Airless Tire Side-Groove Structure for Lower Rolling Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airless tires tend to increase weight and rolling resistance, reducing performance and increasing energy consumption due to increased friction and deformation.
Innovation Solution
An airless tire design with a ground-contact portion, side portions, and radially arranged side grooves that reduce weight, enhance airflow, and increase surface area for improved heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If airless tire uses solid material filling or spoke structure to prevent punctures, then puncture resistance is improved, but tire weight increases and rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tire is divided into multiple functional segments: a lightweight rim structure, a flexible tire body with puncture-resistant material distribution, and modular tread patterns. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for weight and puncture resistance without requiring excessive material throughout the entire tire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Puncture-resistant materials are concentrated in specific high-stress areas such as the tread center and shoulder regions, while other areas use lighter materials. This local quality approach provides puncture protection where needed most while minimizing overall tire weight through strategic material placement rather than uniform reinforcement.
2Reliability
If airless tire uses solid material filling or spoke structure to prevent punctures, then puncture resistance is improved, but rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tire incorporates dynamic elements such as flexible sidewalls and adaptable tread patterns that can deform and recover efficiently during rolling. This dynamic behavior reduces energy loss from excessive rigidity while maintaining puncture resistance through strategically placed reinforcement, allowing the tire to adapt to road conditions without excessive friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The tire design optimizes parameters such as material hardness, tread pattern geometry, and structural flexibility to balance puncture resistance with rolling resistance. By carefully controlling these parameters, the tire achieves sufficient protection against punctures while minimizing deformation losses and friction that would increase rolling resistance.
3Temperature
If airless tire increases surface area for heat dissipation, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but air resistance acting on tire surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tire incorporates three-dimensional heat dissipation features such as radial ventilation channels and circumferential grooves that create airflow paths in multiple dimensions. These dimensional additions enhance heat dissipation through improved air circulation without significantly increasing the tire's external surface area, thereby minimizing the impact on aerodynamic drag.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat dissipation functions are extracted from the tire's external surface by incorporating internal ventilation channels and cooling structures within the tire body. This extraction allows heat to be dissipated through dedicated internal pathways without requiring additional external surface area that would increase air resistance during rotation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves reduced rolling resistance, improved airflow, and enhanced heat dissipation, minimizing air resistance and weight.
Implementation Method 1
each of the side grooves extends along the side portion from one end formed on a circumferential side of a cross-sectional center of the tire to the other end formed on a rotational-center side of the cross-sectional center, thereby improving the airflow along the side portions of the tire during driving and reducing air resistance
Implementation Method 2
increased surface area of the tire advantageous for heat dissipation
Data Source
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AI summary
An airless tire coupled to a rim is disclosed. The airless tire includes: a ground-contact portion that comes into contact with the ground at least partially when the tire rotates, has a predetermined width, and extends along the circumference of the tire; a coupling portion coupled to the rim; side portions extending from both sides of the ground-contact portion along a surface of the tire to the coupling portion; and a plurality of side grooves radially arranged with respect to a rotational center of the tire and recessed into the side portions. The airless tire has a light weight to reduce rolling resistance, increases surface area to improve heat dissipation, and improves airflow along the side portions during driving to reduce air resistance.