Tire electronics assembly

An electronics assembly is provided for use with a tire. The assembly includes a plurality of printed circuit boards, each of which includes an electronic device configured to sense a condition of the tire. Attachment pegs are provided to attach the printed circuit boards together in stacked positions that are spaced apart by the attachment pegs. Each attachment peg has a lower end portion configured to attach to any one of the printed circuit boards. Each attachment peg further has an upper end portion configured to attach to any other one of the printed circuit boards. This enables the printed circuit boards to be attached interchangeably between the stacked positions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This technology includes electronic devices for sensing conditions of a tire on a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices can be used to sense conditions of a tire on a vehicle. Such devices include air pressure and temperature sensors that are mounted inside the tire, and also include radio frequency transmitters for transmitting pressure and temperature signals from the tire to the vehicle.

SUMMARY

An electronics assembly is provided for use with a tire. In a given example, the assembly includes a plurality of printed circuit boards, each of which includes an electronic device configured to sense a condition of the tire. Attachment pegs are provided to attach the printed circuit boards together in stacked positions that are spaced apart by the attachment pegs. Each attachment peg has a lower end portion configured to attach to any one of the printed circuit boards. Each attachment peg further has an upper end portion configured to attach to any one of the printed circuit boards. This enables the printed circuit boards to be interchangeable between the stacked positions.

In an illustrated embodiment, each printed circuit board has an aperture and a peripheral slot with an open end. The lower end portion of each attachment peg is receivable through the open end of any one of the slots. The upper end portion of each attachment peg is receivable through any one of the apertures.

Each printed circuit board in the illustrated example has an upper side with an upper electrical contact and has a lower side with a lower electrical contact. The upper electrical contact on each one of the printed circuit boards is configured to electrically connect with the lower electrical contact on any other one of the printed circuit boards. This enables the printed circuit boards to be electrically connectable interchangeably between the stacked positions.

The apertures and slots in the printed circuit boards are arranged in circular arrays. The apertures on each printed circuit board are circumferentially offset from the slots on the same printed circuit board. The upper electrical connectors on each printed circuit board are circumferentially offset from the lower electrical connectors on the same printed circuit board. The offset between the electrical contacts ensures that the pegs, which reach axially between the apertures and the slots, will attach the printed circuit boards together in stacked positions in which the lower electrical contacts on an overlying PCB are aligned with the lower electrical contacts on an adjacent underlying the PCB.

The illustrated embodiment of the electronics assembly further includes a base configured for mechanical attachment to the tire. The base includes an attachment peg with an upper end portion configured to attach to any one of the printed circuit boards in a lowermost stacked position. This enables the printed circuit boards to be interchangeably attachable to the base in the lowermost stacked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The structures illustrated in the drawings include examples of the elements recited in the claims. The illustrated structures thus include examples of how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and use the claimed invention. They are described here to provide enablement and best mode without imposing limitations that are not recited in the claims. One or more elements of one embodiment may be used in combination with, or as a substitute for, one or more elements of another embodiment as needed for any particular implementation of the invention.

As shown inFIG.1, a pneumatic tire10includes a tread12, bead portions14, and sidewalls16interconnecting the tread12with the bead portions14. An inner surface18of the tire10defines the periphery of a cavity21within the tire10. The inner surface18in this example is provided by an innerliner22that reaches fully throughout the interior of the tread12, the bead portions14, and the sidewalls16.

Also shown inFIG.1is an electronics assembly30for use with the tire10. The electronics assembly30in this example includes a base32and multiple modules34. The modules34are interconnected in a stacked arrangement above (radially inwardly of) the base32.

As shown schematically inFIGS.2-4, each module34includes one or more electronic devices36. The electronic devices36in the modules34may include air pressure sensors, temperature sensors, power generation or storage devices, radio frequency transmitters, radio frequency receivers, and/or any other electronic devices suitable for obtaining and/or providing information relating to conditions of the tire10.

The base32also includes one or more electronic devices40, as shown schematically inFIG.5. These may include an electronic device40configured to provide a unique identification signal for identifying the tire10in distinction from another tire on the same vehicle or a different vehicle. Other electronic devices40in the base32may be configured to receive and/or transmit signals between the devices40in the base, the devices36in the modules34, and the vehicle. In each case, the electronic devices36and40may be configured in any suitable manner known in the art.

Each module34in the illustrated example has the structural configuration shown inFIGS.2-4. Each module34thus includes a printed circuit board (PCB)50including the respective electronic devices36. The PCB50has an upper side52as shown inFIGS.2-3, and a lower side54as shown inFIG.4. A peripheral edge56of the PCB50has a circular shape centered on an axis59.

The PCB50further has a number of circular apertures60and a corresponding number of slots62. The apertures60are equally spaced apart circumferentially in a circular array centered on the axis59. The slots62are likewise spaced apart in a circular array centered on the axis59and are circumferentially offset from the apertures60. Each slot62has an open end66at the peripheral edge56and is oriented radially inward toward the axis59.

A circular array of upper electrical connectors70are located on the upper side52(FIGS.2-3) of the PCB50. A corresponding circular array of lower electrical connectors72are located on the lower side54(FIG.4) of the PCB50. In the illustrated example, the upper connectors70are socket connectors and the lower connectors72are pin connectors.

The upper electrical connectors70on each one of the modules34are configured to electrically connect with the lower electrical connectors72on any other one of the modules34. This enables the modules34to be electrically connected interchangeably with each other in the stacked arrangement ofFIG.1.

Attachment pegs80are provided to attach the PCBs50together in spaced apart (in the tire radial direction) position in the stack. As shown inFIG.6, each attachment peg80has a lower end portion82with a pair of flanges84. The lower end portion82is configured to slide inward through the open end66of any one of the slots62. The edges of the PCB50alongside the slot62are then received between the flanges84.

Each attachment peg80further has an upper end portion88. The upper end portion88is segmented to snap through any one of the apertures60. When attachment pegs80have been inserted in the slots62in one of the PCBs50, as shown inFIG.7, another of the PCBs50can be moved downward to snap the upper end portions88of the attachment pegs80through the respective apertures60. Any desired number of the PCBs50can thus be attached together in stacked positions that are spaced apart by the attachment pages80as shown inFIG.8.

Additionally, the upper and lower electrical connectors70and72on each PCB50are circumferentially offset from each other such that the upper connectors72on an underlying PCB50are aligned with the lower connectors on an overlying PCB50when the pegs80are installed in the slots62and apertures60. The lower connectors72on an overlying PCB50are moved downward into connected engagement with the upper connectors70on an underlying PCB50when the overlying PCB50is snapped downward onto the upper end portions88of the attachment pegs80.

As further shown inFIG.5, the base32has a housing100containing the electrical device40. The housing100has three legs102projecting radially outward from a central portion104. The three legs102have a corresponding array of attachment pegs110with segmented upper end portions112. Each upper end portion112of an attachment peg110on the base32is configured to snap through any one of the apertures60in the PCBs50. This enables the base32to support the stack of modules34as shown inFIG.8, with any one of the modules34as the lowermost module34in the stack. The base32in the illustrated example is installed between the innerliner22(FIG.1) and a layer120adhered over the innerliner22, with the attachment pegs110projecting through the layer120.

This written description sets for the best mode of carrying out the invention and describes the invention so as to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, by presenting examples of the elements recited in the claims. The detailed descriptions of those elements do not impose limitations that are not recited in the claims.