Tire RFID Cover Layer Composition for Durability and Signal Range

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tire technologies face challenges in effectively integrating RFID tags for enhanced durability and radio wave recognition, particularly in maintaining signal transmission efficiency and recognition distance, while protecting the tags from physical and mechanical impacts.

Innovation Solution

A tire design incorporating an electromagnetic tag module with a cover layer made of a rubber composition including a base rubber, reinforcing filler (such as carbon black or boron nitride), and insulating filler (like silica), which provides a specific resistance of 10^7 Ω·m or more, ensuring the tag's protection and improved signal transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the RFID tag is embedded directly in the tire without a specialized cover layer, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the tag's durability against physical and mechanical impacts deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidtag durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by creating a cover layer that combines base rubber with insulating fillers (such as silica, titanium dioxide, talc, or calcium carbonate) and reinforcing fillers (such as carbon black or boron nitride). This composite structure provides both mechanical protection for the RFID tag and electrical insulation properties, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and tag durability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The cover layer acts as an intermediary between the RFID tag and the tire body. It protects the tag from physical and mechanical impacts while maintaining radio wave transmission, thus resolving the contradiction by introducing a protective intermediate layer that does not significantly complicate the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a thick rubber cover is used to protect the RFID tag, then the mechanical protection is improved, but the radio wave recognition distance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetag protectionVSAvoidrecognition distance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the electrical parameters of the cover layer by incorporating insulating fillers with specific resistance values of 10^12 Ω·m or more (such as silica, titanium dioxide, talc, or calcium carbonate). This allows the cover layer to provide mechanical protection while maintaining radio wave transmission efficiency, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and recognition distance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

By creating a composite rubber material with specific insulating properties, the patent achieves both mechanical protection and radio wave transparency. The composite structure allows the cover layer to be sufficiently thick for protection while the insulating filler content (10-50 parts by weight per 100 parts rubber) ensures radio wave recognition distance is maintained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional rubber material is used for the cover layer, then the material selection is simpler, but the electrical insulation properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial selection simplicityVSAvoidelectrical insulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the electrical properties of the rubber material by adding insulating fillers with specific resistance values of 10^12 Ω·m or more. This changes the overall electrical insulation capability of the cover layer while maintaining the base rubber material's ease of processing and manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite rubber material that combines conventional base rubber with insulating fillers. This composite approach maintains the ease of manufacturing associated with rubber materials while significantly improving the electrical insulation properties needed for RFID signal transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Reliability

If the RFID tag is exposed without a cover layer, then the radio wave transmission is better, but the tag is vulnerable to physical damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradio wave transmissionVSAvoidphysical damage vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cover layer serves as an intermediary that simultaneously provides mechanical protection and maintains radio wave transmission. By using rubber material with specific insulating filler content, the cover layer becomes transparent to radio waves while providing necessary physical protection against damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the electrical and mechanical parameters of the cover layer by controlling the type and content of insulating fillers. This allows the cover layer to have sufficient thickness for protection while maintaining radio wave transmission properties, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The solution enhances the durability and radio wave recognition properties of the tire by increasing the signal recognition distance and mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and Shore A hardness, while effectively fixing and protecting the electromagnetic tag within the tire.

Implementation Method 1

a rubber composition comprising a base rubber, a reinforcing filler, and an insulating filler, and having a specific resistance of 10^7 Ω·m or more

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical Resistance: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentEP4177085B1tire
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 NEXEN TIRE
  • EP4177085B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4177085B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4177085B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a tire mounted on a transportation means, and the tire includes a tire body including a tread region that faces the surface of the road during at least the driving of the transportation means, and an electromagnetic tag module disposed in the tire body and configured to transmit or receive one or more signals, wherein, the electromagnetic tag module includes an electromagnetic tag, and a cover layer that is disposed on an inner side surface of the electromagnetic tag and separate from the tire body, wherein the cover layer includes a base rubber, a reinforcing filler, and an insulating filler, has a specific resistance of 107 Ω·m or more, and is allowed to improve the durability and radio wave recognition distance of the electromagnetic tag.