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US 11,453,186 B2Granted
Systems and methods for maintaining automated quality control during tire manufacture using specialized RFID tags
AssigneeFineline Technologies
InventorsJos Uijlenbroek, Jan Svoboda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are automated systems and methods utilizing a plurality of specialized RFID tags incorporated within various tire manufacturing components (e.g., mold segments, mold container, bladder plates, tire presses, and extrusion dies) that are able to readily track tire manufacture and identify defect source(s) while concurrently being configured to the harsh processes and temperatures of tire manufacture.
Claims16
A kit comprising:
- (a) a passive RFID equipped mold tag configured to be affixed to or within a recess of a surface in a tire mold and configured to withstand repeated thermal expansion and contraction associated with tire vulcanization;
- (b) an epoxy or silicone based material configured to permanently affix the passive RFID equipped mold tag to or within the recess of the surface in the tire mold, the epoxy or silicone based material configured to withstand repeated thermal expansion and contraction associated with tire vulcanization;
- and
- (c) an RFID equipped mold tag configured to be affixed to an outer surface of a tire mold and/or a tire mold cover, the RFID equipped mold tag having a different construction and RFID read range than the passive RFID equipped mold tag and the RFID equipped mold tag configured to communicate unique identifiers associated with the tire mold and/or tire mold cover to which it is attached as well as having unique identifiers associated with the passive RFID equipped mold tag that is configured to be affixed to or within the recess of a tire mold;
- wherein:
- the passive RFID equipped mold tag configured to be affixed to or within the recess of the surface in the tire mold comprises:
- (i) a passive RFID device configured for a passive RFID read range from 5 to 20 centimeters away from the passive RFID device;
- and
- (ii) a rigid housing completely housing the RFID device therein and is configured to withstand repeated thermal expansion and contraction associated with tire vulcanization.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.