External Tire Patch for Sidewall Puncture Repair
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current tire repair methods are inadequate for quickly and cost-effectively repairing punctured or sliced tires on off-road vehicles without requiring removal from the wheel hub or extensive internal patching, leading to safety issues, downtime, and environmental concerns due to waste generation.
Innovation Solution
An external patching method using a supplemental rubber patch with an adhesive layer applied directly to the damaged area, allowing for external repair of tires without removing them from the wheel, utilizing a cyanoacrylate adhesive that forms discrete anchor points for bonding with the tire surface, enabling quick and effective sealing of punctures and slices on the sidewall or tread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If internal patching methods are used to repair tire punctures or slices, then the tire can be sealed to hold pressure, but the repair process requires removal from the wheel hub and creates exposed weakened portions on the external tire surface
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying the patch from the interior of the tire (conventional method), the patent applies the patch from the exterior surface. The patch is placed over the damaged area on the outside of the tire, with adhesive bonding it to the external surface, thereby inverting the traditional repair approach to eliminate the need for tire removal and provide direct access to the damage site.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from internal (3D interior space) to external (2D surface) application by placing the patch on the outer surface of the tire. This dimensional shift allows the repair to be performed on the accessible exterior rather than requiring access to the interior cavity, solving the accessibility problem while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If conventional patching methods are used, then tire repairs can be performed, but the process requires extensive removal of the tire from the wheel hub and professional repair facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the vehicle operator to perform the repair themselves in the field without requiring professional repair facilities or equipment. The external patching method is designed to be simple enough for self-service application, allowing operators to quickly repair damaged tires at the job site and avoid extended downtime for transporting vehicles to repair shops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patch and adhesive are prepared in advance as a ready-to-apply kit, allowing immediate repair when damage occurs. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex repair equipment or facilities during the actual repair event, enabling quick field repair and minimizing vehicle downtime.
3Reliability
If internal patching is performed, then punctures can be sealed, but the exposed damaged area remains vulnerable to further damage and requires additional protective measures
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of leaving the damaged area exposed on the interior after patching (conventional method), the patent applies the patch from the exterior surface. This external application creates a protective layer over the damaged area, shielding it from further external damage while maintaining the sealing function, thereby eliminating the vulnerability problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The external patch serves dual functionality: it seals the damage to retain pressure and simultaneously protects the vulnerable damaged area from further external harm. This recovered protective function eliminates the need for additional separate protective measures that would be required with internal patching methods.
4Productivity
If tires are replaced instead of repaired, then vehicle availability is restored, but significant costs are incurred including new tire purchase, removal labor, and environmental waste
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the damaged tire entirely (replacement), the patent recovers the tire's service life by applying an external patch to repair the damage. This recovery approach extends the tire's usable life, avoiding the need to discard functional portions of the tire and reducing rubber waste sent to landfills.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the repair approach from complete replacement (extreme parameter change) to localized patching (minimal parameter change). This allows the tire to remain in service with modified properties at the damaged area, preserving the majority of the tire's original material and avoiding the resource consumption associated with manufacturing and disposing of new tires.
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 method allows for rapid, inexpensive repair of tires in the field, reducing downtime and environmental impact by extending tire life, maintaining safety, and conserving rubber resources, while avoiding the need for extensive internal patching or plugging processes.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive layer affixes the patch to the exterior surface of a tire carcass covering the recently bonded portion of the tire. The adhesive layer has first engagement with a surface of the damaged tire and a second engagement with the supplied external patch.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and/or article is used for repairing of a worn, damaged, punctured or sliced but otherwise functional vehicle tire, for example on the sidewall of the tire. An external patch includes a layer of adhesive applied directly to the slice or puncture and a patch portion that is applied to an exterior surface of a vehicle tire. A separate adhesive affixes the patch portion to the exterior surface of the tire. The adhesive is in contact with a contact surface of the patch portion and also with the exterior surface of the tire. The adhesive may not form a continuous layer, but may hold the patch to the tire by discrete anchor points of adhesive, the anchor points being separated by adhesiveless areas.