TIRE WITH CELLULAR MEMBER AND SENSOR

Abstract

A tire, cellular member, and sensor combination includes a tire. The tire includes a pair of sidewalls, a circumferential tread, in which the pair of sidewalls extends to the tread, and an innerliner. A cellular member is disposed on the innerliner and is formed with a sensor opening. A sensor is disposed in the sensor opening and is affixed to the innerliner.

Claims

1. A tire, cellular member, and sensor combination, the combination comprising: a tire, the tire including: a pair of sidewalls; a circumferential tread, the pair of sidewalls extending to the tread; and an innerliner; a cellular member, the cellular member being disposed on the innerliner and being formed with a sensor opening; and a sensor, the sensor being disposed in the sensor opening and being affixed to the innerliner.

2. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the cellular member is formed as a circumferentially-extending ring.

3. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the cellular member is formed of open-cell foam.

4. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 3, wherein the cellular member is formed of a strip of polyurethane foam.

5. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the cellular member is attached to the innerliner with an adhesive.

6. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the sensor is directly attached to the innerliner.

7. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed in a sensor container.

8. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 7, wherein the sensor container is formed of an elastomer.

9. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 7, wherein the sensor container is attached to the innerliner with an adhesive.

10. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the sensor opening is formed as a closed-wall geometric shape.

11. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 10, wherein the sensor opening is circular.

12. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 10, wherein the sensor opening includes a diameter that is smaller than a minimum axial width of the cellular member.

13. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 12, wherein the diameter of the sensor opening is near the size of the sensor.

14. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 12, wherein the diameter of the sensor opening is larger than the sensor.

15. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 12, wherein the sensor diameter of the sensor opening is near the size of the sensor container.

16. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 12, wherein the diameter of the sensor opening is larger than a sensor container.

17. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the sensor opening extends through an entire radial thickness of the cellular member.

18. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 17, wherein the sensor opening extends between a tire cavity and the innerliner.

19. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a tire pressure monitoring system sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle and a tire of the prior art equipped with a sensor, with the tire shown partially in section;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of the present invention, with the tire shown partially in section;

[0029] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the tire, cellular member, and sensor combination shown in FIG. 2; and

[0030] FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a container for a sensor.

[0031] Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] A vehicle 10 and a tire 12 of the prior art are shown in FIG. 1. The tire 12 is of conventional construction, and is mounted on a wheel 14. The tire 12 includes a pair of sidewalls 18 that extend to a circumferential tread 16. An innerliner 22 is formed on an inner surface of the tire 12, and a cavity 20 is formed when the tire 12 is mounted on the wheel 14. The tire 12 may be equipped with a sensor 24, which may be a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor, and detects tire parameters such as pressure and/or temperature within the tire cavity 20. The sensor 24 preferably is affixed to the innerliner 22.

[0033] An exemplary embodiment of a tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of the present invention is indicated at 30 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination 30 employs a tire 12 and sensor 24 as described above. A cellular member 32 is mounted in the tire 12, and preferably is a circumferentially-extending ring formed of open-cell foam. For example, the cellular member 32 may be formed of a strip of polyurethane foam, and is disposed on the innerliner 22 of the tire 12 to form a ring. Alternatively, the cellular member 32 may be formed of a closed-cell foam. The cellular member 32 preferably is attached to the innerliner 22 with an adhesive. The cellular member 32 is disposed in the tire cavity 20 to dampen noise that occurs in the tire 12 during operation of the vehicle 10.

[0034] The sensor 24 may be disposed in a sensor container 34, which is shown in FIG. 4. The sensor 24 may be a TPMS sensor that measures the pressure and/or temperature within the tire cavity 20, or may be a sensor that measures other tire parameters, such as speed, acceleration, and the like. The sensor container 34 is preferably formed of an elastomer and includes a central cavity 38 that receives the sensor 24. A container opening 40 is formed in the sensor container 34 to enable the sensor 24 to be inserted and removed from the central cavity 38. When employed, the sensor container 34 is attached to the innerliner 22 of the tire 12 by an adhesive. The sensor container 34 allows for secure positioning of the sensor 24, while also providing for easy removal and replacement of the sensor.

[0035] An exemplary sensor container 34 is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,153, which is owned by the Assignee of the present invention, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and which is incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, when the sensor container 34 is not employed, the sensor 24 may be attached directly to the innerliner 22 by an adhesive.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cellular member 32 is formed with a sensor opening 36. The sensor opening 36 preferably is formed as a closed-wall geometric shape, such as a circular shape. The sensor opening 36 may alternatively be formed in an oval shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, a hexagonal shape, an octagonal shape, and the like. The sensor opening 36 includes a diameter 42 that is smaller than a minimum axial width 46 of the cellular member 32. The sensor opening 36 extends through an entire radial thickness 44 of the cellular member 32, so that the opening extends between the cavity 20 and the innerliner 22.

[0037] The diameter 42 of the sensor opening 36 preferably is near the size of the sensor 24 or is larger than the sensor. Such a diameter 42 enables the sensor 24 to be inserted directly through the sensor opening 36, or to stretch or flex the cellular member 32 at the sensor opening to install the sensor through the opening. The diameter 42 of the sensor opening 36 may also be near the size of the sensor container 34 or larger than the sensor container 34, when the sensor container is employed. Such a diameter 42 enables the sensor container 34 to be inserted directly through the sensor opening 36, or to stretch or flex the cellular member 32 at the sensor opening to install the sensor container through the opening, when the sensor container is employed.

[0038] In this manner, the sensor opening 36 enables the sensor 24 to be directly attached to the innerliner 22 when the sensor container 34 is not employed, while the sensor remains in direct communication with the tire cavity 20 for accurate cavity pressure and/or temperature measurements. When the sensor container 34 is employed, the sensor opening 36 enables the container and the sensor 24 to be attached to the innerliner, while the sensor remains in direct communication with the tire cavity 20 for accurate cavity pressure and/or temperature measurements.

[0039] The tire, cellular member, and sensor combination of the present invention 30 thus provides a tire 12 that includes a cellular member 32 with structural features that enable proper mounting, operation, and communication of the sensor 24. With this structure, the sensor opening 36 in the cellular member 32 enables the sensor 24 to be installed and/or removed through the tire cavity 20, regardless of the radial thickness of the cellular member.

[0040] The sensor opening 36 enables the cellular member 32 to be formed in a continuous ring structure, as the opening includes a diameter 42 that is less than the width 46 of the cellular member. Such a configuration provides continuity and structural integrity for the cellular member 32, while also enabling secure mounting of the sensor 24 or the sensor container 34 to the innerliner 22. The sensor opening 36 also enables direct communication between the sensor 24 and the tire cavity 22 for accurate pressure and/or temperature measurements.

[0041] The present invention also includes a method of forming a tire, cellular member, and sensor combination 30. The method includes steps in accordance with the description that is presented above and shown in FIGS. 2-4.

[0042] It is to be understood that the structure of the above-described tire, cellular member, and sensor combination 30 may be altered or rearranged, or components or steps known to those skilled in the art omitted or added, without affecting the overall concept or operation of the invention. For example, as described above, the sensor 24 may be directly affixed or attached to the innerliner 22 by an adhesive, or when the sensor container 34 is employed, the sensor container 34 may be affixed or attached to the innerliner by an adhesive. Such attachment also includes the use of alternative means that may not require an adhesive, such as a rubber patch that may be added between the sensor container 34 and the innerliner 22 that is then vulcanized to provide secure attachment, or application of the sensor container to the innerliner before or during curing of the tire 12 to provide secure attachment.

[0043] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Potential modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this description. It is to be understood that all such modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, or the equivalents thereof.