Pneumatic Tire Sidewall Reinforcement via Segmented Extension Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires face challenges in reinforcing sidewall portions to enhance durability, steering stability, and noise reduction, with existing solutions either causing discontinuities that lead to durability issues or failing to effectively suppress a wide frequency band of vibrations and noise.
Innovation Solution
The tire features extension block groups with varying cross section heights extending from the shoulder to the sidewall, including a first block exceeding half the tire cross section height and a second block with a lower height, arranged in a circumferential direction to reinforce the sidewall without discontinuities and suppress vibrations across a wide frequency band.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the rubber hardness of the sidewall portion is enhanced to reinforce it, then the durability and steering stability are improved, but the noise reduction ability is limited and the sidewall becomes too rigid
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall reinforcement is divided into multiple extension blocks with different cross-section heights arranged in the circumferential direction. This segmentation allows different portions of the sidewall to have different rigidity characteristics, providing both strength and vibration suppression across multiple frequency bands.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sidewall are reinforced with extension blocks of varying cross-section heights, creating local variations in rigidity. The first extension block with greater height provides reinforcement at one location while the second extension block with smaller height provides reinforcement at another location, allowing tailored local properties throughout the sidewall.
2Reliability
If a single height extension block is used to reinforce the sidewall, then the durability is improved, but discontinuous reinforced regions are generated at the shoulder portion and cracks are prone to occur
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure is segmented into multiple extension blocks of different cross-section heights arranged circumferentially. This segmentation ensures that the reinforced region continues smoothly around the tire without creating discontinuities at the shoulder portion, eliminating stress concentration points where cracks would form.
Solution Approach 2:
Extension blocks of asymmetric heights are used instead of uniform blocks. The first extension block has a greater cross-section height than the second extension block, creating an asymmetric pattern that distributes stress more evenly and maintains continuity of the reinforced region around the tire circumference.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform height extension blocks are used, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the vibration suppression frequency band is narrow and road noise reduction is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The extension blocks are segmented into different height categories (first extension block with greater height, second extension block with smaller height) arranged in a specific circumferential pattern. This segmentation creates multiple vibration suppression frequency bands while remaining manufacturable through standard tire molding techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-section height parameter of the extension blocks is varied to create different rigidity characteristics. By changing this geometric parameter between the first and second extension blocks, the vibration suppression frequency band is broadened while the manufacturing process remains relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire comprises a pair of bead portions, a sidewall portion extending from the bead portions outward in a radial direction of the tire, a tread portion connected to an outer side of the sidewall portion in the radial direction of the tire through a shoulder portion, and extension block groups in each of which a plurality of extension blocks to extending from at least the shoulder portion to the sidewall portion are arranged in a circumferential direction of the tire. The extension block group includes a first extension block whose cross section height from a tire equator point exceeds ½ of a tire cross section height, and a second extension block whose cross section height from the tire equator point is lower than the first extension block.