Non-pneumatic Wheel Spokes with Elastomeric Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-pneumatic tires face challenges in achieving improved durability and reduced rolling resistance, which are essential for enhanced fuel economy and performance.
Innovation Solution
The development of spokes for non-pneumatic tires using a V-shaped form with elastomeric joint bodies made from specific rubber compositions, including natural rubber, polybutadiene rubber, and reinforcing fillers like carbon black and silica, to enhance load transmission and resistance properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-pneumatic tire constructions with shear bands and spokes are used, then gas inflation pressure dependency is eliminated and load support is improved, but durability and rolling resistance performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining rubber compositions with specific reinforcing fillers (carbon black, silica) and plasticizers in the spokes and shear band. This creates a multi-component material system that simultaneously improves durability through reinforcement and reduces rolling resistance through optimized material properties, resolving the contradiction between reliability and duration of action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes material parameters by specifying precise compositions including parts per hundred rubber (phr) ratios of natural rubber (50-100 phr), polybutadiene rubber (0-50 phr), carbon black (2-40 phr), silica (2-40 phr), and plasticizers (0-30 phr). These parameter optimizations enable the material to achieve both improved durability and reduced rolling resistance, addressing the contradiction between reliability and duration.
2Reliability
If non-pneumatic tire constructions with shear bands and spokes are used, then gas inflation pressure dependency is eliminated and load support is improved, but rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes material parameters by controlling the composition ratios of rubber components, reinforcing fillers, and plasticizers. Specifically, the inclusion of plasticizers (0-30 phr) and optimized filler ratios (carbon black to silica at 60/40 to 30/70 by weight percent) reduces hysteresis and rolling resistance while maintaining load support capability, resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite rubber materials combining natural rubber, polybutadiene rubber, carbon black, silica, and plasticizers. This composite structure allows the material to exhibit both high strength for load support and low hysteresis for reduced rolling resistance, simultaneously addressing reliability and energy loss concerns.
3Strength
If rubber compositions with high reinforcing filler content are used in spokes, then strength and load transmission are improved, but manufacturing complexity and processing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes manufacturing parameters by specifying precise filler content ranges (carbon black: 2-40 phr, silica: 2-40 phr) and plasticizer content (0-30 phr) that balance reinforcement with processability. The carbon black to silica ratio (60/40 to 30/70 by weight percent) is optimized to achieve both high strength and acceptable manufacturing ease, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of manufacture.
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
The solution provides improved durability and reduced rolling resistance, leading to better fuel economy and performance by optimizing the rubber compositions and structural design of the spokes.
Implementation Method 1
The rubber compositions may be based on a cross-linkable rubber compositions
Implementation Method 2
a first elastomeric joint body formed of a second rubber composition and positioned within the interior angle and connecting the distal ends of the first and second support elements
Implementation Method 3
between 25 phr and 40 phr of a first reinforcing filler that comprises a first carbon black and a first silica at a carbon black to silica ratio of between 60/40 and 30/70 by weight percent
Data Source
AI summary
A non-pneumatic wheel having a hub (12), an outer tread band (200) and a plurality of spokes (100) connecting the hub (12) with the outer tread band (200), each of the plurality of spokes (10) having first and second support elements joined by a first elastomeric joint body (130) connecting the first support element to the second support element.