Conductive Tire Strip for Electrical Discharge and Rolling Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic vehicle tires face challenges in maintaining reliable electrical conductivity over their service life while minimizing rolling resistance, as low-rolling-resistance rubber compounds increase electrical resistance, and high-conductive carbon blacks affect hysteresis and are costly.
Innovation Solution
The tire design incorporates an electrically conductive tread rubber mixture with a strip that makes conductive contact with both the bead part and tread, ensuring a continuous conductive path from the tire's contact surface to the rim and road, using a minimal amount of electrically conductive rubber to maintain conductivity and optimize rolling resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If low-rolling-resistance rubber compounds are used, then rolling resistance is reduced, but electrical resistance increases and electrical conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tire is divided into multiple components with different electrical conductivity properties. The tread, bead area, and strip are segmented such that only specific components (tread with at least 15 phr carbon black, bead area, and connecting strip) are made electrically conductive, while other components can use low-rolling-resistance compounds. This segmentation allows the tire to maintain low rolling resistance overall while ensuring sufficient electrical conductivity through the conductive path.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the tire have different electrical conductivity properties tailored to their specific functions. The tread and bead area have high electrical conductivity (at least 1x10^8 ohm^-1) to ensure discharge paths, while the strip provides localized conductive connection. Other tire components can optimize for low rolling resistance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing conductivity only where necessary.
2Reliability
If conductive carbon blacks are used to increase electrical conductivity, then electrical resistance decreases, but hysteresis behavior deteriorates and rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Conductive carbon black is segmented to be used only in specific components (tread and bead area) rather than throughout the entire tire. This allows the tire to achieve sufficient electrical conductivity through these localized conductive regions while the rest of the tire can use rubber compounds optimized for low rolling resistance with better hysteresis behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive properties are localized to where they are most needed for electrical discharge (tread contact surface and bead area), while other components maintain optimal hysteresis characteristics. This local quality approach ensures conductivity without compromising overall rolling resistance.
3Reliability
If multiple components are made electrically conductive, then electrical conductivity is improved, but the number of components with conductive rubber mixtures increases, negatively affecting rolling resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The tire structure is segmented into conductive and non-conductive zones. Only the essential components for electrical discharge (tread with minimum 15 phr carbon black, bead area, and strip) are made electrically conductive. This selective segmentation minimizes the total amount of conductive material while ensuring adequate conductivity paths.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making all components electrically conductive (excessive action), the invention applies conductivity partially only to the necessary components that form the discharge path. This partial action approach achieves sufficient electrical conductivity without the penalty of making every component conductive.
4Reliability
If the strip extends to the tire surface in the shoulder area, then electrical conductivity is improved, but continuous contact with the road surface cannot be guaranteed due to abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive path is designed with redundancy and protection in advance. The strip is positioned to contact both the bead area and tread, creating multiple contact points. The tread itself is made conductive (with at least 15 phr carbon black) to ensure that even if the strip wears, the conductive path through the tread remains intact. This beforehand cushioning ensures continuous conductivity throughout the tire's service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive properties are concentrated in the tread area where it contacts the road surface, with at least 15 phr carbon black content. This local quality in the tread ensures continuous electrical contact with the road throughout the tire's life, regardless of strip wear in the shoulder area.
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
This design guarantees reliable electrical conductivity throughout the tire's service life with reduced rolling resistance, using a minimal amount of conductive rubber and high carbon black content for improved durability, without significant adjustments to production processes.
Implementation Method 1
there is an electrically conductive path from the contact surface of the pneumatic vehicle tire to the roadway to the contact surface of the pneumatic vehicle tire to the tire rim
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire comprising a tread (6) with a contact surface (7) to the road surface, a first bead section (4) with an electrically conductive bead part (9) with a contact surface (10) to the rim, two sidewalls (3), and a strip (12) made of an electrically conductive rubber compound. The strip (12) electrically contacts the bead part (9) and extends between the carcass (2) and the sidewall (3) into the tread section (11), running axially between the tread (6) and the sidewall (3) within the tread section (11). The rubber compound of the tread (6) is electrically conductive. The strip (12) electrically contacts the tread (6) and electrically connects the bead part (9) and the tread (6).The object of the invention is to provide, in a simple manner, a vehicle pneumatic tire whose electrical conductivity is reliably ensured over the entire service life of the vehicle pneumatic tire while simultaneously providing good rolling resistance.