Pneumatic vehicle tyre with air-discharging threads and method for manufacturing an electrically conductive coating for the air-discharging threads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radial tires face challenges in maintaining electrical conductivity to dissipate electrostatic charge while reducing rolling resistance, as low-rolling-resistance mixtures increase electrical resistance, and the use of conductive carbon blacks affects hysteresis and reinforcing properties, leading to inadequate dispersion and high costs.
Innovation Solution
Applying an electrically conductive coating to thread-shaped air-discharging elements, which are arranged on the tire's surface, ensures improved electrical conductivity without altering the thread's physical properties, allowing for effective electrostatic charge dissipation and maintaining manufacturing quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If low-rolling-resistance mixtures are used in the carcass and side wall regions, then rolling resistance is reduced, but electrical conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies electrically conductive coating only to the thread-shaped air-discharging elements located in the head region, while the rest of the tire uses low-rolling-resistance mixtures. This localized approach provides necessary electrical conductivity at the electrostatic charge generation point without compromising the overall rolling resistance performance of the tire body.
Solution Approach 2:
The thread-shaped air-discharging elements serve as intermediary conductive paths between the head region components. By coating these elements with electrically conductive material, they mediate the dissipation of electrostatic charges that accumulate during tire operation, bridging the gap between insulating rubber components.
2Reliability
If conductive carbon blacks are used to improve electrical conductivity, then electrical resistance is reduced, but hysteresis behavior and reinforcing properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding conductive carbon blacks throughout the entire tire structure, the invention applies electrically conductive coating only to the thread-shaped air-discharging elements in the head region. This localized application provides the necessary electrical conductivity without affecting the hysteresis behavior and reinforcing properties of the low-rolling-resistance mixtures in the carcass and side wall regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple electrically conductive coating applied to thread elements rather than expensive conductive carbon blacks integrated into the rubber mixtures. This approach achieves the electrical conductivity function at lower cost and without compromising the mechanical properties of the main tire structure.
3Reliability
If the degree of filling with reinforcing fillers is reduced to accommodate conductive carbon blacks, then electrical conductivity is improved, but strength and abrasion resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The electrically conductive coating is applied only to the thread-shaped air-discharging elements in the head region, not to the entire tire structure. This allows the main tire body to maintain optimal filler content for strength and abrasion resistance, while the localized coated threads provide the necessary electrical conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coated thread elements act as intermediary conductive paths that provide electrical conductivity without requiring changes to the filler content of the main rubber mixtures. This mediates between the conflicting requirements of electrical conductivity and mechanical strength.
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 a cost-effective and high-quality pneumatic vehicle tire with improved electrical conductivity, ensuring electrostatic charge dissipation and reliable air discharge during tire construction, without the need for complex structural measures or additional conductive rubber strips.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the thread-shaped elements has a coating that is electrically conductive, so that the coated thread-shaped element forms an electrically conductive, thread-shaped element
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire (1) of radial design having a carcass (4) and having components (9, 10) which adjoin the carcass (4), wherein thread-shaped elements (11) are arranged on at least one of the two surfaces of the carcass (4) and preferably serve to discharge occluded air between the carcass (4) and the adjoining components (9, 10) during the construction of the tire. In order to improve the electrical conductivity of the pneumatic vehicle tire (1), at least one thread-shaped element (11) has a coating which is electrically conductive and jointly forms an electrically conductive, thread-shaped element (12) which has an electrical resistance of <1×107 Ohm/cm. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the electrically conductive coating.