Method for mounting a tag in a tire sidewall
View Patent ↗A pneumatic tire includes a tire body having a crown portion and a pair of sidewalls. At least one reinforcing belt is disposed in the crown portion of the tire. A tag is carried by the reinforcing belt. In one embodiment, the tag is disposed in the location of one of the reinforcing cords that is disposed in the reinforcing belt. In another embodiment, the tag is disposed at the splice of the reinforcing belt. An alternative version of the tire has the tag carried in a depression formed in the outer surface of the tire sidewall. The tag may be encapsulated with an encapsulation material that is also disposed in the depression.
1. A method for mounting a tag in the sidewall of a pneumatic tire; the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a pneumatic tire that includes a vulcanized tire body having a crown portion and a pair of sidewalls; when seated in a tire rim, the vulcanized tire body defining a pressurizable chamber; each of the sidewalls having a bead portion that is adapted to be seated in the tire rim when the tire is mounted to the tire rim; each of the sidewalls having an inner surface and an outer surface; the inner surfaces of the sidewalls adapted to face the pressurizable chamber of the tire; one of the sidewalls defining a cavity that has an opening at the outer surface of the sidewall; step (a) further including the step of providing a cavity that has a cavity opening at the outer surface that is larger than the tag to be encapsulated in the cavity;
(b) positioning a tag in the cavity with the entire tag disposed under the outer surface of the tire body; the tag having a central body with wires extending from opposed sides of the central body; and
(c) entirely encapsulating the tag within the cavity with a rigid epoxy encapsulation material that directly adheres the tag to the sidewall of the tire body with the wires extending away from the central body.