Low-Profile Pneumatic Tire Sidewall Protector for Curbstone Cuts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Small-diameter pneumatic tires used on vehicles like small shuttle buses face challenges in cut resistance due to frequent contact with curbstones, leading to potential punctures and wheel damage.
Innovation Solution
The pneumatic tire design includes a tread portion with a wide ground contact surface, a rim with a specific diameter and width ratio, and a protector protruding outward on the buttress portions of the sidewalls to reduce contact with curbstones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a small-diameter pneumatic tire is used to fit compact vehicles like small shuttle buses, then the tire can be mounted on vehicles with limited space, but the tire exhibits poor cut resistance and is prone to punctures and wheel damage when contacting curbstones
Solution Approach 1:
The tire structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: the protruding protector segment at the sidewall outer side specifically for curbstone protection, and the main tire body for propulsion and load-bearing. This segmentation allows the protector to专门 handle cut resistance requirements without compromising the overall tire performance
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding protector acts as an intermediary element between the sidewall and external environment (curbstones). It absorbs and redirects impact forces away from the vulnerable sidewall and wheel, preventing direct contact and reducing the risk of punctures and damage
2Force
If the rim width is increased to support heavy loads, then the load-bearing capacity improves, but the overall tire width increases reducing vehicle space efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The tire structure employs local quality enhancement through strategic reinforcement: the belt layer provides localized stiffness under the tread for load support, while the protruding protector at the sidewall provides localized protection. This allows the tire to bear heavy loads without requiring uniform increase in overall tire dimensions
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire mountable and usable on a rim can include a tread portion having a ground contact surface, and a pair of sidewall portions extending inward in a tire radial direction from both sides of the tread portion in a tire axial direction. The rim can have a rim diameter of 10 to 18 inches. The rim can have a rim width that is 78% to 99% of a cross-sectional width of the tire. A ratio of a cross-sectional height of the tire to the cross-sectional width can be 30% to 45%. Each sidewall portion can have a buttress portion located on an outer side in the tire radial direction. A protector protruding outward in the tire axial direction can be on at least one of a pair of the buttress portions.