Patent ID: 6847126

Claim:
A tire assembly configured to store electric charge accumulated during rotation of a pneumatic tire structure, said tire assembly comprising: a pneumatic tire structure characterized by a crown having an exterior tread portion for making contact with a ground surface, bead portions for seating said pneumatic tire structure to a wheel rim, sidewall portions extending between each bead portion and the crown, and an inner liner; a portion of conductive material interposed in the space between said inner liner and said exterior tread portion for at least partially forming a conductivity path through which electric charge accumulated in said pneumatic tire structure can flow to a ground surface in contact with said exterior tread portion; and an energy storage device coupled to said portion of conductive material for further forming said conductivity path through which electric charge accumulated in said tire structure can flow, wherein said energy storage device is configured to store therein selected of said electric charge flowing through said conductivity path.