherein the antenna of the monitoring device is embedded within the innerliner and the attachment of the monitoring device to the innerliner automatically forms an electrical connection between the antenna and the monitoring device.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a method for installing a monitoring device on the innerliner of a tire that lacks the step of directly physically connecting the antenna with the monitoring device.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for installing a monitoring device on the innerliner of a pneumatic tire that automatically provides the communication between the antenna and the monitoring device when the monitoring device is properly aligned with the patch that connects the monitoring device to the innerliner of the tire.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method and combination that are simple, that achieve the stated objectives in a simple, effective, and inexpensive manner, that solve the problems, and that satisfy the needs existing in the art.
These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention are obtained by a monitoring device and patch combination used to monitor the conditions of a pneumatic tire having an innerliner, the combination including a monitoring device having at least one sensing element; a first electrical pad connected to the sensing element; a patch carrying the monitoring device, the patch adapted to connect the monitoring device to the innerliner of the pneumatic tire; an antenna carried by the patch; and a second electrical pad carried by the patch, the second electrical pad connected to the antenna; the first and second electrical pads being spaced apart but aligned wherein the sensing element is in communication with the antenna by electrical coupling between the electrical pads.
Other
Koch Russell W.
Trew Robert J.
Wilson Paul B.
Bridgestone Firestone Research, Inc.
Kingsbury Thomas R.
Pope Daryl
Zollinger, III Fred H.
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