Non-pneumatic Tire Connecting Portion Rigidity Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional non-pneumatic tires face a challenge in maintaining rigidity in the tire circumferential direction of connecting portions, leading to decreased ability to transmit forces from the wheel hub to the outer annular portion due to deformation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates connecting portions with a main body portion that has a constant or tapered width, reinforced by inner and outer reinforcing portions that connect to the annular portions in the tire circumferential direction, enhancing rigidity and force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If connecting portions are made simple without reinforcing portions, then device complexity is reduced, but rigidity in the tire circumferential direction decreases causing deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting portion is divided into three distinct segments: a main body portion, an inner reinforcing portion, and an outer reinforcing portion. This segmentation allows each part to serve a specific function - the main body provides basic connectivity while the reinforcing portions specifically address rigidity requirements in the tire circumferential direction without unnecessarily complicating the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Reinforcing portions are added only at specific locations (inner and outer circumferential regions) of the connecting portion where rigidity is most needed for force transmission. The main body portion maintains a simpler structure, creating local quality enhancement rather than uniform complexity throughout the entire connecting portion.
2Force
If connecting portions have sufficient rigidity to transmit forces effectively, then force transmission ability improves, but deformation increases leading to stress concentration
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the connecting portion into a main body and two reinforcing portions, the structure can flexibly deform in the main body region while the inner and outer reinforcing portions maintain structural integrity. This segmentation allows controlled deformation that prevents stress concentration while preserving force transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting portion employs a composite structure combining a main body portion with inner and outer reinforcing portions. This composite design creates a structure that can simultaneously provide rigidity for force transmission and controlled flexibility to manage deformation, preventing stress concentration at critical interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
In a non-pneumatic tire, the plurality of connecting portions comprise first connecting portions extending in such fashion as to be directed from a first side in a tire width direction of an inner annular portion toward a second side in the tire width direction of an outer annular portion, and second connecting portions extending in such fashion as to be directed from the second side in the tire width direction of the inner annular portion toward the first side in the tire width direction of the outer annular portion, and at least one of the plurality of connecting portions comprises a main body portion having a width that is constant or that increases in tapered fashion by a constant ratio as viewed in the tire width direction, and an reinforcing portion that connects an end in a tire circumferential direction of the main body portion and the annular portion.