Tire Decorative Protrusions for Contrast and Expression

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing decorative portions on tires with protrusions have limited expressive scope due to uniform brightness control, restricting the aesthetic possibilities.

Innovation Solution

A tire design featuring a decorative portion with two patterned regions of protrusions, each with different shapes and heights, projecting between 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, arranged at specific pitches to control light reflection and create contrasting brightness, allowing for varied graphic expressions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the brightness of the entire decorative region is uniformly lowered using protrusions, then light reflection is controlled to create contrast, but the scope for expression using the decorative portion is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrightness controlVSAvoidscope for expression
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating different patterned regions (first and second patterned regions) within the decorative portion, where each region has protrusions with different shapes. This allows different areas to have different light reflection characteristics, enabling diverse graphic expressions while maintaining overall brightness control through the protrusion structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If protrusions are formed to control light reflection, then contrast is created in the decorative region, but the design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight reflection contrastVSAvoidpatterned region complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the decorative portion into multiple patterned regions (first patterned region, second patterned region, and potentially other regions) with different protrusion shapes. This segmentation allows independent optimization of light reflection characteristics in each region, achieving complex visual effects while maintaining manageable design complexity through modular regional division.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This design enhances the expressive capabilities of the tire's decorative portion by creating a dynamic appearance with alternating light and dark areas, enabling the display of letters, graphics, and patterns while maintaining durability through coupled protrusions.

Implementation Method 1

By using the protrusions to control light reflection, the brightness of this one region is set lower than the brightness of another region where light reflection is not controlled

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3725560B1tire
Publication Date: 2023.02.15 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP3725560B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3725560B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3725560B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A tire including a decorative portion that is formed at a tire side portion (tire outer face) and that includes a base face, and a first patterned region and a second patterned region, in each of which a plurality of protrusions, that project from the base face of the decorative portion to a projection height of from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, are formed at a pitch of from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. Shapes of the protrusions in the first patterned region and the second patterned region are different from each other as viewed along a direction orthogonal to the base face.