Tire suitable for running flat equipped with an electronic member

Abstract

A tire suitable for running flat comprises a crown, two sidewalls and two beads, a carcass reinforcement with at least one carcass ply anchored in each bead and a sidewall insert placed axially internally relative to at least the carcass ply, wherein the tire is equipped with an electronic device comprising at least one radiofrequency transponder and wherein, each bead comprising a bead wire of revolution about a reference axis and H being one of the points of the bead wire closest to the axis of revolution, the electronic device is placed axially in a zone of the tire bounded by at least one of the beads and one of the sidewalls and radially externally at a radial distance larger than 20 mm from the point H.

Claims

1. A tire suitable for running flat comprising a crown, two sidewalls and two beads, a carcass reinforcement with at least one carcass ply anchored in each bead and a sidewall insert placed axially internally relative to the at least one carcass ply, wherein the tire is equipped with an electronic device comprising at least one radiofrequency transponder, wherein the radiofrequency transponder comprises an electronic chip and a radiating antenna configured to communicate with an external radiofrequency reader, wherein the radiofrequency transponder of the electronic device further comprises a primary antenna electrically connected to the electronic chip, wherein the primary antenna is inductively coupled to the radiating antenna, wherein the radiating antenna is a dipole antenna consisting of a single-strand helical spring defining a first longitudinal axis, wherein the primary antenna is a coil having at least one turn defining a second longitudinal axis that is circumscribed in a cylinder, an axis of revolution of which is parallel to the second longitudinal axis and a diameter of which is between one third and three times an average diameter of the helical spring of the radiating antenna, wherein the radiating antenna has a central zone between two lateral zones which corresponds to 25% or less of a total length of the radiating antenna and the primary antenna has a median plane perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis, the first and second longitudinal axes are parallel to each other and the median plane of the primary antenna is placed in the central zone of the radiating antenna, wherein each bead comprises a bead wire of revolution about a reference axis with H being a point of the bead wire closest to the axis of revolution, wherein the electronic device is placed axially in a zone of the tire bounded by at least one of the beads and one of the sidewalls and radially externally at a radial distance larger than 20 mm from point H, and wherein the tire is a run-flat tire.

2. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is placed radially externally at a radial distance smaller than 50 mm from point H.

3. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is placed radially externally at a radial distance of between 30 mm and 40 mm from point H.

4. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the carcass reinforcement comprises a carcass ply with a turn-up about each of the bead wires and the turn-up has an axially external end, and wherein the electronic device is placed radially externally at a distance larger than 5 mm from the axially external end of one of the turn-ups.

5. The tire according to claim 1, wherein each bead comprises a filling rubber extending radially externally relative to the bead wire, wherein the carcass reinforcement comprises a carcass ply with a turn-up about each of the bead wires and the filling rubber extends radially beyond the axially external end of the turn-up, and wherein the electronic device is placed axially externally relative to the carcass reinforcement and radially at a radial distance larger than 5 mm from the a radially external end of the filling rubber.

6. The tire according to claim 1, wherein, each bead comprising a first and a second filling rubber extending radially externally relative to the bead wire, the second filling rubber being placed axially externally relative to the first, the carcass reinforcement comprising a carcass ply with a turn-up about each of the bead wires and extending radially between the first and second filling rubbers, the electronic device is placed axially externally relative to the second filling rubber.

7. The tire according to claim 6, wherein, the sidewall comprising a sidewall rubber placed at least partially axially externally relative to the second filling rubber, the electronic device is placed at an interface between the sidewall rubber and the second filling rubber.

8. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device consists of the radiofrequency transponder encapsulated in at least one electrically insulating encapsulating rubber mass.

9. The tire according to claim 8, wherein an elastic modulus of the encapsulating rubber mass is lower than or equal to an elastic modulus of adjacent rubber blends.

10. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the cylinder is between half and two times the average diameter of the helical spring of the radiating antenna.

11. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the primary antenna is placed in an interior of the single-strand helical spring of the radiating antenna.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The various subjects of the present invention will be better understood by means of the following detailed description and the attached drawings, the same reference numbers having been used in all the drawings to reference identical parts, and in which drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates in partial axial cross section a tyre able to run flat;

(3) FIGS. 2 to 7 and 13 illustrate in axial cross section various embodiments of the zone of the tyre bounded by the bead and the sidewall comprising an electronic device placed in the structures thereof;

(4) FIG. 8 is a schematic exploded view of an electronic device;

(5) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a radiofrequency transponder according to one embodiment of the invention in a configuration in which the electronic portion is located in the interior of the radiating antenna;

(6) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a radiofrequency transponder according to the invention in a configuration in which the electronic portion is located on the exterior of the radiating antenna;

(7) FIG. 11 is a detail view of a radiating antenna of a radiofrequency transponder according to one embodiment of the invention; and

(8) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the electronic portion of a radiofrequency transponder in a configuration in which the electronic portion is located in the interior of the radiating antenna.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIG. 1 indicates the axial X, circumferential C and radial Z directions and also the median plane EP (plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the tyre which is situated halfway between the two beads of the tyre and passes through the middle of the crown reinforcement) and the axis of rotation XX of the tyre 30.

(10) In all the figures, the tyre is shown free, not mounted on a rim and such that the width between the two beads is decreased to the width of the nominal ETRTO rim.

(11) As regards the axial direction, what is meant by “axially external” is an axial direction directed toward the exterior of the tyre and by “axially internal” what is meant is an axial direction directed toward the median plane EP of the tyre.

(12) This run-flat tyre 30 comprises a crown 32 reinforced by a crown reinforcement or belt 36, a sidewall 33 and a bead 34, the bead 34 being reinforced with a bead wire 35. The crown reinforcement 36 is surmounted radially externally by a rubber tread 39. A carcass reinforcement 37 is wound around the bead wire 35 in the bead 34, the turn-up 38 of this reinforcement 37 being, for example, arranged towards the exterior of the tyre 30. In a manner known per se, the carcass reinforcement 37 is made up of at least one ply reinforced by what are known as “radial” cords, for example here of textile, that is to say that these cords are disposed virtually parallel to one another and extend from one bead to the other so as to form an angle of between 80° and 90° with the median circumferential plane EP. An airtight inner liner 40 extends from one bead to the other radially internally with respect to the carcass reinforcement 37. The bead 34 comprises a protective rubber 42 able to make contact with the surface of a rim. It also comprises a first filling rubber 46 extending radially externally relative to the bead wire 35.

(13) The tyre 30 is able to run flat because of the presence of a sidewall insert 44 placed axially internally relative to the carcass reinforcement 33. This insert 44 allows the structure of the tyre to withstand the load thereon at zero pressure.

(14) FIG. 2 shows a bead 34 and a portion of a sidewall of a tyre, the sidewall comprising at least one portion of a sidewall rubber 48, able to run flat according to a first embodiment of the invention. In the architecture of the tyre of FIG. 2, the radially internal end of the sidewall rubber 48 with respect to the axis of rotation is anchored in the bead 34 of the tyre.

(15) This bead 34 comprises, in addition the bead of the tyre of FIG. 1, a second filling rubber 50 placed axially externally relative to the first filling rubber 46. The turn-up 38 of the carcass ply 37 lies between the two filling rubbers 46 and 50.

(16) The zone of the tyre, bounded by the bead 34 and the portion of the sidewall, of FIG. 2, comprises an electronic device 2 placed at a radial distance D1 from the point H. The point H is one of the points closest to the axis of rotation XX. The distance D1 must be larger than DO equal to 20 mm in order not to penalize the communication quality between the electronic device and an external reader. This distance is larger than the height of a conventional rim flange, which is 17.5 mm. This distance D1 must not be too high in order not to reach the middle of the sidewall where the mechanical stresses on the sidewall are very high. A distance of 30 to 40 mm is a good compromise.

(17) FIG. 3 shows a bead 34 and one portion of a sidewall of a run-flat tyre, the structure of which is identical to that of the bead and of the portion of the sidewall of FIG. 2. The end of the turn-up 38 of the carcass ply 37 is referenced 52.

(18) The bead and the sidewall portion of FIG. 3 comprise an electronic device 2 placed radially externally at a radial distance D2 from the end 52 of the turn-up. This distance D2 is larger than 5 mm and preferably larger than 10 mm in order to distance the electronic device from the mechanical singularity related to the edge of the turn-up of the carcass ply. In the presented example, the electronic device 2 is placed at the interface between the first filling rubber 46 and the second filling rubber 52.

(19) FIG. 4 shows a bead 34 and one portion of a sidewall of a run-flat tyre, the structure of which is identical to that of the bead and of the portion of the sidewall of FIG. 2. The radially external end of the first filling rubber 46 is referenced 54.

(20) The zone of the tyre, bounded by this bead and this portion of the sidewall, of FIG. 4 comprises an electronic device 2 placed radially externally at a radial distance D3 from the end 54 of the first filling rubber. This distance D3 is larger than 5 mm and preferably larger than 10 mm in order to distance the electronic device from the mechanical singularity related to the edge of the first filling rubber 46. In the presented example, the electronic device 2 is placed at the interface between the carcass ply 37 (more precisely, during the calendar rolling of this carcass ply there is no direct contact between the electronic device and the reinforcing wires of the carcass ply) and the first filling rubber 46.

(21) FIG. 5 shows a bead 34 and one portion of a sidewall of a run-flat tyre, the structure of which is identical to that of the bead and of the portion of the sidewall of FIG. 2.

(22) The zone of the tyre, bounded by this bead and this portion of the sidewall, of FIG. 5 comprises an electronic device 2 placed axially internally relative to the second filling rubber 50. In the presented example, the electronic device 2 is placed at the interface between the sidewall rubber 48 and the second filling rubber 50. This position is advantageous because it axially distances the electronic device from the sidewall insert 44, which is the zone that gets hottest in case of flat running.

(23) FIG. 6 shows a bead 34 and one portion of a sidewall of a run-flat tyre, the structure of which is identical to that of the bead and of the portion of the sidewall of FIG. 2. The radially and axially external end of the protector rubber 42 is referenced 56.

(24) The zone of the tyre, bounded by this bead and this portion of the sidewall, of FIG. 6 comprises an electronic device 2 placed radially externally at a radial distance D4 from the radially and axially external end of the protector rubber 42, which is referenced 56. This distance D4 is larger than 5 mm and preferably larger than 10 mm in order to distance the electronic device from the mechanical singularity associated with the edge of the protector rubber 42 because of the difference in stiffness between the protector rubber and the sidewall rubber 48. In the presented example, the electronic device 2 is placed at the interface between the second filling rubber 50 and the sidewall rubber 48.

(25) FIG. 7 shows a bead 34 and one portion of the sidewall of a run-flat tyre, the structure of which is identical to that of the bead and of the portion of the sidewall of FIG. 2. The radially internal end of the sidewall rubber 48 is referenced 58 and the axially and radially external end of the protector rubber 42 is referenced 56.

(26) In this example, the sidewall 33 comprises a sidewall rubber 48 and the bead comprises a protector rubber 42. The protector rubber 42 extends axially on either side of the bead wire to two radially external ends. The axially external end 56 of the protector rubber placed axially internally relative to the sidewall rubber 48 and extending radially beyond the radially internal end 58 of the sidewall rubber, the electronic device is placed at the interface between the sidewall rubber 48 and the protector rubber 42.

(27) FIG. 13 shows a bead 34 and one portion of the sidewall of a run-flat tyre, the structure of which is identical to that of the bead and of the portion of the sidewall of FIG. 2.

(28) In this example, two electronic-device positions have been indicated. These two positions are axially internal and external to the sidewall insert 44. The electronic device 2 is placed at the interface between the sidewall insert 44 and the inner liner 40. The electronic device 2b is placed at the interface between the sidewall insert 44 and the carcass ply 37 of the carcass reinforcement.

(29) FIG. 8 is a exploded view of an electronic device 2. This device 2 comprises a radiofrequency transponder 1 embedded between two layers 3a and 3b of a non-vulcanized electrically insulating elastomer blend. Such an electronic device is a semi-finished product able to be integrated into the structure of a tyre during the manufacture thereof.

(30) The encapsulating elastomer blend contains 100 phr (parts per 100 parts of elastomer by mass) of a polymer such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber), butyl rubber, neoprene or a diene elastomer such as SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber), polybutadiene, natural rubber or polyisoprene.

(31) The blend may contain fillers such as fillers of silica, carbon black, chalk and kaolin type: with a filler of silica type in a maximum amount of 50 phr; with a filler of the type consisting of carbon black of ASTM grade higher than 700, in an amount lower than 50 phr; with a filler of the type consisting of carbon black of grade lower than or equal to 500, in a maximum amount of 20 phr. It is possible to add or replace these fillers with chalk or kaolin.

(32) Such amounts and types of fillers make it possible to guarantee a relative permittivity lower than 6.5, in particular at a frequency of 915 MHz.

(33) The stiffness in the cured state of the encapsulating blend is preferably lower than or close to those of the adjacent blends.

(34) In a first embodiment, the radiofrequency transponder of the electronic device 2 is a conventional radiofrequency transponder, such as described in document WO 2012/030321 A1. This transponder comprises an electronic chip fastened to a carrier or printed circuit board (PCB) and galvanically connected to two half-antennas. The antennas are helical springs the solid core of which is a steel wire.

(35) The radiofrequency transponder 1 of the electronic device 2 such as shown in FIG. 8 corresponds to a second embodiment of the electronic device 2 that will now be described.

(36) The radiofrequency transponder 1 according to the second embodiment of the electronic device 2 comprises an electronic chip 22 and a radiating antenna 10 able to communicate with an external radiofrequency reader. It in addition comprises a primary antenna 24 electrically connected to the electronic chip 22 and inductively coupled to the radiating antenna 10. The radiating antenna is a dipole antenna consisting of a single-strand helical spring defining a first longitudinal axis.

(37) FIG. 9 shows a radiofrequency transponder 1 in a configuration in which the electronic portion 20 is located in the interior of the radiating antenna 10. The geometric shape of the electronic portion 10 is circumscribed in a cylinder the diameter of which is smaller than or equal to the inside diameter 13 of the helical spring. The introduction of the electronic portion 20 into the radiating antenna 10 is facilitated thereby. The median plane 21 of the primary antenna is located in the central zone of the radiating antenna and substantially superposed on the median plane 19 of the radiating antenna 10.

(38) FIG. 10 shows a radiofrequency transponder 1 in a configuration in which the electronic portion 20 is located on the exterior of the radiating antenna 10. The geometric shape of the electronic portion 20 has a cylindrical cavity 25 the diameter of which is larger than or equal to the outside diameter 15 of the radiating antenna 10. The introduction of the radiating antenna 10 into the cylindrical cavity 25 of the electronic portion is thus facilitated thereby. The median plane 21 of the primary antenna is located in the central zone of the radiating antenna and substantially in line with the median plane 19 of the radiating antenna 10.

(39) FIG. 11 shows a radiating antenna 10 consisting of a steel wire 12 that has been plastically deformed in order to form a helical spring having an axis of revolution 11. This steel wire is coated with a conduction layer made of copper, aluminium, silver, zinc or brass covered if necessary with a chemically insulating layer for example made of brass, zinc, nickel or tin in order to protect the rubber blend from the material of the conduction layer.

(40) The electromagnetic conduction of such an antenna occurs mainly via a skin effect, i.e. it mainly occurs in the exterior layers of the antenna. This thickness of skin is in particular dependent on the function of the frequency of the radiation and of the material from which the conduction layer is made. By way of example, for a UHF frequency (for example 915 MHz), the skin thickness is about 2.1 μm for silver, 2.2 μm for copper, and 4.4 μm for brass.

(41) The steel wire may be coated with these layers then formed; alternatively it may also be formed then coated.

(42) The helical spring is primarily defined by a winding diameter of the coated wire and by a helix pitch. Thus, given the diameter of the wire, the inside diameter 13 and outside diameter 15 of the helical spring may be precisely determined. The length of the spring 17 here corresponds to one half-wavelength of the transmission signal of the radiofrequency transponder 1 in a rubber mass. It is furthermore possible to define a median plane 19 of the helical spring perpendicular to the axis of revolution 11 separating the radiating antenna into two equal portions. This plane is in the middle of the central zone 16 of the radiating antenna, this central zone 16 corresponding to about 25% of the total length of the antenna and preferably 15%.

(43) FIG. 12 shows the electronic portion 20 of a radiofrequency transponder 1 intended for a configuration in which the electronic portion 20 is located in the interior of the radiating antenna 10. The electronic portion 20 comprises an electronic chip 22 and a primary antenna 24 that is electrically connected to the electronic chip 22 via a printed circuit board 26. The primary antenna here consists of a surface-mount-device (SMD) microcoil having an axis of symmetry 23. The median plane 21 of the primary antenna is defined by a normal parallel to the axis of symmetry 23 of the SMD coil and separates the coil into two equal portions. The components on the printed circuit board are electrically connected using tracks made of copper terminated by copper pads 27. The components on the printed circuit board are electrically connected using the wire-bonding technique by gold wires 28 running between the component and the pads 27. The assembly consisting of the printed circuit board 26, the electronic chip 22 and of the primary antenna 24 is embedded in a rigid mass 29 made of electrically insulating high-temperature epoxy resin, and forms the electronic portion 20 of the radiofrequency transponder 1.

(44) This radiofrequency transponder 1 has the advantage of being much more mechanically resistant than conventional transponders and thus is particularly suitable for a hostile use such as encountered with run-flat tyres.