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EP-4741180-A1 - TIRE SENSOR WITH ELASTOMERIC CONNECTORS AND TIRE

EP4741180A1EP 4741180 A1EP4741180 A1EP 4741180A1EP-4741180-A1

Abstract

A sensor unit for a tire (103) or for measuring one or more parameters associated with a tire (103) is disclosed. The sensor unit (200) comprises: (i) a printed circuit board (210); an electrical component (272, 274); and an elastomer connector (250) in contact with the printed circuit board (210) and the electrical component (272, 274); or (ii) a first electrical component (272); a second electrical component (274); and an elastomer connector (250) in contact with the first electrical component (272) and the second electrical component (274). The elastomer connector (250) comprises a plurality of conductive layers (258) and a plurality of nonconductive layers (256) disposed alternatingly among the plurality of conductive layers (258) along a length of the elastomer connector (250). Also disclosed is a tire comprising such a sensor unit (200).

Inventors

  • ZHAO, JUNLING
  • WEST, Jeffrey McKay
  • GLICKSTEIN, Jarred
  • Middelberg, Jason Mark
  • DECOSTER, YVES FRANCOIS CLAUDE

Assignees

  • The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251007

Claims (15)

  1. A sensor unit for a tire (103) or for measuring one or more parameters associated with a tire (103), the sensor unit (200) comprising: (i) a printed circuit board (210); an electrical component (272, 274); and an elastomer connector (250) in contact with the printed circuit board (210) and the electrical component (272, 274); or (ii) a first electrical component (272); a second electrical component (274); and an elastomer connector (250) in contact with the first electrical component (272) and the second electrical component (274); wherein the elastomer connector (250) comprises a plurality of conductive layers (258) and a plurality of nonconductive layers (256) disposed alternatingly among the plurality of conductive layers (258) along a length of the elastomer connector (250).
  2. The sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the electrical component (272, 274) or the first and/or the second electrical component comprises at least one of a wire, a power source, a piezoelectric sensor, a strain sensor, a wear sensor, or an energy harvester.
  3. The sensor unit of claim 1 or 2 or, wherein: the plurality of conductive layers (258) comprise at least one of charged silicone, carbon, graphite, or silver; and/or the plurality of nonconductive layers (256) comprise neutral silicone.
  4. The sensor unit of at least one of the previous claims, wherein the elastomer connector (250) is deflected between 10% and 15% in compression between the electrical component (272, 274) and the printed circuit board (210) or wherein the elastomer connector (250) is deflected between 10% and 15% in compression between the first electrical component (272) and the second electrical (274) component.
  5. The sensor unit of at least one of the previous claims, wherein: the elastomer connector (250) is a first elastomer connector of a plurality of elastomer connectors; the electrical component (272, 274) is a first electrical component of a plurality of electrical components; and each respective electrical component of the plurality of electrical components is electrically connected to at least a second respective electrical component of the plurality of electrical components via at least one respective elastomer connector (250) of the plurality of elastomer connectors.
  6. The sensor unit of at least one of the previous claims, wherein the sensor unit (200) is mounted along at least a portion of an innerliner (133) of the tire (103).
  7. The sensor unit of at least one of the previous claims, wherein the sensor unit (200) is disposed at least partially within a structure of the tire (103).
  8. The sensor unit of at least one of the previous claims, wherein each of the first electrical component and the second electrical component comprise at least one of a printed circuit board, wire, a power source, a piezoelectric sensor, a strain sensor, a wear sensor, or an energy harvester.
  9. The sensor unit of at least one of the previous claims, wherein: the elastomer connector (250) comprises a first support (262) and second support (264); and wherein the plurality of conductive layers (258) and the plurality of nonconductive layers (256) are sandwiched between the first support (262) and the second support (264).
  10. The sensor unit of at least one of the previous claims, wherein: the sensor unit (200) comprises a wire treadwear sensor; the first electrical component (272) is a printed circuit board (210); the second electrical component (274) is a wire (276); the elastomer connector (250) is a first elastomeric connector; the sensor unit (200) comprises a second elastomeric connector spaced apart from the first elastomeric connector; the second elastomeric connector is connected to the printed circuit board (210) and the wire (276); and the wire (276) is at least partially disposed within at least one ground-contacting tread (119) of the tire (103).
  11. A tire comprising the sensor unit (200) in accordance with at least one of the previous claims, the sensor unit (200) being mounted along at least a portion of an innerliner (133) of the tire (103) or being disposed at least partially within a structure of the tire (103).
  12. A tire comprising an innerliner (133) and a sensor (200) affixed to the innerliner (133), the sensor (200) comprising: a printed circuit board (210); a first conductive layer (258A) comprising at least one of charged silicone, carbon, graphite, or silver; a second conductive layer (258B) comprising at least one of charged silicone, carbon, graphite, or silver; a nonconductive layer (256B) disposed between the first conductive layer (258A) and the second conductive layer (258B), the nonconductive layer (256B) comprising a neutral silicone; and an electronic component (272, 274), the first conductive layer (258A) being in contact with the printed circuit board (210) and the electronic component (272, 274), and the second conductive layer (258B) being in contact with the printed circuit board (210) and the electronic component (272, 274).
  13. The tire of claim 12, wherein the sensor (200) is a wire treadwear sensor and the first electronic component is a wire (276) and wherein the wire (276) is at least partially disposed within at least one ground-contacting tread (119) of the tire (103).
  14. The tire of 12, wherein the first electronic component comprises at least one of a resistor, a transistor, a capacitor, an inductor, or a diode.
  15. The tire of 12, 13 or 14, wherein: at least the first conductive layer (258A), the second conductive layer (258B), and the first nonconductive layer (256B) form a first elastomeric connector; the sensor (200) comprises a plurality of electronic components (272, 274) and a plurality of elastomeric connectors (250); and each respective electronic component of the plurality of electronic components is connected to the printed circuit board (210) via at least one respective elastomeric connector of the plurality of elastomeric connectors (250).

Description

BACKGROUND In the manufacture of a pneumatic tire, the tire is typically built on the drum of a tire-building machine, which is known in the art as a tire building drum. Numerous tire components are wrapped about and/or applied to the drum in sequence, forming a cylindrical-shaped tire carcass. The tire carcass is then expanded into a toroidal shape for receipt of the remaining components of the tire, such as a belt package and a rubber tread. The completed toroidally-shaped unvulcanized tire carcass, which is known in the art at that stage as a green tire, is then inserted into a mold or press for forming of the tread pattern and curing or vulcanization. Often, it is desirable to collect electronic data about the conditions in and around the tire. The electronic data may be collected by one or more sensors that are incorporated into the tire during manufacturing, or affixed to a suitable portion of the tire before or after curing. Such data can be communicated to the various different electronic systems of the vehicle, such as vehicle stability and/or braking systems, in order to provide improved control of the vehicle, monitor or track driving behavior, monitor tire conditions, or collect other suitable data related to the tire. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a sensor unit in accordance with claim 1, and to a tire in accordance with claim 11 or 12, respectively. Dependent claims refer to preferred aspects of the invention. In one aspect of the invention, a sensor unit for a tire or for measuring one or more parameters associated with a tire is provided, the sensor unit comprising: (i) a printed circuit board; an electrical component; andan elastomer connector in contact with the printed circuit board and the electrical component; or(ii) a first electrical component; a second electrical component; andan elastomer connector in contact with the first electrical component and the second electrical component; wherein the elastomer connector comprises a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of nonconductive layers disposed alternatingly among the plurality of conductive layers along a length of the elastomer connector. In another aspect of the invention, tire comprising such a sensor unit is provided wherein the sensor unit is mounted along at least a portion of an innerliner of the tire or is disposed at least partially within a structure of the tire. In yet a further aspect of the invention, a tire comprising an innerliner and a sensor affixed to the innerliner is provided wherein the sensor comprises: a printed circuit board;a first conductive layer comprising at least one of charged silicone, carbon, graphite, or silver;a second conductive layer comprising at least one of charged silicone, carbon, graphite, or silver;a nonconductive layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the nonconductive layer comprising a neutral silicone; andan electronic component, the first conductive layer being in contact with the printed circuit board and the electronic component, and the second conductive layer being in contact with the printed circuit board and the electronic component. In a preferred aspect of the tire, each of the plurality of electronic components comprises at least one of a wire, a power source, a piezoelectric sensor, a strain sensor, a wear sensor, or an energy harvester. In a preferred aspect of the tire, each respective elastomeric connector of the plurality of elastomeric connectors is deflected between 10% and 15% in compression between a respective electronic component and the printed circuit board. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Many aspects of the present invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a tire, with a sensor unit disposed adjacent the innerliner of a tire according to various embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 2 is an example of a detail view of a sensor unit according to various embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 3 is a further detail view of the sensor unit of FIG. 2.FIG. 4 is a detail view of a portion of an elastomeric connector according to various embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 5 is a side cutaway view of an elastomeric connector sandwiched between two electronic components according to various embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of an elastomeric connector sandwiched between a first electronic components and a set of second electronic components according to various embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 7 is a side cutaway view of a first elastomeric connector sandwiched between a first electronic component an