Patent Publication Number: US-2023132677-A1

Title: Static discharge element for a tire

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a pneumatic or non-pneumatic tire that has a static discharge element for reducing or eliminating static electrical charges. More particularly, the present invention defines a static discharge element that is electrically conductive to allow an electric charge to pass from a hub to tread of the tire and from the tread to the ground surface. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional non-pneumatic tire for a vehicle may include an inner hub, sometimes referred to as a wheel, surrounded circumferentially by an radially outer disposed tread that includes an annular shear band. The inner hub may be made of metal and have a high degree of conductivity. The non-pneumatic tire may include a series of spokes that are disposed radially between the inner hub and the tread. The spokes can be made of polyurethane and cycle between tension and compression upon every revolution of the tire. A shear band may also be included within the non-pneumatic tire and be located radially between the spokes and the tread. 
     As this type of non-pneumatic tire rotates under load, the spokes experience bending, extension, and compression deformation when they are located downward near the contact patch of the tread. The spokes straighten outside the contact patch relieving the bending and compression deformation. The spokes thus experience cyclic deformation as the tire rotates. These repeated deformation cycles may cause fatigue in the spokes and limit the life of the spokes and the non-pneumatic tire. 
     Vehicles may accumulate static electrical charge when driven. If there is sufficient electrical conductivity between the vehicle and ground through the wheels and tires, the charge may be continually discharged, or depleted. However, if the electrical resistance between the ground and vehicle through the wheels and tires is too great, the vehicle may retain an electrical charge for a significant amount of time once the vehicle has stopped moving. In such a case, a person may be shocked when touching the vehicle such as when he or she grasps the door handle to open or close the door. It is known to incorporate a material called carbon black into the rubber of tires in order to provide electrical conductivity through the tire to prevent or reduce shock. The addition of carbon black to the sidewalls of tires may disadvantageously increase hysteresis, rolling resistance, and/or heat generation. 
     One conventional design may provide an electrical path through a tire. An electrically conductive cord may be placed between a bead region and a tread region extending from one bead of the tire to another bead of the tire. The cord may be located between a cord reinforced rubber carcass ply and an outer visible rubber layer of a sidewall of the tire. The cord may include a stainless steel wire helically wound around a core of polyester fiber. The stainless steel wire itself is inextensible, but the helical configuration allows it to be dynamically extended and flexed. As such, there remains room for innovative improvement within this technology. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first tire in accordance with the present invention includes a cylindrical hub with a central axis, an annular supporting structure disposed radially outward from the hub, an annular shearband disposed radially outward from the supporting structure, an annular tread disposed radially outward from the shear band, and a conductive ink collectively applied to the shearband, supporting structure, and the hub to create a path for the discharge of electricity through the conductive ink. The conductive ink provides a substrate for conducting electricity with up to 50 percent strain applied to the substrate. 
     According to another aspect of the first tire, the conductive ink includes silver particles. 
     According to still another aspect of the first tire, the conductive ink includes carbon particles. 
     According to yet another aspect of the first tire, the conductive ink includes carbon and silver particles. 
     A second tire in accordance with the present invention includes a cylindrical wheel with a central axis, at least two sidewall structures disposed radially outward from the hub, an annular belt package disposed radially outward from the sidewall structures, an annular tread disposed radially outward from the belt package, and a conductive ink collectively applied to the belt package, both sidewall structures, and the wheel to create a path for the discharge of electricity through the conductive ink. The conductive ink provides a substrate for conducting electricity with up to 50 percent strain applied to the substrate. 
     According to another aspect of the second tire, the conductive ink includes silver particles. 
     According to still another aspect of the second tire, the conductive ink includes carbon particles. 
     According to yet another aspect of the second tire, the conductive ink includes carbon and silver particles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, which references the appended Figures, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic perspective view of an example tire for use with the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic side view of the tire of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic front view of the tire of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the tire of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic cross-sectional view of another portion of the tire of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic side view of a portion of another example tire for use with the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic side view of a portion of still another example tire for use with the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic side view of a portion of yet another example tire for use with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Repeated use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to examples of the present invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the above-described drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the present invention, and not meant as a limitation of the present invention. For example, features illustrated and/or described as part of one example may be used with another example to yield still a third example. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations. 
     It is to be understood that the ranges mentioned herein include all ranges located within the prescribed range. As such, all ranges mentioned herein include all sub-ranges included in the mentioned ranges. For instance, a range from 100-200 also includes ranges from 110-150, 170-190, and 153-162. Further, all limits mentioned herein include all other limits included in the mentioned limits. For instance, a limit of up to 7 also includes a limit of up to 5, up to 3, and up to 4.5. U.S. Pat. No. 9,027,615, hereby incorporated herein in its entirety, describes a representative example pneumatic tire for use with the present invention and U.S. Pat. No. 10,926,581, hereby incorporated herein in its entirety, describes a representative example non-pneumatic tire for use with the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , an example non-pneumatic tire  10  for use with the present invention may have a static discharge element  30  for use in conducting electricity through the tire  10  to prevent or reduce the chances of shocking a person touching the vehicle and to remove unwanted static electricity from the vehicle. The static discharge element  30  may be located at the supporting structure  22  of the non-pneumatic tire  10  in order to transfer the electricity across the supporting structure  22 . The supporting structure  22  may be constructed of materials that have poor electrically conductive properties. The static discharge element  30  may be electrically conductive and may be made in a variety of manners. In some examples, the static discharge element  30  may be elastic so that it may deflect with supporting structures  22  that are likewise elastic. 
     The non-pneumatic tire  10  may have an axis of rotation about the central axis  14 . The central axis  14  may extend in an axial direction  16  of the tire  10 . The central axis  14  may extend through an opening of a hub  12  of the tire  10 . The radial direction of the tire  10  may be oriented at a perpendicular angle to the central axis  14 , such that the hub  12  is spaced radially inwards from other portions of the tire  10 , such as the supporting structure  22  and the tread  16 . The non-pneumatic tire  10  may also have a circumferential direction  20  about which various portions of the tire  10  extend. For example, the tread  26 , shear band  24 , supporting structure  22 , and hub  12  may all extend 360 degrees in the circumferential direction  20  about the central axis  14 . 
     The supporting structure  22  may engage the hub  12  and be located outward from the hub  12  in the radial direction  18 . The supporting structure  22  may include a series of spokes  28  extending from the hub  12  to the shear band  24  in the radial direction  18 . It is to be understood that the supporting structure  22  need not include spokes  28 . For example, the supporting structure  22  may be made of a series of elements arranged into a honeycomb like structure that extends  360  degrees about the central axis  14 . In another example, the supporting structure  22  may be a solid member that extends 360 degrees about the central axis  14  in the circumferential direction  20 . 
     The supporting structure  22  may have a first radial end  32  at the hub  12  that coincides with a first radial terminal end  36  of the spoke  28 . The spoke  28  may extend in the radial direction  18  to the shear band  24 , in which a second radial end  34  of the supporting structure  22  may be located. As the spoke  28  terminates at/in the shear band  24 , the second radial terminal end  38  of the spoke  28  may similarly be located at the second radial end  34 . The shear band  24  may be located outward from the various spokes  28  in the radial direction  18  and may extend 360 degrees about the central axis  14  in the circumferential direction  20 . The tread  26  of the example non-pneumatic tire  10  may be outward from the shear band  24  in the radial direction  18  and may extend completely around the central axis  14  in the circumferential direction  20 . 
     The static discharge element  30  may be located inside of the spoke  28  and may extend from the hub  12  through the spoke  28  to the shear band  24 . The static discharge element  30  may also be located inside of the hub  12  and/or the shear band  24 . In other examples, the static discharge element  30  may engage the hub  12  and shear band  24  and may not be inside of these elements  12 ,  24 . Electricity may thus be transferred/conducted from the hub  12  to the shear band  24  through the spokes  28  via the static discharge element  30 . Alternatively, the static discharge element  30  may be located at or between the first and second radial terminal ends  36 ,  38 , and not extend radially outward past the second radial terminal end  38  and/or not extend radially inward past the first radial terminal end  36 . 
     The static discharge element  30  may be a filament  48  that is a slender, thread-like object ( FIGS.  3  and  4   ). The filament  48  may have a circular cross-sectional shape or other suitable cross-sectional shape. The filament  48  may include a polymeric strand  50  with a conductive carbon element  52 . The conductive carbon element  52  may coat the length of the polymeric strand  50  so as to cover the entire length of the polymeric strand  50 . In some examples, the conductive carbon element  52  may also coat the terminal top end and terminal bottom end of the polymeric strand  50  so that the polymeric strand  50  is completely covered on all sides by the conductive carbon element  52 . In other examples, the polymeric strand  50  may be suffused with the conductive carbon element  52 . The polymeric strand  50  may have a circular cross-sectional shape and the conductive carbon element  52  may have an annular cross-sectional shape with an inner void of circular cross-sectional shape filled with the circular polymeric strand  50 . The filament  48  may include any type of conductive particles to enable electrical conductivity. For example, the conductive particles may be powdered copper. The electrically conductive particles may be infused within other portions of the filament  48 . 
     The polymeric strand  50  may be a synthetic polymer, such as synthetic rubber, phenol formaldehyde resin, neoprene, nylon, polyvinyl chloride polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, silicone, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), aramid, and/or hybrids of these. The polymeric strand  50  may also be a natural polymeric material, such as natural rubber. The filament  48  may be configured as a monofilament, a multifilament yarn, a staple, and/or other solid configuration. 
     The spoke  28  may flex during rotation of the tire  10  and the spoke  28  may have an elongation of 10 percent, 0-4 percent, 4-5 percent, 5-15 percent, 8-12 percent, 9-11 percent, 10-13 percent, 10-15 percent, 15-25 percent, up to 30 percent, or up to 50 percent. The filament  48  may have an elongation that is at least 10 percent, so that the filament  48  may likewise be capable of stretching to accommodate stretching of the spoke  28  into/onto which it is carried. The electrical conductivity of the static discharge element  30  may be greater than that of the spoke  28  so that electricity more easily flows through the static discharge element  30  than the spoke  28 . The spoke  28  may be made of polyurethane and thus may not have adequate electrical conductivity. 
     One exemplary filament  48  may be a 22-denier nylon  6  monofilament  50  which has electrically conductive carbon  52  suffused onto the surface of the monofilament  50 . The filament  48  may have a round cross-section and the conductive carbon element  52  may have a thickness of 1 micron on the monofilament  50 . The tenacity of this filament  48  may be 5 grams/denier, the elongation at break may be 41 percent, and the average electrical resistivity may be 5 ohms/centimeter. The suffusion process may chemically saturate the outer skin of the nylon monofilament  50  with the electrically conductive carbon particles  52 . The conductive carbon particles  52  may become part of the structure of the nylon monofilament  50  while retaining the strength and flexibility of the nylon monofilament  50 . The suffusion process may result in a filament  48  with a durable, conductive sheath that does not crack or lose conductivity during flexing. 
     Although described as having a conductive carbon element  52  in the filament  48 , other types of electrically conductive carbon may be included, such as carbon nanotube (CNT), graphite, graphene, and/or carbon black. Further, although described as having electrically conductive carbon in the filament  48 , other types of metallic fillers may be used for the purpose of conducting electricity through the filament  48 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the spoke  28  may include an arc-length portion of the tire  10  in the circumferential direction  20 . The supporting structure  22  may include an inner interface ring  40  and an outer interface ring  44  disposed outward from the inner interface ring  40  in the radial direction  18 . The supporting structure  22  may further include a plurality of spokes  28  that engage both the inner and outer interface rings  40 ,  44 . The first radial end  32  of the supporting structure  22  may be the inner interface ring  40  and the second radial end  34  of the supporting structure  22  may be the outer interface ring  44 . The first radial terminal end  36  of the spoke  28  may be located at the inner interface ring  40  and the second radial terminal end  38  of the spoke  28  may be located at the outer interface ring  44 . 
     The filament  48  may extend through the interior of the spoke  28  and also may extend through the inner interface ring  40  and the outer interface ring  44 . A first end  54  of the filament  48  may extend some distance in the circumferential direction  20  along a first terminal end  42  of the inner interface ring  40 . The first end  54  may be located between the first terminal end  42  and the hub  12 . Adhesive  70  may be applied to the first end  54  and the hub  12  to attach these two elements. The adhesive  70  may be electrically conductive in order to allow electricity to flow from the hub  12  into the first end  54  of the static discharge element  30 . The adhesive  70  may have a concentration of carbon black with 23 percent weight, or may have a concentration of graphene of 2 percent weight. Although described as being connected through the use of adhesive  70 , any other form of attachment of the first end  54  may be implemented. A mechanical connection may be used to attach the first end  54  of the filament  48  to the hub  12  or to the inner interface ring  40 . The mechanical connection can be electrically conductive as well in order to allow electricity to flow through the hub  12  to the first end  54 . The connection need not be electrically conductive if the first end  54  is placed against the hub  12  to cause electrical connectivity between the first end  54  and the hub  12 . 
     The second end  56  may extend along a length of a second terminal end  46  of the outer interface ring  44  in the circumferential direction  20 . The second end  56  may be located between the second terminal end  46  and the shear band  24 . Adhesive  72 , that can be electrically conductive as described above with respect to adhesive  70 , may be used to attach the second end  56  to the shear band  24 . As with the first end  54 , other types of connection, such as a mechanical connection, may be used to attach the second end  56  to the shear band  24 . Electricity from the filament  48  may flow through the second end  56  and the electrically conductive adhesive  72  into the shear band  24  for subsequent discharge from the non-pneumatic tire  10 . The adhesive  70 ,  72  need not be used and the ends  54 ,  56  may be placed into engagement with the hub  12  and shear band  24  by other means. Further, although described as going through the interiors of the outer interface ring  44 , the spoke  28 , and the inner interface ring  40 , the filament  48  may be on the outside of one or more of these components in other configurations of the non-pneumatic tire  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , an alternative arrangement of an example non-pneumatic tire  10  may include a static discharge element  30  including a filament fiber filler  68  injected into the other material of the supporting structure  22 . The supporting structure  22  may have an inner interface ring  40 , an outer interface ring  44 , and a plurality of spokes  28 . These components  28 ,  40 ,  44  may be constructed of polyurethane with a filler made up of the filament fibers  68 . The filament fibers  68  may be mixed into the polyurethane and distributed about the components  28 ,  40 ,  44 . In other examples, the components  28 ,  40  and  44  and any other portions of the supporting structure  22  may be made of reinforced and/or non-reinforced material, such as a polymeric material. The polymeric material may be polyurethane, co-polyester, polyether block amide, and/or polyolefins. Still further, other examples of the non-pneumatic tire  10  as described herein may include components, such as the spoke  28 , the inner interface ring  40 , the outer interface ring  44 , and the supporting structure  22 , with different types of polymeric materials. 
     The filament fibers  68  may be from 2-7 millimeters in length and may have characteristics similar to the filament  48  previously discussed with regard to electrical conductivity and elasticity. The spoke  28  may thereby be capable of flexing a required amount while still conducting electricity through the spoke  28  as the overlapping filament fibers  68  form a pathway through which electricity may flow through the components  40 ,  28 ,  44 . The filament fibers  68  may be placed into the supporting structure  22  throughout the entire supporting structure  22  so that the filament fibers  68  may be disposed 360 degrees around the supporting structure  22  in the circumferential direction  20 . Alternatively, the filament fibers  68  may be placed into only a section of the supporting structure  22  with only an arc length of the supporting structure  22  conducting electricity in the circumferential direction  20 , and not 360 degrees around the central axis  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the example non-pneumatic tire  10  may include a supporting structure  22  with an inner interface ring  40 , a plurality of spokes  28 , and an outer interface ring  44 . The static discharge element  30  may be an elastic electrically conductive tape  58  through which electricity may be conducted. The elastic electrically conductive tape  58  may be located on an axial face  64  of the supporting structure  22 . The axial face  64  may be located at a terminal axial end  66  of the supporting structure  22  in the axial direction  16 . As such, the elastic electrically conductive tape  58  may not be located in the interior of the supporting structure  22 , but rather on the outer surface of the supporting structure  22 . The elastic electrically conductive tape  58  may engage the hub  12  and extend across the inner interface ring  40 , the spoke  28 , and the outer interface ring  44  to the shear band  24  so that the tape extends across side faces of the shear band  24  and the hub  12  in the axial direction  16 . Electricity from the hub  12  may thus be conducted through the elastic electrically conductive tape  58  and into the shear band  24 . As a result, the spoke  28  may be constructed so that carbon black is not present in the portions of the spoke  28  outside of the elastic electrically conductive tape  58 , and in some instances, may not be present at all in the spoke  28 . 
     The elastic electrically conductive tape  58  may extends in the radial direction  18  and also change course in the circumferential direction  20  upon its extension outward in the radial direction  18 . The elastic electrically conductive tape  58  may be applied to a mold surface before molding so that it is captured by the supporting structure  22 . However, in other arrangements, the elastic electrically conductive tape  58  may be applied by adhesives or other means after formation of the supporting structure  22  and other elements of the non-pneumatic tire  10 . The elastic electrically conductive tape  58  may stretch in one or more directions in order to accommodate deformation of the spoke  28  during normal use of the non-pneumatic tire  10 . 
       FIG.  8    shows an arc length portion of the non-pneumatic tire  10  in the circumferential direction  20 . The supporting structure  22  again may have the inner interface ring  40 , the spoke  28 , and the outer interface ring  44 . The static discharge element  30  may be electrically conductive paint  60  located on the axial face  64  of the supporting structure  22 . The electrically conductive paint  60  also be located on an axial face of the hub  12  and on an axial face of the shear band  24 . The electrically conductive paint  60  is thus not found on the interior of the supporting structure  22 , but is on an outward facing exterior surface of the supporting structure  22 . The electrically conductive paint  60  may be applied directly to the spoke  28 , inner interface ring  40 , and outer interface ring  44  subsequent to formation of these components. The electrically conductive paint  60  may also be applied to the shear band  24  and the hub  12  after they have been molded or otherwise formed. The electrically conductive paint  60  may alternatively be applied to a mold surface and then released during molding of the supporting structure  22 . The electrically conductive paint  60  may be applied to an injection molded supporting structure  22  that does not have a release agent. The electrically conductive paint  60  may cover the entire terminal axial end  66  of the spoke  28 , but not the entire terminal axial ends  66  of the inner and outer interface rings  40 ,  44 , but only a portion of their terminal axial ends  66 . The spoke  28  may be arranged so that carbon black is not present in portions of the spoke  28  outside of the electrically conductive paint  60 , and the spoke may also be arranged so carbon black is not present at all either in the electrically conductive paint  60  or the portions of the spoke  28  outside of the electrically conductive paint  60 . 
       FIG.  9    shows a supporting structure  22  with spokes  28 , inner interface ring  40 , and outer interface ring  44 . The static discharge element  30  may be a strip of electrically conductive polymer  62 . The supporting structure  22  and electrically conductive polymer  62  may be formed by a two shot injection molding process. A first shot applies the strip of electrically conductive polymer  62  onto the mold surface between the hub  12  and the shear band  24 . A second shot completes the mold assembly by injecting the inner interface ring  40 , spokes  28 , and outer interface ring  44 . The electrically conductive polymer  62  may thereby be captured by the spoke  28 . The electrically conductive polymer  62  may abut the first terminal end  42  and the second terminal end  46  to put the electrically conductive polymer  62  into electrical communication with the hub  12  and the shear band  24 . The end  54  of the electrically conductive polymer  62  may overlay the exterior surface of the hub  12  and the end  56  may overlay a side of the shear band  24  to allow electricity to transfer into the shear band  24 . The electrically conductive polymer  62  may extend in a generally straight orientation in the radial direction  18  as shown, but it is to be understood that the electrically conductive polymer  62  may flex some degree in the circumferential direction  20  during operational flexing of the spoke  28 . The spoke  28  may be provided so that carbon black is not present in portions of the spoke outside of the electrically conductive polymer  62 , and may alternatively be arranged so that carbon black is not present at all in the electrically conductive polymer  62  or in the portions of the spoke  28  other than the electrically conductive polymer  62 . 
     Although the various embodiments have been described as lacking carbon black in the portions of the spoke  28  outside of the static discharge element  30 , it is to be understood that carbon black could in fact be present in the portions of the spoke  28  that are not the static discharge element  30  in other examples of the non-pneumatic tire  10 . Examples discussed above may also have a single static discharge element  30  incorporated into the non-pneumatic tire  10 . It is to be understood that additional examples are possible in which multiple static discharge elements  30  are present on the non-pneumatic tire  10 . For example, from 2-4, from 5-7, or up to 10 static discharge elements  30  may be present. One of, or multiple, spokes  28  may have the various static discharge elements  30 , and in some instances, all of the spokes  28  of the tire  10  may have a static discharge element  30 . Also, although some of the above discussed examples have the static discharge element  30  located on a single axial face  64  of the supporting structure  22 , other examples may include the opposite axial face of the supporting structure  22  likewise having one or more of the static discharge elements  30 . Still further, it is to be understood that when more than one static discharge element  30  may be present in the tire  10 . The static discharge elements  30  may all be of the same type or may be of different types. 
     For example, the non-pneumatic tire  10  may include both a filament  48  and filament fibers  68 . In other examples, the non-pneumatic tire  10  may have static discharge elements  30  that are filaments  48 , elastic electrically conductive tape  58 , and electrically conductive paint  60 . As discussed above, the spokes  28  and the variously discussed static discharge elements  30  may be capable of deflecting/stretching. The static discharge element  30  may be able to elongate 10 percent, and in other instances the elongation of the static discharge element  30  may be from 5-15 percent, from 8-12 percent, from 9-11 percent, from 10-13 percent, from 10-15 percent, from 15-25 percent, up to 30 percent, up to 40 percent, or up to 50 percent. The spokes  28  may be able to elongate the same amount as the static discharge elements  30  so that, for instance, both the spoke  28  and the static discharge element  30  carried by the spoke  28  may withstand an elongation during operation of up to 10 percent. The static discharge element  30  may be able to elongate a greater degree than the other portions of the supporting structure  22 , such as portions of the spoke  28  that are not the static discharge element  30  in which the supporting structure  22  does in fact include a spoke  28 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, conductive ink may advantageously replace the above described static discharge elements  30  and provide a conductive path for a substrate with up to 50 percent strain applied to it. Greater than 50 percent strain may lessen the electrical conductivity. The conductive ink may thereby dissipate the static electricity from the vehicle through the rotating, stressed tire (pneumatic and non-pneumatic) to the ground contact surface. As described above, a conductive pathway is especially needed in tires with little to no conductive materials where the structure of the tire does not provide a reliable path for static electricity to dissipate. 
     Conductive inks may be prepared with different compositions of silver and carbon particles and may be evaluated in terms of resistance, strain sensitivity, response linearity, and device fabrication repeatability. This approach leads to low-cost fabrication of highly sensitive, but easy to handle, conductive inks (e.g., strain sensors, resistors, capacitors, etc.). By varying composition of two inks having large differences in conductivity, a large strain sensitivity may be achieved near a percolation threshold, but not so close to percolation threshold as to sacrifice repeatability of ink fabrication. Observed changes in electrical resistance with ink composition may be gradual, thereby allowing for better manufacturing control of sensitivity and repeatability of performance for application as static discharge element(s) in tires. 
     In a pneumatic tire, typically a chimney is used to provide a path for static electricity to dissipate. A chimney is a compound formulated to allow electricity to pass through inside a pneumatic tire. The conductive ink may be used instead of the chimney in a pneumatic tire at the tread splice or other areas during the building process to provide a smaller simpler path for electricity to discharge. The conductive ink may thereby eliminate the need for a separate compound to be included with the tread during tire building (e.g., reduce complexity and cost, etc.). 
     A non-pneumatic tire typically includes a shearband, a connecting structure, and a wheel. The connecting structure may have no electrical conductivity. The conductive ink may be applied to the shearband, connecting structure, and the wheel collectively to create a path for the discharge of electricity The conductive ink may thereby eliminate the need for internal and/or external methods of dissipating static electricity ( FIGS.  1  through  9   ). 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with certain preferred examples, it is to be understood that the subject matter encompassed by way of the present invention is not to be limited to those specific examples. On the contrary, it is intended for the subject matter of the present invention to include all alternatives, modifications, and/or equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.