Printed Strain Sensors on Tire Innerliner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire strain sensors attached to the innerliner face issues due to manufacturing dispersion and aging effects, leading to reduced accuracy in load determination, as they are not uniformly applied and their measurements become less accurate over time.
Innovation Solution
The tire incorporates printed resistive strain sensors directly on the innerliner using conductive ink, arranged in a zigzag pattern, which allows for real-time calibration and improved sensitivity by aligning the sensitive axis with the radial direction of the tire, reducing manufacturing dispersion and aging effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If discrete electronic strain sensor units are attached to the tire innerliner using adhesive, then the integrity of the innerliner is preserved, but manufacturing dispersion occurs leading to non-uniform application and reduced measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor with the innerliner by printing the strain sensors directly onto the innerliner surface, eliminating the need for separate adhesive attachment. This integration ensures uniform application and consistent positioning while maintaining innerliner integrity through the printing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical adhesive attachment system with a printing system. The conductive ink is printed directly onto the innerliner, substituting the adhesive bonding mechanism with a deposition process that provides more consistent and controllable sensor placement.
2Measurement precision
If discrete electronic strain sensor units are attached to the tire innerliner, then strain measurement capability is provided, but aging effect occurs causing measurement accuracy to deteriorate over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces discrete electronic sensor units with printed conductive ink sensors. This substitution eliminates the aging effects associated with discrete components and adhesives, providing more stable and consistent measurements over time while maintaining strain measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the sensor material by using conductive ink with specific electrical properties. The ink formulation and printing process create sensors with optimized electrical conductivity and mechanical properties that resist degradation, maintaining measurement precision throughout the tire's service life.
3Manufacturing precision
If printed strain sensors are used on the innerliner, then manufacturing dispersion is reduced and measurement accuracy is improved, but additional printing process complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex discrete sensor attachment processes with a printing process. While printing introduces new process parameters, it eliminates the complexity of adhesive application, positioning, and alignment required for discrete sensors, providing more uniform results through a streamlined manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the accuracy of tire load determination by minimizing the impact of manufacturing variations and sensor degradation, providing more precise and repeatable strain measurements.
Implementation Method 1
A pair of resistive strain sensors is printed on the innerliner
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3D
Figure 4~5B
AI summary
A tire with printed strain sensors (30, 32) is disclosed. The tire (10) comprises a pair of bead areas (12a, 12b), a ground-contacting tread (18) disposed radially outwardly of the pair of bead areas (12a, 12b), a pair of sidewalls (16), in which each sidewall (16) extends from a respective bead area (12a, 12b) to the tread (18), a carcass (20) extending toroidally between each of the bead areas (12a, 12b) radially inwardly of the tread (18), an innerliner (22) formed on an inside surface of the carcass (20), and a pair of resistive strain sensors (30, 32) printed on the innerliner (22).