Pneumatic Tire Inner Liner Protective Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pneumatic tires face issues with weathering resistance, damage resistance, and fatigue resistance, particularly during storage and display, due to the limitations of existing inner liner technologies.

Innovation Solution

A pneumatic tire design featuring a thermoplastic elastomer inner liner with a protective layer, comprising natural rubber, epoxylated diene-based rubber, and halogenated butyl rubber, which enhances bondability and includes a bonding layer for improved splicing and productivity during manufacturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a thermoplastic elastomer inner liner is used, then the tire structure is simplified and manufacturing is easier, but the weathering resistance, damage resistance and fatigue resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing easeVSAvoidweathering resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining a thermoplastic elastomer inner liner with a protective layer made of different rubber materials. The inner liner provides manufacturing advantages while the protective layer compensates for deficiencies in weathering resistance, damage resistance and fatigue resistance. This composite structure allows each layer to contribute its strengths, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If a thermoplastic elastomer inner liner is used, then the tire structure is simplified and manufacturing is easier, but the damage resistance and fatigue resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing easeVSAvoiddamage resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer composed of rubber materials with superior mechanical properties is combined with the thermoplastic elastomer inner liner. This composite structure provides the damage resistance and fatigue resistance that the thermoplastic elastomer alone cannot achieve, while maintaining the manufacturing simplicity of the thermoplastic elastomer system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If a protective layer is added to the inner liner, then the weathering resistance, damage resistance and fatigue resistance improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweathering resistanceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the inner liner system into two functional layers: a thermoplastic elastomer inner liner and a protective layer. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system simplicity. The protective layer is designed as a distinct component that can be applied separately, reducing the complexity of integrating multiple functions into a single material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If a protective layer is added to the inner liner, then the weathering resistance, damage resistance and fatigue resistance improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage resistanceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the protective function into a separate protective layer, the patent achieves improved damage resistance without significantly increasing overall structural complexity. The protective layer is designed as a straightforward addition that works in conjunction with the existing thermoplastic elastomer inner liner, maintaining system simplicity while enhancing performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

5Device complexity

If conventional inner liner materials are used, then the structure is simple, but the bondability and splicing performance during manufacturing deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidsplicing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer is designed with specific local qualities including rubber materials with good bondability and splicing performance. This local quality enhancement at the protective layer interface improves manufacturing performance without requiring changes to the overall simple structure of the thermoplastic elastomer inner liner system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 solution significantly improves weathering resistance, damage resistance, and fatigue resistance of the film liner, while also enhancing the bonding process and productivity in tire manufacturing by using a protective layer with specific rubber compounds and a bonding layer.

Implementation Method 1

by arranging a protective layer on the surface of an inner liner layer of a pneumatic tire using a thermoplastic elastomer, the weathering resistance, damage resistance and fatigue resistance of the film liner at the time of tire storage can be improved

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical protection:

Implementation Method 2

by compounding, to this protective layer, an epoxylated diene-based rubber and a halogenated butyl rubber, the bondability with the film liner layer can be improved

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2172349B1Pneumatic tire with protective layer
Publication Date: 2013.03.27 THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD
  • EP2172349B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2172349B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

A pneumatic tire using, as an inner liner layer, a thermoplastic elastomer comprising a thermoplastic resin matrix, in which a rubber component is dispersed a surface of the inner liner layer is covered with a protective layer, whereby a weathering resistance, damage resistance and fatigue resistance of the film liner of the inner liner layer at the time of tire storage are improved.