KR20070100096A - Method and apparatus for preventing damage to electronics during tire inspection - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methodologies for protecting tire (10) electronics from electrical discharge damage during a tire (10) inspection procedure. Aspects of different embodiments of the disclosed subject matter relate to various techniques for providing protection from high-voltage discharge for tire (10) electronics devices (94). Exemplary techniques disclosed correspond to methodologies for preventing contact with a high-voltage source (310), controlling conditions produced by contact with high-voltage sources (310), or nullifying effects of contact with high-voltage sources (310).

Description

Method and apparatus for preventing damage to electronics during tire inspection

  The technology disclosed herein relates to an apparatus and method for protecting damage to an electronic device during an inspection or test phase for a body associated with a tire electronic device. The technology has applicability in particular for the protection of tire test environments and tire electronics, but also for other test environments as well.

The incorporation of pneumatic tires and electronic devices with wheel structures yields a number of practical advantages. Tire electronics may include sensors and other components to relay tire identification parameters and to obtain information about various physical parameters of the tire, such as temperature, pressure, tread wear, tire speed, vehicle speed, and the like. Can be. Such performance information will be useful in tire monitoring and warning systems and may be potentially employed with a feedback system to adjust suitable tire and / or vehicle parameters.

Another potential applicability offered by electronic systems integrated with tire structures corresponds to evaluating tracking and performance characterization for commercial vehicle applications. Commercial truck fleets, aircraft and ground vehicle / mining vehicles are all viable industries that can take advantage of the information transfer associated with tire electronic systems. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags can be utilized to provide unique identification for a given tire and enable the tracking capability of the tire. Tire sensors can determine the mileage of each tire in the vehicle, and thus can assist in maintenance planning for a given commercial system. Vehicle location and performance may be optimized for more expensive applications, such as for ground mining installations.

As is apparent, the use of tire electronics has a number of practical advantages. On the other hand, the presence of such tire electronics presents some difficulties during the tire service life. One particular cycle occurs when tires with these tire electronics are taken to the factory for recycling.

Under normal circumstances, when a tire prepares for regeneration, the tire can test for defects that can rule out regeneration or existing issues that need to be addressed during the regeneration process. One commonly used method for inspecting tire damage prior to rebuilding such tires is to use wire-shaped high voltage probes. During a tire audit, the high voltage powered on the wire loop is brushed against the interior of the tire, so that the spark can jump from the wire to the defect point, causing any defects to appear. Such high voltage discharges can damage tire electronics and, in addition, the wires themselves can be mechanically jammed in the electronics package and torn, causing mechanical damage to the tire electronics package.

Various implementations of the tire electronics system have been developed, but generally no designs have been shown that incorporate all of the desirable properties as provided below in accordance with the present key techniques.

In view of the recognized characteristics encountered in the prior art and discussed in the present invention, an improved methodology has been developed to protect tire electronics from damage during the tire inspection process.

In accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention, a methodology is provided for physically protecting any installed tire electronics from electrical contact with high voltage charged electrical wires.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodology has been developed for providing electrical protection of any installed tire electronics even when in physical contact with the power supply wire at high voltage.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus and associated methodology for providing a tire electronics package with self-protective properties for reducing the likelihood of high voltage induced damage have been developed.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus and methodology has been developed for reducing the likelihood of electrical discharge damage generated by test equipment.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description herein. In addition, it will be apparent that variations and modifications to the features and elements specifically shown, referenced and discussed herein may be made in various embodiments and that the invention may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. . Variants may include, but are not limited to, replacement of equivalent means, features, or steps for functional, operational, or positional inversion of various components, features, steps, etc., with those shown, referenced, or discussed.

In addition, different embodiments of the present invention as well as differently provided preferred embodiments may be characterized by the features, steps or elements or equivalents described herein (not shown directly in the figures or described in the detailed description of these figures). Or various combinations or configurations thereof). Additional embodiments of the invention that are not necessarily described in the Summary section may vary in aspects of the features, components, or steps referenced in the above-summarized subject matter, and / or other features, components, or steps described differently in this application. Combinations may be included and incorporated. Those skilled in the art will be able to better understand certain embodiments and other features and aspects as a result of the review of the remainder of the specification.

The complete and detailed description of the invention, including the best mode indicated to those skilled in the art, is described in the specification made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows schematically a combination of a tire and an alternative location for a tire electronics device.

2 and 2A are plan and side cross-sectional views of a first embodiment of the present invention for providing physical protection of a tire electronics device.

3 illustrates a plurality of additional embodiments of the present invention for providing manual or automatic control of a power supply.

4 illustrates another embodiment of the present technology for providing conductive protection of a tire electronics device.

5 and 5A illustrate a plurality of different embodiments of the present technology in which a plurality of types of materials having various electrical properties are employed to provide for protection of a tire electronics device.

6 shows another embodiment of the present technology in which a counter voltage is applied to a tire electronics device.

7 illustrates an embodiment of the present technology in which a tire electronics device achieves self-protection.

8 and 8A illustrate another embodiment of the present technology in which a high voltage power source is controlled to reduce the likelihood of damage to a tire electronics device.

9 is a more detailed view of a tire test configuration in which the present technology is employed.

FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment of the present technology configured to protect a tire electronics device in which test wires are installed.

Repeat use of reference numerals throughout this specification and the accompanying drawings is intended to represent the same or similar features or elements of the present invention.

As discussed in the Detailed Description section of the present invention, the subject matter of the present invention relates in particular to the protection of an electronic device from damage during a test phase for a body in which the electronic device is associated, in particular a tire during a tire test operation in connection with a regeneration operation. It relates to the protection of an electronic device. However, as described above, the present technology is not limited to such a tire test environment because this technology is applicable to other environments.

It is to be understood that each exemplary embodiment provided and discussed herein does not imply a limitation of the present invention. Features or steps shown and discussed as part of one embodiment may be used in combination with aspects of another embodiment to obtain another embodiment. In addition, certain features may be interchanged with similar devices or non-expressed features performing the same or similar functions.

Reference will be made in more detail to these preferred embodiments of the invention. Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates several alternative locations in which tire electronics devices are mounted in, on or within a tire, in accordance with certain aspects of the present technology. As shown in FIG. 1, one or more tire electronics devices are located outside the sidewall at 90, in the crown of the tire at 92, inside the sidewall at 94, or in dotted rectangle at 96. As shown, it may be associated with the tire 10 by mounting certain devices that are physically embedded within the tire structure. Any, any or all positions may be used for the tire electronics device position of any one tire. In addition, a plurality of tire electronics devices can be arranged so that a plurality of states from a plurality of states or positions can be more easily detected to obtain within the widest possible range of identifiable data.

As mentioned above, while the theoretical discussion of the present technology relates to testing of tires and methodologies for the protection of electronic devices associated with such tires, it should be noted that the present invention is not so limited. In particular, the various protection methodologies described herein are also applicable in other environments in which different test techniques may be applied, and under such testing, electronic devices associated with the device or item may be damaged as a result of the test technique. I can receive it. Non-limiting examples of such test environments may include tests related to electro magnetic pulses (EMP) and lightning.

2 and 2A, there is shown a top view and a side cross-sectional view (taken along the line of sight indicated by arrow 24 in FIG. 2) of a first embodiment of the present technology. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, a portion of the tire 10 corresponding to the portion that can be seen by the line indicated by arrow 22 (FIG. 1) is fixed to the inner surface 12 of the tire 10. Illustrated tire electronics 94. In this embodiment, a semicircular insulating protective structure in the form of a wall 200 is perpendicular to the inner tire surface 12 to provide physical protection against the tire electronics device 94 contacting the wire 310. Is located. The wire 310 may take the form of a conductive keychain. As shown, the protective wall 200 may at least partially surround the tire electronics device 94 and may completely surround the tire electronics device 94 by any wall portion 210.

During the tire test operation, the wire 310 brushes across the inner surface 12 of the tire 10. In an actual test, the tire 10 rotates while the wire 310 remains stationary to create a relative motion between the tire 10 and the wire 310. By way of coupling to a high voltage power source (not shown) by the metal header 300, the wire 310 brushing across the tire surface 12 may be grounded conductive plate or roller with one or more wires 310. 213 (not shown in FIG. 2) will cause sparks between any defects in the tire. The provision of an insulating protective wall 200 and any extension 210 protects the wire 310 from contacting the tire electronics device 94, thereby protecting the devices from being damaged by electrical discharges. As a non-limiting example, a high voltage power supply coupled to wire 310 via metal header 300 will correspond to a source having a peak output of about 80 kV DC.

3, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. In these embodiments, tire electronics device protection is provided by manual and / or automatic control of the high voltage power source. In a manner similar to that shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, the tire 10 advances in the direction of arrow 14 so that the wire 310 brushes with respect to the inner surface 12 of the tire 10. The wire 310 is connected to the high voltage power source 320 by a metal header 300 such that the spark is one or more wires 310 and a conductive plate or roller similar to that shown at 312 in FIG. 2A (not shown). It may be created between any defects that may be present in the tire 10 that is grounded at.

As the tire 10 moves in such a manner that the tire electronics device 94 mounted on the inner surface 12 of the tire 10 approaches the wire 310, the equipment operator through the visual inspection unit 330 and And / or automatic control via the magnetic or optical proximity sensor 340 allows the tire electronics device 94 to contact the wires 320 to a level sufficient to allow the wire 310 to allow nondestructive contact of the tire electronics device 94. Approaching may affect high voltage power supply 320 to reduce the output voltage of the high voltage power supply. The output voltage of the high voltage power supply 320 may be reduced to zero (ie, the high voltage source may be cut off) or reduced to a safe contact level for the tire electronics device 94.

Another embodiment of the present technology is also shown in FIG. 3, and the electronics device 94 itself can be employed as a sensor alone or in combination with the previously discussed sensors to control a high voltage power supply. In particular, as electronic device 94 approaches test wire 310, electronic device 94 detects the presence of a potentially damaging electric field and detects radio frequency (RF) radiation 96 or power source 320. May be configured to transmit such information by another suitable form of information transmission to the receiving element 342 in connection with. Again, the output voltage of high voltage power supply 320 can be reduced to zero or can be reduced to a safe contact level for tire electronics device 94. An alternative power supply control methodology, described more fully hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 8 and 8A, may be appropriately located and employed with some embodiments shown in FIG.

4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. In general, the same test procedure is performed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 as can be performed in the above-described embodiments. A powered wire set 310 coupled to a high voltage power source (not shown) via metal header 300 brushes across the inner surface 12 of the tire 10 as the tire 10 rotates. do. As the tire electronics device 94 approaches the wire 310, the wire 310 faces a conductive guard ring 400 surrounding the tire electronics device 94. The guard ring 400 may be temporarily or permanently positioned around the tire electronics device 94 and operates to direct sparks from the high voltage powered wire 310 to an impermeable component instead of the detection electronics. Conductive guard ring 400 may correspond to a ring of any suitable conductive material including conductive metal as well as conductive synthesis including, by way of non-limiting example, conductive rubber.

5 (top view) and 5A (side cross-sectional view along arrow 26 of FIG. 5), a fourth, fifth and sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. As with the foregoing embodiments, a similar tire test procedure is followed, in which the full description is not repeated herein. Moreover, as in the previous embodiments, the tire 10 may be placed on a conductive plate or roller (not shown) that serves as a ground return for a high voltage power source (not shown) coupled to the metal header 300. have.

In accordance with the above-described embodiments, a number of protective features may be employed to provide protection of the tire electronics device 94 in view of similarly shown drawings. However, each of these embodiments relates to a tire electronics device protection methodology, and the covering 500 of variable electrical characteristics is applied temporarily or permanently across the tire electronics device 94.

In a first embodiment of these, the insulating cover 500 is temporarily or permanently installed on the tire electronics device 94 to protect the formation of electronic damage sparks. The second embodiment provides for the installation of a conductive cover 500 either temporarily or permanently on the electronic device 94 to draw the arc from the high voltage powered wire 310 but with the tire electronic device 94 closed. It provides a Faraday shield configuration that protects any voltage gradients in the package it forms.

Finally, a preferred third configuration of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A corresponds to the resistive material cover 500 on the tire electronics device 94. This resistive material cover 500 may or may not allow the formation of an arc, but controls the magnitude and rate of rise of current in the material to a level that does not damage the tire electronics device 94. As a non-limiting example of a suitable resistive material, carbon infused rubber may preferably be employed with a carbon particle concentration adjusted to achieve current size and ascent rate limitations.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention having some similarities to the Faraday cage configuration described above with reference to FIG. 5. In particular, in addition to the tire test process substantially the same as described above, the embodiment of FIG. 6 illustrates the application of high voltage directly from the power supply 320 to the tire electronics device 94 via the cable 350. The high voltage applied to the tire electronics device 94 via the cable 350 is substantially the same as the high voltage applied via the metal header 300 to the wire 310. Since there is no voltage potential or drop between the two substantially equal value voltage potentials, no spark will occur between the wire 310 and the tire electronics device 94.

Referring to Fig. 7, two additional embodiments of the present invention are shown. In these embodiments of the present invention, attention is paid to the tire electronics device 94 itself to provide some form of self-protection from the adverse effects encountered during the tire testing process.

In the first of these self-protecting embodiments, the tire electronics device packaging is designed to provide a long insulated path within the device itself such that arc formation is protected between the high voltage supplied test wire and the electrical components in the tire electronics device 94. do.

Another embodiment corresponding to the second self-protecting feature of the present invention corresponds to the provision of electrostatic dissipation elements in the tire electronics device 94. For example, elements 700, 710, 720 shown to be coupled to various terminals in tire electronics device 94 will correspond to various known electrostatic charging elements. Non-limiting examples of such elements correspond to high value resistors, spark gap devices, nonlinear resistors, capacitors, neon lamps, valve block materials, varistors and other devices that can safely dissipate high voltage discharges.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the characteristics of these two self-protecting forms may include, for example, a long insulated path and at least one or some individual electrostatic dissipating elements 700, 710, 720 for the housing for the tire electronics device 94. May be combined to provide together in the same package to form a.

8 and 8A, the adverse effect of the high voltage discharge of the tire electronics device can be solved by considering the high voltage source itself. As shown in FIG. 8, the test procedure corresponds to the procedure described above. Substantially the mechanism of this procedure, ie the brushing of the wire 310 powered on the inner surface 12 of the tire 10 as the tire 10 rotates is the same. The difference here is in the high voltage generator 320 '.

As best shown in the graph corresponding to FIG. 8A, the power source 320 ′ has a long period when the generated high voltage applied to the wire 310 via the metal header 300 is not powered. It is configured to correspond to a series of very short high voltage pulses 800 separated over. Thus, the effective energy applied to the wire 310 is insufficient to cause any damage to the tire electronics device 94. The very short pulse 800 also provides spark-shaped information generated for tire defects, but only carries small energy that does not damage the electronics in the tire electronics device 94.

9 shows a more detailed view of an exemplary tire test setup that may be employed in the present technology. The tire test facility is operated by supporting the tire 10 on one or more grounded conductive rollers 312. The support arm 330 made of an insulating material supports the metal header 300 and can be moved up and down by driving means, not shown, as indicated by the double arrow 332. One output lead from the high voltage power supply 320 is coupled to the test wire 310 therefrom to the metal header 300 via the cable 322. The other output lead from the high voltage power supply 320 is coupled to the conductive roller 312 via the cable 324. As shown, the test wire 310 may include a portion of the metal header 300 and a portion constituting a pair of butterfly wing wires configured to sweep the inner surface of the side wall portion of the tire 10 when the tire rotates. It can correspond to the second part constituting the set of conductive keychains suspended from. As shown in FIG. 9, the tire electronics device 94 may be secured to the inner sidewall portion of the tire 10 and may be swept over there by a butterfly winged portion of the test wire 310. Any of the various means of protection described herein above may be employed with the depicted structure to protect the tire electronics 94 from being damaged by contacting or approaching the powered test wire 310.

10 shows another alternative embodiment of the present technology, wherein the shape of the butterfly winged portion of the wire 310 itself may be configured to protect contact with the area where the tire electronics devices are mounted. As exemplarily shown in FIG. 9, the tire electronics device 94 may be mounted inside the tire 10 in the sidewall area. Test wire 310 is coupled to a high voltage power supply via cable 322 and metal header 300, and tire 10 may be supported on a grounded conductive plate 312 as described above. A portion of the butterfly wing of the test wire 310 may be shaped like, for example, the region 34 to protect contact with any tire electronics 94 that may be mounted to the indicated region. Of course, the tire electronics device 94 may be mounted in a number of different locations as shown in FIG. 1, and therefore the present technology intends to change the test wire to accommodate any desired mounting location.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the substitutions, modifications, and equivalents of certain embodiments may be readily made under the foregoing understanding. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is by way of example and not by way of limitation, and the invention does not exclude the inclusion of certain alterations, modifications and / or additions as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (21)

As a way to protect the damage of tire electronics during tire inspection, Providing a high voltage power source, Providing a tire comprising at least one tire electronics, Providing a conductive wire, Coupling one end of the conductive wire to the high voltage power supply; Configuring the other end of the conductive wire to contact the tire, and Providing a physical barrier in proximity to the at least one tire electronics device, A tire electronics damage prevention method wherein damage to the tire electronics device is prevented from being affected by the high voltage source. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of configuring contacts comprises providing another end of the conductive wire having a plurality of wires. The tire electronics of claim 1, wherein providing the physical barrier comprises providing an insulating wall such that contact with the tire electronics is protected by an end of the conductive wire configured to contact the tire. How to avoid damage. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the insulating wall at least partially surrounds the at least one tire electronics device. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the insulating wall surrounds the at least one tire electronics device. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the physical barrier comprises covering the tire electronics device having an insulating material. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the physical barrier comprises covering the tire electronics device having a conductive material. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the physical barrier comprises covering the tire electronics device having a resistive material. As a method of protecting damage to tire electronics during tire inspection, Providing a high voltage power source, Providing a tire comprising at least one tire electronics, Providing a conductive wire, Coupling one end of the conductive wire to the high voltage power supply; Configuring the other end of the conductive wire to contact a tire; Controlling the effective energy applied to the at least one tire electronics device, A method for preventing damage to tire electronics, wherein damage to tire electronics is protected from the influence of the high voltage source. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the controlling step includes controlling effective energy from the high voltage power source. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlling step includes reducing the effective energy of the high voltage power supply when the end of the wire configured to contact the tire is at least close to the at least one tire electronics device. . 12. The tire electronics damage of claim 11, wherein the controlling step includes manually reducing the effective energy of the high voltage power supply when the end of the wire configured to contact the tire is at least close to the at least one tire electronics device. Prevention method. The method of claim 11, wherein the controlling step, Providing a sensor having an output signal responsive to a wire configured to contact the tire to the at least one tire electronics device; And automatically reducing the effective energy of the high voltage power supply in response to the output signal. The method of claim 11, wherein the controlling step, Configuring the at least one tire electronics device to provide the at least one electronics device with an output signal that reacts in the vicinity of a wire configured to contact the tire; And automatically reducing the effective energy of the high voltage power supply in response to the output signal. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said controlling step comprises configuring a high voltage power supply to supply a relatively short series of high voltage pulses that are sufficiently separated in a timely manner to produce an effective low energy waveform, thereby providing a high voltage power supply. Effective energy is insufficient to damage the at least one tire electronics device. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the effective energy comprises applying a potential substantially equal to a potential of a high voltage power supply to the at least one tire electronics device, thereby providing the at least one tire electronic. A method for preventing damage to tire electronics, wherein substantially no voltage drop is produced between a product device and an end of a wire configured to contact the tire. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the effective energy comprises incorporating one or more electrostatic dissipation elements into the at least one tire electronics device. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrostatic dissipation element is selected from the group consisting of high value resistors, spark gaps, nonlinear resistors, varistors, capacitors, neon lamps and valve block materials. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the effective energy comprises incorporating an insulation path within the at least one tire electronics device, thereby inhibiting arc formation. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the effective energy comprises surrounding the at least one tire electronics device with a conductive guard ring. 10. The tire electronic device of claim 9, wherein controlling the effective energy comprises configuring at least a portion of the other end of the conductive wire to contact the tire to protect contact with the at least one tire electronics device. How to avoid product damage.

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