Pneumatic Tire Sidewall Patterning to Mask Surface Irregularities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires often develop conspicuous projections and recesses on their sidewalls due to residual air or internal structure joints, affecting their appearance, and existing decorative patterns do not adequately address this issue.
Innovation Solution
The tire features a decorative region on its sidewall with varying circumferential and radial pattern lines, where pattern elements are arranged with changing lengths and intervals, creating a complex light reflection effect to camouflage projections and recesses, and includes non-patterned portions for contrast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple decorative pattern is formed on the sidewall, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the projections and recesses remain conspicuous
Solution Approach 1:
The decorative pattern is divided into multiple pattern elements arranged in circumferential and radial pattern lines, creating a segmented structure that breaks up the visual continuity of projections and recesses on the sidewall surface
Solution Approach 2:
The pattern elements have varying lengths in both circumferential and radial directions, creating local variations in the pattern density and visual texture that camouflage specific areas of the sidewall with projections or recesses
2Ease of manufacture
If a uniform decorative pattern is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the pattern becomes monotonous and less effective at camouflaging
Solution Approach 1:
The pattern elements are designed with asymmetric length variations along circumferential and radial pattern lines, creating an irregular but systematic pattern that enhances camouflaging effectiveness while maintaining manufacturability through standardized element repetition
Solution Approach 2:
The pattern extends in two dimensions (circumferential and radial directions) with variations in both directions, transforming a simple one-dimensional decorative line into a two-dimensional camouflaging network that more effectively masks three-dimensional surface irregularities
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
This design effectively conceals sidewall irregularities by altering light reflection patterns, enhancing the tire's appearance and reducing the visibility of projections and recesses while maintaining processability and reducing vulcanization defects.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of pattern elements are arranged at intervals in the tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction, whereby the decorative region includes a plurality of circumferential pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned in the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of radial pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned in the tire radial direction; in each of the circumferential pattern lines, lengths in the tire circumferential direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire circumferential direction, and in each of the radial pattern lines, lengths in the tire radial direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire radial direction
Data Source
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AI summary
A pneumatic tire has a pair of sidewall portion 3. An outer surface of at least one of the pair of sidewall portions 3 includes a decorative region 5 extending in a tire circumferential direction. In the decorative region 5, a plurality of pattern elements 8 are arranged, whereby the decorative region 5 includes a plurality of circumferential pattern lines 6 in each of which the pattern elements 8 are aligned in the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of radial pattern lines 7 in each of which the pattern elements 8 are aligned in a tire radial direction. In each circumferential pattern line 6, lengths in the tire circumferential direction of the pattern elements 8 are changed in the tire circumferential direction. In each radial pattern line 7, lengths in the tire radial direction of the pattern elements 8 are changed in the tire radial direction.