Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

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Michelin Recherche Et Technique

Societe Detechnologie Michelin

7 Michelin Recherche Et Technique

George Phillips O'Brien

John David Adamson

Jay Clifford Sinnett

Jack Thiesen

William David Mawby

James Michael Traylor

Zinovy Royzen

Arthur Richard Metcalf

Eugene Marshall Persyn

Randall J Benson

Victor Alexandrovich Kalinin

David Bertrand

John Peter Beckley

Patrick Allan Tyndall

Charles Edward Kelly

Pierrick Travert

Arthur Metcalf

Thomas S Siegel

Timothy R Tedrow

Edwin Duane Parsons

John D Adamson

A system and method for detecting a surgical implement retained within a surgically exposed human body cavity, includes a tag adapted to be attached to a surgical implement insertable within a human body cavity, including a receiver for receiving an electromagnetic signal and converting it into electric signal; and a circuit to impress said electric signal on the internal human (or an animal) body where the medical product is used; and a transmitter to transmit the electromagnetic signal; and a detector including a receptor for receiving the electric signal from the body and a detector connected to the receptor for detecting the electric signal. The envelope of the induced RF wave is demodulated, thus allowing the voltage at the output to vary at a significantly lower frequency. In the event such pulses are sensed, a sensory alert is actuated.

System and method for tagging and detecting surgical implements

A tire manufacturing method includes a method for optimizing the uniformity of a tire by reducing the after cure radial force variation. The after cure radial force variation vector is modeled as a vector sum of each of the vectors representing contributions arising from the tire building steps&#x2014;the 'tire room effect vector' and a vector representing contributions arising from the vulcanization and uniformity measurement steps&#x2014;the 'curing room effect vector.' In further detail, both the tire room and curing room effect vectors can be further decomposed into sub-vectors representing each radial force variation contribution for which a measurable indicator is available. For a series of tires, the method obtains such measurements as the before cure radial runout (RRO) at one or more stages of the building sequence, measurements of loading angles on the tire building equipment, and measurements made during vulcanization process.

Tire manufacturing method for improving the uniformity of a tire

A piezoelectric triggering mechanism () includes a piezoelectric element (), such as the transducer of a SAW device, that is configured to crack or break upon being subjected to excessive levels of mechanical force or other triggering mechanisms, thus generating a burst of electromagnetic energy. The large impulse of energy can then be conditioned () through resonant circuits or antennas and modulated () with an identification pattern through appropriate structures (such as SAW electrodes) to send a breakage indication signal to a remote receiver (). Piezoelectric elements () may be integrated with a pneumatic tire structure to provide indication upon pressure loss or tire failure. Piezoelectric elements () may also be integrated with safety support features of some tire structures to provide indication of tire operation in a run-flat mode of operation. Related aspects of the present piezoelectric triggering technology employ a piezoelectric element () in a trigger detection method, which may involve detection of such occurrences as breach of security via opening of a sealed access structure or breakage of a glass panel, deployment of an airbag, loss of pressure or excess deflection in a tire, presence of smoke in a given location, and other rupture and sensor applications.

Piezoelectric triggering mechanism

Disclosed are apparatus and methodologies for protecting tire electronics from electrical discharge damage during a tire inspection procedure. Aspects of different embodiments of the disclosed subject matter relate to various techniques for providing protection from high-voltage discharge for tire electronics devices. Exemplary techniques disclosed correspond to methodologies for preventing contact with a high-voltage source, controlling conditions produced by contact with high-voltage sources, or nullifying effects of contact with high-voltage sources.

Method and apparatus for preventing damage to electronics during tire inspection

A system and method for detecting a surgical implement retained within a surgically exposed human body cavity, includes a tag adapted to be attached to a surgical implement insertable within a human body cavity, including a means for receiving an electromagnetic signal and converting it into electric signal; and a means to impress said electric signal on the internal human (or an animal) body where said medical product is used; and means to transmit said electromagnetic signal; and a detecting means including reception means for receiving the electric signal from the body and a detector means connected to the reception means for detecting the electric signal. The envelope of the induced RF wave is demodulated, thus allowing the voltage at the output to vary at a significantly lower frequency. In the event such pulses are sensed, a sensory alert is actuated.

Disclosed is a methodology for deriving data related to various selected tire () conditions. One or more sensors are analyzed in a manner similar to that of analyzing an electro-cardiogram taken from a human patient in order to determine selected operational characteristics of the monitored tires (). Analysis of the signal waveforms may involve analysis of a single waveform and/or comparison of paired waveforms originating for sensors associated with a single tire or paired tires ().

Flex signature for tire condition

A self-contained radio apparatus for the transmission of data includes a resiliently deformable patch, a resiliently deformable antenna carried by the patch, a post secured to the patch and upstanding from an upper surface of the patch, the post providing at an end remote from the patch a mounting for a radio device, and, electrical conductors extending from the antenna to the end of the post remote from the patch for operably connecting the antenna to a radio device mounted on the post. The radio apparatus is useful for attaching to objects that undergo bending stresses, such as tires.

Self-contained radio apparatus for transmission of data

The present subject matter discloses devices, systems, and methodologies for harvesting power from environmentally induced vibrations. Piezoelectric devices () and structures are disclosed that may be employed in combination with electro-magnetic () or capacitive () elements to enhance the power harvesting capabilities of the piezoelectric devices (). The electromagnetic () and capacitive () elements may be used to assist in maintaining system mechanical resonance in order to maximize energy harvesting capabilities. Power harvesting devices and systems in accordance with the subject technology may concurrently operate as sensors in motion sensitive applications thus providing self-powered monitoring capabilities.

Energy harvester with adjustable resonant frequency

A tire assembly with integrated power generation features includes one or more piezoelectric devices configured to generate electric charge therein upon being subjected to mechanical strains associated with flexure of tire or wheel components. The piezoelectric device may be incorporated in a variety of tire structures and in many different locations. In pneumatic tire structures, the piezoelectric device and related electronics may be embedded in crown or sidewall locations among such selected components as the exterior tread portion, first and second steel belts of a belt package, carcass, cap ply portion, inner liner, zone base, etc. The piezoelectric device with optional rubber casing may also be attached to such locations as the inner liner and tire exterior. Piezoelectric devices may also be integrated with a tire and safety support combination that is configured to operate in an extended mobility mode when the tire structure loses air pressure. Piezoelectric devices may alternatively be integrated with a non-pneumatic structurally supported tire such as one including a reinforced annular band, a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and radially inward from the annular band, a mounting band at the inner end of the web spokes and a tread portion disposed on the annular band.

System and method for generating electric power from a rotating tire's mechanical energy

Methods for determining the resonant frequency for interrogation of a resonant device include steps for generating and transmitting RF interrogation pulses of various bandwidths to energize one or more SAW resonator elements. Initial RF interrogation pulses have a relatively wide bandwidth, such that the general location of a resonant device's resonant frequency can be expediently determined. Then, interrogation pulses having smaller bandwidth pulses can be transmitted near the determined general location of resonance to further narrow the location of resonance. In some emodiments, one or more initial interrogation pulses are transmitted in the center of or at an expected value within a range of operation of a resonant device. If the resonant frequency is not located at this initial location, then the range of operation is divided into halves (or other number of generally equal frequency range segments) and one or more interrogation pulses are transmitted at the center of each of the new search frequency range segments. This process of partitioning the search frequency range continues until the resonant frequency is located.

System and method for reducing search time and increasing search accuracy during interrogation of resonant devices

A method of making a mounting patch for mounting an electronic assembly in the inner liner or a pneumatic tire includes the steps of providing a power source, embedding the power source into a quantity of uncured rubber, and curing the uncured rubber by applying sufficient heat and pressure to the uncured rubber such that the power source is secured in the rubber. The provided power source may correspond to one or more batteries. Additional components that may be incorporated with the mounting assembly may include at least one conductive element, which may also be embedded into the quantity of uncured rubber. An antenna may be configured with undulations to allow longitudinal stretching of the antenna and then also embedded into the quantity of uncured rubber. A preferably non-conductive adhesive layer may be applied to selected portion of the power source, conductive element, and/or the antenna before the step of embedding in the uncured rubber.

System and method for providing tire electronics mounting patches

A self-powered tire revolution counter includes a motion sensitive power generation mechanism, a power conditioner, a pulse detector, a microcontroller, and, optionally, a radio frequency (RF) transmitting device. In one exemplary embodiment, the power generation mechanism corresponds to a piezoelectric patch that, during movement, provides both operating electrical power and pulsed signals indicative of tire rotation. The power conditioner receives a generator signal from the power generation mechanism and produces a conditioned output voltage that can be used to power associated electronic devices, including the microcontroller. The pulse detector receives the generator signal and produces a detection signal whenever the generator signal meets a predetermined condition. The microcontroller is programmed to determine current and lifetime-accumulated values of selected pulse indications in the detection signal that meet predetermined criteria. Data corresponding to tire environment related parameters such as temperature, pressure, tire deflection, and/or vehicle speed may be stored in the microcontroller at times during tire rotation as power is supplied from the power generation mechanism through the power conditioner. Additional data may be supplied to the microcontroller directly from an external source and read from the microcontroller either by direct electrical contact or via selective RF transmission.

Integrated self-powered tire revolution counter

An electronics assembly for integration with a tire structure or in another environment includes a condition-responsive device, an RF source, an antenna, and at least one controllable switching element. The condition-responsive device may comprise at least one acoustic wave resonator that is configured for monitoring such parameters as pressure and temperature within a tire or associated wheel assembly environment. The frequency and bandwidth of the RF source is preferably inclusive of the respective resonant frequency bands for each acoustic wave resonator. An antenna may also be connected to the condition-responsive device for facilitating the transmission of electric signals generated therein. In some embodiments, a switching element is coupled between the condition-responsive device and the RF source. Selective control of such switching element results in the modulation of data on the RF carrier, causing the condition-responsive device to transmit both sensed condition information as well as some other predefined digital data signal. Another controllable switching element may be provided in parallel with the condition-responsive device to selectively cloak the device for predetermined amounts of time, thus offering an anti-collision solution for multiple transmitting condition-responsive devices. The switching elements and corresponding control elements may respectively correspond to such devices as a field-effect transistor with a programmable microcontroller input or as an RFID transponder.

Acoustic wave device with modulation functionality

A tire assembly with integrated power generation features includes one or more piezoelectric devices and power conditioning modules. Piezoelectric devices may include a plurality of piezoelectric fibers embedded in a generally unidirectional fashion within an epoxy matrix, a piezoceramic wafer provided on a substrate and substantially surrounded by a protective casing, or a piezoceramic unimorph structure adhered with a thermoplastic polyimide to respective top and bottom conductive layers. Each piezoelectric device may include multiple piezoelectric elements connected in series and/or parallel arrangements, configured with respective poling directions in opposing or in-phase arrangements and/or configured in d33 or d31 displacement modes. Piezoelectric devices are preferably mounted within a tire or wheel assembly such that electric charge is generated therein as the wheel assembly moves along a ground surface and is subsequently stored in one or more energy storage devices. Stored energy may then be used to power electronics such as a tire monitoring system that wirelessly transmits such information as tire pressure, temperature and identification variables to a remote receiver location.

The present subject matter generally concerns the detection of tire related anomalies in a pneumatic tire using Doppler Micro-Power Impulse Radar technology together with radar signal analyzation methodologies. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for the detection of anomalies in pneumatic tires including tread separation, tread wear, uneven tread wear, tire balance and foreign body detection. The signal analysis used differentiates various of the detectable anomalies by analyzing the radar signals based on ranges of harmonics.

Growing community of inventors

Piedmont, SC, United States of America

George Phillips O'Brien