Pneumatic Tire Sidewall Recesses for Conspicuous Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires struggle to enhance the visibility of indication portions on the sidewall, as existing methods like steps and grooves either create shades or resemble the surrounding surface, making the markings inconspicuous.
Innovation Solution
The tire features a series of recesses on the sidewall, each with a curved surface extending in a predetermined direction, where the center of curvature is outside the tire width, creating a gradation effect that changes with viewing direction, and a ridge line forms where adjacent recesses intersect, enhancing visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a step is provided between the edge section and inner section of the indication portion, then the presence of the step can be visually recognized, but the step cannot be conspicuous among other steps on the side wall surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing recesses only on the indication portion surface while leaving the surrounding side wall surface without recesses. This creates a localized visual effect where the indication portion stands out with a three-dimensional appearance through the recesses and ridge lines, while the rest of the side wall maintains its original smooth appearance. The local application of the recess structure ensures the indication portion is conspicuous without requiring complex modifications to the entire side wall.
2Illumination intensity
If grooves are disposed in the indication portion to create brightness contrast, then the groove portions appear dark while other portions appear bright, but the indication portion resembles the surrounding ridges and becomes inconspicuous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by creating ridge lines at the portions where curved surfaces of adjacent recesses intersect, rather than using symmetric grooves throughout. The ridge lines are formed only at the intersection points of adjacent recesses, creating an asymmetric pattern that distinguishes the indication portion from conventional uniform groove structures. This asymmetric ridge line formation enhances the three-dimensional appearance and visual distinctiveness of the indication portion.
3Shape
If ridges are provided on the outer surface of the side wall, then the surface has structural features, but the ridges are similar to the surrounding surface features and do not improve visibility of the indication portion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the indication portion surface into multiple recesses that extend in a predetermined direction and are aligned side by side. Each recess is formed by curved surfaces with centers of curvature disposed at the outside in the tire width direction. This segmentation creates multiple ridge lines at the intersection points, which collectively form a distinctive pattern on the indication portion that differentiates it from the surrounding side wall surface structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire has a plurality of recesses provided on the surface of each figures of a first indication portion. The recesses are provided so as to extend in the tire circumferential direction and are aligned side by side with each other in a direction crossing the extending direction. One end side and the other end side in the width direction of each recess are formed by curved surfaces of which a center of curvature is disposed at the outside in the tire width direction. Therefore, gradation of brightness occurs on the curved surface on the each recess. The gradation on the each recess changes depending on the viewing direction or the lighting direction. Therefore, each figure in the first indication portion looks three-dimensionally and can become more conspicuous than the other portions of a side wall.