Heavy Load Tire Belt Structure Segmentation and Nesting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heavy load vehicle tires experience premature belt structure separations and uneven tread wear, leading to reduced performance and service life, particularly in shoulder regions and during drive position use.

Innovation Solution

A tire design featuring symmetrically arranged lateral reinforcing layers with circumferential elements, additional reinforcing layers between crossed belt layers, and an external belt layer with parallel reinforcing elements, enhancing structural integrity and wear evenness while improving handling and durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional belt structure is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but premature belt structure separations occur and service life is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice lifeVSAvoidbelt structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The belt structure is divided into multiple distinct layers: a first belt layer with first reinforcing elements at an first angle, a second belt layer with second reinforcing elements at a second angle, and an intermediate layer positioned between them. This segmentation allows each layer to perform specific functions, preventing premature separations and extending service life while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intermediate layer is nested between the first and second belt layers, creating a layered configuration where each layer is positioned within the overall belt structure. This nested arrangement ensures proper integration of layers, prevents delamination, and enhances overall structural reliability without requiring complex external reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If conventional belt structure is used, then device complexity is lower, but uneven tread wear occurs and performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveperformanceVSAvoidbelt structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first and second belt layers are configured with different angles of reinforcing elements relative to the tire equatorial plane, creating local variations in mechanical properties across the belt structure. This local quality differentiation optimizes wear distribution across the tread, preventing uneven wear patterns and maintaining performance, while the complexity is localized rather than distributed throughout the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If additional reinforcing layers are added, then structural integrity improves, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

An intermediate layer is added between the first and second belt layers, providing partial reinforcement specifically at the interface between layers. This partial action prevents delamination and enhances structural integrity without requiring excessive reinforcement throughout the entire belt structure, thereby limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity to only the necessary intermediate layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2173573B1Heavy load vehicle tire
Publication Date: 2012.02.01 PIRELLI TYRE SPA
  • EP2173573B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2173573B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Tire (100) comprising: - a carcass structure comprising at least one carcass ply (101), of a substantially toroidal shape, having opposite lateral edges associated with repective right-hand and left-hand bead structures; - a belt structure (105) applied in a radially external position with respect to said carcass structure; - a tread band applied in radially external postion with respect to said belt structure; - two sidewalls, each sidewall being applied laterally on opposite sides with respect to said carcass structure; said belt structure comprising: - at least one pair of lateral reinforcing layers (105e) substantially simmetrically arranged with respect to the eguatorical plane of said tire and applied in correspondence of the axially external portions of said tire belt structure, said lateral reinforcing layers being provided with reinforcing elements oriented in a substantially circumferential direction; a first belt layer (105a) applied in a radially external position with respect to said at least one pair of lateral reinforcing layers (105e), said first belt layer (105a) being provided with reinforcing elements parallel to one another and inclined with respect to the equatorial plane of said tire.