Tire Bead Structure for Zero-Pressure Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tires lack effective solutions for maintaining mobility and performance after punctures, with existing self-sealing technologies being temporary, expensive, or compromising on comfort and rolling resistance.
Innovation Solution
A tire design featuring a torus-shaped structure with an airtight layer covered by a self-sealing product and an annular reinforcing structure composed of multiple windings of a single metal thread, which enhances bead resistance to unseating and maintains performance under zero inflation pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a layer of self-sealing product is introduced into the tyre structure, then puncture resistance is improved, but the tyre cannot deal with excessively large perforating objects or perforations outside the self-sealing product regions
Solution Approach 1:
The tyre structure is segmented into multiple functional layers: an airtight layer for sealing small punctures, a self-sealing product layer for additional puncture resistance, and a bead structure with annular reinforcing elements for structural integrity. This segmentation allows each layer to address specific types of damage, improving overall reliability while maintaining adaptability through the combination of layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The tyre employs a composite structure combining the airtight layer, self-sealing product, and annular reinforcing elements made of metal threads. This composite approach integrates materials with different properties to address various failure modes: the airtight layer for sealing, the self-sealing product for puncture resistance, and the metal reinforcement for structural support against large objects and edge-case perforations.
2Reliability
If structural reinforcing elements are introduced into the tyre/wheel assembly to enable continued running after pressure loss, then mobility is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and performance factors such as comfort and rolling resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly reinforcing the entire tyre structure, the invention places annular reinforcing elements specifically at the bead regions where structural integrity is most critical after pressure loss. This localized reinforcement provides the necessary support for continued mobility while minimizing additional weight and complexity compared to full-structure reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular reinforcing elements at the beads serve multiple functions: they maintain bead stability on the rim, support the tyre structure during deflation, enable continued mobility, and preserve steering capability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems, thereby controlling manufacturing cost and structural complexity while achieving reliable post-puncture performance.
3Reliability
If the bead structure is reinforced to withstand zero inflation pressure, then the tyre can maintain steering capability after punctures, but the complexity of the bead structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The annular reinforcing elements are configured in a curved, annular shape that follows the natural curvature of the bead region. This curved geometry efficiently distributes stresses during deflation and maintains bead stability on the rim without requiring complex three-dimensional structures, thereby achieving steering capability under zero pressure with controlled complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bead structure combines metal threads forming annular reinforcing elements with the tyre's rubber matrix and self-sealing product. This composite construction provides the necessary mechanical strength for zero-pressure steering while keeping the overall structure relatively simple, as the metal reinforcement is integrated into the existing tyre architecture rather than added as a separate complex system.
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 tire allows vehicles to travel significant distances and maintain steering capability after punctures without compromising comfort, rolling resistance, or performance, enabling safe exit from hazardous areas.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of self-sealing product, which make it possible to seal off the perforations
Implementation Method 2
an annular reinforcing structure, the said annular reinforcing structure comprises several windings of a single metal thread
Data Source
AI summary
A tire has a form of a torus that is open radially on an inside portion. The tire includes inner and outer walls, a crown, two sidewalls, two beads, a crown reinforcement, and a carcass reinforcement anchored in the beads and extending at least from the beads as far as the crown. The inner wall is covered at least in part with an airtight layer, and the airtight layer is covered at least in part with a layer of a self-sealing product. Each of the beads includes an annular reinforcing structure, with each annular reinforcing structure being formed of a plurality of windings of a single metal thread. The windings are arranged in a plurality of radially superposed layers, with each layer having a group of the windings arranged axially in a side by side manner, such that the superposed layers have a hexagonal cross section.