Patent Description:
The invention finds advantageous application in the handling of so-called TBR ("Truck and Bus Radial") tyres, namely tyres with significant dimensions, to which explicit reference will be made in the description below without because of this loosing in generality.

Generally speaking, when tyres need to be handled at the end of a production line (typically in order to load the tyres into the freight container) or in a warehouse, operators use forklifts provided with a pair of forks that lift (at least) a stack of tyres from the bottom (typically, when the stack of tyres is resting on a pallet) or forklifts provided with clamps laterally clamping a stack of tyres.

In recent years, so-called "smart" tyres were developed, which are provided with RFID devices (wherein RFID stands for "Radio Frequency Identification" - typically transponders), which allow items of information, such as the identification, the features and the story of the tyre, to be communicated from a distance.

As a consequence, operators, besides having to move the tyres by means of a forklift, also have to be capable of accessing this information, thus reading, with a suitable reader, the RFID devices associated with the tyres, for example in order to make sure that they are operating on the correct tyres and/or in order to store, in an electronic register, possible changes to the position of the tyres.

The operator handling the forklift is normally provided with a manual reader (namely, a light-weighted reader which can easily be transported); after having loaded the tyres onto the forklift, the operators steps off the forklift and, approaching the tyres with the reader, reads the corresponding RFID devices in order to identify the tyres in a certain manner. However, this operating mode leads to an inefficient and large waste of time, since operators have to step off the forklift (hence, having to turn off the forklift and put the forklift in a safe parking configuration) and, furthermore, they have to place the manual reader close to each single tyre in order to read the corresponding RFID device (namely, known manual readers are not capable of simultaneously reading the RFID devices of all the tyres of a stack of tyres, but the reader needs to be placed close to each single tyre of the stack).

To this regard, it should be pointed out that the maximum reading distance of a RFID device incorporated in a single tyre often amounts to approximately <NUM>-<NUM> metres and that a stack of tyres has a height that normally exceeds <NUM> metres (hence, more than the maximum reading distance); furthermore, when several tyres are close (stacked together), shielding and/or reflection phenomena can occur, which are due to metal parts of the tyres and further reduce the maximum reading distance of the RFID devices incorporated in the tyres.

In order to ensure the reading of the RFID devices of the tyres, manufacturers suggested applying, in a removable manner and on the outer surface of the tyres (namely, on the tread of the tyres), an identification label, which supports an additional and temporary RFID device (since it is clearly destined to be removed the first time the tyre is fitted on the corresponding rim), which, for it is not shielded by the tyres (is it arranged on the outside), can be read from a definitely greater distance compared to RFID devices incorporated in the structure of the tyres. However, this solution does not completely solve the problem because, in case of use of a forklift provided with a clamp laterally clamping the stack of tyres, the clamp (clearly made of metal) can cover the additional RFID device, which is applied to the tread, thus completely shielding it, or, in the worst
case scenario, the clamp can even destroy the additional RFID device, which is applied to the tread; therefore, at least two identification labels (each supporting an additional and temporary RFID device) need to be applied on the tread and be arranged at approximately <NUM>° relative to one another (in this way, at least one identification label always is free when the stack of tyres is laterally clamped by a clamp). However, this solution doubles costs, since two different identification labels have to be applied on each tyre. Furthermore, according to this solution, each identification label has to face the antenna of the reader (namely, the identification label has to be in "LOS - Line Of Sight" with the antenna of the reader) and, hence, the antenna of the reader needs to be moved all around the stack of tyres in order to read the temporary RFID devices of all the tyres of the stack; indeed, when an identification label is on the opposite side of the tyre relative to the antenna of the reader, all the metal and the "lossy material" of the tyre shield the identification label (or, anyway, jeopardize the performances of the identification label), thus making it difficult, if not impossible, for the corresponding temporary RFID device to be read.

<CIT> discloses a method for identifying and cleaning a portion of the inner surface of a tire so to attach a separate element thereto.

<CIT> discloses a method of storing tyres and a storage system.

<CIT> discloses a green tire supply facility for a tire vulcanizing system.

<CIT> discloses a tyre containing an RFID tag.

<CIT> discloses an universal tire stacking and palletizing end effector assembly and a system and method of using the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a tyre provided with a temporary identification label, said tyre not being affected by the drawbacks described above and, at the same time, being easy and economic to be manufactured.

According to the invention, there is provided a tyre provided with a temporary identification label according to the appended claim <NUM>.

According to the invention, there are also provided a logistics system to handle a tyre warehouse and a method to handle a tyre warehouse as set forth in the appended claims <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively The appended dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention and form an integral part of the description.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing a non-limiting embodiment thereof, wherein:.

In <FIG>, number <NUM> indicates, as a whole, a warehouse for so-called TBR ("Truck and Bus Radial") tyres <NUM>, which have to be loaded into a container or truck in order to be delivered to customers.

Inside the warehouse <NUM> there are a plurality of support elements <NUM>, each designed to support a vertically oriented stack of tyres <NUM> at a given distance from the ground (i.e. from the floor of the warehouse <NUM>); in other words, the support elements <NUM> are shelves or racks, which support the stack of tyres <NUM> keeping them lifted from the ground. It should be pointed out that a stack of tyres <NUM> can be oriented vertically (as shown, for example, in <FIG>) or can be oriented horizontally (as shown, for example, in <FIG>, <FIG> or <FIG>); in a vertically oriented stack of tyres <NUM>, the tyres <NUM> are placed on top of one another, thus increasing the height of the stack, whereas, in a horizontally oriented stack of tyres <NUM>, the tyres <NUM> are place next to one another, thus increasing the length of the stack. Obviously, in the same warehouse <NUM> there can be vertically oriented stacks of tyres <NUM> as well as horizontally oriented stacks of tyres <NUM>.

A series of forklifts <NUM> operate inside the warehouse <NUM>, namely they move the stack of tyres <NUM> and, in particular, place the stack of tyres <NUM> coming from the production lines on the support elements <NUM> as well as retrieve the stack of tyres <NUM> from the support elements <NUM> in order to insert the stack of tyres <NUM> into containers or trucks.

Each forklift <NUM> is an operating means provided with wheels, which is operated by an electric motor, a Diesel engine or a gas engine and comprises a holding device <NUM>, which is arranged at the front and is designed to pick up a stack of tyres <NUM>. In the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the holding device <NUM> consists of a pair of forks (only one of them being visible in the accompanying figures), which lift the stack of tyres <NUM> from the bottom; according to a different embodiment which is not shown herein, the holding device <NUM> consists of a clamp, which laterally clamps the stack of tyres <NUM>.

According to <FIG> and <FIG>, each tyre <NUM> has an annular shape having a central cavity <NUM>. Furthermore, each tyre <NUM> is provided with a permanent RFID device <NUM> (in particular, a transponder, a tag, a smart label) of its own, namely an electronic device (which normally is passive, namely not provided with a power supply of its own), which is capable of storing information (in particular, an univocal identification code associated with the tyre <NUM>) and is capable of communicating through radio frequency. According to a preferred embodiment, each permanent RFID device <NUM> can store the so-called "Unique Item Identifier - UII" for applications in the tyre industry in accordance with the ISO <NUM> standards and coded with a "SGTIN-<NUM>" coding ("<NUM> bits - Serialized Global Trade Item Number") according to the "GS1 EPC Tag Data" standard.

In other words, each permanent RFID device <NUM> is a small-sized smart label, which is integrated inside the tyre <NUM> and is designed to reply to the interrogation made from a distance by suitable fixed or portable apparatuses, known as readers (or interrogator devices); a reader is capable of reading and/or writing, the information contained in the permanent RFID device <NUM> by communicating with the permanent RFID device <NUM> through radio frequency. As a consequence, the permanent RFID device <NUM> is part of a wireless reading and/or writing system operating according to the so-called RFID ("Radio-Frequency Identification") technology.

According to <FIG>, each tyre <NUM> comprises a toroidal carcass <NUM>, which consists of a body ply <NUM>, which is partially folded onto itself and, therefore, has two "turn-ups" (namely, two overlapping layers) on the sides. In each turn-up of the body ply <NUM>, an edge (namely, a final end) of the body ply <NUM> rests against an intermediate portion of the body ply <NUM>.

On the opposite sides of the carcass <NUM> there are two annular beads <NUM>, each surrounded by the body ply <NUM> (namely, surrounded by the turn-ups of the body ply <NUM>) and having a bead core <NUM>, which is reinforced with a number of metal wire loops, and a bead filler <NUM>; in other words, the bead core <NUM> consist of steel wires embedded in rubber and ensures a perfect coupling between the tyre <NUM> and the rim. As a consequence, each bead core <NUM> is basically made up of metal material, namely it mainly is a metal object covered by a relatively thin rubber layer.

The carcass <NUM> supports an annular tread <NUM>; between the carcass <NUM> and the tread <NUM>, a tread belt <NUM> is interposed, which comprises two tread plies <NUM>. Each tread ply <NUM> comprises a number of cords (not shown), which are embedded within a rubber belt, are arranged alongside one another with a given pitch and form an angle of inclination determined in relation to an equatorial plane of the tyre <NUM>.

Inside of the body ply <NUM> there is an innerliner <NUM>, which is impermeable to air, constitutes an inner coating and has the function of holding air inside the tyre <NUM> in order to preserve the inflation pressure of the tyre <NUM> over time.

The body ply <NUM> supports a pair of sidewalls <NUM>, which are arranged on the outside of the body ply <NUM> between the tread <NUM> and the beads <NUM>.

Finally, the body ply <NUM> supports a pair of abrasion gum strips <NUM>, which are arranged on the outside under the sidewalls <NUM> and in the area of the beads <NUM>.

Inside each tyre <NUM>, in particular in the area of a sidewall <NUM> (for example, the outer sidewall <NUM>, namely the one facing outwards from the vehicle once the tyre <NUM> sits on the rim), there is integrated (embedded) the permanent RFID device <NUM>.

According to <FIG> and <FIG>, each tyre <NUM> is also provided with (at least) an identification label <NUM>, which is fixed in a removable manner by means of gluing and supports a temporary RFID device <NUM> which can be read from a distance (shown in <FIG>). It should be pointed out that, in each tyre <NUM>, the permanent RFID device <NUM> is integrated inside the tyre <NUM> and, hence, always remains coupled to the tyre <NUM> (and is used, in use, when the tyre <NUM> sits on the rim), whereas the temporary RFID device <NUM> is only used inside the warehouse <NUM> and, if necessary, during the transportation of the tyre <NUM> to the end user, but it is normally removed from the tyre <NUM> (and, hence, thrown away) before fitting the tyre <NUM> on the rim. The temporary RFID device <NUM> is a "double" of the permanent RFID device <NUM>, namely it is a "replica" of the permanent RFID device <NUM>, which is used because it can (much) more easily be read when the tyre <NUM> is in a stack (as discussed below). As a consequence, the temporary RFID device <NUM> contains at least part of the information contained in the permanent RIFD device <NUM> and, in particular, it always contains the information that allows the tyre <NUM> to be identified (for example, its serial number); in particular, the temporary RFID device <NUM> contains the so-called "Unique Item Identifier - UII" described above.

In each tyre <NUM>, the identification label <NUM> (supporting the temporary RFID device <NUM>) is arranged in the area of an annular bead <NUM> and, in particular, radially overlaps the bead core <NUM> (preferably, though not necessarily, the identification label <NUM> radially overlaps the sole core bead <NUM>, namely it does not extend past the bead core <NUM> and, hence, does not reach the bead filler <NUM>). <FIG> shows two different (and perfectly equivalent) positions of the identification label <NUM> in a tyre <NUM>: the identification label <NUM> can be connected to an outer edge of an annular bead <NUM> or the identification label <NUM> can be connected to an inner edge of an annular bead <NUM>; <FIG> shows two identification labels <NUM> in the two different positions, but, obviously, in reality there is one single identification label <NUM>. It should be pointed out that the identification label <NUM> is arranged in the area of a bead core <NUM> (namely, it radially overlaps the bead core <NUM>), but it is not in direct contact with the bead core <NUM>, as the bead core <NUM> is covered, on the outside, by an abrasion gum strip <NUM>.

According to <FIG>, <FIG>, each identification label <NUM> has an outer portion <NUM> (namely, radially arranged more on the outside), which is fixed (glued) in the area of the bead core <NUM> (namely, radially overlaps the bead core <NUM>), and an inner portion <NUM> (namely, radially arranged more on the inside), which projects in a free manner, namely like a flag, from an annular edge of the central cavity <NUM> of the tyre <NUM> towards a centre of the central cavity <NUM>. As a consequence, in each identification label <NUM>, the outer portion <NUM> of the identification label <NUM> has a connection surface, which is fixed (in particular glued by means of a glue <NUM>) in the area of the bead core <NUM>; on the other, in each identification label <NUM>, the inner portion <NUM> of the identification label <NUM> is completely free and hanging in the area, namely all the surfaces of the inner portion <NUM> are in the air and do not touch any part of the tyre <NUM>.

Each identification label <NUM> is fixed (glued) to an outer surface of a tyre <NUM> by means of a glue <NUM> (adhesive <NUM>), which allows the identification label <NUM> to be subsequently removed in a relatively simple manner; for example, it is possible to use a non-drying re-stick glue <NUM> (adhesive <NUM>), which, hence, allows the identification label <NUM> to be relatively easily removed from the outer surface of the corresponding tyre <NUM>.

According to a preferred (though, non-binding) embodiment shown in <FIG>, each temporary RFID device <NUM> comprises an antenna comprising an element <NUM>, which is arranged in the outer portion <NUM> (and, hence, on one side is adjacent to the bead core <NUM>), and an element <NUM>, which is arranged in the inner portion <NUM> (and, hence, is completely in the air). According to the figures, the elements <NUM> and <NUM> consist of respective (electrically conductive) metal plates, which are flat and have a rectangular shape.

Furthermore, the element <NUM> preferably is larger than the element <NUM>; in particular, the element <NUM> has an extension ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> times the extension of the element <NUM>. The element <NUM> of the antenna of each temporary RFID device <NUM> is arranged in the area of the bead core <NUM> and uses a metal component of the bead core <NUM> as part of the radiating or radiator element (namely, as antenna part) in order to increase the performances of the antenna of the temporary RFID device <NUM>. In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the antenna of the temporary RFID device <NUM> has a monopole antenna configuration, in which the element <NUM> is the ground plane and the element <NUM> or radiating or radiator element is meandered in order to minimize dimensions. In particular, the two elements <NUM> and <NUM> of the antenna of the temporary RFID device <NUM> are obtained by means of a linear electrical conductor, where the electric currents irradiating the electromagnetic field from a distance flow. Furthermore, each temporary RFID device <NUM> comprises a microchip <NUM> (namely, a miniaturized electronic circuit), which is connected to the two antennas <NUM> and <NUM> and is provided with a non-volatile memory (typically, an EEPROM or FRAM memory, the latter being more expensive, but more technologically advanced). The microchip <NUM> can be provided with an automatic tuning mechanism, which is capable of automatically adjusting its inner impedance in order to optimize and improve readability performances, thus allowing for a greater tolerance in the production and in the positioning of the identification labels <NUM>.

Each identification label <NUM> comprises a support <NUM>, on which the temporary RFID device <NUM> is housed and which typically consists of a thin sheet of Mylar, plastic such as PET or PVC or other similar materials.

In the embodiment shown in the appended figures, each tyre <NUM> comprises both (at least) a permanent RFID device <NUM>, which is integrated inside the tyre <NUM>, and (at least) a temporary RFID device <NUM>, which is glued on the outside of the tyre <NUM>; according to a different variant, a tyre <NUM> could only comprise (at least) a temporary RFID device <NUM> glued on the outside of the tyre <NUM>, namely the tyre <NUM> could lack the permanent RFID device <NUM> integrated inside the tyre <NUM>.

According to a preferred embodiment shown in <FIG>, reader devices <NUM>, each comprising an electronic control unit <NUM> and an antenna <NUM>, are arranged in the warehouse <NUM> in a fixed position. Each antenna <NUM> works so as to radiate/receive RF signals having frequencies in a "UHF-Ultra High Frequency" band, preferably within a range of frequencies ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, more preferably within a sub-range of frequencies ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> and/or within a sub-range of frequencies ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>. Furthermore, the optional requirements of each antenna <NUM> can conveniently include a gain exceeding <NUM> dB and circular polarization.

According to <FIG>, some antennas <NUM> are horizontally arranged at a given height (greater than the maximum height of stack of tyres <NUM>) so as to read the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of the vertical stacks. According to <FIG> or to <FIG>, some antennas <NUM> are vertically arranged in positions deemed to be suitable to read the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of the horizontal stacks; for example, one or two antennas <NUM> can be arranged on the sides of a door/gate through which the support elements <NUM> supporting at least one horizontally arranged stack of tyres <NUM> are caused to pass. Generally speaking, a horizontal antenna <NUM> can read the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of the vertical stacks (as shown in <FIG>) or a vertical antenna <NUM> can read the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of the horizontal stacks. Indeed, in order to effectively read the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of a stack, the antenna <NUM> must face the central cavities <NUM> of the stacked tyres <NUM> so as to "see" all the corresponding temporary RFID devices <NUM> located in the central cavities <NUM>; as a consequence, in order to "see" all the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of a vertical stack of tyres <NUM>, the antenna <NUM> must be oriented horizontally and must be located above or under the stack, whereas, in order to "see" all the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of a horizontal stack of tyres <NUM>, the antenna <NUM> must be oriented vertically and must be located on the side of the stack.

In other words, each stack of tyres <NUM> to be identified is placed close to the antenna <NUM> of the reader device <NUM>, in particular under the antenna <NUM> or next to the antenna <NUM>, so that the antenna <NUM> faces and is aligned with a central cavity <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> making up the stack.

According to a preferred embodiment, one single antenna <NUM> is sufficient to read all the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of a stack of tyres <NUM>, namely said single antenna <NUM> is arranged at one single end (above, under or beside) of the stack; alternatively and for greater certainty (confidence) two antennas <NUM> can be used to read all the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of a stack of tyres <NUM>, namely the two antennas <NUM> are arranged opposite one another at the two ends (above, under or beside) of the stack.

However, it should be pointed out that, theoretically speaking, an antenna <NUM>, regardless of its orientation, could anyway read the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> of stacks that are arranged both vertically and horizontally.

In use, a stack of tyres <NUM> to be identified is placed in the reading field of an antenna <NUM> (namely, under the antenna <NUM> or beside the antenna <NUM>) of a reader device <NUM> so as to allow the reader device <NUM> to read the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of all the tyres <NUM>; in particular, a stack of tyres <NUM> (generally carried by the holding device <NUM> of a forklift <NUM>) can briefly be stopped in the area of an antenna <NUM> of a reader device <NUM> or can be caused to slowly move forward in the area of the antenna <NUM> of a reader device <NUM>. If, besides reading the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of all the tyres <NUM>, the reader device <NUM> happened to also read one or more permanent RFID devices <NUM>, the reading of the permanent RFID devices <NUM> would simply be redundant relative to the reading of the temporary RFID devices <NUM> and could be ignored as a "double" without causing any kind of problem. In particular, according to the "RFID EPC Gen2 GS1" protocol, when two RFID devices <NUM> and <NUM> with the same name and, hence, without univocal EPCs are read, one single RFID device <NUM> or <NUM> present in the reading field is signalled following the interrogation of the reader device <NUM>.

Owing to the above, the warehouse <NUM> is evidently provided with a logistics system, which allows the handling of the tyres <NUM> to be managed in a highly automated manner thanks to an autonomous reading (namely, without the manual intervention of an operator) of the temporary RFID devices <NUM> coupled to the tyres <NUM>. In particular, the reader devices <NUM> are connected to a control server <NUM> of the warehouse <NUM> (schematically shown in <FIG>); the control server <NUM> is also connected to a tablet computer <NUM> (or to a similar portable device), which is used by an operator of a forklift <NUM>. Through the tablet computer <NUM>, an operator of a forklift <NUM> receives operating indications from the control server <NUM> and communicates the execution of the tasks assigned to the control server <NUM> so as to update in real time the state of the warehouse <NUM>, namely of the tyres <NUM> stored and retrieved and currently present in the warehouse <NUM>. In other words, the control server <NUM> runs a management software, which handles the communication between the reader devices <NUM> and human operators (some of them driving the forklifts <NUM>).

According to a possible (though, non-binding embodiment, in order to allow the operator of a forklift <NUM> to quickly and confidently make sure that a reader device <NUM> has read all the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> making up a stack carried by the holding device <NUM> (a stack of TBR truck tyres <NUM> generally consists of five to eight TBR tyres <NUM> on top of one another or next to one another, depending on the size of the tyres <NUM>), the operator, each time, has to enter (type in) the number of tyres <NUM> loaded on the holding device <NUM> using the tablet computer <NUM> (the software installed in the tablet computer <NUM> could already suggest to the operator a predefined limited selection of numbers of tyres <NUM> loaded on the holding device <NUM>); the software installed in the tablet computer <NUM> checks whether the number of temporary RFID devices <NUM> read by the reader device <NUM> corresponds to (namely, is the same as) the number of tyres <NUM> loaded on the holding device <NUM> of the forklift <NUM> (provided by the operator) : in case the numbers are the same, the software provides a positive signal (for example, by means of a green light) and the reading operation undergone by the temporary RFID devices <NUM> is concluded, whereas, in case the numbers are not the same, the software provides a negative signal (for example, by means of a red light and an acoustic warning) and the reading operation undergone by the temporary RFID devices <NUM> must be repeated.

It should be pointed out that a same reader device <NUM> could comprise several antennas <NUM> arranged in different positions (anyway, close to one another) and activated in different instants by the electronic control unit; in this way, a driver of a forklift <NUM> transporting (at least) a stack of tyres <NUM> does not have to follow with precision a predetermined set route, but can even (more or less accidentally) deviate from the predetermined set route, as the plurality of antennas <NUM> allow the operator to cover a relatively large area around the predetermined set route.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the antennas <NUM> of the reader devices <NUM> are arranged in a fixed position inside the warehouse <NUM>, namely the antennas <NUM> of the reader devices <NUM> are mounted on fixed structures of the warehouse <NUM>. In the variant shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, at least one reader device <NUM> is installed on board a forklift <NUM>; in particular, the forklift <NUM> comprises a support device <NUM> (for example, mounted on the roof of the forklift <NUM>), which supports the antenna <NUM> so as to place the antenna <NUM> close (typically, though not necessarily, above) the stack of tyres <NUM> (or the stacks of tyres <NUM>) carried by the holding device <NUM> of the forklift <NUM>. The support device <NUM> could also have a telescopic arm to move, only when needed, the antenna <NUM> close (typically, though not necessarily, above) the stack of tyres <NUM> (or the stacks of tyres <NUM>) carried by the holding device of the forklift <NUM>. The antenna <NUM> (or the antennas <NUM>) of the reader device <NUM> installed on board a forklift <NUM> could also be mounted on a frame of the holding device <NUM>.

The embodiments described herein can be combined with one another, without for this reason going beyond the scope of protection of the invention.

The tyre <NUM> described above has numerous advantages.

First of all, the tyre <NUM> described above allows for an efficient (quick) and effective (confident) identification of all the tyres <NUM> making up a stack by means of a reader device <NUM> provided with one single antenna <NUM> arranged in a fixed position (hence, by means of a simple, economic and simple-to-use reader device <NUM>). This result is obtained thanks to the particular positioning of the identification labels <NUM>, which allows them to always be read in a confident manner, even when the tyres <NUM> are stacked; indeed, the central cavities <NUM> of the tyres <NUM> (where the identification labels <NUM> are located) are always free from electromagnetic shielding (due to the Faraday cages created by the metal elements of the tyres <NUM>) even when the stacked tyres <NUM> are handled.

Furthermore, the particular conformation of the antennas <NUM> and <NUM> of the temporary RFID devices <NUM> allows the usable reading distance of the temporary RFID devices <NUM> to be amplified exploiting part of the metal mass (namely, the bead cores <NUM>) of the tyres <NUM>, which, instead of being a disturbing element (for the reading of the permanent RFID devices <NUM>), becomes a useful element (for the reading of the temporary RFID devices <NUM>). Some experiments have shown that a reader device <NUM> provided with one single antenna <NUM> oriented horizontally or vertically is capable of reading the temporary RFID devices <NUM> of all the tyres <NUM> of a stack up to a distance of <NUM>-<NUM> metres from the tyre <NUM> of the stack that is the farthest from the antenna <NUM>.

In addition, the positioning of the identification labels <NUM> inside the tyres <NUM> (namely, in the area of the central cavity <NUM> of the tyres <NUM>, projecting towards the inside starting from a bead <NUM>) makes the identification labels <NUM> extremely protected and, hence, substantially unaffected by damages or unintentional detachments; indeed, the areas of the beads <NUM> are never touched in any way during the handling thereof.

Finally, the identification labels <NUM> are inexpensive (and thus represent a negligible part of the total manufacturing cost of the tyre), as the temporary RFID devices <NUM> (for they also exploit part of the metal mass of the tyres <NUM>) can have relatively small antennas <NUM> and <NUM>.

Besides, it should be pointed out that for each tyre <NUM> it always is sufficient to apply one single identification label <NUM>, since even one single identification label <NUM> is always read from the top, regardless of the orientation of the tyre <NUM> and of the way in which the stack is held; anyway, it should be pointed out that coupling one single tyre <NUM> to two or more identification labels <NUM> is not forbidden (even though it is substantially useless).

Claim 1:
A tyre (<NUM>) comprising:
a toroidal carcass (<NUM>)having a central cavity (<NUM>);
two annular beads (<NUM>), each having at least one bead core (<NUM>); and
an identification label (<NUM>), which is fixed in a removable manner, preferably by means of gluing, and supports a temporary RFID device (<NUM>), which can be read from a distance;
the tyre (<NUM>) being characterised in that
the identification label (<NUM>) is arranged in the area of an annular bead (<NUM>);
the identification label (<NUM>) has an outer portion (<NUM>), which is glued in the area of the bead core (<NUM>), and an inner portion (<NUM>), which projects in a free manner, namely like a flag, from an annular edge of the central cavity (<NUM>) of the tyre (<NUM>) towards a centre of the central cavity (<NUM>);
the temporary RFID device (<NUM>) comprises an antenna having a first element (<NUM>), which is arranged in the outer portion (<NUM>), and a second element (<NUM>), which is arranged in the inner portion (<NUM>).