Split Ply Tire Bead Area Monocomponent Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional radial ply tire construction with a single carcass ply is difficult to mass produce due to inside turnups, which are not conducive to conventional tire building, and previous split ply structures did not fully utilize the split ply features, resulting in tires that are not significantly different from conventional tires.

Innovation Solution

A disk-shaped bead area monocomponent is created as an intermediate article of manufacture, comprising an annular bead core, bead apex, ply strip, and sidewall, which can be stacked and assembled later into a toroidally shaped split ply carcass with belt and tread structures, allowing for simplified assembly and varying tire sizes using a single monocomponent.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single carcass ply with inside turnups is used, then bead durability and tire performance are improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases and mass production becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebead durabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The single carcass ply is divided into two separate plies that are applied to opposite sides of the bead core. This segmentation allows each ply to be manufactured and positioned independently, enabling inside turnups to be achieved while maintaining compatibility with conventional tire building processes and mass production capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a split ply structure with inside turnups is implemented, then bead durability is improved, but the construction becomes more complex and different from conventional tires

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebead durabilityVSAvoidconstruction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The two separate plies are merged at the bead core area to form a unified structure with inside turnups. This merging approach achieves the desired bead durability and inside turnup configuration while maintaining a construction that is relatively simple and closely resembles conventional tire building methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional tire building methods are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but inside turnups cannot be achieved and bead durability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidbead durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The two plies are preliminarily positioned and applied to the bead core before the final tire assembly process. This preliminary action enables the inside turnup configuration to be established early in manufacturing, allowing conventional tire building methods to be used for the remaining steps while achieving improved bead durability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10124551B2Split ply tires and bead area monocomponents

Publication Date: 2018.11.13 THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO

AI summary

An intermediate article of manufacture formed as a first stage bead area subassembly for a split ply pneumatic tire carcass is disclosed. The bead area subassembly has an annular bead core; a bead apex; a ply strip; and preferably a sidewall affixed to the ply strip. The subassembly is formed into a disk-shaped bead area monocomponent. The ply strip is wrapped about the bead core and the apex to form a ply turnup and both the ply strip and the ply turnup extend radially outwardly from the bead core. The bead area subassembly when formed into the disk-shaped bead area monocomponent is placed on an annular holder device.