Pneumatic Tire Marking Surface With Parallelogram Grid Contrast

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pneumatic vehicle tire designs with marking surfaces have limited design options for enhancing contrast effects, making it difficult to manufacture and achieve high visibility of markings, especially on black rubber surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A parallelogram grid pattern on the tire's sidewall and tread with internal angles of 35° to 90°, featuring additional elevations within the parallelograms, increases the density and variation of inclined surfaces, enhancing light scattering, reflection, and absorption, thereby improving contrast and visibility of markings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a diamond grid with 90° internal angles is used for high-contrast surface design, then the contrast effect is improved, but the design options are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrast effectVSAvoiddesign options
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by varying the internal angles of the parallelogram grid across different regions or allowing different parallelograms to have different angles within the 35° to 90° range. This enables different contrast effects and visual appearances in different areas of the marking surface, thereby increasing design options while maintaining the contrast enhancement benefit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the grid structure by specifying internal angles between 35° and 90°, deviating from the conventional fixed 90° diamond grid. This parameter variation allows for multiple design configurations (different angles, orientations, and patterns) while still achieving the desired contrast effect through controlled light scattering and shadow formation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If transverse elevations are added within parallelograms to increase light scattering, then the contrast effect is significantly improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrast effectVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the parallelogram structure by adding additional elevations within the parallelogram boundaries, dividing each parallelogram into multiple smaller surface elements. This segmentation increases light scattering and contrast effect while the modular nature of the segmentation allows for systematic manufacturing using segmented molds or multi-step forming processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates the additional elevations within the parallelograms during the vulcanization process itself, rather than requiring post-manufacturing operations. The mold is pre-configured with the complete three-dimensional structure including both the parallelogram grid and the internal elevations, allowing all features to be formed in a single curing cycle, thus managing manufacturing complexity through upfront mold design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Illumination intensity

If the internal angle is limited to 35° to 55° to increase density of inclined surfaces, then the contrast effect is improved, but the ventilation and removal from mold becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrast effectVSAvoidventilation and removal from mold
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the internal angle parameter within the 35° to 55° range (particularly 40° to 50°, preferably 45°) to achieve the desired balance between contrast effect and manufacturability. This specific parameter range provides sufficient inclination for light scattering and shadow formation while maintaining adequate clearance for mold ventilation channels and facilitating tire removal from the mold after vulcanization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 significantly enhances the contrast effect by increasing the density of inclined surfaces, creating additional shadow effects and scattering light in different directions, making markings more visible and easier to manufacture using a vulcanization mold.

Implementation Method 1

The scattering of light on the sides of the elevations reduces the reflection of the light on the surface of the tire, which changes the brightness effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 2

The additional inclined surfaces of the additional elevation increase the scattering, multiple reflection and absorption of light falling on the marking surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

The additional inclined surfaces of the additional elevation increase the scattering, multiple reflection and absorption of light falling on the marking surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentEP3976395B1Pneumatic vehicle tires having a marking surface
Publication Date: 2023.09.27 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP3976395B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3976395B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3976395B1 patent drawingFigure 4a~4d

AI summary

The invention relates to pneumatic vehicle tires (1) having side walls (2) and a tread (3) and having at least one marking surface (4) on at least one of the side walls (2) and/or the tread (3), wherein the marking surface (4) has two parallel sets (5, 5') of elongate elevations (6, 6'), wherein the two parallel sets (5, 5') intersect and form a parallelogram grid. The problem to be solved is therefore that of more specifically influencing the contrast effect and further increasing the contrast effect. In addition, simple producibility of the tire is also to be made possible. This is achieved in that the parallelograms of the parallelogram grid have an interior angle (7) of 35° to 90°, and in that at least one parallelogram, preferably at least half of the parallelograms, particularly preferably all parallelograms, has or have an additional elevation (8) within the planar extension thereof.