RFID patch and tire

Abstract

In this invention, an RFID patch and a tire involve: an RFID tag having an RFID chip, an antenna connected to the RFID chip, and a coating resin layer covering the RFID chip and the antenna; and an adhesive layer having a thickness of 1 mm or more and serving to bond the RFID tag and a pasting object.

Description

RFID patch and tire

[0001] The present disclosure relates to RFID patches and tires.

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand for using thermoplastic resins, thermoplastic elastomers, and the like as tire materials due to their lighter weight and ease of recycling, and tires using resin materials for tire frame members have been proposed. Also proposed are tires using resin materials for tire frame members and equipped with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag incorporating an antenna and an RFID chip that stores tire information and the like (see, for example, JP 2023-087596 A and JP 2023-087597 A).

[0003] One possible solution is to add an adhesive layer to the RFID tag to create an RFID patch, which can then be attached to the completed tire. However, when a tire is driven with an RFID patch attached, there is a risk that the RFID patch will peel off from the tire due to vibration or deformation of the tire.

[0004] The present disclosure aims to provide an RFID patch that is difficult to peel off when attached to a tire.

[0005] The RFID patch of the first embodiment comprises an RFID tag having an RFID chip, an antenna connected to the RFID chip, and a coating resin layer that covers the RFID chip and the antenna, and an adhesive layer having a thickness of 1 mm or more that bonds the RFID tag to an object to which it is attached.

[0006] In the RFID patch of the first aspect, the adhesive layer has a thickness of 1 mm or more, so when the RFID patch is attached to a tire, the adhesive layer can mitigate the effects of tire vibration, deformation, etc., making the RFID patch less likely to peel off when attached to the tire.

[0007] The RFID patch of the second aspect is the RFID patch of the first aspect, wherein the thickness of the adhesive layer is 25% or more of the total thickness.

[0008] In the RFID patch of the second aspect, the thickness of the adhesive layer is 25% or more of the overall thickness, so when the RFID patch is attached to a tire, the adhesive layer can mitigate the effects of tire vibration, deformation, etc., making the RFID patch less likely to peel off when attached to the tire.

[0009] An RFID patch of a third aspect is the RFID patch of the first or second aspect, wherein the adhesive layer has a lower hardness than the coating resin layer.

[0010] In the RFID patch of the third aspect, the adhesive layer has a lower hardness than the coating resin layer, so when the RFID patch is attached to a tire, the adhesive layer can mitigate the effects of tire vibration, deformation, etc., making the RFID patch less likely to peel off when attached to the tire.

[0011] The RFID patch of the fourth aspect is an RFID patch of any one of the first to third aspects, in which the adhesive layer has, in order from the coating resin layer side, a first adhesive layer having adhesive properties on both the front and back surfaces, a buffer layer having cushioning properties, and a second adhesive layer having adhesive properties on both the front and back surfaces.

[0012] In the RFID patch of the fourth aspect, the adhesive layer includes a first adhesive layer, a buffer layer having cushioning properties, and a second adhesive layer, so that the buffer layer can include a material that does not have adhesive properties, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in selecting the material for the buffer layer.

[0013] An RFID patch according to a fifth aspect is the RFID patch according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the adhesive layer is made of a single layer having cushioning and adhesive properties.

[0014] In the RFID patch of the fifth aspect, the adhesive layer is made of a single layer that has cushioning and adhesive properties, so that the structure of the RFID patch can be simplified.

[0015] A sixth aspect of the present invention relates to a tire having a frame member made of a resin material, and having the RFID patch according to any one of the first to fifth aspects attached thereto.

[0016] In the tire of the sixth aspect, since the RFID patch of any one of the first to fifth aspects is attached, the RFID patch is less likely to peel off.

[0017] As described above, the RFID patch and tire disclosed herein can make the RFID patch attached to the tire less likely to come off.

[0018] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a tire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a tire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure taken along the tire axis; Fig. 3 is a plan view of an RFID patch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 4 is a side view of an RFID patch according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] A tire 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The same or substantially equivalent elements, members, and portions in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals. The dimensions and proportions of the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions. The cross-sectional view of Figure 2 omits the internal structures of the RFID tag 60 and adhesive layer 70 of the RFID patch 50.

[0020] 1 and 2 is a pneumatic tire filled with air. The tire 10 includes a tire frame member 17. The tire frame member 17 includes a pair of bead portions 12, side portions 14 extending radially outward from the bead portions 12, and a crown portion 16 connecting radially outer ends of the side portions 14 to each other.

[0021] The tire frame member 17 is composed of a pair of identical annular tire frame halves 17A, each integrally formed with one bead portion 12, one side portion 14, and a half-width crown half portion 16A. The tip 16B of the crown half portion 16A has a tapered shape on the tire equatorial plane CL side.

[0022] The pair of tire frame halves 17A are butted against each other at the tips 16B of the crown halves 16A and joined at the tire equatorial plane CL to form the tire frame member 17. A welding thermoplastic material 19 is used for joining at the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0023] A tread portion 30 that constitutes the tire tread, which is the part of the tire that comes into contact with the ground, is disposed on the outer side of the crown portion 16 in the tire radial direction.

[0024] The tire frame member 17 is formed of a resin material. The resin material does not include vulcanized rubber. Examples of the resin material include thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers), thermosetting resins, and other general-purpose resins, as well as engineering plastics (including super engineering plastics).

[0025] Thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers) refer to polymeric compounds that soften and flow with increasing temperature and become relatively hard and strong when cooled. In this specification, a distinction is made between thermoplastic elastomers and polymeric compounds that soften and flow with increasing temperature and become relatively hard and strong when cooled, and have rubber-like elasticity, and non-elastomers and polymeric compounds that soften and flow with increasing temperature and become relatively hard and strong when cooled, but do not have rubber-like elasticity, as thermoplastic resins that are not elastomers.

[0026] Examples of thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers) include polyolefin thermoplastic elastomers (TPO), polystyrene thermoplastic elastomers (TPS), polyamide thermoplastic elastomers (TPA), polyurethane thermoplastic elastomers (TPU), polyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPC), and dynamically crosslinked thermoplastic elastomers (TPV), as well as polyolefin thermoplastic resins, polystyrene thermoplastic resins, polyamide thermoplastic resins, and polyester thermoplastic resins.

[0027] The thermoplastic material may have a deflection temperature under load (at a load of 0.45 MPa) of 78°C or higher as specified in ISO 75-2 or ASTM D648, a tensile yield strength of 10 MPa or higher as specified in JIS K7113, and a tensile elongation at break (JIS K7113) of 50% or higher as specified in JIS K7113. The thermoplastic material may also have a Vicat softening temperature (method A) of 130°C as specified in JIS K7206.

[0028] A thermosetting resin is a polymer compound that forms a three-dimensional network structure and hardens as the temperature rises. Examples of thermosetting resins include phenolic resin, epoxy resin, melamine resin, and urea resin.

[0029] In addition to the thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers) and thermosetting resins described above, general-purpose resins such as (meth)acrylic resins, EVA resins, vinyl chloride resins, fluorine-based resins, and silicone-based resins may also be used as the resin material.

[0030] In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the tire frame member 17 is formed from a thermoplastic resin.

[0031] The tire frame half 17A formed using a thermoplastic material can be molded, for example, by vacuum molding, pressure molding, injection molding, melt casting, etc., and compared to molding (vulcanization) using rubber, the manufacturing process can be greatly simplified and the molding time can be shortened.

[0032] The tire frame member 17 may be made of a single thermoplastic material, or, as in conventional general rubber pneumatic tires, thermoplastic materials having different characteristics may be used for each portion of the tire frame member 17 (side portion 14, crown portion 16, bead portion 12, etc.).

[0033] An annular bead core 15 is embedded in the bead portion 12 of the tire frame member 17. The bead core 15 is made of steel cord, similar to that of a conventional pneumatic tire. However, the bead core 15 may be omitted if the rigidity of the bead portion 12 is ensured and there is no problem with fitting it to a rim (not shown). The bead core 15 may also be made of cord other than steel, such as organic fiber cord or organic fiber cord coated with resin. Furthermore, the bead core 15 may not be made of cord, but may be formed of hard resin by injection molding or the like.

[0034] A cord reinforcing layer 28 including spirally wound steel cords 26S is provided on the crown portion 16 of the tire frame member 17. The cord reinforcing layer 28 corresponds to the belt disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the carcass of a conventional pneumatic rubber tire.

[0035] A coating layer 24 is formed on the tire frame member 17 from the bead portion 12 to the outer side of the crown portion 16 in the tire axial direction W. The end of the coating layer 24 on the bead portion 12 side is located on the tire inner side of the contact portion of the bead portion 12 with the rim (not shown). The coating layer 24 in this embodiment is configured to include a first coating layer 24R extending from one bead portion 12 to a position slightly beyond the tire equatorial plane CL, and a second coating layer 24L extending from the other bead portion 12 to a position slightly beyond the tire equatorial plane CL and overlapping the first coating layer 24R on the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0036] The first coating layer 24R and the second coating layer 24L are configured such that the reinforcing material is coated with a resin material. The resin material may be, for example, the same as the resin material constituting the tire frame member 17. The resin material may be coated on one or both sides of the reinforcing material. When both sides of the reinforcing material are coated with the resin material, the reinforcing material can be positioned at the center in the thickness direction of the first coating layer 24R and the second coating layer 24L. When coating on both sides, different resin materials may be used for one side and the other side.

[0037] The reinforcing material is, for example, a twisted cord or an aggregate of multiple filaments. The material of the reinforcing material is, for example, aliphatic polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, glass, aramid, or metal such as steel. In the first covering layer 24R and the second covering layer 24L, the reinforcing material extends at least along the tire radial direction. This reinforcing material may be combined with a reinforcing material extending in the tire circumferential direction, and the reinforcing materials may be layered so as to cross each other. In this case, the reinforcing material may be woven or knitted to form a cloth-like structure. The reinforcing material may be inclined relative to the tire radial direction or the tire circumferential direction.

[0038] A tread portion 30 is arranged on the outer side of the covering layer 24 on the outer side of the tire frame member 17 in the tire radial direction, and a side member 31 is arranged on the outer side of the covering layer 24 on the outer side of the tire frame member 17 in the tire width direction.

[0039] The tread portion 30 constitutes the tire tread, which is the contact portion of the tire 10 .

[0040] The tread portion 30 is formed of rubber that has better abrasion resistance than the thermoplastic resin of the tire frame member 17. The same type of rubber as that used in conventional pneumatic tires made of rubber can be used as the rubber used for the tread portion 30. Note that the tread portion 30 may be made of another type of thermoplastic resin that has better abrasion resistance than the thermoplastic resin that forms the side portion 14.

[0041] The side members 31 can be made of the same type of rubber as that used in conventional pneumatic rubber tires.

[0042] (RFID Patch) The RFID patch 50 of this embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 includes an RFID tag 60 having an RFID chip 62, an antenna 64 connected to the RFID chip 62, and a coating resin layer 66 that covers the RFID chip 62 and the antenna 64, and an adhesive layer 70 having a thickness of 1 mm or more that bonds the RFID tag 60 to the tire 10, which is the object to which the RFID tag 60 is to be attached.

[0043] The RFID patch 50 is configured to be affixable to the tire 10 with an adhesive layer 70 so that the RFID tag 60 can be attached to the completed tire 10 later. The RFID patch 50 is flexible and configured to be deformable in response to deformation of the tire 10.

[0044] The RFID tag 60 is a wireless tag that has the function of communicating wirelessly by sending and receiving radio waves via an antenna 64, and is capable of receiving radio waves emitted by a reader and wirelessly transmitting information recorded in the RFID chip 62.

[0045] The resin material constituting the coating resin layer 66 is preferably the same type of resin material as the thermoplastic resin of the cord reinforcing layer 28 .

[0046] The adhesive layer 70 has a thickness of 1 mm or more and has cushioning and adhesive properties. The adhesive layer 70 of this embodiment has, in order from the RFID tag 60 side, a first adhesive layer 71 having adhesive properties on both the front and back surfaces, a buffer layer 72 having cushioning properties, and a second adhesive layer 73 having adhesive properties on both the front and back surfaces.

[0047] The first adhesive layer 71 and the second adhesive layer 73 can be formed of a double-sided tape having a base material such as paper or cellophane, a double-sided tape having no base material, or an adhesive coating layer.

[0048] The buffer layer 72 can be made of rubber, sponge, or the like.

[0049] The thickness of the adhesive layer 70 is preferably 25% or more of the total thickness of the RFID patch 50. The thickness of the adhesive layer 70 is more preferably 40% or more of the total thickness of the RFID patch 50. The adhesive layer 70 preferably has a lower hardness than the coating resin layer 66. In this embodiment, the thickness of the adhesive layer 70 is set to 25% or more of the total thickness of the RFID patch 50, and the adhesive layer 70 has a lower hardness than the coating resin layer 66.

[0050] The RFID patch 50 of this embodiment is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the tire frame member 17 at a center position in the tire axial direction W with its longitudinal direction facing the tire circumferential direction.

[0051] (Actions and Effects) In the RFID patch 50 of the present embodiment, the thickness of the adhesive layer 70 is set to 1 mm or more, and therefore, when the RFID patch 50 is attached to the tire 10, the adhesive layer 70 can mitigate the effects of vibration, deformation, and the like of the tire 10. Therefore, when the RFID patch 50 is attached to the tire 10, it is less likely to peel off.

[0052] Furthermore, in the RFID patch 50 of this embodiment, the thickness of the adhesive layer 70 is set to 25% or more of the overall thickness, so when the RFID patch 50 is attached to a tire, the adhesive layer 70 can mitigate the effects of vibration, deformation, and the like of the tire 10. Therefore, when the RFID patch 50 is attached to the tire 10, it is less likely to peel off.

[0053] Furthermore, in the RFID patch 50 of this embodiment, the adhesive layer 70 has a lower hardness than the coating resin layer 66, and therefore, when the RFID patch 50 is attached to the tire 10, the adhesive layer 70 can mitigate the effects of vibration, deformation, and the like of the tire 10. Therefore, when the RFID patch 50 is attached to the tire 10, it is less likely to peel off.

[0054] Furthermore, in the RFID patch 50 of this embodiment, the adhesive layer 70 includes the first adhesive layer 71, the buffer layer 72 having cushioning properties, and the second adhesive layer 73, so that the buffer layer 72 can be made of a material that does not have adhesive properties. This increases the degree of freedom in selecting the material for the buffer layer 72.

[0055] [Other Embodiments] The above describes one embodiment of the technology of the present disclosure, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that it can be implemented in various modifications within the scope of the gist of the technology.

[0056] For example, in the above embodiment, the RFID patch 50 is attached to the tire 10 with its longitudinal direction facing the tire circumferential direction, but the RFID patch 50 may also be attached to the tire 10 with its longitudinal direction facing in a direction inclined relative to the tire circumferential direction, or the RFID patch 50 may be attached to the tire 10 with its longitudinal direction facing the tire width direction.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the RFID patch 50 is attached to the crown portion 16 on the inner circumferential surface of the tire frame member 17 , but it may also be attached to the side portion 14 .

[0058] In addition, in the above embodiment, the RFID tag 60 of the RFID patch 50 is made up of the RFID chip 62, the antenna 64, and the coating resin layer 66, but other members or layers may also be added.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the adhesive layer 70 of the RFID patch 50 includes a first adhesive layer 71, a buffer layer 72 having cushioning properties, and a second adhesive layer 73. However, as shown in Fig. 5, the adhesive layer 70 may include a single buffer adhesive layer 74 having both cushioning and adhesive properties. The buffer adhesive layer 74 having both cushioning and adhesive properties may be made of, for example, butyl rubber.

[0060] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the tire frame member 17 is formed from a resin material. However, the tire frame member 17 may be a tire frame (tire case) of a conventional pneumatic tire that includes a carcass with rubber-coated cords, a rubber inner liner, a rubber bead filler, etc.

[0061] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-209533, filed on December 12, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. An RFID tag having an RFID chip, an antenna connected to the RFID chip, and a coating resin layer that covers the RFID chip and the antenna, and an adhesive layer having a thickness of 1 mm or more that bonds the RFID tag to an object to which it is attached.

2. The RFID patch according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the adhesive layer is 25% or more of the total thickness.

3. The RFID patch according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer has a hardness lower than that of the coating resin layer.

4. The RFID patch as described in claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises, in order from the coating resin layer side, a first adhesive layer having adhesive properties on both the front and back sides, a buffer layer having cushioning properties, and a second adhesive layer having adhesive properties on both the front and back sides.

5. The RFID patch according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is a single layer having both cushioning and adhesive properties.

6. A tire having a frame member made of a resin material and having an RFID patch according to any one of claims 1 to 5 affixed thereto.

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