Tracked Vehicle Tire Segmented Carcass Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tracked vehicle tires face frequent failures due to blow-outs, heat checking, cutting, and chunking from high operating temperatures and debris, which current solutions attempt to address with higher modulus elastomers or polyurethane materials but result in drawbacks such as reduced ride quality, increased vibrations, and susceptibility to contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A tire assembly for tracked vehicles featuring an inner tire layer, an outer tire layer, and at least one intermediate fabric carcass layer providing tensile and impact strength to prevent crack propagation, thereby prolonging tire life and reducing replacement frequency, with the inner and outer layers encapsulating the carcass layer for environmental protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a thicker elastomer tire is used, then better damping for reduced vehicle vibrations is achieved, but greater hysteretic heating occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The tire is divided into multiple layers including an inner elastomer layer, intermediate fabric carcass layer(s), and an outer elastomer layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform specific functions: the elastomer layers provide damping and ride quality, while the fabric carcass layers provide tensile strength and heat resistance, resolving the contradiction between thick elastomer for ride quality and heat generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tire uses a composite structure combining elastomer materials with fabric carcass layers. This composite approach allows the tire to simultaneously achieve the vibration damping properties of thick elastomer while the fabric layers provide structural integrity and reduced hysteretic heating, solving the contradiction between ride quality and temperature control.
2Strength
If a higher modulus elastomer is used, then cutting and chunking resistance is improved, but tensile strength decreases at high operating temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The tire structure segments the protective functions: the outer elastomer layer with higher modulus provides cutting and chunking resistance, while the intermediate fabric carcass layers provide tensile strength and crack propagation resistance at high temperatures, resolving the contradiction between cutting resistance and high-temperature reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric carcass layers act as intermediary elements between the inner and outer elastomer layers. These intermediate layers provide the tensile strength needed to prevent crack propagation at high temperatures, while allowing the outer elastomer layer to maintain its cutting resistance properties.
3Strength
If polyurethane material is used, then cutting and chunking characteristics are improved, but susceptibility to contaminants and humidity during adhesion molding increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tire uses a composite structure where the outer elastomer layer provides cutting and chunking resistance similar to polyurethane, while the fabric carcass layers and adhesion promoter coating provide resistance to contaminants and humidity during molding, avoiding the drawbacks of pure polyurethane while maintaining its advantages.
4Ease of operation
If the elastomer layer is made thicker, then better damping is achieved, but crack initiation is promoted due to greater hysteretic heating
Solution Approach 1:
The tire segments the thick protective layer into multiple thinner layers: inner elastomer layer, intermediate fabric carcass layers, and outer elastomer layer. This segmentation reduces the continuous elastomer thickness that generates hysteretic heat, while the fabric layers provide crack propagation barriers, resolving the contradiction between damping and crack initiation resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric carcass layers, which are inherently stiffer and generate less hysteretic heating, are positioned to convert the potential harm of thick elastomer heating into a benefit by providing thermal and structural stability, reducing crack initiation while maintaining the damping benefits of the elastomer layers.
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
The solution effectively prevents crack propagation and extends the useful life of the tire assembly by providing enhanced tensile and impact strength, reducing the frequency of replacements and maintaining ride quality while minimizing the drawbacks of existing solutions.
Implementation Method 1
At least one carcass layer is interposed between the inner and outer tire layers to provide tensile and impact strength
Implementation Method 2
At least one carcass layer is interposed between the inner and outer tire layers to provide tensile and impact strength
Implementation Method 3
The inner and outer tire layers encapsulate the carcass layer to protect it from an environment of use
Implementation Method 4
the primary source of heat generation is hysteretic heating from the rubber
Implementation Method 5
the primary source of heat generation is hysteretic heating from the rubber
Data Source
AI summary
A road wheel for a tracked vehicle is provided with a circular mounting flange having a dished wall extending radially outwards and circumferentially therefrom, a peripheral rim having a first edge and a second edge with the rim connected to an outer edge of the dished wall at an intermediate region of the rim, and a first lip extending from the first edge. Another road wheel for a tracked vehicle is provided with a mounting flange, a peripheral rim, at least one inner dished wall, at least one outer dished wall offset from the inner dished wall along the flange, and at least two connector walls with each connector wall extending between the inner dished wall, outer dished wall, and the peripheral rim.