Selective Self-Sealing Tire Assembly with Viscoelastic Film
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-sealing tires lack selective control over sealing, potentially leading to structural weakening and false safety perceptions when punctured by sharp objects, as uncontrolled self-repair may not adequately address larger punctures, compromising tire reliability and safety.
Innovation Solution
A sealing assembly comprising a thin, self-supporting thermoplastic film and a viscoelastic sealing material is applied inside the tire, allowing selective sealing by limiting the transfer of sealing material to prevent sealing of punctures larger than a predetermined size, ensuring the tire's structural integrity and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If self-sealing material is applied to seal punctures, then air loss is prevented, but structural integrity is compromised for large punctures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the sealing material by using a two-component system where Component A (viscoelastic material) and Component B (hardening agent) are mixed in controlled proportions. The mixing ratio and viscosity parameters are specifically adjusted to enable the material to seal small punctures effectively while being too thick to seal large punctures, thus maintaining structural integrity for significant damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite sealing assembly comprising multiple layers: a thermoplastic film layer, a viscoelastic sealing material layer, and a puncture detection layer. This composite structure allows the different materials to perform their specific functions - the thermoplastic film provides initial sealing, the viscoelastic material seals small punctures, and the detection layer prevents false safety perceptions by indicating when structural damage has occurred.
2Reliability
If sealing material flows into puncture holes, then air escape is prevented, but false safety perception is created for large punctures
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing assembly is segmented into distinct functional layers: a thermoplastic film layer for initial sealing, a viscoelastic sealing material layer for puncture sealing, and a puncture detection layer for damage indication. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function independently, with the detection layer providing visual feedback about the extent of puncture damage while the sealing layers address air loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The puncture detection layer acts as an intermediary between the sealing function and the driver. It provides visual information about the extent of damage without interfering with the sealing action of the other layers. This intermediary layer ensures that drivers are informed of structural damage while still benefiting from the sealing function for smaller punctures.
3Reliability
If sealing material is made deformable and sticky, then puncture sealing is improved, but uncontrolled sealing of large punctures occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the viscosity and deformability parameters of the viscoelastic sealing material to achieve selective sealing. By adjusting these physical parameters, the material becomes sufficiently deformable and sticky to seal small punctures effectively, but remains too viscous to flow into and seal large punctures, thereby providing controlled adaptability based on puncture size.
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 enables controlled self-sealing that maintains tire reliability and safety by preventing excessive sealing of larger punctures, ensuring the tire's structural integrity and preventing false safety perceptions.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of sealing material having viscoelasticity and stickiness features
Implementation Method 2
sufficient viscoelasticity to enable it to become deformed during shaping and during curing/molding of the tyre
Implementation Method 3
said sealing assembly is easily puncturable by a sharp-pointed element while maintaining such a deformability and stickiness that it contributes to transfer of the sealing material
Data Source
AI summary
A method of selectively controlling the self-sealing ability of a tyre obtained by application of a sealing assembly on a drum and subsequent formation thereon of a precursor of a green tyre inclusive of liner and carcass, followed by shaping, curing and molding. The sealing assembly includes: a self-supporting thermoplastic film of polyamide or polyester and a layer of sealing material possessing viscoelasticity and stickiness features, which is associated with and supported by the self-supporting thermoplastic film. The sealing assembly is easily puncturable by a sharp-pointed element while it maintains such a deformability and stickiness that it helps in the transfer of the sealing material during ejection of the sharp-pointed element and limits the transferred material amount to such an extent that holes bigger than a predetermined value are not sealed.