Tire Tread Sustainability Marking With Extruded Green Stripes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle tire markings do not reliably indicate the use of sustainable materials or processes, making it difficult for consumers to identify and recognize sustainable tires.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle tire with a sustainability marking system that uses extruded green stripes along the circumference to indicate the proportion of sustainable materials and processes, integrated into the manufacturing process, ensuring visibility throughout the tire's lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional tire markings are used on the sidewall, then consumer information is provided, but the markings do not reliably indicate sustainable materials or processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses green-colored markings integrated into the tread structure to visually indicate sustainability. The green color serves as an immediate visual cue to consumers that the tire incorporates sustainable materials or processes, resolving the issue of unreliable sustainability indication while maintaining information provision.
Solution Approach 2:
The sustainability marking is nested within the tread structure itself, specifically integrated into the grooves or channels of the tread pattern. This embedding ensures the marking is permanently part of the tire structure, cannot be removed or falsified, and remains visible throughout the tire's service life, thereby improving both information reliability and sustainability indication reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sustainability markings are applied after manufacturing, then flexibility is provided, but the markings may be worn or removed
Solution Approach 1:
The sustainability marking is incorporated into the tread structure during the tire manufacturing process itself, rather than being applied afterward. This preliminary integration ensures the marking is formed simultaneously with the tire components, making it an intrinsic part of the tire structure that cannot be worn or removed independently, thus ensuring long-term visibility while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
3Loss of information
If complex marking systems are implemented, then sustainability information is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread structure serves multiple functions: it provides the necessary traction and road contact functionality while simultaneously incorporating the sustainability marking within its grooves or channels. This multi-functionality allows the same structural elements to convey sustainability information without requiring separate, complex marking systems, thereby enhancing information quality while avoiding increased manufacturing complexity.
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
Provides consumers with a reliable way to identify sustainable tires, enhancing customer recognition and justification for higher costs, while maintaining a cost-effective and existing manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
The carbon center beam is electrically conductive and runs from the underside of the bottom plate to the top of the top plate, so that the carbon center beam is in direct contact with the road surface
Implementation Method 2
The tread and at least one sustainability marking are extruded
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle tire (1) comprising a tread (10) having a top plate (11) with a top surface (111) and a bottom surface (112), wherein the top plate (11) is configured to be in direct contact with a road surface with its top surface (111). The tread (10) further comprises a bottom plate (12) with a top surface (121) and a bottom surface (122), wherein the top surface (121) of the bottom plate (12) is coupled to the bottom surface (112) of the top plate (11), and two side parts (13) which are each coupled to the top plate (11) and the bottom plate (12) at a common side formed by the top plate (11) and the bottom plate (12). The vehicle tire (1) further comprises at least one sustainability marking (20), wherein the sustainability marking (20) includes information about the proportion of sustainable processes or components of the vehicle tire (1).