APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL OF AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT FOR A TIRE

Abstract

An apparatus (14) for installation and removal of electronic components (10) for a tire comprises an expansion device (16) having a plurality of movably supported longitudinal prongs (18), wherein the expansion device (16) is adapted for moving at least a part of the plurality of prongs (18) between a neutral position with a least distance between the prongs (18) and at least one expansion position with a distance between the prongs (18) exceeding the least distance. The prongs (18) comprise prong tips (20), which each comprise a curved engagement surface (22), wherein each prong is adapted for engaging an exposed top lip (8) of an elastic container (2), in which the electronic component (10) is storable. The expansion device (16) is adapted for moving at least a part of the plurality of prongs (18) to an expansion position with the engagement surfaces (22) engaging the top lip (8) of the container (2), in which expansion position the top lip (8) is expanded.

Claims

1. An apparatus for installation and removal of an electronic component for a tire, comprising: an expansion device having a plurality of movably supported longitudinal prongs having a main extension direction, wherein the expansion device is configured to move at least a part of the plurality of prongs between a neutral position with a least distance between the prongs and at least one expansion position with a distance between the prongs exceeding the least distance, wherein the prongs comprise prong tips, each of the prong tips comprising a curved engagement surface, the curved engagement surface facing into a direction at an angle relative to the main extension direction of the respective prong, wherein each prong is configured to engage an exposed top lip of an elastic container, the elastic container configured to store the electronic component, and wherein the expansion device is configured to move at least a part of the plurality of prongs to at least one of the at least one expansion position with the engagement surfaces engaging the top lip of the container, in which expansion position the top lip is expanded.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prongs are arranged substantially parallel to each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the curved engagement surface of each of the plurality of prongs faces into a direction perpendicular to the main extension direction of the respective prong.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the engagement surface is defined by a channel comprising a C-profile, wherein the channel at least partially extends along a segment of a circle surrounding the prongs.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the C-profile is open in a direction facing away from the prongs.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the channel comprises legs arranged at a distance to each other in the main extension direction of the respective prong, wherein the distance between the legs is 5 mm or less.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the legs are parallel to each other.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prong tips comprise a metallic material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each prong and the respective prong tip are formed in integral with each other.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the engagement surfaces comprise a coating of a plastic material.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expansion device is a sleeve type expansion tool with replaceable prongs.

12. A method for installing or removing an electronic component for a tire, comprising the steps of: engaging prong tips of at least a part of a plurality of movably supported longitudinal prongs having a main extension direction, of an expansion device in an exposed top lip of an elastic container, in which the electronic component is storable, wherein the expansion device is configured to move at least a part of the plurality of prongs between a neutral position with a least distance between the prongs and at least one expansion position with a distance between the prongs exceeding the least distance, wherein the prong tips each comprise a curved engagement surface, facing into a direction at an angle relative to the main extension direction of the respective prong, moving the prong tips into an expanded position such that the top lip is expanded from an initial position into an expanded position, installing or removing the electronic component and releasing the prong tips, such that the top lip of the container reverts to the initial position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the prongs stay parallel to each other while moving the prong tips into the expanded position.

Description

[0027] Other characteristics, advantages and potential applications of the present invention result from the following description of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures. Furthermore, identical or similar objects are identified by the same reference numerals in the figures.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows an elastic container and an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for installing or removing an electronic component of a tire according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an elastic container 2 mountable to an inner liner of a vehicle tire (not illustrated), which container 2 provides a hollow space extending from a bottom surface 4, surrounded by a wall 6 and delimited by a top lip 8 defining an opening. Inside the hollow space an electronic component 10 is located, which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises an integrated antenna 12 that slightly protrudes out of the container 2 for transmitting data, for example tire pressure data, to an electronic control unit of the vehicle (not illustrated). In the following, the electronic component 10 may also be referred to as sensor or tire pressure sensor. However, FIG. 1 only shows an example of an electronic component 10, such that the scope of protection is not limited to the use of a tire pressure sensor, but it may additionally or alternatively comprise other electronic components such as a temperature sensor. The top lip 8 firmly holds the electronic component 10 in the inner space by blocking any motion of at least the outer edges of the electronic component 10 covered by the top lip 8.

[0031] For removing or installing the electronic component 10 into the container 2, an apparatus 14 is provided, which comprises an expansion device 16 having exemplarily three prongs 18, but may also be adapted down to two or up to four or more prongs, which in the illustrated embodiment are distributed in a symmetric arrangement and parallel to each other.

[0032] The prongs 18 are arranged substantially parallel to each other both in a neutral position with a least distance between the prongs 18 and in at least one expansion position with a distance between the prongs 18 exceeding the least distance. The prongs 18 thus are arranged such that they stay parallel to each other during their movement between the neutral position and the at least one expansion position.

[0033] Each prong 18 comprises a prong tip 20, which has an engagement surface 22 created by a channel-like structure 24 with a C-shaped profile cross-section, which is open in a lateral direction. All channel-like structures 24 are arranged at the prong tips 20 such that they extend over a segment of a circle 26 on a plane spanned by and arranged vertical to the prongs 18.

[0034] Advantageously, the curvature and a distance d between two opposite legs 30 of each C-profile is chosen so as to correspond with the cross-sectional profile of the top lip 8, under consideration of a sufficient tolerance that easily allows the engagement.

[0035] The expansion device 14 is adapted for moving the prongs 18 away from each other starting from the neutral position with the prongs 18 positioned as near to each other as possible or necessary, into the at least one expansion position. Hereby, the distance between the prongs 18 is increased, preferably in a symmetrical fashion. Due to the rigid arrangement of the prongs 18 on the expansion tool 16, the prong tips 20 are facing an increasing distance, too. When the top lip 8 is engaged by the engagement surfaces 22 in a pliers-like manner, it will consequently be expanded. This means, that the clearance or the diameter of the top lip is increased until it exceeds the diameter of the electronic component 10. In this position, the electronic component 10 may easily be taken out from the inner space of the container 2 or be installed into the inner space of the container 2.

[0036] For providing a reliable engagement with the top lip 8, the prong tips 20 comprise two parallel legs 30, which are connected by means of an exemplarily circularly curved base 32.

[0037] The prong tips 20 may be made of a metallic material, such as the prongs 18, for increasing the rigidity and structural stability.

[0038] It is even preferred that the prongs 18 and the prong tips 20 are formed integrally with each other, i.e. are realized as one piece, which means that the prong tips 20 are not manufactured separately. For improving the wear characteristics, the engagement surfaces 22 may comprise a coating 34 of a plastic material. The prongs 18 may comprise a prong base 28, which may be attachable to a sleeve type expansion tool.

[0039] Altogether, the apparatus according to the invention allows a simple, reliable and smooth installation and removal of an electronic component for example comprising a pressure sensor into an elastic container.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for installing or removing an electronic component 10 of a tire according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein additional reference is made to the components illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0041] The method comprises a step 36 of engaging prong tips 20 of at least a part of a plurality of movably supported longitudinal prongs 18 having a main extension direction, of an expansion device 16 in an exposed top lip 8 of an elastic container 2, in which the electronic component 10 is storable, wherein the expansion device 16 is adapted for moving at least a part of the plurality of prongs 18 between a neutral position with a least distance between the prongs 18 and at least one expansion position with a distance between the prongs 18 exceeding the least distance, wherein the prong tips 20 each comprise a curved engagement surface 22, which faces into a direction at an angle relative to the main extension direction of the respective prong 18 and away from the other prongs 18.

[0042] The method further comprises a step 38 of moving the prong tips 20 into an expanded position such that the top lip 8 is expanded from an initial position into an expanded position.

[0043] Preferably, the prongs 18 are arranged such that they stay parallel to each other while moving the prong tips 20 into the expanded position.

[0044] Additionally, the method comprises a step 40 of installing the electronic component 10 into the elastic container 2 or a step 42 of removing the installed electronic component 10 from the elastic container 2.

[0045] Moreover, the method comprises a step 44 of releasing the prong tips 20, such that the top lip 8 of the container 2 reverts to the initial position.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0046] 2 Container [0047] 4 Bottom surface [0048] 6 Wall [0049] 8 Top lip [0050] 10 Electronic component [0051] 12 Antenna [0052] 14 Apparatus [0053] 16 Expansion device [0054] 18 Prong [0055] 20 Prong tip [0056] 22 Engagement surface [0057] 24 Structure [0058] 26 Circle [0059] 28 Prong base [0060] 30 Leg [0061] 32 Base [0062] 34 Coating [0063] 36 Step [0064] 38 Step [0065] 40 Step [0066] 42 Step [0067] 44 Step [0068] d distance