Vehicle tire, method for manufacturing vehicle tire, and vulcanization mold

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle tyre having at least one planar and structured element (3) formed on the outer surface thereof, said element comprising, in combination, a macrostructure and a microstructure, each of which is a structure that is raised with respect to a reference horizontal plane (5), according to the invention, the top region (7, 7 ', 7' ') has a height (H) of 0.20 mm to 0.80 mm with respect to the reference horizontal plane (5), in which the microstructure covers the surface elements (8) located between the ribs (4, 4', 4 ''), and is or has a non-uniform peak-valley contrast structure (9), the peaks of which have different heights with respect to the reference horizontal plane (5), with a maximum height (h) that is less than the height of the ribs (4, 4 ', 4' '). The height (h) of the peak portion of the peak-valley contrast structure (9) is 0.04 mm to 0.10 mm.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle tire having at least one planar and structured element formed on its outer surface, the at least one element comprising in combination a macrostructure and a microstructure, which are structures raised relative to a reference horizontal plane, wherein the macrostructure consists of a plurality of ribs with a top region having a height of 0.20 mm to 0.80 mm relative to the reference horizontal plane, wherein the microstructure covers the surface elements located between the ribs and is or has an uneven peak-valley contrast structure, the peaks of the peak-valley contrast structure having different heights relative to the reference horizontal plane, wherein the maximum height is less than the height of the ribs.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such a vehicle tire and a vulcanization mold for vulcanizing such a vehicle tire. Background Art

[0003] Vehicle tires of the type described at the beginning are known from EP 2 691 246 B1. On the outer surface of the tire, the tire has at least one planar and structured element having ribs extending side by side, the ribs having a cross-section that is generally triangular with inclined rib side edges that extend to the bottom on both sides of the rib top, wherein the inclined rib side edges have an inclination angle of at most 25° relative to the reference horizontal plane. The surface existing between the ribs is called the remaining surface and is covered with a microstructure having an average roughness of 5 μm to 30 μm. The width of the remaining surface is less than or at most equal to half of the rib height, wherein this height is 0.10 mm to 0.80 mm. Since the rib height is greater than the width of the remaining surface, the ribs should be able to deflect the incident light particularly well before the incident light reaches the remaining surface, thereby limiting the amount of light received by the remaining surface in this way. The low roughness of the microstructure in the range of 5 μm to 30 μm enables the remaining surface to act as an almost smooth surface, which fully reflects the incident light and thus hardly has any influence on the contrast effect of the structured element.

[0004] The structured elements formed on the outer surface of vehicle tires are usually implemented in the form of characters, trademarks, patterns, etc., and should be designed to contrast with the surrounding outer surface so as to be particularly easy to see. In particular, the structure of these elements should be such that they reflect little light, that is, "capture" the incident light, so that these elements appear darker to the observer from the outside than the surrounding surface area.

[0005] For example, planar elements formed on the outer surface of a vehicle tire are known from DE 10 2019 207 908 A1, which are composed of a microstructure with better contrast effect. These microstructures are formed as a surface-covering, uneven peak-valley contrast structure with a certain roughness, and have a surface-related roughness value Sa of 50 μm to 150 μm according to EN ISO 25178. The contrast structure designed in this way has peaks and valleys that are connected or transition into each other on different horizontal planes (these peaks and valleys are produced as recesses by laser in the vulcanization mold), and the contrast structure can exhaust air well during the forming process of the green tire and can be formed on the tire in a flawless state. In the vehicle tire known from DE 10 2020 215 188A1, the contrast structure consists of a plurality of contrast structure units joined together in a grid-like manner and implemented in agreement in a top view, and each of these contrast structure units has a surface-covering, uneven peak-valley contrast structure. The arrangement of the contrast structure units is such that, when observed in a top view, the uneven peak-valley contrast structures can be mutually transformed by congruent mapping. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object on which the present invention is based is, in the case of a vehicle tire of the type described at the beginning, i.e., the vehicle tire has at least one structured element with a macrostructure and a microstructure in combination, to design the surface element with a microstructure composed of an uneven peak-valley structure between the ribs of the macrostructure such that the contrast effect of the structured element is significantly improved by particularly effectively scattering and absorbing incident light.

[0007] According to the present invention, the object proposed is achieved in such a way that the height of the peaks of the peak-valley contrast structure is 0.04 mm to 0.10 mm.

[0008] Therefore, the height of the peaks of the peak-valley contrast structure of the microstructure relative to the reference horizontal plane is at least 40 μm and at most 100 μm, and the height of the peaks varies within this range. Therefore, due to the possible light scattering and light reflection therefrom, the surface element between the ribs particularly effectively promotes the contrast of the planar and structured element relative to the surrounding outer surface, where the distance between the ribs of the macrostructure in the same structured element can be changed, and the macrostructure can be designed with ribs arranged in various ways.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the peak-valley contrast structure is interrupted by ribs, but in other cases extends continuously over the surface or at least a part of the surface of the structured element. Thus, the peak-valley contrast structure formed on the surface element can continue on adjacent surface elements, whereby a unique contrast effect of the microstructure can be achieved. In addition, the required concave structure of such a microstructure as well as of the macrostructure can be produced in a particularly simple manner in the vulcanization mold.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment, the peak-valley contrast structure consists of a plurality of small-area contrast structure units which are joined together in a grid-like manner and are implemented congruently in a top view, wherein the same unevenly shaped peak-valley contrast structure is formed inside each contrast structure unit. Here, the contrast structure units are arranged in particular such that they can be mutually converted by congruent mapping. In a top view, the contrast structure units have for example a rectangular, in particular square, shape and have an edge length of 0.80 mm to 1.50 mm. Due to the multiplication of the contrast structure units, the peak-valley contrast structure can be scaled according to its size and can be produced in a simple manner on the corresponding mold surface of the tire vulcanization mold as a concave structure. Here, the surface elements between the ribs can largely consist of complete contrast structure units, and thus ensure that the surface elements provided with the microstructure have a more uniform contrast effect.

[0011] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is as follows: the height of the ribs of the macrostructure is at most 0.60 mm, preferably 0.25 mm to 0.35 mm. By acting together with the peaks of the microstructure having a lower height, these measures can achieve a particularly good contrast effect.

[0012] Here, the height of the ribs of the macrostructure extending within the structured element can be the same and remain constant within the extent of the ribs. In an alternative embodiment, either the ribs have a height varying within their extent or ribs with different heights or different height variations are provided. In this way, the contrast effect of the structured elements can be influenced, in particular enhanced, in a particularly advantageous manner (in particular also depending on their position on the outer surface of the tire).

[0013] The orientation and the respective arrangement of the ribs also influence the achievable and desired contrast effect, and in this case there are a variety of possibilities for the associated design solutions.

[0014] In a particularly simple embodiment, the ribs extend side by side in a shadow-like manner, in particular parallel to each other or largely parallel to each other, wherein the width of the surface elements covered by the microstructure between adjacent ribs is 0.20 mm to 0.80 mm.

[0015] In another advantageous embodiment, the ribs have continuous rib sections that differ in their orientation relative to the extension direction of the ribs, for example, extending in a zigzag pattern in a top view, or in a top view, the rib sections have a specific configuration, such as approximately equal-sized, identically oriented and bottomless isosceles trapezoids.

[0016] To further influence and improve the contrast effect, the ribs can also have additional rib sections branching off from their rib sections. Here, advantageously, the net distance between the rib sections in ribs extending adjacent to each other is at least 0.20 mm and in particular at most 0.80 mm. A certain minimum distance is advantageous to enable the contrast effect of the microstructure to take effect.

[0017] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a vehicle tire implemented according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, the method having the following steps:

[0018] Creating a concave profile of at least one structured element on the die surface of a vulcanization mold for shaping and vulcanizing a vehicle tire,

[0019] wherein first, the recesses of the microstructure are created by laser engraving the die surface in a manner that extends over the entire surface of the structured element to be formed,

[0020] Subsequently, on the recesses of the microstructure, a concave structure of the macrostructure as a depression is created by laser engraving or milling,

[0021] wherein the shaping and vulcanization of the green tire of the vehicle tire is achieved by means of the vulcanization mold, whereby the structured element is imprinted on the outer surface of the vehicle tire, and the structured element has a macrostructure composed of ribs and a microstructure composed of an uneven peak-valley contrast structure.

[0022] This method enables the creation of a concave profile of the structured element disposed on the tire on the die surface of the vulcanization mold in a particularly meticulous and easy-to-implement manner, and subsequently enables the imprinting of the structured element in a meticulous manner during the vulcanization process of the green tire of the tire.

[0023] A vulcanization mold designed according to the invention for shaping and vulcanizing a vehicle tire implemented according to one or more of claims 1 to 11 has at least one die surface on which a concave structure of a structured element is included, and the structured element is formed by a macrostructure composed of ribs and a microstructure composed of an uneven peak-valley contrast structure.

[0024] wherein the concave structure has depressions for forming ribs, and the surface elements between the ribs have a concave structure of the microstructure. Description of the Drawings

[0025] The following describes in detail other features, advantages and details of the present invention with the aid of schematic drawings showing a plurality of embodiments. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 View showing a section of a vehicle tire having a structured element,

[0027] Figure 2 View showing a partial microstructure,

[0028] Figure 3 View showing a partial embodiment of a structured element,

[0029] Figure 4 Top view showing a partial another implementation variant of a structured element,

[0030] Figure 5 Showing Figure 4 Oblique view of a partial area of,

[0031] Figure 6 Top view showing a partial another implementation variant of a structured element, and

[0032] Figure 7 Showing Figure 6 Oblique view of a partial area of.

[0033] List of reference numerals

[0034] 1...............Tread

[0035] 2...............Sidewall

[0036] 3...............Structured element

[0037] 4, 4', 4”......Rib

[0038] 4'a, 4'b, 4'c...Rib section

[0039] 4”a, 4”b, 4”c Rib section

[0040] 5...............Reference horizontal plane

[0041] 6, 6', 6”......Rib edge

[0042] 7, 7', 7”......Top region

[0043] 8...............Surface element

[0044] 9...............Peak-valley contrast structure

[0045] E in ..............Inner corner area

[0046] E au ..............Outer corner area

[0047] e 4'a ,e 4'b ,e 4'c ....Extension length

[0048] e 4”a ,e 4”b ,e 4”c ...Extension length

[0049] a, a'...........Spacing

[0050] α, β..........Angles

[0051] H...............Height of ribs 4, 4', 4''

[0052] h...............Height of the peaks of the peak-valley contrast structure

[0053] m...............Center line Detailed implementation mode

[0054] Figure 1 A circumferential section of a vehicle tire is shown in an oblique view. The vehicle tire has a tread 1, sidewalls 2, and has structured planar elements 3 on the outer surface of the visible sidewalls 2 and on the outer surface of the tread 1. In addition, the structured elements 3 can be formed, for example, on the groove edges and / or groove bottoms of the grooves formed in the tread 1 and on the shoulders. The structured elements 3 can be designed in any external shape, for example, designed as a trademark or character in a graphic configuration.

[0055] The vehicle tire is preferably a pneumatic vehicle tire, especially for passenger cars, trucks, SUVs, light trucks, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, buses or bicycles.

[0056] Especially such as Figures 3 to 7As shown, the structured element 3 includes a macrostructure and a microstructure in a combined manner, and these structures are structures that bulge relative to the reference horizontal plane 5. The reference horizontal plane 5 is the horizontal plane of the unstructured area of the outer surface of the tire that has the corresponding structured element 3. Therefore, for example, it is the bottom of the flat depression formed in the sidewall 2 and having a smooth or unstructured outer surface, or the smooth or unstructured outer surface on the tire, for example, in the area where the structured element 3 or these structured elements 3 are formed on the sidewall 2.

[0057] The macrostructure is composed of a plurality of ribs 4 ( Figure 3 ), 4' ( Figure 4 ), and 4'' ( Figure 6 ) with different arrangements and configurations. These ribs have rib sections 4'a, 4'b, 4'c, 4''a, 4''b, 4''c ( Figure 4 and Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 and Figure 7 ) with different orientations. The microstructure is a surface-covered and non-uniform peak-valley contrast structure 9 on the surface element 8 existing between the ribs 4, 4', 4''.

[0058] According to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 and Figure 7 , what the ribs 4, 4', 4'' shown in the embodiments have in common is that, relative to the reference horizontal plane 5, their maximum height H is 0.20 mm to 0.80 mm, preferably up to 0.60 mm, and particularly preferably 0.25 mm to 0.35 mm. The height H of the ribs 4, 4', 4'' can also be the average height along their respective longitudinal extension directions. Preferably, all the ribs 4, 4', 4'' within the structured element 3 have a consistent and largely constant height H. The ribs 4, 4', 4'' preferably have a triangular or approximately triangular cross-section, and this cross-section has two rib side edges 6, 6', 6'' that incline downward in the direction towards the reference horizontal plane 5. These rib side edges extend at an acute angle α of 2° to 30°, especially 2° to 10°, relative to the perpendicular line to the reference horizontal plane 5 (as Figure 3 and Figure 5 shown). Figures 3 to 7 The ribs 4, 4', 4'' shown in

[0059] The configurations described by ribs 4, 4', 4'' include the respective configurations of rib sections 4'a, 4'b, 4'c, 4''a, 4''b, and 4''c, which are shown in the configurations of the embodiments according to Figure 3 and Figure 4 as well as Figure 6 and Figure 7 .

[0060] The surface elements 8 existing between ribs 4, 4', 4'' or their rib sections 4'a, 4'b, 4'c, 4''a, 4''b, and 4''c are covered by the mentioned microstructure, so that the microstructure accordingly extends to the lower end regions of the rib side edges 6, 6', 6'', such that the mentioned microstructure is a surface-covering, non-uniform peak-valley contrast structure starting from the reference horizontal plane 5, and the height h( Figure 2 ) of its peaks is 0.04 mm to 0.10 mm. Here, in a preferred configuration, the microstructure is interrupted by ribs 4, 4', 4'' and extends almost continuously over the surface of the corresponding structured element 3.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, the peak-valley contrast structure is an overall irregular structure across all surface elements 8. In an alternative embodiment, the peak-valley contrast structure observed on all surface elements 8 and interrupted by ribs 4, 4', 4'' consists of a plurality of small-area contrast structure units, which are joined together in a grid-like manner and implemented in agreement in a top view, wherein the same non-uniformly shaped peak-valley contrast structure is formed inside each contrast structure unit. The arrangement of the contrast structure units is such that they can be mutually transformed by congruent mapping, for example, by parallel displacement of the contrast structure units. In a top view, the contrast structure units have, for example, a rectangular, especially square, shape and have an edge length of 0.80 mm to 1.50 mm.

[0062] In another alternative embodiment not shown separately, the microstructure also extends, for example, in a strip form over the edge or a part of the edge of the structured element 3, and thus extends in the region where no ribs are formed anymore.

[0063] The following will illustrate the embodiments of the arrangement and orientation of ribs 4, 4', 4'' according to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 and Figure 7 .

[0064] Figure 3An embodiment is shown in which the ribs 4 extend side by side with respect to one another and in particular parallel to one another or to a large extent parallel to one another. The mutual spacing a of the ribs 4 on the reference horizontal plane 5 is from 0.20 mm to 0.80 mm. As shown, in the case where the ribs 4 are parallel or substantially parallel to one another, this spacing thus corresponds to the width of the microstructure extending in strip form between the ribs 4.

[0065] In Figure 4 and Figure 5 the embodiment shown, the ribs 4' are each composed of rib sections 4'a, 4'b extending in a conventional zigzag shape and branched rib sections 4'c. Thus, the rib sections 4'a, 4'b forming the zigzag course alternate with one another successively and have an extension length e along their central centerlines 4'a and e 4'b , these lengths being preferably equal to one another and being from 0.20 mm to 0.40 mm, in particular from 0.25 mm to 0.30 mm. By the zigzag course of the rib sections 4'a, 4'b, an inner corner region E in and an outer corner region E au are formed. At the inner corner region E in , the rib sections 4'a, 4'b enclose an inner angle β of 70° to 120° with respect to one another, and in the case of consecutive rib sections 4'a, 4'b, all the inner angles are preferably of the same size. In the case of all the ribs 4', the branched rib sections 4'c branch off from the inner corner region E in on the same side, where the rib sections 4'c within the rib 4' extend parallel or to a large extent parallel to one another and have a consistent extension length e 4'c , these extension lengths being from 0.20 mm to 0.50 mm, preferably from 0.25 mm to 0.40 mm.

[0066] Furthermore, the ribs 4' extending side by side within the structured element 3 are offset with respect to one another in their longitudinal extension direction in such a way that, correspondingly viewed transversely to the longitudinal extension direction, the rib section 4'a in one rib 4' extends adjacent to the rib section 4'b in an adjacent rib 4', where the rib sections 4'c branching off from the inner corner region E in point respectively in the direction of the inner corner region E in in an adjacent rib 4'. The mutual spacing a' (measured on the reference horizontal plane 5) between the outer corner regions E au facing one another of adjacent ribs 4' is from 0.20 mm to 0.40 mm. The microstructure formed in the surface elements 8 between the rib sections 4'a, 4'b, 4'c is shown in a simplified form.

[0067] In Figure 6 and Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment, the rib 4" consists of continuous rib segments 4"a which, when viewed in plan view, are designed as isosceles trapezoids that are approximately equal in size, oriented identically, and bottomless with respect to the longitudinal extension direction of the rib 4"; and these ribs are composed of rib segments 4'b, 4"c branching off from these continuous rib segments. The rib segments 4"a each have an extension length e 4”a measured in the extension direction of the rib 4 of from 0.40 mm to 1.00 mm, in particular from 0.50 mm to 0.80 mm. Inside the rib segments 4"a, the two rib segments 4"b, 4"c branch off in a paired manner and extend relative to each other in a V-shape when viewed in plan view, and these rib segments preferably have the same extension length e 4”b and e 4”c which, measured along the centerlines of the rib segments 4"b, 4"c, is from 0.30 mm to 0.50 mm, in particular from 0.35 mm to 0.45 mm.

[0068] Furthermore, the ribs 4" extending side by side within the structured element 3 are offset from each other along their longitudinal extension direction, in particular in such a way that, when viewed in plan view, in each pair of ribs 4" extending side by side, one rib segment 4"b or 4"c extends flush with each other. In this embodiment, Figure 6 and Figure 7 also show in simplified form the microstructure formed in the surface element 8 between the ribs 4".

[0069] As shown and described, a vehicle tire is manufactured in a vulcanization mold, the vehicle tire having a structured planar element 3 combining a macrostructure and a microstructure, in which a mold surface or multiple mold surfaces (for example, the inner side of a sidewall shell) are provided with corresponding (multiple) concave profiles. In a related embodiment of such a concave structure manufacturing, at relevant positions on the mold surface, starting from the mold surface, first, microstructural recesses are created planarly over the entire surface of the provided structured element 3 by laser engraving, and the mold surface is correspondingly recessed locally. Subsequently, in the recesses of the microstructure, recesses for the macrostructure, that is, the ribs 4, 4', 4", are created at relevant positions by laser engraving or by milling. If a finished tire blank of the vehicle tire is placed in the vulcanization mold and vulcanized, at least one planar and structured element 3 with corresponding microstructure and macrostructure is imprinted into the rubber material on the outer surface of the vehicle tire.

Claims

1. A vehicle tire having at least one planar and structured element (3) formed on its outer surface, the at least one element comprising a macrostructure and a microstructure in combination, the structures being structures that are raised relative to a reference horizontal plane (5), wherein the macrostructure consists of a plurality of ribs (4, 4', 4”) with top regions (7, 7', 7”), the top regions having a height (H) of 0.20 mm to 0.80 mm relative to the reference horizontal plane (5), wherein the microstructure covers the surface elements (8) located between the ribs (4, 4', 4”) and is or has an uneven peak-valley contrast structure (9), the peaks of the peak-valley contrast structure having different heights relative to the reference horizontal plane (5), and having a maximum height (h) less than the height of the ribs (4, 4', 4”). Characterized in that, wherein the height (h) of the peaks of the peak-valley contrast structure (9) is 0.04 mm to 0.10 mm.

2. The vehicle tire according to claim 1, Characterized in that, the peak-valley contrast structure (9) is interrupted by the ribs (4, 4', 4”) but otherwise extends continuously over the surface or at least a part of the surface of the structured element (3).

3. The vehicle tire according to claim 1 or 2, Characterized in that, the peak-valley contrast structure (9) consists of a plurality of small-area contrast structure units that are joined together in a grid-like manner and implemented to be consistent in a top view, wherein the same unevenly shaped peak-valley contrast structure (9) is formed inside each contrast structure unit.

4. The vehicle tire according to claim 3, Characterized in that, the contrast structure units are arranged such that they can be mutually converted by congruent mapping.

5. The vehicle tire according to claim 3 or 4, Characterized in that, in a top view, the contrast structure units have a rectangular, especially square, shape and have an edge length of 0.80 mm to 1.50 mm.

6. The vehicle tire according to claim 1 or 2, Characterized in that, the height (H) of the ribs (4, 4', 4”) of the macrostructure is at most 0.60 mm, preferably 0.25 mm to 0.35 mm.

7. The vehicle tire according to one or more of claims 1, 2 or 6, Characterized in that, inside the structured element (3), the ribs (4, 4', 4”) of the macrostructure have the same height (H) and remain constant within the extension of the ribs (4, 4', 4”).

8. The vehicle tire according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, Characterized in that, the ribs (4) extend side by side in a shadow-like manner, especially parallel to each other, and the width of the surface elements (8) covered by the microstructure between adjacent ribs (4) is 0.20 mm to 0.80 mm.

9. The vehicle tire according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, Characterized in that, The ribs (4', 4") have continuous rib sections (4'a, 4'b, 4"a) that differ in their orientation with respect to the extension direction of the ribs (4', 4"), or in a top view, the rib sections have a specific configuration, for example, are approximately of equal size, have the same orientation, and are isosceles trapezoids without a bottom.

10. The vehicle tire according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the ribs (4', 4") have additional rib sections (4'c, 4"c) branching off from the rib sections (4'a, 4'b, 4"a).

11. The vehicle tire according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the net distance between the rib sections (4'a, 4'b, 4'c, 4"a, 4"b, 4"c) of the ribs (4', 4") extending adjacent to each other is at least 0.20 mm and in particular at most 0.80 mm.

12. A method for manufacturing a vehicle tire implemented according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, the method having the following steps: creating a concave profile of at least one structured element (3) on the die surface of a vulcanization mold for shaping and vulcanizing the vehicle tire, wherein first the recesses of the microstructure are created by laser engraving of the die surface in a manner that extends over the entire surface of the structured element (3) to be formed, subsequently, on the recesses of the microstructure, a concave structure as a depression of the macrostructure is created by laser engraving or milling, wherein the shaping and vulcanization of the green tire of the vehicle tire is achieved by means of the vulcanization mold, whereby the structured element (3) is imprinted on the outer surface of the vehicle tire by the concave structure, and thus has a macrostructure composed of ribs (4, 4', 4") and a microstructure located between the ribs (4, 4', 4").

13. A vulcanization mold for shaping and vulcanizing a vehicle tire implemented according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, wherein the vulcanization mold has at least one die surface on which there is a concave structure of a structured element (3), the structured element being formed by a macrostructure composed of ribs (4, 4', 4") and a microstructure composed of an uneven peak-valley contrast structure (9), wherein the concave structure has depressions for forming the ribs (4, 4', 4"), and the surface elements (8) located between the ribs (4, 4', 4") have the concave structure of the microstructure.

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