Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
  • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
  • H01Q1/2208—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems
  • H01Q1/2241—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems used in or for vehicle tyres
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C23/00—Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
  • B60C23/02—Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure
  • B60C23/04—Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure mounted on the wheel or tyre
  • B60C23/0408—Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure mounted on the wheel or tyre transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
  • B60C23/0422—Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure mounted on the wheel or tyre transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver characterised by the type of signal transmission means
  • B60C23/0433—Radio signals
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C23/00—Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
  • B60C23/02—Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure
  • B60C23/04—Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure mounted on the wheel or tyre
  • B60C23/0491—Constructional details of means for attaching the control device
  • B60C23/0493—Constructional details of means for attaching the control device for attachment on the tyre

Definitions

• This invention relates to radio apparatus, and more particularly to self- contained radio apparatus for transmission of data.
• radio apparatus is used for transmitting data.
• the radio apparatus used comprises two elements, firstly a radio device which is the source of the data to be transmitted, and secondly one or more antennae used for communication with the radio device. Whilst combinations of antennae and radio device can readily be produced under laboratory conditions for testing purposes, implementation of antennae and radio device combinations in relatively hostile environments presents substantial practical difficulties.
• a radio device may be used, for example, to generate radio signals indicative of the temperature or pressure within a vehicle tyre or to provide information as to the history of usage of the tyre
• the environment of a vehicle tyre presents a number of difficulties in the implementation of radio technology to communicate with the radio device.
• the antenna required will, in general, be flexible and will be several tens of centimetres in length.
• the sensor package will be rigid and very small - typically less than 10mm square and less than 5mm thick. Because of the size of the antenna it must, as a practical matter, be secured to or embedded in the material of the tyre. This material is subject to significant flexing as the wheel carrying the tyre rotates. This repeated flexing makes it very difficult to provide reliable connections between the antenna and the relatively small rigid package.
• the present invention avoids the problem outlined above by providing self- contained radio apparatus for the transmission of data, the apparatus comprising: a resiliently deformable patch in which is embedded, or upon the surface of which is secured a deformable antenna: a post secured to and upstanding from one major face of the patch, the post providing at the end thereof remote from the patch a mounting for a radio device which provides data for transmission by the antenna; and electrical conductors extending from the antenna to the end of the post remote from the patch for connection to the package.
• a post which is upstanding from one major surface of the patch provides a mounting means at the end thereof remote from the patch which is substantially de-coupled from the mechanical strain to which the patch may be subject in use. Essentially, even if the strain imposed on the patch is transmitted to the base of the post, very little of such strain will be transmitted to the end of the post remote from the patch.
• the post and patch are formed integrally of a resiliently deformable material, for example a rubber.
• the patch is adhesively secured on the major surface thereof opposite to that from which the post extends to the inside of a tyre.
• the patch will readily conform to the interior surface of the tyre and can be adhesively bonded thereto using conventional adhesive techniques.
• the radio device may be secured to the post after the patch has been secured to the tyre or, in the preferred embodiment, during manufacture of the apparatus.
• a complete radio apparatus comprising antenna and radio device is assembled with the patch and post during manufacture to produce a complete unit which can readily be retro-fitted to an existing tyre by means of conventional adhesive techniques.
• the ability to provide the complete radio apparatus as a pre-formed assembly which can easily be secured in position using unskilled labour is a substantial practical advantage of the invention.
• Figure 1 illustrates schematically a preferred embodiment of tlie invention
• Figure 2 illustrates mounting of the embodiment of Figure 1 on the interior surface of a vehicle tyre
• FIGS 3, 4 and 5 show possible forms of antenna layout
• Figure 6 illustrates a side view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.
• the illustrated apparatus 1 comprises a zig-zag dipole antenna 2 which is moulded into a patch 3 of suitable resilient deformable material, for example a silicone rubber.
• the antenna 2 is formed of a suitably deformable material, for example, a flexible wire braid. The combination of this material and the shape of the antenna means that as the patch 3 is strained the dipole antenna is able to deform without difficulty.
• a post 4 Formed integrally with the patch 3, and of the same material as the patch 3, is a post 4 which extends upwardly from one major face 5 of the patch.
• the length of the posts, measured from the surface of the patch 3, is such that the end 6 of the post remote from the patch 3 will be substantially decoupled from all mechanical strain to which the patch 3 is subject in use.
• the end 6 of the post 4 provides a mounting for a package comprising a sensor or other data source, together j ith means, for example surface acoustic wave devices, to generate appropriate radio signals for transmission by the antenna 2.
• Wires 7 provide pins which project from the post 4 for connection to the package. The wires 7 are connected to the antenna 2.
• the apparatus described is secured, for example by adhesive, to the inside surface 8 of a vehicle tyre 9.
• the area to which the patch is secured exhibits substantial repeated deformation. Because of the resiliently flexible nature of the patch 3 and the deformable nature of the antenna 2, this deformation can readily be accommodated.
• the package which is mounted atop the post 4 is substantially decoupled from the strain to which the patch is subject and accordingly robust electrical connections to the wires 7 can readily be provided.
• Figures 3,4 and 5 show various proposals for the antenna 2.
• the zig-zag arrangement illustrated in Figure 1 is shown in more detail in Figure 3.
• an antenna form 10 is shown comprising a repeating pattern of straight portions interconnected by alternate acute and obtuse angle bends.
• a coil antenna 11 is shown.
• the turns of the antenna in Figure 5 are collapsed on top of each other.
• the wire from which the antenna is made is insulated or care is taken to provide an insulating layer between the collapsed turns of the coil.
• the patch 3 and antenna 2 are substantially as described above with reference to Figure 1.
• the post consists of a shaft 12 and a mushroom head 13.
• the patch 3, shaft 12 and mushroom head 13 are formed as an integral moulding of suitable material, for example, silicone rubber.
• suitable material for example, silicone rubber.
• a radio package 15 comprising a sensor is secured to the surface 14 and is connected by wires 16 to the antenna.
• the invention has particular utility in the context of tyre mounted devices, the invention is not limited to such applications. Indeed, although the invention has been designed primarily with a view to accommodating repeated strain within the antenna zone, the invention may be used in applications where no substantial strain occurs.
• the flexible nature of the patch makes the device ideal to be secured to either flat or curved surfaces.
• the ability of the invention to be pre-formed as a complete unit comprising antenna and radio package under optimum assembly conditions, and then to apply the package in its use position under general manufacturing or site conditions offers a very substantial advantage. Effectively, complete apparatus can be manufactured and tested under well controlled conditions appropriate to the assembly of electronic equipment.
• the complete unit once manufactured and tested can be deployed either to an alternative manufacturing plant (for example a tyre factory) to be secured to another device by simple assembly techniques which may be performed by unskilled or semi- skilled operatives.
• an alternative manufacturing plant for example a tyre factory
• the highly flexible nature of the patch means that the complete assembly can be applied under circumstances where conventional relatively rigid assemblies would not be suitable.
• the patch could be formed into a wrist band to form an identity device for wear by a human or animal.
• the patch may provide a means of mounting the entire device on the exterior surface of shafts and pipes by means of simple adhesive or mechanical fast techniques.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)
• Support Of Aerials (AREA)
• Details Of Aerials (AREA)
• Measuring Fluid Pressure (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Related Child Applications (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9925623

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (24)

• 2001
  • 2001-11-12 GB GB0127137A patent/GB2383470B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2002
  • 2002-11-12 DE DE60215845T patent/DE60215845T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-11-12 WO PCT/GB2002/005106 patent/WO2003041974A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2002-11-12 JP JP2003543835A patent/JP4309272B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-11-12 EP EP02779674A patent/EP1444105B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-11-12 CN CNB028223969A patent/CN100360327C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2004
  • 2004-05-11 US US10/843,145 patent/US7619576B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (2)

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