Sidewall Gum Layer Layout for Lower-Heat Pneumatic Tires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires face challenges in reducing heat generation and wear at the sidewall without increasing overall tire weight, which affects performance and fuel economy.
Innovation Solution
The tire design incorporates thin, strategically placed unreinforced extra rubber gum layers to absorb and dissipate energy and heat, with a sidewall-over-tread design that includes a radially innermost belt and wraparound gum layers to minimize weight while enhancing durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thickness of rubber of the tire side portion is increased to restrict deformations, then sidewall durability is improved, but the overall tire weight increases which increases rolling resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing gum layers only in specific high-stress regions (sidewall areas subject to flexing and heat generation) rather than uniformly thickening the entire sidewall. This localized reinforcement provides durability where needed while minimizing overall weight increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the base tire rubber with additional gum layers made of rubber compounds. These gum layers are strategically applied to create a composite structure that enhances sidewall durability through material properties while controlling weight.
2Temperature
If the thickness of rubber of the tire side portion is increased to reduce heat generation, then thermal durability is improved, but rolling resistance increases reducing fuel economy
Solution Approach 1:
The gum layers are applied locally to the sidewall regions that experience the most flexing and heat generation during tire operation. This targeted approach reduces thermal stress where it occurs most without adding weight that would increase rolling resistance across the entire tire.
3Weight of moving object
If thin gum layers are used to minimize weight increase, then rolling resistance is reduced, but protection against heat and wear may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the balance between weight and protection by applying thin gum layers only in the specific sidewall regions that require protection from heat and wear. This ensures adequate durability while keeping the weight increase minimal.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of rubber compound gum layers creates a composite structure that provides enhanced heat and wear resistance despite the thin thickness, leveraging the material properties of rubber to achieve protection with minimal weight.
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 design improves tire durability with minimal weight increase, reducing rolling resistance and maintaining performance under high-load conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the rubber of the tire sidewall deforms, which creates heat and accelerates wear of the sidewall
Implementation Method 2
thin layers (e.g., 0.2 mm to 2 mm thick or 0.4 mm to 1.5 mm thick) of unreinforced extra rubber (referred to herein as gum layers) that are strategically placed to absorb and dissipate energy and heat generated when the sidewall flexes
Data Source
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AI summary
A tire (10) is disclosed comprising first and second annular bead cores (36a, 36b) axially spaced from one another; a carcass (22) including at least one ply (30) wrapped around the first and second bead cores (36a, 36b), said ply (30) defining a pair of turned up ends (30a, 30b) extending to radially outer end points (30a', 30b') of the respective ply (30); first and second bead regions (20a, 20b) wrapped by the at least one ply (30) such that the first and second bead regions (20a, 20b) are bounded laterally by the at least one ply (30) and the turned up ends (30a, 30b), and bounded radially by radially innermost edges of respective annular bead cores (30a, 36b) and the radially outer end points (30a', 30b') of respective turned up ends (30a, 30b); a belt structure (14) disposed radially outward of the carcass (22), the belt structure (14) including a radially innermost belt (24) having first and second lateral end portions (24a, 24b) terminating in respective first and second lateral edges (24a', 24b') of the radially innermost belt (24) respectively; and first and second sidewall gum layers (52a, 52b) each extending along a surface of the at least one ply (30) from a first end (52a', 52b') to a second end (52a", 52b"), the first end (52a', 52b') being disposed axially inward of a respective lateral edge (24a', 24b') of the radially innermost belt (24) and the second end (52a", 52b") being disposed within a respective bead region (20a, 20b) of the first and second bead regions (20a, 20b).