Self-Sealing Tire Structure With Non-Woven Sound Absorbing Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tire technologies face challenges in effectively preventing air leakage when a tire is punctured, as the sound-absorbing foam material penetrates into the damaged area, interfering with the sealant's ability to maintain air pressure, leading to rapid air loss.

Innovation Solution

A tire design featuring a sound-absorbing material layer made of non-woven polypropylene air-through fabric attached to a sealant layer, where only the sealant is applied to the damaged area upon puncture, preventing the foam material from entering and ensuring effective air retention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a foam body is attached to the sealant layer for sound absorption, then noise reduction performance is improved, but the foam body penetrates into the damaged portion during puncture and prevents effective air leakage prevention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise reduction performanceVSAvoidair leakage prevention capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the sound-absorbing function from the foam body and assigns it to a separate non-woven fabric layer. The sealant layer is purified to contain only sealing components, allowing it to effectively fill and seal punctures without interference from sound-absorbing materials. This separation resolves the contradiction by enabling each layer to perform its designated function independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The tire liner is segmented into two distinct functional layers: a sealant layer dedicated to air leakage prevention and a non-woven fabric layer dedicated to sound absorption. This segmentation allows the sealant to respond quickly and effectively to punctures without being hindered by the sound-absorbing material, while still maintaining noise reduction performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If low-viscosity butyl rubber is used as sealant for preventing air leakage, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the sealant cannot properly maintain air pressure when foam body penetrates into damaged portion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair leakage prevention capabilityVSAvoidair pressure maintenance capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the sound-absorbing foam body from the sealant layer composition, creating a purified sealant layer that contains only sealing materials. This extraction ensures that when a puncture occurs, only the sealant material is available to fill and seal the damaged portion, eliminating the problem of foam body interference and ensuring proper air pressure maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a non-woven fabric sound absorbing material layer is attached to the sealant layer, then noise reduction is achieved, but the structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise reductionVSAvoidlayer structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the tire liner into two simple, distinct layers with clear functional boundaries. The sealant layer is applied directly to the inner liner surface, and the non-woven fabric layer is attached on top of it. This segmentation provides a simple manufacturing process and clear functional differentiation without excessive structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 maintains 85% of the initial air pressure after 10 minutes and 85% of the sound-absorbing material's thickness after 10,000 km, providing enhanced noise reduction and self-sealing capabilities without compromising air retention.

Implementation Method 1

a sealant layer which is disposed between the inner surface of the tire and the sound absorbing material layer and includes a sealant that attaches the sound absorbing material layer to the inner surface of the tire

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

a sound absorbing material layer which is attached to an inner surface of a tire... having a noise reduction performance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 3

30 parts by weight of low viscosity polyisobutylene having a level of 25 in the viscosity based on Mooney viscosity ML1+8 and 125°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscosity: Viscometer

Data Source

PatentEP3782828B1Tire including sealant layer and sound absorbing material layer
Publication Date: 2024.06.19 HANKOOK TIRE & TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP3782828B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

A tire including a sealant layer and a sound absorbing material layer is provided, and more particularly, a tire is provided, which includes a sound absorbing material layer which is attached to an inner surface of a tire, and a sealant layer which is disposed between the inner surface of the tire and the sound absorbing material layer and includes a sealant which attaches the sound absorbing material layer to the inner surface of the tire. The sound absorbing material layer includes a non-woven fabric.