Tire Sidewall Mark Geometry for Visibility Without Excess Protrusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tires with marks on the sidewall suffer from impaired visibility and suboptimal design due to uniform mark height and curved surfaces, which affect both visibility and aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
A tire design featuring a mark with a curved surface portion projecting perpendicular to the surface and a flat surface portion on either side, where the raised height of the flat surface decreases along the tire's circumferential direction, enhancing visibility and design properties by creating contrast and a soft impression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the mark has a uniform height and curved surface, then the mark is simple to manufacture, but the visibility of the mark is impaired depending on the position in the tire radial direction
Solution Approach 1:
The mark is divided into different surface regions: a curved surface portion that projects perpendicular to the sidewall surface for visibility, and flat surface portions on either side with gradually decreasing height. This local differentiation allows each region to serve its specific function - the curved portion catches light for visibility while the flat portions provide aesthetic balance
Solution Approach 2:
The mark transitions from a two-dimensional curved surface to a three-dimensional structure with varying heights. The curved surface portion projects outward perpendicular to the sidewall, creating depth and dimensional variation that enhances visibility from different angles while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
2Ease of manufacture
If the mark has a uniform height and curved surface, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the design properties of the mark are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The mark employs asymmetric height distribution with the curved surface portion at the center having the maximum projection height, while the flat surface portions on either side gradually decrease in height. This asymmetric design creates visual interest and aesthetic appeal while maintaining a balanced overall appearance
Solution Approach 2:
The mark incorporates a curved surface portion that projects perpendicular to the sidewall surface, creating a smooth, rounded appearance. This curvature provides aesthetic appeal and a soft impression while being manufacturable using conventional tire molding techniques
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the mark projects significantly perpendicular to the surface, then the visibility is improved, but the mark may excessively protrude affecting tire performance
Solution Approach 1:
The mark concentrates its projection height at the curved surface portion in the center, while the flat surface portions on either side have gradually decreasing heights. This localized projection achieves maximum visibility at the most visible point while minimizing overall protrusion that could affect tire performance
Solution Approach 2:
The curved surface portion projects perpendicular to the surface to maximize visibility, while the flat surface portions provide a gradual transition that prevents excessive overall protrusion. This partial projection strategy achieves the necessary visibility without over-protruding
Data Source
AI summary
A tire that can achieve both desired visibility and design properties of a mark provided on a sidewall portion is provided. A tire has a mark provided on a surface of a sidewall portion so as to be raised from the surface. The mark includes a curved surface portion curved so as to project in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the sidewall portion, and a flat surface portion provided on at least one side in a tire circumferential direction of the curved surface portion, and a raised height h of the flat surface portion from the surface gradually decreases with increasing distance in the tire circumferential direction from the curved surface portion.