Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Michelin Recherche Et Technique

Societe Detechnologie Michelin

John David Adamson

George Phillips O'Brien

Jay Clifford Sinnett

Claudio Battocchio

Martine Borot

Cameron Earl Smith

Charles Edward Kelly

Patrick F King

Jack Thiesen

David Bertrand

Denis Alff

Pierre Wiel

Mathieu Tupinier

Pierrick Travert

Mickaël Lion

Christopher B Barton

Cal Moreland

Charles E Kelly

A tire is described that includes a casing defining a cavity and equipped to receive an object, such as an electronic circuit, for example, through use of a two-part attachment, such as a touch-close attachment, of which a first part is fixed to a wall of the casing and a second part can be joined to the first part when placed in contact with the first part to keep the object on the casing in a service position. The first part of the attachment includes connection elements that are an integral part of the wall of the casing of the tire. The connection elements allow these two parts to have freedom to move relative to each other, thereby limiting the transmission of stresses, which affect the wall of the tire, to the object. The connection elements may be loops of flexible thread formed by the extremities of turns of a coiled thread integrated into the wall of the tire during the tire's manufacture.

Tyre equipped for attaching an object to the wall thereof and method for making same

A tire is disclosed that includes at least one annular bead wire forming a body of revolution about a reference axis. A carcass ply of generally toroidal shape about the same axis as the bead wire has a portion that is folded around the wire. A materials interface is defined at least in part by the junction between a rubber first mass and a second mass that includes an electronic member. By way of example, the electronic member is a passive radiofrequency identification transponder. The interface extends from a free edge of the folded portion of the carcass ply radially away from the reference axis to a circumferential junction line between the interface and the carcass ply.

Tire including an electronic member

Tyre equipped for attaching an object to a wall thereof

A tire is described that includes a casing designed to be inflated to a service pressure and equipped to accept a functional object, such as an electronic circuit, for example, by means of a two-part fastener, such as a touch-close fastener, for example. A first part of the fastener is attached to a wall of the casing, while the second part can be joined to the first part when placed in contact with the first part to attach and keep the object on the casing when the tire is in service. The first part of the fastener includes a thin backing fixed to the wall of the casing and possessing a structural elongation capacity greater than or equal to that of the wall to which the thin backing is fixed. The presence of the thin backing does not significantly hinder the elongation of the wall of the casing when subjected to the stresses encountered during use of the tire and, where relevant, during its manufacture. Connection elements between the first and second parts give these parts a certain looseness with respect to each other so that the object held by the second part of the fastener is not subjected to all or some of the stresses occurring in the wall during operation.

Tyre equipped for attaching an object to the wall thereof and fastener therefor

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

A strain-resistant electrical connection and a method of making the same is provided. An antenna () or other conductive lead is connected to a circuit () in a manner that makes the connection more resistant to mechanical stresses such as movement or rotation of the antenna () or conductive lead relative to the circuit (). The antenna () or conductive lead is at least partially coiled to provide additional ability to withstand mechanical stresses. The antenna () or conductive lead may be encase along with is connected circuit in an elastomeric material.

Robust mounting for RFID transponder antenna

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 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

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.

A tire assembly with integrated electronic components includes a tire structure and an integrated electronics assembly, which preferably includes at least a radio frequency (RF) device and a multi-frequency antenna that enables wireless communication in at least first and second resonant frequency bands. Such multi-frequency antenna further comprises at least first and second antenna wires connected to the RF device, thus facilitating the transmission of RF signals which may include information such as tire identification information or measured condition information such as tire temperature, pressure, and other characteristics. The first and second antenna wires preferably function together as at least two dipole antennas, for example, two half-wave dipole antennas, or one half-wave dipole antenna and one three-half-wave dipole antenna. A two-wire configuration may be more readily implemented and also designed to reduce strains concentrated at the connection point(s) between the RF device and the antenna wires.

Tire electronics assembly having a multi-frequency antenna

An enhanced piezoelectric wire structure includes an elongated portion of piezoelectric material, a metallic core, and an outer conductive sheath. The metallic core is substantially surrounded by the elongated portion of piezoelectric material and configured to function as a first electrode for the piezoelectric structure. The conductive outer sheath preferably covers selected areas of the elongated portion of piezoelectric material and functions as a second electrode for the structure. The piezoelectric material may correspond to barium titanate ceramic fibers, such that a lead-free structure is effected, however other piezoelectric materials may also be utilized. The disclosed structure can be poled with a reduced poling voltage and lower temperature level, and also requires a reduced voltage potential level required for mechanical actuation. A collection of such piezoelectric structures can be provided together in a modular patch assembly that may be formed in a variety of customized configurations for integration with various environments, and can function as a mechanical actuator device, a condition-responsive device (e.g., a sensor) and/or as a power generation device. When utilized as a power generation device, the subject piezoelectric assembly can power tire electronics components such as a revolution counter, a sensor, a rechargeable battery, a flashing light assembly, a microcontroller, a global positioning system (GPS), and a radio frequency (RF) device.

Piezoelectric ceramic fibers having metallic cores

A radio frequency antenna for embedding within a conductive, dielectric material (such as tire rubber) is provided along with a method of embedding a radio frequency antenna in such a material. For very high frequency transmission, improved communication ranges are provided along with improvements in both antenna processing and tuning.

Radio frequency antenna for a tire and method for same

A thermal monitoring system for use with a tire is provided. The system includes one or more thermal sensors that are carried by a vehicle. One of the thermal sensors may produce a first sensor output signal that is representative of the temperature of a first location on the tire. Additionally, a second sensor output signal may be produced that is representative of the temperature of a second location on the tire. A signal processing device is included that receives the first and second sensor output signals. The signal processing device produces a processing device output signal that is representative of a potential damage condition of the tire. This signal is produced in response to a particular temperature difference between the first and second locations as indicated by the first and second sensor output signals. An indication device receives the processing device signal and indicates to a user of the vehicle that the tire is experiencing a potential damage condition.

Thermal monitoring system for a tire

A power harvesting solution concerns a generally non-conductive tire structure that is formed with at least one defined conductivity path through which static electricity accumulated in the tire structure during tire rotation can dissipate to ground. Such conductivity path is formed from a portion of conductive material that may be partially surrounded by additional insulative material to restrict the flow of electric charge to ground. An energy storage device, such as a capacitor or rechargeable battery, is coupled with the conductivity path and configured to store selected amounts of the electric charge dissipating through the conductivity path. Various diode elements may be provided in combination with the energy storage device to prevent reverse discharging of and to provide voltage protection for the energy storage device. Sufficient accumulations of such harvested energy can then power tire electronic systems, including various condition-responsive devices (i.e., sensors, etc.) a revolution counter, a radio frequency (RF) device, a rechargeable battery or a lighting device.

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

John David Adamson