Tire Spike Mass Imbalance for Correct Tread Insertion Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spike designs for pneumatic vehicle tires often result in a high incidence of incorrectly oriented spikes during the insertion process, leading to inefficiencies in the spike setting process.
Innovation Solution
The spike design incorporates a mass imbalance by creating a spike half with an orientation element and a spike half without, where the mass of the latter is either equal or greater than the former, ensuring that spikes naturally orient in the desired position when placed on a transport device, facilitating efficient insertion into the tire tread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If spikes are made symmetrical in plan view with respect to multiple planes, then manufacturing and handling are simplified, but the spikes cannot achieve a specific preferred orientation on the tread
Solution Approach 1:
The spike pin is designed to be symmetrical with respect to only a single plane, creating intentional asymmetry in other orientations. This allows the spike to achieve a specific preferred orientation on the tread while maintaining ease of handling through the symmetrical base flange that facilitates random placement during transport.
2Manufacturing precision
If spikes are designed with asymmetrical orientation elements, then correct orientation can be detected and ensured, but the complexity of the spike design increases
Solution Approach 1:
An orientation element is formed in only one of the two spike halves, creating an asymmetrical silhouette that enables camera systems to detect and ensure correct orientation. This minimal asymmetrical feature adds precision without significantly increasing overall design complexity.
3Productivity
If spikes are transported on conveyors without orientation control, then the handling process is simple and fast, but a random orientation results leading to incorrect insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The spike's own asymmetrical silhouette serves as the orientation indicator that camera systems detect. The spike essentially identifies its own correct orientation through its inherent geometric asymmetry, enabling automatic detection and rejection of incorrectly oriented spikes without complex external positioning mechanisms.
4Manufacturing precision
If all spikes are processed through automatic orientation detection and rejection systems, then orientation accuracy is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Only incorrectly oriented spikes are removed from the conveyor by the rejection system. The majority of spikes that are already correctly oriented pass through without intervention, minimizing processing time while still achieving high orientation accuracy through selective rejection.
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 significantly reduces the number of incorrectly oriented spikes, optimizing the spike setting process by ensuring correct orientation and enhancing the efficiency of the spike insertion into the tire tread.
Implementation Method 1
the spike half with orientation element has a first mass and the spike half without orientation element has a second mass that coincides with the first mass or is greater than the first mass. If the second mass is greater than the first mass, the spike tends to tip onto the spike half without an orientation element when placed on the transport device.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1e
Figure 1f~1g
AI summary
The invention relates to a spike (1, 2) for anchoring in the tread of a vehicle pneumatic tire, comprising a main axis (a1), a spike body (3) including a foot flange (3a), and a spike pin (4, 5) anchored in the spike body (3), wherein the foot flange (3a) is symmetrical in plan view with respect to a first plane (E1) containing the main axis (a1) and dividing the spike (1, 2) into spike halves, and has a side surface (3a1) in each spike half that extends straight in plan view, wherein the spike pin (4, 5) is symmetrical in plan view with respect to a single plane (e1, e2) which a. extends perpendicular to the first plane (E1), b. coincides with the first plane (E1), or c.The spike runs parallel to the first plane (E1), with an orientation element (6, 7) formed in one of the spike halves. This orientation element gives the spike (1, 2) lying on one side face (3aI) of the base flange (3a) and the spike (1, 2) lying on the other side face (3aI) of the base flange (3a) a position-specific, asymmetrical silhouette relative to the first plane (E1). The spike half with the orientation element (6, 7) has a first mass, and the spike half without the orientation element (6, 7) has a second mass that is equal to or greater than the first mass.