Tyre Carcass Reinforcement Cords with Low Permeability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heavy-duty tires for worksite applications face significant wear and endurance issues due to severe rolling conditions, leading to 'fatigue-fretting' and 'fatigue-corrosion' of carcass reinforcement cords, which reduces their lifespan and is exacerbated by under-inflation, causing buckling and increased stress.

Innovation Solution

A tire design with a radial carcass reinforcement featuring hooped cables that exhibit low air permeability and a thicker rubber compound layer between the inner surface and the metal reinforcement elements, combined with a crosslinkable rubber sheath, to enhance corrosion resistance and mechanical anchoring, thereby reducing buckling risks and maintaining performance across varying conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the thickness of the rubber layer is increased to reduce permeability and protect cords, then corrosion resistance improves, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of the rubber layer to a specific range (4-7mm) that provides sufficient corrosion protection while controlling manufacturing costs. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the optimal balance point between protection and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite rubber compositions with specific properties (permeability less than 20 cm³/min in the permeability test) to achieve effective corrosion protection at reduced thickness, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of moving object

If cord diameter is reduced to improve flexibility and bending endurance, then flexibility improves, but resistance to fatigue-fretting-corrosion worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebending enduranceVSAvoidresistance to fatigue-fretting-corrosion
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies optimal cord diameter ranges that balance flexibility and corrosion resistance, preventing both excessive wear from bending and vulnerability to fatigue-fretting-corrosion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite cable structures combining different materials and configurations to achieve both high flexibility for bending endurance and sufficient mass/structure to resist fatigue-fretting-corrosion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If hooped cables with low permeability are used to reduce corrosion, then corrosion resistance improves, but risk of buckling under under-inflation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidresistance to buckling
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite hooped cable structures that combine low-permeability materials for corrosion protection with sufficient structural strength and hoop strength to resist buckling under under-inflation conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes parameters of the hooped cables including hoop strength, cable tension, and structural configuration to simultaneously achieve low permeability for corrosion resistance and sufficient buckling resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If a thicker rubber compound layer is used to protect reinforcement elements, then protection against corrosion improves, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against corrosionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the rubber compound layer thickness to the optimal range of 4-7mm, providing sufficient corrosion protection while controlling the additional material cost and manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite rubber compounds with enhanced protective properties that provide effective corrosion resistance at optimized thicknesses, reducing the need for excessive material usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 improves the endurance and wear resistance of the tires while reducing manufacturing costs by limiting corrosion and buckling, maintaining performance under normal and under-inflated conditions, and preventing unwinding of the carcass reinforcement.

Implementation Method 1

a sheath consisting of a crosslinkable or crosslinked rubber composition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrosslinking: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

exhibiting in the so-called permeability test a flow rate of less than 20 cm³/min

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeability: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP3077221B1Tyre comprising carcass reinforcement cords having low permeability and variable rubber mixture thicknesses
Publication Date: 2018.07.25 MICHELIN & CO (CIE GEN DES ESTAB MICHELIN)
  • EP3077221B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP3077221B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP3077221B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a tyre with a radial carcass reinforcement (2), said tyre comprising a crown reinforcement in turn capped radially by a tread. According to the invention, the metal reinforcement elements (11) of the carcass reinforcement are non-hooped cords which, during so-called permeability testing, have a flow rate of less than 20 cm3/mn over all of the axial profile of the tyre, the rubber mixture thickness E between the internal surface (10) of the tyre cavity (8) and the point (12) of a metal reinforcement element of the carcass reinforcement being between 1.0 and 3.0 mm.