Airless Tire Spoke Axial Length Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airless tires with a spoke structure experience uneven axial component lengths along the tire circumference, leading to significant load changes and vibrations during rolling, which compromise riding comfort and weight efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The distribution of tire axial component lengths is optimized into three regions (Y1, Y2, and Y3) with specific ratios (E1, E2, and E3) to ensure uniform load distribution and reduced vibration, where Y1 has zero length, Y2 has lengths between 0 and 0.6 times the tire axial-direction width, and Y3 has lengths between 0.6 and 1.0 times, with E3 set to minimize weight and maximize vibration reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If spoke blades are spaced apart in a circumferential direction to reduce weight, then the tire becomes lighter, but the axial component lengths become uneven causing significant load changes and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating three distinct regions (Y1, Y2, Y3) with different axial component length characteristics around the tire circumference. Region Y1 has zero axial component length, region Y2 has lengths between 0-0.6W, and region Y3 has lengths between 0.6-1.0W. This localized differentiation allows the tire to maintain lightweight spoke structure while controlling vibration through specific regional characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of axial component length distribution by defining specific ratios E1, E2, and E3 for the three regions. By adjusting these ratios and the corresponding axial component lengths in each region, the patent optimizes the balance between weight reduction and vibration control, transforming the uniform spoke structure into a non-uniform distribution that reduces harmful vibrations.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the axial component length is increased to reduce vibration, then vibration reduction performance improves, but the spoke becomes heavier
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing axial component length throughout the entire spoke structure, the patent applies local quality by concentrating longer axial components specifically in region Y3 (0.6-1.0W) while maintaining zero or shorter lengths in regions Y1 and Y2. This localized approach reduces vibration where needed while minimizing overall weight increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the parameter of axial component length by setting specific ranges for different regions and defining ratio constraints (E1 + E2 ≥ 0.5, E3 ≤ 0.3). These parameter changes ensure that the axial component length is increased only to the extent necessary for vibration reduction, avoiding unnecessary weight gain.
3Ease of manufacture
If the ratio E1 of the first region exceeds 0.5 to simplify structure, then manufacturing becomes easier, but the ratio E2 decreases thereby decreasing vibration reduction effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific parameter constraints for the ratios E1, E2, and E3 to optimize the balance between manufacturing ease and vibration reduction. By setting E1 + E2 ≥ 0.5 and E3 ≤ 0.3, the patent ensures that the first and second regions collectively dominate the circumference, maintaining structural simplicity while preserving the vibration reduction effect through adequate presence of region Y2 with its optimal axial component lengths.
Data Source
AI summary
[Solution(s)] An airless tire is structured in such a way that a tread ring and a hub are connected by a spoke. Regarding the distribution of tire axial component lengths (tx) at connection portions of the spoke and the tread ring along the entire tire circumference, the ratio (E1) of a first region (Y1) where the component length (tx) is zero times the tread ring width (W), the ratio (E2) of a second region (Y2) where the component length (tx) is greater than zero times but smaller than 0.6 times the width (W), and the ratio (E3) of a third region (Y3) where the component length (tx) is no smaller than 0.6 times but no greater than 1.0 times the width (W) satisfy the following formulas (1)∼(3) respectively. 0≦E1≦0.5 0<E2≦1.0 0≦E3<0.3