Air Tyre Softened Carcass Reinforcement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current heavy-duty vehicle tires face challenges in maintaining endurance and wear performance under various conditions, including high-speed travel and overload, due to stresses and temperature-related issues that lead to cracks and fatigue in the crown reinforcement.

Innovation Solution

A tire design with a radial carcass reinforcement featuring at least two working crown layers crossed at angles between 10° and 45°, covered by a tread, and including additional circumferentially oriented reinforcing elements in the shoulders, with metallic cables of diameters less than 0.85 mm and a specific layer configuration to enhance endurance and wear resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the carcass reinforcement uses thicker cables to increase strength, then the tire can withstand higher loads, but the tire weight increases and flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarcass reinforcement strengthVSAvoidtire weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the carcass reinforcement cables, specifically using cables with diameter less than 0.85mm (preferably 0.60-0.80mm) and wire diameters less than 0.16mm (preferably 0.10-0.15mm). This parameter optimization achieves the required strength while reducing weight compared to conventional thicker cables.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite construction where the carcass reinforcement uses cables with multiple wire layers (1-4 inner layer wires surrounded by 5-12 intermediate layer wires, optionally with 8-20 outer layer wires). This composite cable structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing the tire to meet strength requirements without excessive weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If additional circumferential reinforcing elements are added to the shoulders, then the tire resistance to cyclic stresses improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance to cyclic stressesVSAvoidreinforcement structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by placing circumferential reinforcing elements specifically in the shoulder regions where cyclic stresses are most severe. This targeted approach enhances reliability at critical locations without adding complexity throughout the entire tire structure. The circumferential elements are positioned at angles between -2.5° and +2.5° relative to the circumferential direction in the shoulder zones.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Speed

If the cable diameter is reduced to improve flexibility and reduce weight, then the tire can travel at higher speeds with less wear, but the cable strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetravel speedVSAvoidcable breaking force
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite cable construction with multiple wire layers to maintain strength while reducing overall cable diameter. The carcass reinforcement cables have diameter less than 0.85mm with a specific multi-layer wire structure that provides high strength-to-diameter ratio, enabling high-speed travel without sacrificing cable strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes cable parameters by specifying diameter less than 0.85mm and wire diameters less than 0.16mm, with controlled numbers of wires per layer. This parameter optimization achieves the right balance between flexibility (for high-speed performance) and strength (for load-bearing capability).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3019344B1Air tyre having a softened carcass reinforcement
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 MICHELIN & CO (CIE GEN DES ESTAB MICHELIN)
  • EP3019344B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3019344B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3019344B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an air tyre comprising a crown reinforcement (4) made of at least two crown working layers (41, 43) of reinforcement elements. The air tyre further comprises, in each shoulder, at least one end of a layer (43) of reinforcement elements, which elements are parallel to each other in said layer and oriented circumferentially, said end being axially on the outside of the at least two crown working layers (41, 43), the reinforcement elements of the carcass reinforcement (2) having a diameter smaller than 0.85 mm, and said reinforcement elements of the carcass reinforcement being made of wires with a diameter smaller than 0.16 mm.