Tire Sensor Case Curved Surface Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Sensor cases attached to tire inner surfaces can detach due to cracks in the adhesion layer, causing damage to the tire's inner surface when they come off and roll on it.

Innovation Solution

A sensor case design with a lower side member having a curved surface and an upper side member with a curved connection, preventing scratches and damage to the tire's inner surface even if it detaches and rolls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the sensor case comes off and rolls on the tire inner surface, then it may transmit sensor information, but it damages the tire inner surface with its corner parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor information transmissionVSAvoidtire inner surface damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bottom surface part is designed with a curved surface instead of sharp corners. When the sensor case detaches and rolls on the tire inner surface, the curved surface prevents concentration of stress at corners, eliminating scratching and scraping damage to the tire inner surface while allowing the sensor to continue transmitting information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of manufacture

If the sensor case structure is simplified for easy manufacture, then production cost decreases, but the ability to prevent detachment and damage is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiddamage prevention capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor case is segmented into housing part and bottom surface part, which can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining ease of manufacture, and the relative movement capability provides damage prevention without requiring complex integrated structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The curved surface design of the bottom surface part is a simple geometric feature that can be easily formed during manufacturing processes. This curvature provides damage prevention functionality without adding significant manufacturing complexity, as curved surfaces are standard features in injection molding and other common manufacturing methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP3492285B1Sensor case
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP3492285B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3492285B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3492285B1 patent drawingFigure 5A~6B

AI summary

A sensor case (10) with a sensor housed therein for obtaining information on a tire, including a lower side member (11) having a bottom surface (11b) to be attached on an inner surface of the tire or to a base (20) for mounting the sensor case (10) on the inner surface of the tire, and an upper side member (12) protruding from a surface (11a) opposite to the bottom surface (11b) of the lower side member (11) to a side opposite to the bottom surface (11b) and having a width smaller than a width of the lower side member (11). A side surface (11c) of the lower side member (11) is formed of a curved surface convex outwardly in a width direction, and a side surface (12c) of the upper side member (12) and a top surface (12a) of the upper side member (12), which is a surface opposite to the bottom surface (11b), are connected by a curved surface (12p) being in contact with the top surface (12a).