Pneumatic Tire Sensor Bonding via Innerliner Cutting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pneumatic tires face issues with ensuring sufficient adhesiveness between the tire inner surface and sensor units due to residual release agents, leading to potential sensor unit detachment and compromised air retention properties.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a sensor unit bonded to the tire inner surface via an adhesive layer, where the release agent is removed in the fixing region, along with optimized innerliner thickness ratios and adhesive properties, ensures enhanced adhesiveness and air retention while allowing for easy installation and high-speed durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a release agent is applied to the tire inner surface during vulcanization, then the tire can be easily demolded, but the adhesiveness between the tire inner surface and sensor unit deteriorates due to residual release agent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedemolding easeVSAvoidadhesiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tire inner surface is divided into a sensor fixing region where the release agent is removed and a non-fixing region where the release agent remains. This segmentation allows the sensor unit to be firmly bonded while maintaining easy demolding in other areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The release agent removal is applied locally only to the sensor fixing region rather than the entire tire inner surface. This local treatment ensures sufficient adhesiveness at the sensor bonding location while preserving the release agent's demolding function in other areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If cleaning treatment is applied to remove the release agent, then some release agent is removed, but the adhesiveness is still insufficient and sensor unit falls off

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadhesivenessVSAvoidsensor unit retention

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The release agent is completely extracted (removed by cutting) from the sensor fixing region rather than partially removed by cleaning. This complete extraction ensures sufficient adhesiveness for reliable sensor unit retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 effectively enhances the adhesiveness between the tire inner surface and sensor units, maintains air retention properties, and improves tire productivity by ensuring the sensor unit remains securely attached during tire deformation and high-speed conditions.

Implementation Method 1

the sensor unit is bonded to the tire inner surface via an adhesive layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS20210309053A1Pneumatic Tire

Publication Date: 2021.10.07 THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a pneumatic tire. At least one sensor unit including a sensor that acquires tire information is fixed to an innerliner constituting a tire inner surface, and the sensor unit is bonded to the tire inner surface via an adhesive layer in a state where a release agent present in the tire inner surface is removed by cutting at least in a fixing region for the sensor unit.