Pneumatic tire equipped with electronic device and corresponding production method
By cleaning the liner area before vulcanization and avoiding mold release agent residue, the problem of poor adhesion between the rubber support and the liner was solved, enabling stable fixation of electronic devices, simplifying manufacturing, and reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BRIDGESTONE EURO NV SA
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-19
AI Technical Summary
In the prior art, rubber supports are difficult to be effectively fixed to the pneumatic tire liner during the vulcanization process, resulting in poor adhesion between the rubber supports and the liner, which affects the installation of electronic devices, and the residue of cleaning release agent can damage the stability of the joint.
Clean the lining area before vulcanization to avoid mold release agent residue, ensure that the electronic device supports are fixed outside the buffer zone at the joint, remove the mold release agent by mechanical or chemical methods, and ensure effective adhesion of the adhesive.
This achieves stable fixation of electronic devices, reduces defects in pneumatic tires, simplifies the manufacturing process, lowers costs, and improves the installation reliability of electronic devices.
Smart Images
Figure CN122249332A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to an inflatable tire equipped with electronic devices and a corresponding manufacturing method.
[0002] This invention has an advantageous application in pneumatic tires equipped with electronic devices, commercially known as TMS (“Tire Monitoring System” or “Tire Mounted System”), which are configured to measure the internal pressure and internal temperature of the pneumatic tire in real time and periodically transmit these measurements to the vehicle’s control unit via wireless communication; in this way, safety can be improved, operating costs reduced, and the lifespan of the pneumatic tire extended. Background Technology
[0003] In recent years, so-called "smart" pneumatic tires have emerged, which can become an active component of modern vehicles, providing information about the type of pneumatic tire installed, the condition of the pneumatic tire, and environmental conditions. "Smart" pneumatic tires are equipped with TMS-type electronics, or alternatively, RFID-type ("Radio Frequency Identification") electronics, which enable the remote transmission of pneumatic tire information.
[0004] It has been proposed to insert the electronic device into a rubber support and then attach (e.g., glue) the rubber support to the liner of a vulcanized pneumatic tire; that is, once the vulcanization of the pneumatic tire is complete, the rubber support (which houses the electronic device) is attached (e.g., glued) inside the pneumatic tire and above the inner surface of the liner (exposed to air).
[0005] Before inserting the raw pneumatic tire into the vulcanizing mold, a liquid release agent (lubricant) is applied to the liner (i.e., inside the pneumatic tire). This release agent functions to prevent the air chambers (capsules) of the vulcanizing mold from adhering to the liner during the vulcanization process. Residues of the release agent remain in the liner of the vulcanized pneumatic tire. These residues prevent the rubber supports from being properly attached (e.g., glued) to the liner because they eliminate the adhesive effect of the adhesive used to glue the rubber supports to the liner. Therefore, before the rubber supports are glued to the liner, a cleaning (removal) operation of the release agent must be performed in the area of the liner intended to receive the rubber supports. This operation can be performed mechanically (e.g., using a grinding wheel to mechanically remove the release agent) or chemically (e.g., using a substance that chemically removes or neutralizes the release agent). Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pneumatic tire equipped with electronic devices and a corresponding production method, which enables the minimization of the number of scrapped pneumatic tires, while being easy to manufacture and inexpensive.
[0007] According to the present invention, a pneumatic tire equipped with electronic devices as set forth in the appended claims and a corresponding manufacturing method are provided.
[0008] The claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention, which form part of this specification. Attached Figure Description
[0009] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary, non-limiting embodiments, in which:
[0010] • Figure 1 It is a schematic cross-sectional view of an inflatable tire equipped with electronic devices;
[0011] • Figure 2 and Figure 3 They are respectively suitable for accommodating Figure 1 Perspective and cross-sectional views of the rubber support components of the electronic device;
[0012] • Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are perspective views and exploded perspective views of different implementation schemes of the electronic device and the corresponding rubber support component;
[0013] • Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a pneumatic tire;
[0014] • Figure 7 and Figure 8 yes Figure 1 Two different schematic diagrams and side views of an inflatable tire, and
[0015] • Figure 9 and Figure 10 They are in Figure 1 The manufacturing process of pneumatic tires and the time before and after vulcanization. Figure 1 Two different schematic diagrams and side views of an inflatable tire. Detailed Implementation
[0016] exist Figure 1In the diagram, reference numeral 1 generally indicates an inflatable tire 1 comprising an annular carcass 2, which is partially folded over itself and thus has two lateral flaps (i.e., two layers stacked on top of each other and collectively referred to as "curls"). Two annular bead layers 3 are disposed on opposite sides of the carcass 2, with each of the two annular bead layers being surrounded by the carcass 2. The carcass 2 supports an annular tread 4 and a tread belt layer 5 disposed between the carcass 2 and the tread 4. Arranged within the carcass 2 is an airtight liner 6, which forms the inner lining and functions to retain air within the tire 1 to maintain the same inflation pressure of the tire 1 over time. The carcass 2 supports a pair of sidewalls 7, each of which connects a bead 3 to the tread 4.
[0017] The pneumatic tire 1 is equipped with an electronic device 8 that is capable of wirelessly (i.e., by means of electromagnetic signals) transmitting information related to the pneumatic tire 1 to an external control unit.
[0018] exist Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the electronic device 8 includes at least one sensor configured to measure physical quantities inherent to the operation of the pneumatic tire 1, and then transmit the measurements to an external control unit. The sensor of the electronic device 8 is typically configured to at least measure the inflation pressure of the pneumatic tire 1 (i.e., the pressure found within the volume where the electronic device 8 is also located within the pneumatic tire 1), and may also be configured to measure the temperature inside the pneumatic tire 1 (i.e., the temperature found within the volume where the electronic device 8 is also located within the pneumatic tire 1) and the acceleration experienced by the pneumatic tire 1. This type of electronic device 8 is commercially known as a TMS (“Tire Monitoring System” or “Tire-Mounted Sensor”).
[0019] exist Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, a rubber support 9 is provided, which is fixed to the liner 6 and houses the electronic device 8; that is, once the vulcanization of the pneumatic tire 1 is complete, the rubber support 9 (where the electronic device 8 is housed) is attached (e.g., glued) inside the pneumatic tire 1 and above the (air-exposed) inner surface of the liner 6 (alternatively, the electronic device 8 may be inserted into the rubber support 9 at a later time). The rubber support 9 includes a base 10 and a cup-shaped body 12, the base having a surface 11 for attachment (e.g., glued) to the liner 6, the cup-shaped body rising cantilevered from the base 10 and defining a seat 13 for housing the electronic device 8. The rubber support 9 may be a single component or may be a combination of several components joined together.
[0020] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the alternative embodiment shown, the electronic device 8 is only able to store information related to the pneumatic tire 1 (e.g., a unique identification code), which can be read (and possibly modified) by means of wireless communication. This type of electronic device 8 is commercially known as RFID (“Radio Frequency Identification”) or “Smart Tag”.
[0021] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the electronic device 8 includes an electronic circuit 14 (i.e., a microchip) with non-volatile memory and an antenna 15 connected to the electronic circuit 14 (preferably, the electronic circuit 14 and the antenna 15 constitute a transponder, i.e., the electronic device 8 is a transponder). The electronic device 8 is inserted into a rubber support (housing) 16, which includes two rubber strips 17 and 18 that are stacked and pressed against each other (clamping the electronic device 8 between the two rubber strips). According to different and equivalent embodiments (not shown), a single rubber strip 17 or 18 is provided on the opposite side of the liner 6 (i.e., one of the two rubber strips 17 and 18 is replaced by the liner 6).
[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, Figure 2 and Figure 3 The electronic device 8 of the illustrated embodiment (i.e., the TMS electronic device 8 connected to the rubber support 9) is arranged at the tread 4, and preferably located in the middle of the tread 4. Figure 1 As shown, Figure 4 and Figure 5 The electronic device 8 of the embodiment shown (i.e., the electronic RFID device 8 connected to the rubber support 16) is arranged at the sidewall 7 of the pneumatic tire 1.
[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the rubber support 9 of the electronic device 8 is fixed (e.g., glued) to the liner 6, that is, the rubber support is applied to the inner surface of the pneumatic tire 1 (more precisely, radially inward relative to the tread 4 and axially inward relative to the sidewall 7), which includes the (air-exposed) inner surface of the liner 6 (therefore, the rubber support 9 of the electronic device 8 is in direct contact with the liner 6). In other words, the electronic device 8 is on the outside of the pneumatic tire 1, that is, the electronic device is not integrated inside the pneumatic tire 1 and is applied (fixed, attached) to the inner surface of the liner 6 (and in the view), that is, on the surface of the liner 6 located outside the pneumatic tire 1 and therefore in direct contact with the air inside the pneumatic tire 1, thus the electronic device 8 is applied (fixed, attached) to the innermost free surface of the pneumatic tire 1.
[0024] The green tire components of the pneumatic tire 1 (carcass 2, tread belt layer 5, tread 4, inner liner 6, etc.) are stacked on top of each other to form a flat strip, which is then wound (in the assembly drum of the forming machine) to form a cylinder, which is then deformed to present a final annular shape. Specifically, the strip wound in the ring connects to itself, thereby forming multiple joints (each component of the pneumatic tire 1 joins at different locations to avoid overlapping joints, thus avoiding large discontinuities at a single point). Within each joint of the pneumatic tire 1, and as... Figure 6 As shown, there is a joint 19 for the inner liner 6; that is, the inner liner 6 of the uninflated tire 1 has a joint 19 in which two opposing flaps of the inner liner 6 are joined between the two opposing flaps (by means of slight overlap). The uninflated tire 1 then undergoes a vulcanization process in a suitable vulcanizing mold.
[0025] The connector 19 gives the inner liner 6 of the pneumatic tire 1 a cylindrical shape and axial orientation, that is, the connector is parallel to the central axis of the pneumatic tire 1, around which the pneumatic tire 1 rotates during use.
[0026] according to Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the support member 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 (and thus the electronic device 8) is fully arranged in the buffer zone Z, which is centered on the connector 19 (i.e., the connector 19 is arranged exactly at the center of the buffer zone Z) and extends circumferentially from the connector 19, not exceeding 5° to 10° on each side (i.e., the maximum extension of the buffer zone Z is 5° to 10° on each side). According to one possible embodiment, the maximum circumferential extension of the buffer zone Z is 20°, while according to other embodiments, the maximum circumferential extension of the buffer zone Z is 15° or 10°; that is, the buffer zone Z extends circumferentially from the connector 19, not exceeding 10°, 7.5°, or 5° on each side.
[0027] Therefore, the support member 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 (and thus the electronic device 8) is not stacked on the connector 19 in any way, thus (as Figure 8 (More preferably illustrated) The support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 (therefore the electronic device 8) is arranged at a non-zero circumferential distance D from the connector 19.
[0028] More generally, and as Figure 8 More preferably, the proximal end of the support member 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 (and thus the electronic device 8) is arranged at a circumferential distance D from the connector 19, which is greater than 0° and at least equal to 10° (or 7.5° or 5° according to other embodiments).
[0029] like Figure 9As shown, before the vulcanization process begins, a liquid release agent P (lubricant) is applied (sprayed) to the inside of the pneumatic tire 1. Its purpose is to prevent the rubber of the liner 6 from adhering (vulcanizing) to the air chamber of the vulcanization mold, which is inflated within the pneumatic tire 1 to apply the necessary mechanical pressure. To prevent the release agent P from seeping into the joint 19 during vulcanization (due to the high pressure experienced by the pneumatic tire 1), thus causing the joint 19 to open (or even partially open), the release agent P is not applied to the joint 19.
[0030] like Figure 10 As shown, at the end of the vulcanization step and before the support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 (and thus the electronic device 8) is applied to the liner 6, the area where the support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 (and thus the electronic device 8) is applied is cleaned to remove the release agent P, thereby achieving optimal adhesion of the support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 to the liner 6. In fact, residues of release agent P remain in the liner 6 of the vulcanized pneumatic tire 1. These residues hinder the proper attachment (e.g., gluing) of the support member 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 to the liner 6 because they eliminate the adhesive effect of the adhesive used to glue the support member 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 to the liner 6. Therefore, before gluing the support member 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 to the liner 6, a cleaning (removal) operation of the release agent P must be performed in the area of the liner 6 intended to receive the support member 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8, and this operation can be performed mechanically (e.g., using a grinding wheel to mechanically remove the release agent P) or chemically (e.g., using a substance that chemically removes or neutralizes the release agent P).
[0031] The support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 can only be fixed (glued) to the liner 6 after the release agent P is applied to the area of the liner 6 intended to receive the support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8.
[0032] The embodiments described herein may be combined without departing from the scope of protection of this invention.
[0033] The pneumatic tire 1 described above has many advantages.
[0034] First, the pneumatic tire 1 described above exhibits fewer defects in the liner 6 at the joint 19. This result is achieved by avoiding arranging the support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 (and thus the electronic device 8) within the buffer zone Z of the joint 19, thereby avoiding both the application of adhesives used to bond the support 9 or 16 of the electronic device 8 to the liner 6 to the joint 19 (which could impair the stability of the joint 19, especially its sealing performance) and cleaning the liner 6 at the joint 19 (to remove the release agent P) (mechanical or chemical cleaning could impair the stability of the joint 19, especially its sealing performance).
[0035] Furthermore, the pneumatic tire 1 described above has a particularly simple and economical construction because it does not require any additional parts, but rather attention to the positioning of the support 9 or 16 of the (easily automated) electronic device 8.
[0036] List of reference numerals in the attached figure
[0037]
Claims
1. A pneumatic tire (1), comprising: The inner liner (6) forms an inner covering layer and is used to retain air inside the pneumatic tire (1); The connector (19) of the liner (6) gives the liner (6) a cylindrical shape; and Electronic device (8), said electronic device being applied to the inner surface of the liner (6) that constitutes the innermost free surface of the pneumatic tire (1); The pneumatic tire (1) is characterized in that the electronic device (8) is completely arranged outside the buffer zone (Z), which is centered on the joint (19) of the liner (6) and extends circumferentially from the joint (19) of the liner (6) for no more than 10° on each side.
2. The pneumatic tire (1) according to claim 1, wherein the maximum circumferential extension of the buffer zone (Z) is 10°.
3. The pneumatic tire (1) according to claim 1, wherein the maximum circumferential extension of the buffer zone (Z) is 15°.
4. The pneumatic tire (1) according to claim 1, wherein the maximum circumferential extension of the buffer zone (Z) is 20°.
5. The pneumatic tire (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electronic device (8) is arranged at a non-zero circumferential distance (D) from the joint (19) of the inner liner (6).
6. The pneumatic tire (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the proximal end of the electronic device (8) is arranged at a circumferential distance (D) greater than 5° from the joint (19) of the inner liner (6).
7. The pneumatic tire (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and comprising a support (9, 16) attached to the inner surface of the liner (6) and housing the electronic device (8).
8. The pneumatic tire (1) according to claim 7, wherein the support (9) comprises a base (10) and a cup-shaped body (12), the base having a surface (11) attached to the liner (6), the cup-shaped body rising cantilevered from the base (10) and defining a seat (13) for accommodating the electronic device (8).
9. A method for producing a pneumatic tire (1), comprising the following steps: A liner (6) is formed, which constitutes an inner covering layer and is used to retain air inside the pneumatic tire (1); In the assembly drum of the molding machine, the liner (6) is bent into a ring to form a joint (19), the joint giving the liner (6) a cylindrical shape; and The electronic device (8) is applied to the inner surface of the liner (6) that constitutes the innermost free surface of the pneumatic tire (1); The production method is characterized in that the electronic device (8) is completely arranged in a buffer zone (Z) centered on the joint (19) of the liner (6) and extending circumferentially from the joint (19) of the liner (6) for no more than 10° on each side.
10. The production method according to claim 9, further comprising the following additional steps: A release agent (P) is applied to the inner surface of the liner (6) of the raw pneumatic tire (1) for use in the subsequent vulcanization process; The raw pneumatic tire (1) is subjected to the vulcanization process; and The electronic device (8) is applied to the inner surface of the liner (6) of the vulcanized pneumatic tire (1).
11. The production method according to claim 10, and further comprising the additional step of cleaning the release agent (P) of the liner (6) for the area intended for application of the electronic device (8) before applying the electronic device (8).