Manufacturing a tire tracking identification unit
AssigneeTracking Systems LLC
InventorsThomas M. Bielicki, Mark Stephen Bielicki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A weather and wear resistant rubber ID unit for a tire with a selected pattern on the ID unit is made by scanning a outer layer of the rubber unit with a laser beam from a high powered CO2 laser operated at a less than full power output, to ablate the outer layer in the form of the selected pattern to expose an inner layer of the unit which has a contrasting color. Loose and residue particles are removing using a vacuum and a cleaning fluid contain alcohol and a surface active agent such as soap. The fluid is rinsed away and the unit is dried for use.
Claims20
A method for manufacturing a weather and wear resistant rubber identification unit for a tire with a selected pattern on the unit, comprising:
- providing a multi-layered rubber unit having an outer layer of one color and at least one inner layer of a contrasting color;
- scanning the outer layer of the rubber unit with a laser beam from a high powered CO2 laser operated at a less than full power output, to ablate the outer layer in the form of the selected pattern to expose the at least one inner layer of contrasting color, the ablating forming loose particles and residue particles;
- removing the loose particles from the unit using a vacuum;
- and
- applying a cleaning fluid to the unit to remove the residue particles from the unit.
A weather and wear resistant rubber identification unit for a tire with a selected pattern on the unit, made by the process comprising:
- providing a multi-layered rubber unit having an outer layer of one color and an inner layer of a contrasting color;
- exposing the outer layer of the rubber unit to a laser beam of high powered CO2 laser operated at a less than full power output and manipulated the laser beam to form the selected pattern;
- removing loose particles from the unit with a vacuum;
- affixing the unit to a reel containing a plurality of such units;
- subjecting the reel of unit to a cleaning fluid in the form of an aerosol spray containing alcohol and soap to remove residue particles from the unit;
- rinsing away the cleaning fluid from the reel of units;
- and
- drying the reel of units.
A weather and wear resistant rubber unit for a tire with a selected pattern on the unit, made by the process comprising the steps of:
- providing a multi-layered rubber unit having an outer layer of one color and an inner layer of a contrasting color;
- exposing the outer layer of the rubber unit to the laser beam of a high powered CO2 laser operated at a less than full power output and manipulated the beam to form the selected pattern;
- removing loose particles from the unit with a vacuum system;
- spraying the unit with an cleaning fluid;
- scrubbing the unit with cleaning fluid thereon to remove residue particles from the unit;
- rinsing the cleaning fluid and residue particles from the unit with pressurized water;
- and
- drying the unit by blowing the water off the unit with compressed heated air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.