Commercial Vehicle Tire Buffing Indicator With Dome-Shaped Elevations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing abrasion indicators on commercial vehicle tires are prone to tearing and increase air resistance due to their shape and arrangement, leading to stress peaks and reduced crack resistance.
Innovation Solution
Dome-shaped elevations with a circular base and specific dimensions are used for the abrasion indicator, distributing deformation forces evenly and reducing air resistance, while maintaining visibility and crack resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If linear elevations are used for the buffing indicator, then the buffing depth can be indicated, but the elevations are prone to tearing and increase aerodynamic drag
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by changing the elevation shape from linear to dome-shaped with a circular base. This curved geometry distributes stress evenly across the structure, preventing stress concentration at sharp edges that causes tearing in linear designs. The dome shape maintains visibility for buffing depth indication while eliminating the tearing vulnerability of linear elevations.
2Measurement precision
If linear elevations are used for the buffing indicator, then the buffing depth can be indicated, but air turbulence increases aerodynamic drag
Solution Approach 1:
The dome-shaped elevations with curved surfaces allow air to flow smoothly over them during tire rotation, reducing air turbulence and aerodynamic drag compared to linear elevations. The rounded geometry minimizes flow separation and vortex formation, thereby reducing energy loss while maintaining the indicator function.
3Illumination intensity
If the elevations have large dimensions for visibility, then the buffing indicator is more visible, but the stress peaks increase reducing crack resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The dome shape with circular base provides sufficient visibility for buffing depth indication while distributing mechanical stresses evenly across the curved surface. This eliminates stress concentration at sharp edges that would occur with linear elevations of similar dimensions, thereby maintaining crack resistance despite adequate visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies optimized dimensional parameters for the dome-shaped elevations, including base diameter and height ratios, to achieve the optimal balance between visibility and stress distribution. By carefully controlling these geometric parameters, the indicator remains visible while preventing stress peaks that lead to cracking.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a utility-vehicle tyre, which can be cold-retreaded, the tyre comprising sidewalls (5), belt layers (2a) and a profiled tread (1) that has shoulder flanks (8a) which run to the sidewalls (5) and are outside the ground contact area, wherein a buffing indicator (9, 9', 9'') for displaying the buffing depth is provided on at least one shoulder flank (8a), which buffing indicator extends in a circumferential direction, is optionally discontinuous in part and is formed by a plurality of elevations (10), wherein the elevations (10) have maximum thickness of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm with respect to the level of the shoulder flanks (8a), which thickness is determined perpendicularly to this level. The elevations (10) of the buffing indicator (9, 9', 9'') are dome-shaped and have a circular base that has a diameter of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm.