US 12,403,728 B2
System and method for harvesting energy for an electronic device, and a tire configured for use with the same
Terence E. Wei, Copley, OH (US); Jason R. Barr, Akron, OH (US); Thomas A. Sams, Hartville, OH (US); Timothy J. Hanchin, Akron, OH (US); and Srikrishna Doraiswamy, Akron, OH (US)
Assigned to Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
Appl. No. 17/604,146
Filed by BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 19, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/023476
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 15, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/214318, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 22, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/835,710, filed on Apr. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194148 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60C 23/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 23/041 (2013.01) [B60C 23/0493 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for powering an electronic device within a vehicle tire, comprising:
an electrical energy generator electrically connected to an electrically conductive vehicle wheel, the vehicle tire being mounted upon the vehicle wheel,
wherein the electrical energy generator is capable of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, and
wherein the electrical energy generator is operatively connected to the electrically conductive vehicle wheel;
the vehicle tire including a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of shoulders, a tread oriented in a tread region, and an inner surface;
at least one conductive element extending from at least one of the pair of bead portions, and in contact with the inner surface along at least one of the pair of sidewalls, along at least one of the pair of shoulders, and terminating in the tread region;
at least one electronic device within the vehicle tire; and
at least one ground path extending through a thickness of the vehicle tire from the inner surface to an exterior surface in a contact patch of the tread; and
wherein the at least one electronic device is electrically connected to the at least one conductive element and the at least one ground path.