Vehicle tire
The vehicle tire sidewall design with inwardly rounded transition flanks and wedge-shaped ribs addresses the challenge of abrasion protection with reduced rubber volume and rolling resistance, ensuring flexibility and stability under harsh conditions.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/EP2025/067163
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-07-11
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-15
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle tire sidewall designs face challenges in providing effective abrasion protection with minimal rubber volume and low rolling resistance while maintaining flexibility and stability, particularly in rough terrain conditions.
The sidewalls feature a first protective rib with an inwardly rounded transition flank and a second protective rib that thickens in a wedge shape towards the tread, with both ribs having rounded edges that act as 'joints' to enhance flexibility and stability, reducing rubber volume and enhancing abrasion protection.
The innovative rib design provides enhanced flexibility and stability to the sidewalls, preventing cracks and breaks while minimizing rubber usage and maintaining tire performance under external forces.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025067163_15012026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] Vehicle tires
[0003] The invention relates to a vehicle tire with a tread, bead areas and sidewalls, wherein a first protective rib is formed on at least one sidewall to protect against abrasion, which has a top surface and a thickness of 1.50 mm to 3.00 mm relative to the sidewall base level from which the protective rib rises and is perpendicular to this base level, extends at least as a circular segment along the sidewall and is formed either radially outside the point with the greatest cross-sectional width of the tire or extending over this point.
[0004] Such a vehicle tire is known from DE 10 2018 210 580 A1. A protective rib is formed on at least one sidewall, which is provided with a structure consisting of a multitude of radially extending grooves, each with a width of 0.50 mm to 1.00 mm, between which rectangular, radially elongated outer surfaces are located. At particularly regular intervals, the grooves are interrupted at least at one point along their course by a connecting rib, which is flush with the outer surfaces and has a width of 0.30 mm to 0.70 mm. The connecting ribs formed in the grooves are formed in the side shells of the vulcanization mold by corresponding recesses, which ensure that, especially in the final stage of molding the tire, air can be effectively vented into vent holes or venting units.
[0005] In the vehicle tire known from WO 2023 / 274437 A1, the abrasion protection formed on the tire sidewalls consists of several rows of parallelogram-shaped ridges (in plan view) with a height of 0.80 mm to 1.50 mm, arranged concentrically to the circular shape of the sidewall. The rows of ridges are offset from one another circumferentially along the sidewall, with the ridges overlapping each other. This offset is intended to make the individual ridges structurally robust, particularly by providing mutual support, while maintaining a certain degree of flexibility in the sidewall under load. It is known that ridges or ribs on the sidewalls prevent damage to the carcass layer beneath the sidewalls when the tire comes into contact with curbs, gravel, stones, and the like, or when used in rough terrain.
[0006] The invention is based on the objective of providing an effective abrasion protection for a tire of the type mentioned above, which has an advantageously low rubber volume in relation to the tire weight and rolling resistance. T which gives the side wall in the radially outer area the flexibility that prevents the formation of cracks and breaks in the rubber material.
[0007] The problem set out in the invention is solved by the fact that the first protective rib has a radially outer transition flank that is rounded inwards overall and extends from its top surface to the base level, to which a further protective rib, having a top surface, immediately joins and thickens in a wedge shape towards the tread and relative to the base level, the further protective rib also extending at least as a circular ring segment along the side wall and having a transition flank at its radially outer end that is rounded inwards overall and extends from its top surface to the base level.
[0008] The wedge-shaped cross-section of the additional protective rib, located on the radially outer sidewall, provides further abrasion protection. Its wedge shape results in a correspondingly reduced rubber volume, and the specific shape of the wedge enhances the flexibility of the sidewall in this area. The inwardly rounded transition edges, which curve towards the base of the sidewall, act as "joints," further contributing to the sidewall's advantageous flexibility without compromising its necessary stability.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the additional protective rib has its greatest thickness of 1.50 mm to 3.00 mm, preferably 2.50 mm, at the beginning of its transition flank on its top surface and relative to the base level. This thickness range is advantageous for a particularly effective abrasion protection of the protective rib.
[0010] In a further preferred embodiment, the maximum thickness of the second protective rib corresponds to the maximum thickness of the first protective rib, the latter having a particularly constant thickness. This measure allows for a particularly high balance between the stability of the sidewall and the flexibility in the radially outer sidewall region.
[0011] The above-mentioned effect of the transition flanks as joints is particularly effectively supported when the radially outer transition flank of the first protective rib and the transition flank of the further protective rib are rounded along circular arcs, wherein the radii of the underlying circles are 3.00 mm to 6.00 mm, in particular 5.00 mm, and preferably coincide.
[0012] The widths or radial extents of the protective ribs, which extend along the side wall in at least annular segments, should be within certain ranges to ensure their effective abrasion protection. In this regard, it is preferred that the additional protective rib has a width of 15.00 mm to 30.00 mm, this width being determined in cross-section along a straight line between the end of the transition flank of the first protective rib at the base level and the end of the transition flank of the additional protective rib at the base level; and furthermore, that the first protective rib preferably has a width of 20.00 mm to 80.00 mm, this width being determined in cross-section along a straight line between the ends of the transition flanks of these protective ribs at the base level.
[0013] Further features, advantages, and details of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the schematic drawing, which illustrates an exemplary embodiment. This drawing shows...
[0014] Fig. 1 shows the course of the outer contour of a vehicle tire starting at a tire shoulder and up to the bead area and
[0015] Fig. 2 shows detail D of Fig. 1 in an enlarged view.
[0016] Vehicle tires according to the invention are tires for motor vehicles, in particular for multi-track motor vehicles, preferably for passenger cars, vans, or SUVs, and preferably pneumatic tires, especially radial pneumatic tires. Passenger car, van, and SUV tires are intended in particular for rims with an integer rim diameter of 13 inches to 24 inches, preferably from 15 inches to 23 inches, and have a load index of in particular 71 to 126.
[0017] Fig. 1 shows in cross-section the course of the outer contour 1 of a sidewall 2 of a vehicle tire between a shoulder-side, only indicated tread run-out 3a of the tread 3 and the outer contour of an indicated bead area 4. The line L marks the point of the vehicle tire with the greatest cross-sectional width.
[0018] In the illustrated embodiment, a first protective rib 5, extending along the sidewall 4 at least over a circular segment, is located radially outside the point of greatest cross-sectional width (line L) on the sidewall 4, protecting against abrasion. A further protective rib 6 adjoins the protective rib 5 in the direction of the tread 3, and this second rib also extends along the sidewall 2 at least over a circular segment. The protective rib 5, located radially further inwards, can extend further towards the bead area 4, thus covering the area with the greatest cross-sectional width of the vehicle tire and therefore having a greater width than the protective rib 5 shown.
[0019] In both Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a side wall base level 1a of the side wall 2 is shown with a dashed line extending from the two protective ribs 5 and 6. This contour, without protective ribs 5 and 6, is the level from which the protective ribs 5 and 6 rise. The base level represents a continuous surface and therefore also extends over those outer surface areas of the side wall that have no protrusions or other structures.
[0020] The protective rib 5 has a radially inner transition flank 5a, a radially outer transition flank 5b, and a top surface 5c, wherein the transition flanks 5a and 5b each form the transition from the top surface 5c to the base level 1a. Between the transition flanks 5a and 5b, the protective rib 5 has a thickness di, determined perpendicular to the base level 1a, and preferably constant, of 1.50 mm to 3.00 mm, preferably 2.50 mm. The protective rib 5 also has a width bi at the base level 1a of 20.00 mm to 80.00 mm, wherein the width bi is determined along a straight line between the ends of its transition flanks 5a and 5b at the base level 1a and is the width of the circular segment.
[0021] As can be seen in the enlarged detail D of Fig. 1 shown in Fig. 2, the radially outer transition flank 5a, in the direction of the base level 1a, is rounded inwards overall, adjoins the top surface 5c directly and ends at the base level 1a. The radius n of the circle underlying this rounding is 3.00 mm to 6.00 mm, in particular 5.00 mm.
[0022] The protective rib 6 has a cover surface 6c which extends radially from the end of the transition flank 5b of the protective rib 5 at the base level 1a, widening in cross-section in a wedge shape towards the tread run-out 3a. The cover surface 6c terminates at a transition flank 6a to the base level 1a. The protective rib 6 has a radial width b2, determined along a straight line between the end of the transition flank 5b at the base level 1a and the end of the transition flank 6b at the base level 1a, and as the width of its circular segment, of 15.00 mm to 30.00 mm, and a thickness d2 increasing towards the tread run-out 3a and opposite and perpendicular to the base level 1a, which is greatest at the beginning of its transition flank 6b at the top surface 6c and there measures 1.50 mm to 3.00 mm, preferably 2.50 mm. The design is preferably such that the greatest thickness d2 coincides with the greatest thickness di of the protective rib 5.
[0023] The transition flank 6b of the protective rib 6 is rounded inwards analogously to the transition flank 5b of the protective rib 5, the radius r2 of the circle underlying this rounding is 3.00 mm to 6.00 mm, in particular 5.00 mm and corresponds in a preferred embodiment to the radius n of that circle which underlies the rounding of the transition flank 5b.
[0024] The protective ribs 5 and 6 provide good protection for the sidewall 2 in the event of contact with curbs or during off-road use of the vehicle tire, i.e., whenever there is a possibility of abrasion stress on the sidewall 2. The protective rib 6 is designed such that, due to its thickness gradient, it has a smaller rubber volume than a protective rib that, at the same width, has a constant thickness corresponding to its greatest thickness. The transition flanks 5b and 6b, rounded with radii n and r2, allow a certain degree of movement in the sidewall 2 without compromising its stability, which is necessary to protect the sidewall 2 from damage under external forces. Reference numeral list
[0025] 1 Outer contour 1a Base level
[0026] 2 side wall
[0027] 3 treads
[0028] 3a Tread strip exit
[0029] 4 Bead area 5, 6 Protective rib
[0030] 5a radial inner transition flank
[0031] 5b radial outer transition flank
[0032] 5c Cover area
[0033] 6a, 6b Transition flank 6c Cover surface bi Width (protective rib 5) b2 Width (protective rib 6) di Thickness (protective rib 5) d2 Thickness (protective rib 6) L Line (point with the largest cross-sectional width) n , T2 Radius
Claims
Patent claims 1. A vehicle tire with a tread (3), bead areas (4) and sidewalls (2), wherein at least one sidewall (2) has a protective first rib (5) which has a top surface (5c) and a thickness (di) of 1.50 mm to 3.00 mm relative to the sidewall base level (1a) from which the protective rib (5) rises and is perpendicular to this base level (1a), extends at least as an annular segment along the sidewall (2) and is formed either radially outside the point with the greatest cross-sectional width of the tire or extending over this point, characterized in that the first protective rib (5) has a radially outer transition flank (5b) which is rounded overall inwards and extends from its top surface (5c) to the base level (1a), to which a further transition flank (5b) is immediately attached, beginning at the base level (1a).A protective rib (6) having a top surface (6c) extends in a wedge shape towards the running strip (3) and towards the base level (1a), wherein the further protective rib (6) also extends at least as a circular segment along the side wall (2) and has at its radially outer end a transition flank (6b) which is rounded inwards overall and extends from its top surface (6c) to the base level (1a).
2. Vehicle tire according to claim 1, characterized in that the further protective rib (6) has its greatest thickness (d2) of 1.50 mm to 3.00 mm, preferably 2.50 mm, at the beginning of its transition flank (6b) and opposite and perpendicular to the base level (1a).
3. Vehicle tire according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the greatest thickness (d2) of the further protective rib (6) corresponds to the greatest thickness (di) of the first protective rib (5).
4. Vehicle tire according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first protective rib (5) has a constant thickness (di).
5. Vehicle tire according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the radially outer transition flank (5b) of the first protective rib (5) and the transition flank (6b) of the further protective rib (6) are rounded along circular arcs, wherein the radii (n, r2) of the underlying circles are 3.00 mm to 6.00 mm, in particular 5.00 mm, and preferably coincide.
6. Vehicle tire according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the further protective rib (6) has a width (b?) of 15.00 mm to 30.00 mm determined as the width of its circular segment, wherein the width (b?) is determined in cross-section along a straight line between the end of the transition flank (5b) of the first protective rib (5) at the base level (1 a) and the end of the transition flank (6b) of the further protective rib (6) at the base level (1 a).
7. Vehicle tire according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first protective rib (5) has a width (bi) of 20.00 mm to 80.00 mm determined as the width of its circular annular section, wherein the width in cross-section is determined along a straight line between the ends of its transition flanks (5a, 5b) at the base level (1a).