Conductive Tire Sealant for Puncture Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic tires with puncture-sealing materials do not provide a method to detect sealed punctures without dismounting the tire, posing a safety risk as the sealed puncture area can go unnoticed by the driver until it is too late.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an electrically conductive tire sealant material with metallic particles that flow into punctures to form a sealed area on the tire's outer surface, allowing for detection using external conductivity-measuring apparatuses without dismounting the tire.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a puncture-sealing pneumatic tire is used, then air leakage is prevented when a foreign object penetrates the tire, but the sealed puncture area cannot be detected by the driver without dismounting the tire
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of color changes by incorporating electrically conductive metallic particles into the sealant material, which creates a detectable change in electrical conductivity at the puncture site. This allows the sealed puncture to be identified through conductivity measurements, analogous to how color changes provide visual detection signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an electrically conductive metallic particle as an intermediary substance within the sealant material. These particles serve as a mediator that transfers the sealing action into a detectable electrical signal, enabling indirect detection of the puncture location through conductivity measurements without requiring direct visual inspection.
2Reliability
If the sealant layer flows into the puncture opening to seal it, then air-tightness is achieved, but the sealed area remains undetected until tire dismounting and inspection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by creating a detectable signal (electrical conductivity change) that provides information back to the driver about the puncture location. The conductive particles in the sealant material create an electrical signature that can be detected by scanning apparatus, providing continuous feedback about tire integrity without requiring tire dismounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual inspection system with an electrical detection system. Instead of requiring physical dismounting and visual inspection of the tire, the invention uses electrical conductivity measurements to detect the presence of conductive particles at the puncture site, substituting a mechanical inspection process with an electrical sensing approach.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional sealant material is used, then puncture sealing is achieved, but quick and cost-effective notification to the driver without tire dismounting is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming mechanical inspection procedures with rapid electrical conductivity measurements. The detection apparatus can quickly scan the tire surface and identify puncture locations through electrical signals, providing immediate notification to the driver without requiring the time-intensive process of dismounting and visually inspecting the tire.
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
Enables quick and cost-effective notification of a sealed puncture to the driver by measuring increased electrical conductivity at the tire's surface, ensuring timely tire inspection and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the sealing material contains electrically conductive metallic particles; wherein a puncture of the outer surface of the tire that contacts the sealing material is sealed by the sealing material flowing in the puncture to form a sealed tire area including a portion the sealing material, the sealed tire area is present at the outer surface of the tire, and a portion of the electrically conductive metallic particles of the sealing material are present in the sealed tire area at the outer surface of the tire
Data Source
AI summary
Tires having an electrically conductive tire sealing material containing metallic electrically conductive particles are described for detecting the presence of one or more sealed puncture areas in the tire. The tires can have a sealed tire portion that is formed by the electrically conductive tire sealing material flowing into and filling a puncture in the tire. The sealed tire portion includes a portion having electrically conductive particles and the portion being at the outer surface of the tire such as in the tread area. The tire can be positioned to be in contact with a conductive section of an apparatus capable of measuring electrical conductivity.