Thin Tape Cord Spinning Layer for Low-Weight Tire Stiffness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tire manufacturing methods fail to effectively reduce tire weight while maintaining stiffness, as conventional methods either reduce rubber gauge or fiber cord weight, which can compromise tire performance.

Innovation Solution

A thin layer capply is created by spinning cord strands into a tape form and coating them with a rubber layer, using materials like polyester, nylon, or aramid, to form a low-weight tire that maintains stiffness and reduces rolling resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If conventional fiber cord or steel cord is used as reinforcement material, then tire strength is maintained, but tire weight cannot be reduced effectively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire weightVSAvoidtire strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical form parameter of the reinforcement material from conventional cord/steel wire to thin tape form. The tape has a width of 5mm to 20mm and thickness of 0.05mm to 0.2mm, which fundamentally alters the weight-to-strength ratio while maintaining necessary mechanical properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite construction with a reinforcement layer containing multiple parallel strands (each 1000D to 5000D denier) embedded in a rubber matrix. This composite structure achieves both weight reduction and strength maintenance through the synergistic combination of lightweight strands and binding rubber material

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Weight of moving object

If rubber gauge is reduced to lower tire weight, then tire weight decreases, but tire stiffness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire weightVSAvoidtire stiffness
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces a new structural parameter - the thin tape form with specific width (5-20mm) and thickness (0.05-0.2mm) - that allows weight reduction while maintaining stiffness through optimized geometric distribution rather than simply reducing material gauge

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from conventional cord/steel wire (linear 1D structure) to thin tape form (planar 2D structure), allowing the reinforcement to be distributed across width and thickness dimensions to maintain stiffness while reducing overall weight

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If conventional cord strands are twisted to form capply cord, then cord strength is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecord strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the reinforcement into multiple parallel strands (each 1000D to 5000D) arranged side-by-side in the tape, replacing the conventional twisted cord structure. This segmentation maintains strength through distributed load bearing while simplifying the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of twisting strands to form cord (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by arranging strands parallel to each other in a tape structure, achieving strength through parallel alignment rather than torsional binding, thereby simplifying manufacturing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 approach results in a tire with reduced weight and improved fuel efficiency by minimizing rolling resistance while maintaining the necessary stiffness, achieved through the specific formation and coating of cord strands in a thin tape form.

Implementation Method 1

a cord spinning layer which is formed in a thin tape form by spinning a plurality of cord strands

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpinning:

Implementation Method 2

a rubber coating layer which is coated on the cord spinning layer to cover an outer portion of the cord spinning layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoating: Coatings

Data Source

PatentEP3492278B1Thin layer capply and low-weight tire using the same
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 KUMHO TIRE CO INC
  • EP3492278B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3492278B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3492278B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention provides a thin layer capply and a low-weight tire to which the thin layer capply is applied. The thin layer capply of the present invention has effects of reducing a rolling resistance of the tire through a weight reduction and improving fuel efficiency of a vehicle in which the tires are mounted while maintaining stiffness required for the tire, by forming the cord spinning layer in a thin tape form by spinning and depositing a plurality of cord strands, rather than twisting a plurality of cord strands to form the capply cord.