Tire Tread Axial Segmentation and Helical Winding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic vehicle tires with a tread formed by a radially inner first rubber layer and a radially outer second rubber layer face limitations in fine-tuning driving characteristics such as rolling resistance, driving stability, damping, and comfort independently of the road surface, due to high demands on road contact and electrostatic charge dissipation.
Innovation Solution
The method involves building the radially inner first rubber layer alternately from at least two different rubber mixtures or combinations, with the radially outer second rubber layer formed by helically winding two extruded strips of different materials, allowing for precise control of material distribution and hardness adjustment to optimize driving characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tread is made with a single rubber material or limited materials to ensure road contact and electrostatic charge dissipation, then road contact performance and charge dissipation are improved, but the ability to fine-tune driving characteristics independent of road surface deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The base layer is segmented into multiple axial sections (first, second, third sections) with different rubber materials or compositions. Each section can be independently optimized for specific driving characteristics while the overall tread maintains road contact and charge dissipation functions through the cap layer and conductive elements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different axial sections of the base layer are assigned different rubber materials or compositions tailored to specific local requirements. For example, the central section may use a harder compound for stability while shoulder sections use softer compounds for comfort, allowing fine-tuning of driving characteristics without compromising overall tread performance.
2Manufacturing precision
If both strips of different materials are wound helically with overlapping turns in all regions, then material distribution is optimized, but the complexity of the winding process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The winding process dynamically adjusts the number of helical windings in different axial regions. The first and second axial regions have different numbers of windings, allowing optimization of material distribution in high-stress areas while reducing complexity in less critical regions. This dynamic variation in winding density achieves precise material placement without uniformly complex processing throughout.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of windings is varied in different axial regions, then driving characteristics are fine-tuned, but the control complexity of the winding process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The axial direction is segmented into distinct regions (first, second, third axial regions) with predetermined numbers of helical windings. This segmentation allows each region to be controlled independently with simple, repeatable winding patterns rather than continuous complex adjustment, achieving fine-tuning of driving characteristics through discrete regional variations.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
The method involves covering a belt (2) from radial inner rubber layer or a base (4) and radial outer rubber layer or cap (5) forming the road contact surface. The radial inner rubber layer covering the belt is formed alternately from two different rubber mixtures or rubber mix combinations in axial direction of a tread (1). The radially outside rubber layer, covering the belt and forming the road contact surface, is built on the radially inside rubber layer. An independent claim is included for a vehicle pneumatic tire with a belt and a tread.