Vehicle Tyre Tread with Radially Extending Conductive Web
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing vehicle tires with electrically conductive layers face challenges in achieving optimal electrical conductivity while maintaining driving characteristics and ensuring a stable tread structure, often resulting in reduced contact surface area with the road.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the construction of a first rubber layer with higher electrical conductivity, shaping it into a web that extends radially outward from the radially outer surface, and building up a second rubber layer with lower conductivity on both sides, allowing for individual shaping and vulcanization to create a stable tread profile with optimal road contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a narrow rubber strip is wound around the second rubber layer to form an electrically conductive web, then electrical conductivity from the base to the road surface is improved, but the contact surface area of the first rubber layer (cap compound) with the road surface is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a concentrated electrically conductive web structure within the tread that extends radially from the base layer to the road surface. This localized conductive path ensures reliable electrical conductivity without requiring the entire first rubber layer to be conductive, thus preserving the contact surface area of the cap compound while achieving the desired electrical properties in specific critical regions.
2Reliability
If sufficient pressing forces are applied to secure the connection between the rubber band and first rubber layer, then connection reliability is improved, but the risk of air pocket formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the electrically conductive web structure from the second rubber layer before applying the first rubber layer. This sequential approach allows the conductive web to be properly positioned and shaped in advance, ensuring secure connection without requiring excessive pressing forces that could trap air pockets. The web is formed as an integral part of the base layer, eliminating the need for separate attachment operations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the rubber band is made wider to prevent tilting, then structural stability is improved, but the contact surface area of the first rubber layer with the road surface is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the electrically conductive structure into a focused web configuration rather than a wide continuous layer. The web is formed with specific dimensional parameters that provide sufficient structural stability to prevent tilting while maintaining a narrow profile. This segmented approach concentrates the stabilizing function in the web structure itself, allowing the surrounding first rubber layer to maintain full contact surface area with the road.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for producing a tread for a vehicle tyre - in particular a pneumatic vehicle tyre - which is provided with an electrically conducting layer, which is arranged axially inside a portion of a first, radially outer rubber layer of the tread that is formed from a first rubber material, wherein the electrically conductive layer extends from a second, radially inner rubber layer of the tread of a second rubber material on the radially inner side of the tread rubber material up to a ground contact surface of the tread, wherein both the rubber material of the electrically conducting layer and the rubber material of the second, radially inner rubber layer of the tread have a higher electrical conductivity than the rubber material of the first, radially outer rubber layer, wherein the method has the following steps: a) building up of a first rubber layer of higher electrical conductivity, formed such that it extends over the circumference of the vehicle tyre, and building up of an accumulation of rubber material of higher electrical conductivity, formed such that it extends over the circumference of the vehicle tyre and is arranged in a positioned manner in the region of axial extent of the layer of rubber material of higher electrical conductivity that is intended to extend up to the ground contact surface in the finished vehicle tyre, b) followed by shaping of the accumulation of rubber material of higher electrical conductivity to form a web which is made to extend over the circumference of the vehicle tyre, radially outwards from the radially outer surface of the first rubber layer, and has in its cross-sectional planes that contain the axis of the vehicle tyre a predetermined cross-sectional contour, c) followed by building up of a second rubber layer of lower electrical conductivity on the radially outer surface of the first rubber layer, which adjoins the shaped web of rubber material of higher conductivity axially on both sides, and d) shaping and vulcanization of the tread profile.