Smart Non-Pneumatic Tire Spoke Stiffness for Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional non-pneumatic tires suffer from severe vibrations, heat dissipation issues, and ride discomfort due to minimal damping, limiting their commercial usability.
Innovation Solution
A smart non-pneumatic tire system that measures tire-road contact acceleration data, velocity, and normal load to generate a mean vibration characteristic, using machine learning algorithms and smart materials that adjust stiffness in real-time based on driving conditions to improve ride comfort and damping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-pneumatic tires are used to eliminate punctures, then safety from road hazards is improved, but severe vibrations and ride discomfort occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the spoke structure adjustable in real-time. The spokes transition from a static structure to a dynamic one that can change stiffness characteristics. Sensors detect vibration levels and the control system adjusts spoke stiffness dynamically to minimize vibrations while maintaining puncture resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of spoke stiffness dynamically. By adjusting the stiffness parameter of the spokes based on real-time vibration measurements, the system optimizes ride comfort without compromising the fundamental safety advantage of non-pneumatic tires.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional non-pneumatic tire structures are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but heat dissipation issues and minimal damping occur
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable spoke structure introduces dynamic capability to manage heat dissipation. By varying spoke stiffness in real-time, the system can optimize heat distribution and dissipation characteristics without fundamentally complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the stiffness parameter of spokes to optimize thermal management. This parameter adjustment allows the tire to dissipate heat more effectively under different operating conditions while maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity.
3Device complexity
If fixed stiffness spokes are used, then device complexity is minimized, but vibration damping performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static spoke structure into a dynamic system with adjustable stiffness. This is achieved through actuators that can modify spoke properties in real-time, enabling effective vibration damping while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control where sensors continuously monitor vibration levels and feed this information to the control system. The control system then adjusts spoke stiffness accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that effectively dampens vibrations without requiring overly complex mechanical structures.
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 system effectively reduces vibrations and enhances ride comfort by dynamically adjusting the stiffness of the tire spokes, addressing the limitations of conventional non-pneumatic tires and providing a safer, more comfortable riding experience.
Implementation Method 1
receiving, by a computing device, tire-road contact acceleration data from an accelerometer
Implementation Method 2
the tire can include spokes that include smart material, which include material that can change in stiffness based on an external stimuli. In one example, the smart material can include piezoelectric material
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of a smart non-pneumatic tire and methods for generating a mean vibration characteristic of the smart non-pneumatic tire are described. In one embodiment, a method for measuring the mean vibration characteristic includes receiving tire-road contact acceleration data from an accelerometer that is secured near a tire-surface contact region, where the tire-road contact acceleration data includes data captured by the accelerometer over a duration of time while a tread along an outer periphery of a sector of the tire contacts a surface. The method further includes receiving velocity data for the tire and load data for the tire over the duration of time. The method further includes generating a mean vibration characteristic based on the above-mentioned data. The method also includes changing a stiffness of spokes of the tire based on the generated mean vibration characteristic in some cases.