Partial Tie Rubber Layer Positioning for Tire Weight Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pneumatic tire designs with partial tie rubber layers struggle to achieve a balance between reduced tire weight and maintaining air permeation preventive properties and steering stability, as the positioning of these layers is not optimized for maximum efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The partial tie rubber layers are strategically positioned between the carcass layer and the inner liner layer, with specific lengths of intrusion and protrusion ranges (0 mm to 15 mm and 15 mm to 120 mm respectively) and periphery lengths (30 mm to 120 mm) to minimize coverage while ensuring air permeation preventive properties and steering stability, and the rubber hardness is set between 50 to 70 to maintain rigidity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If partial tie rubber layers are used to reduce tire weight, then tire weight is reduced, but air permeation preventive properties and steering stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetire weightVSAvoidair permeation preventive properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively positioning tie rubber layers only in shoulder regions (lateral positions from 60% to 90% of tire width) rather than uniformly across the entire tire. This localized approach concentrates the tie rubber material where carcass cord intrusion risk is highest, maintaining air permeation prevention and steering stability while reducing overall tire weight by eliminating unnecessary tie rubber in central regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the tie rubber layer into multiple discrete layers (first, second, and optionally third tie rubber layers) positioned at different radial depths and lateral positions. This segmentation allows precise control over where reinforcement is provided, enabling weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining protective function in critical shoulder regions through strategically placed segmented layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Weight of moving object

If partial tie rubber layers are used to reduce tire weight, then tire weight is reduced, but steering stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetire weightVSAvoidsteering stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively positioning tie rubber layers only in shoulder regions (lateral positions from 60% to 90% of tire width) rather than uniformly across the entire tire. This localized approach concentrates the tie rubber material where carcass cord intrusion risk is highest, maintaining air permeation prevention and steering stability while reducing overall tire weight by eliminating unnecessary tie rubber in central regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the area of partial tie rubber layers is increased to maintain air permeation preventive properties, then air permeation prevention is improved, but tire weight reduction is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair permeation preventive propertiesVSAvoidtire weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively positioning tie rubber layers only in shoulder regions (lateral positions from 60% to 90% of tire width) rather than uniformly across the entire tire. This localized approach concentrates the tie rubber material where carcass cord intrusion risk is highest, maintaining air permeation prevention and steering stability while reducing overall tire weight by eliminating unnecessary tie rubber in central regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by providing tie rubber coverage only in the necessary shoulder regions (60%-90% lateral position) rather than excessive full-coverage tie rubber layers. This partial coverage is sufficient to prevent air permeation and maintain steering stability while avoiding the weight penalty of complete coverage, achieving optimal balance through minimal necessary intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11498363B2Pneumatic tire

Publication Date: 2022.11.15 THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a pneumatic tire. A partial tie rubber layer is selectively disposed between a carcass layer and an inner liner layer in an area on a tread portion on either side in a tire lateral direction excluding a center region of the tread portion such that a length of intrusion from a perpendicular line extending from an outermost edge of a belt layer in a tire lateral direction through the inner liner layer toward a tire equator of each of the partial tie rubber layers is within the range from 0 to 15 mm and a length of protrusion from the perpendicular line toward a bead portion of the partial tie rubber layer is within the range from 15 to 120 mm.