Non-pneumatic Tire Modular Support Ring Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Non-pneumatic tires lack the handling characteristics desired in vehicle tires and are difficult to manufacture, making them less viable compared to pneumatic tires.
Innovation Solution
A non-pneumatic tire design featuring a tread, concentric support rings, base elements, and a hub, which allows for improved handling and manufacturing efficiency by using a modular structure that can be assembled and cured independently, optimizing rotation direction and performance characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-pneumatic tire design is used, then air pressure containment is eliminated, but handling characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The tire is divided into discrete modular elements (base elements, support rings, tread blocks) that can be independently configured. This segmentation allows the tread pattern and support structure to be optimized for handling while maintaining the non-pneumatic design, resolving the contradiction between operational reliability and handling characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The tire structure incorporates dynamic elements including the interaction between the tread, base elements, and support rings that allow the tire to adapt its mechanical properties during operation. This dynamic response enables improved handling characteristics while maintaining reliability without air pressure.
2Reliability
If non-pneumatic tire design is used, then air pressure containment is eliminated, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tire is divided into discrete modular elements (base elements, support rings, tread blocks) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by allowing each component to be produced separately using optimized processes, then combined through attachment mechanisms, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Components such as the tread, base elements, and support rings are prepared and pre-configured before final assembly. This preliminary action allows for optimized manufacturing of individual components and simplifies the final assembly process, reducing overall manufacturing difficulty while ensuring the tire meets performance requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If modular structure with concentric support rings is used, then manufacturing ease is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The concentric support rings serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, define the tire geometry, facilitate assembly, and enable the modular construction approach. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing ease and efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Various example embodiments of a non-pneumatic tires are presented. In one embodiment, a non-pneumatic tire is provided, comprising: a tread; a support ring comprising a plurality of support ring elements, each having the same diameter, wherein the plurality of support ring elements are coupled to one another by at least one strap; a hub, wherein the tread, the support ring, and the hub are concentric; a plurality of base elements oriented between the tread and the support ring, wherein each of the base elements extends along the width of one of the support ring elements. Alternatively, each of the base elements may extend from an axially outer edge of a support ring element to the center of an adjacent support ring element.