Tire Sidewall Micro-Projection Gradient for Mark Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tire designs face challenges in enhancing the visibility of marks on the sidewall portion due to limitations in air resistance and rubber gauge thickness, leading to insufficient visibility of decorative patterns.

Innovation Solution

A tire design featuring a decorative region with micro projections adjacent to the marks, where the height or density of the projections gradually decreases with distance from the mark, creating a shadow effect that enhances visibility and gives a stereoscopic appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a projecting mark is formed on the sidewall surface to enhance visibility, then visibility of the mark is improved, but air resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of markVSAvoidair resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a decorative region with micro projections only in specific areas adjacent to the mark, rather than making the entire mark protrude. This localized approach enhances mark visibility through the decorative effect while minimizing the overall impact on air resistance, as only a limited region contains the relief structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If a recessed mark is formed on the sidewall surface to enhance visibility, then visibility of the mark is improved, but the depth is restricted by rubber gauge thickness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of markVSAvoiddepth of recessed mark
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of mark depth by transitioning from a deeply recessed design to a shallower recessed or projected design accompanied by a decorative region. This parameter change allows the mark to achieve sufficient visibility enhancement without requiring excessive depth that would be constrained by the rubber gauge thickness of the sidewall.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Shape

If a mosaic pattern is formed on the sidewall surface to enhance design, then design is enhanced and defective appearance is concealed, but visibility of the mark is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign enhancementVSAvoidvisibility of mark
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the sidewall surface into distinct functional regions: a mark region containing the character or figure, and an adjacent decorative region containing the mosaic pattern. This segmentation allows the mosaic pattern to provide design enhancement and conceal defective appearance in the decorative region, while the mark region maintains sufficient contrast and visibility for the mark itself.

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

The design effectively increases the apparent floating height of marks, enhancing visibility and creating a more pronounced shadow effect, thereby improving the overall design and visibility of the marks on the tire sidewall.

Implementation Method 1

A decorative region having a plurality of micro projections 6 is formed adjacent to the mark 4 on the surface 2S of the sidewall portion 2 outside the mark 4

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 2

the greater a distance from the mark is, the less a height of the micro projections is

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentEP3960507B1tire
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3960507B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3960507B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3960507B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

At least one mark 4 formed by a character or a figure and a decorative region 5 disposed adjacent to the mark 4 outside the mark 4 are formed on a surface 2S of a sidewall portion 2. The decorative region 5 has a plurality of micro projections 6. The decorative region 5 includes a first region 7 formed in at least a part of the decorative region 5 such that the greater a distance from the mark 4 is, the less a height H6 of the micro projection 6 is.