Rubber Wear Test Device Contact Pressure Replication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for evaluating rubber wear properties fail to accurately predict the anti-wear performance of tires under practical conditions, as they do not accurately reproduce the wear phenomenon in laboratory samples, leading to discrepancies between laboratory and real-world tire performance.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that apply a pressing load to replicate the contact pressure distribution of a tire's contact patch, ensuring the contact pressure on a sample matches that of the tire, along with adjusting torque to match frictional energy, allowing precise reproduction of wear phenomena and improved prediction of tire wear life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional pressing load settings are used (based on tire internal pressure or averaged wheel load), then the test can be performed with simple load application, but the contact pressure does not accurately reproduce real tire contact patch conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprediction accuracy of tire anti-wear propertiesVSAvoidcomplexity of pressing load application
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing load is adjusted to achieve a specific contact pressure value (0.05 to 0.2 MPa) that matches the real tire contact patch conditions. This parameter change transforms the conventional simple load application into a precision-controlled pressing mechanism that reproduces actual service conditions, thereby improving prediction accuracy without excessive complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If practical tire wear evaluation is performed by actually using the tire on a vehicle, then the anti-wear properties can be accurately assessed, but the evaluation time becomes excessively long

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of anti-wear property evaluationVSAvoidevaluation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a laboratory test that copies the essential characteristics of practical tire wear by reproducing the contact pressure conditions of the real contact patch. This copying approach allows accurate anti-wear property evaluation to be performed on rubber samples in the laboratory without requiring actual tire deployment and field testing, thus dramatically reducing evaluation time while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If the contact pressure in the test does not match the real contact patch conditions, then the test setup remains simple, but the wear phenomenon cannot be precisely reproduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereproduction accuracy of wear phenomenonVSAvoidease of test setup
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing load is specifically adjusted to achieve the target contact pressure range (0.05 to 0.2 MPa) that matches real tire contact patch conditions. This parameter optimization enables precise reproduction of the wear phenomenon while maintaining reasonable operational simplicity, as the adjustment is straightforward and the resulting wear reproduction is significantly improved.

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

This approach enables precise evaluation of tire wear life and anti-wear properties, aligning laboratory results with real-world performance by accurately replicating the wear conditions experienced by tires during practical use.

Implementation Method 1

a disk-shaped grindstone, a grindstone rotating means which rotates the grindstone, ... wherein the sample can be worn by rotating the grindstone and the sample

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

a sample pressing means which presses sample on the grindstone... the pressing load is adjusted to a contact pressure value... such that the contact pressure when the sample is pressed on the outer periphery of the grindstone... and the contact pressure at a site related to the evaluation of rubber wear

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 3

a torque is applied to the sample... such that the frictional energy generated when the sample is pressed on the outer periphery of the grindstone and the frictional energy at a site related to the evaluation of rubber wear

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2541227B1Method of testing rubber wear, and method, device and program of calculating rubber index of tire using method of testing rubber wear
Publication Date: 2020.05.06 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP2541227B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2541227B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(B)
  • EP2541227B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Provided is a method of testing rubber wear in which a wear phenomenon occurred in a tire can be precisely reproduced in a sample, and a method of calculating the rubber index of a tire using the method of testing rubber wear. Also provided is a test method for predicting the anti-wear properties of a tire by using a test piece of the same rubber as that of a tire tread, which is a method of testing rubber wear in which, while a disk-shaped sample 3 and a disk-shaped grinding wheel 1 are rotated at individually predetermined numbers of rotations, the sample 3 is pressed on the outer periphery of the grinding wheel 1. A pressing load is applied to the sample 3 such that a contact pressure when the sample is pressed on the outer periphery of the grinding wheel 1 and a contact pressure at a site related to the evaluation of rubber wear of tread are the same.