FLEXIBLE MIDDLE LAYER FOR RFID PATCH ON TIRES

1 . A tire mountable apparatus, comprising:

a first layer;

a second layer;

a middle layer disposed between said first layer and said second layer; and

an electrical device embedded in said middle layer;

wherein said middle layer completely surrounds said electrical device and comprises a potting compound, wherein said potting compound does not require exposure to heat, air, moisture, or light to cure and does not require solvent evaporation or outgassing of reaction products to cure.

2 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said electrical device comprises an RFID tag.

3 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first and second layers comprise a rubber material, said middle layer configured to adhere to said rubber material of said first and second layers and to adhere to said electrical device.

4 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer comprises an epoxy, a silicone, or a urethane material.

5 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first layer and said second layer define a pocket surrounding said middle layer and said electrical device, said first layer and said second layer bonded to each other around said pocket.

6 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said potting compound has both a cured and an uncured state, said potting compound having a viscosity in the range of about 800 mPa·s to about 1400 mPa·s at about 25° C. when said potting compound is in an uncured state, and said potting compound having a hardness in the range of about 10 to about 70 Shore A when said potting compound is in a cured state.

7 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first and second layers comprise a rubber material having a cured hardness in the range of about 25 to about 85 Shore A, and said middle layer has a cured hardness that is less than the cured hardness of the first and second layers.

8 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first and second layers comprise a rubber material, said first and second layers and said middle layer all having a substantially equal cured hardness.

9 . The tire mountable apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

said first layer comprises a rubber material having a cured hardness in the range of about 25 to about 85 Shore A;

said second layer comprises a rubber material having a cured hardness that is less than or greater than the cured hardness of said first layer; and

said middle layer has a cured hardness that is the range between said cured hardness of said first layer and said cured hardness of said second layer.

10 . A method of constructing a tire mountable apparatus, comprising:

mixing a potting compound;

placing said potting compound on a first layer of uncured material to form a middle layer;

coating an electrical device in said potting compound;

placing said electrical device in said middle layer such that said electrical device is completely surrounded by said middle layer;

placing a second layer of uncured material on top of said middle layer; and

curing said middle layer between said first layer and said second layer to form said tire mountable apparatus,

wherein said potting compound does not require exposure to heat, air, moisture, or light to cure and does not require solvent evaporation or outgassing of reaction products to cure.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said electrical device comprises an RFID tag.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said step of coating said electrical device in said potting compound comprises dipping said electrical device in said potting compound.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said step of coating said electrical device in said potting compound comprises moving said electrical device in said potting compound placed on said first layer of uncured material.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said potting compound has a viscosity in the range of about 800 mPa·s to about 1400 mPa·s at about 25° C. when said potting compound is in an uncured state, and said potting compound has a hardness in the range of about 10 to about 70 Shore A when said potting compound is in a cured state.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said method comprises sealing said middle layer in a pocket defined by said first layer and said second layer.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said method further comprises bonding said tire mountable apparatus to a tire structure.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said first and second layers comprise a rubber material having a cured hardness in the range of about 25 to about 85 Shore A, and said middle layer has a cured hardness that is less than the cured hardness of the first and second layers.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said first and second layers comprise a rubber material, said first and second layers and said middle layer all having a substantially equal cured hardness.

19 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

said first layer comprises a rubber material having a cured hardness in the range of about 25 to about 85 Shore A;

said second layer comprises a rubber material having a cured hardness that is less than or greater than the cured hardness of said first layer; and

said middle layer has a cured hardness that is the range between said cured hardness of said first layer and said cured hardness of said second layer.