Tire Sensor Cover Structure to Prevent Detachment Under Deformation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Tire sensors mounted on inner surfaces of tires face durability issues due to repeated deformation during driving, leading to detachment and potential damage.

Innovation Solution

A tire sensor design featuring a concave portion in the side surface of the cover body, positioned between the mounting surface and 1/4 of the maximum sensor height, to absorb stress and prevent detachment from the tire inner surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a groove is provided in a rubber base to enhance tire sensor durability, then the sensor resistance to detachment is improved, but the overall durability is still insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire sensor durabilityVSAvoidsensor attachment strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The concave portion is formed in advance in the cover body at a position closer to the mounting surface, creating a cushioning zone that absorbs stress from tire deformation before it reaches the mounting surface. This beforehand cushioning prevents stress concentration that would otherwise cause detachment, thereby improving both reliability and attachment strength simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Measurement precision

If the sensor is mounted on the tire inner surface, then the sensor can detect tire information, but the sensor is subjected to repeated deformation stress causing detachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire information detectionVSAvoiddeformation stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The concave portion acts as an intermediary stress-absorbing zone between the mounting surface and the sensor body. It mediates the deformation stress by providing a compliant region that deforms preferentially, protecting the mounting surface and sensor from direct stress exposure while maintaining detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If the cover body is made rigid to protect electronic circuitry, then the sensor body is protected, but stress from deformation cannot be absorbed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecover body protectionVSAvoidstress absorption capability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cover body employs local quality variation by forming a concave portion with different structural properties (reduced thickness, increased compliance) at a specific location closer to the mounting surface. This localized soft zone provides stress absorption capability while the rest of the cover body maintains its rigid protective function, resolving the contradiction between protection and stress absorption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4397508B1Tire sensor and tire
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP4397508B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4397508B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4397508B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A tire sensor according to the present disclosure is a tire sensor configured to be mountable on a tire inner surface. The tire sensor includes a sensor body including electronic circuitry including a detector configured to be able to detect tire information, and a cover body configured to cover at least a part of a periphery of the sensor body. The cover body includes a mounting surface configured to be mountable on the tire inner surface, and a side surface configured to rise from an outer edge of the mounting surface. In the side surface of the cover body, a concave portion is formed between the mounting surface and a height position of 1/4 of a maximum sensor height in a sensor height direction orthogonal to the mounting surface.