Conductive Venting Filaments for Low-Resistance Pneumatic Tires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic vehicle tires face challenges in achieving both low rolling resistance and sufficient electrical conductivity to dissipate electrostatic charges, as low-rolling resistance compounds increase electrical resistance, and using conductive carbon blacks can compromise hysteresis behavior and strength.
Innovation Solution
Applying an electrically conductive coating to non-conductive thread-like elements, such as air-removing threads, to enhance the electrical conductivity of the tire without altering their physical properties, thereby ensuring electrostatic charge dissipation and maintaining air removal functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If low-rolling resistance compounds are used in the carcass and sidewall areas, then rolling resistance is reduced, but electrical resistance increases and electrical conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thread-like elements as intermediary conductive paths within the tire structure. These elements provide a dedicated electrical conduction pathway that bypasses the need for highly conductive rubber compounds in the carcass and sidewall areas, allowing low-rolling resistance compounds to be used while maintaining overall electrical conductivity through the thread elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining non-conductive low-rolling resistance rubber compounds with conductive thread-like elements. This composite approach allows each material to perform its optimal function: the rubber provides low rolling resistance while the threads provide electrical conductivity, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
2Reliability
If conductive carbon blacks are used to improve electrical conductivity, then electrical resistance decreases, but hysteresis behavior deteriorates and rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical conductivity function from the rubber compound matrix and assigns it to separate thread-like elements. This separation allows the rubber compounds to be optimized for low rolling resistance without conductive carbon blacks, while the thread elements independently provide the necessary electrical conductivity path.
Solution Approach 2:
The thread-like elements act as intermediary conductive structures that provide electrical conductivity without requiring conductive carbon blacks in the rubber compounds. This intermediary approach eliminates the need to compromise hysteresis behavior and rolling resistance for the sake of electrical conductivity.
3Reliability
If conductive carbon blacks are used to improve electrical conductivity, then electrical resistance decreases, but reinforcing effect increases and mixture rigidity becomes too high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical conductivity function from the rubber compound and assigns it to separate thread elements. This allows the rubber mixture to maintain optimal reinforcing filler content for flexibility and strength, while the thread elements independently provide conductivity without adding rigidity to the mixture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system where thread-like elements provide electrical conductivity while the rubber matrix maintains its optimal mechanical properties. This composite approach prevents conductive carbon blacks from over-reinforcing the mixture, preserving the required flexibility and strength characteristics.
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 approach improves the tire's electrical conductivity while maintaining high manufacturing quality and reducing rolling resistance, without the need for complex structural changes or additional conductive materials, ensuring effective electrostatic charge dissipation and reliable air removal.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of these thread-like, preferably air-removing elements has a coating that is electrically conductive, so that the thread-like, preferably air-removing Element and the coating together form an electrically conductive, thread-like element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a pneumatic vehicle tyre (1) of radial design having a carcass (4) and having components (9, 10) which adjoin the carcass (4), wherein thread-shaped elements (11) are arranged on at least one of the two surfaces of the carcass (4) and preferably serve to discharge occluded air between the carcass (4) and the adjoining components (9, 10) during the construction of the tyre. In order to improve the electrical conductivity of the pneumatic vehicle tyre (1), at least one thread-shaped element (11) has a coating which is electrically conductive and jointly forms an electrically conductive, thread-shaped element (12) which has an electrical resistance of 7 Ohm/cm. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the electrically conductive coating.