Tire Designs for Heavy-Duty Industrial Applications
26 patents in this list
Updated:
In heavy-duty industrial applications, tire performance is critical to ensuring machinery runs smoothly across challenging terrains. These tires face constant pressure from heavy loads, abrasive surfaces, and variable weather conditions. The design must balance durability with traction, reducing downtime and enhancing safety in demanding environments.
Designing tires for such applications presents unique challenges, including optimizing tread patterns for grip and wear, managing heat dissipation, and maintaining structural integrity under stress. Engineers must consider these factors while ensuring the tire remains cost-effective and suitable for diverse operational needs.
This webpage explores various strategies from recent research and patents, focusing on advanced tread designs and structural innovations. These solutions aim to enhance durability, improve load distribution, and provide reliable performance in severe operating conditions, ensuring efficiency and safety in industrial settings.
1. Aircraft Pneumatic Tire with Stepped Tread Surface and Variable Step Height for Wear Management
BRIDGESTONE CORP, 2023
A pneumatic tire for aircraft that balances wear resistance during taxiing and touchdown landing. The tire has a tread with a stepped outer surface where the step height at 90° from the equatorial plane (δ90) is less than 0.025 times the tire radius (Rc) and the step height at 35° from the equatorial plane (δ35) is between 0 and 0.004 times Rc. This configuration allows sufficient ground contact width at low loads for touchdown wear suppression while reducing diameter difference drag during taxiing for wear suppression. The step height at the shoulder is also greater than zero for improved belt tension and standing wave performance.
2. Radial Aircraft Tire with Specific Width and Thickness Ratios and Unique Chafer Configuration
BRIDGESTONE CORP, 2022
Radial aircraft tire design with improved durability, particularly in the bead area. The tire has specific width and thickness ratios, as well as a unique chafer configuration, to improve bead durability while maintaining tread wear resistance. The tire width (TW) is between 0.73 and 0.8 of the maximum width (W) when inflated and loaded. The thickness (GW) of the outer chafer (first rubber chaper) near the bead edge is 0.2 times the thickness (SW) of the inner chafer (second rubber chaper). This prevents heat transfer to the carcass from the outer chafer. The stiffener rubber between the carcass and chafers has lower loss factor (tan δ) than the outer chafer. The inner chafer has higher tan δ for rim durability. The lower tan δ stiffener rubber prevents heat build
3. Wide-Base Tire with Enhanced Structural Design for Severe Operating Conditions
GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER, THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO, 2022
A wide-base, very wide tire for construction vehicles like earth movers and garbage trucks that is designed to handle severe operating conditions like extreme loading, unpaved roads, and high speeds. The tire is optimized for cold running in challenging terrains like sand and oil to prevent premature failure due to bead fatigue, heat, and high stress. The cold running tire design mitigates issues like vertical instability, drift, and excessive heat buildup by focusing on factors like tire size, compounding, and construction that allow it to operate effectively in harsh environments.
4. Compact High-Pressure Heavy Duty Tire with Reduced Width and Standard Rim Diameter
GOLDHOFER AG, 2021
A heavy duty tire for use on heavy duty vehicles like trucks that have an outer diameter of less than 755 mm and an internal pressure of at least 10 bar. The compact size and high pressure allow for reduced overall vehicle height compared to standard tires. The tire has a base wall and side walls with a carcass extending radially between them. The compact size is achieved by using a standard rim diameter and reducing the tire width, while the high pressure helps prevent overheating issues.
5. Radially Differentiated Agricultural Tire Tread with Sectional Groove Distribution
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2019
Agricultural tire tread design to improve traction and acceleration in the field while reducing rolling resistance on the road. The tire has a tread with a middle section and two side sections. The side sections have inner profiles that are radially closer to the tire center than the middle section. This shift allows wider contact in the middle for road use vs narrower side contacts for field use. The side sections also have more grooves vs the middle for better field traction. The middle section has fewer grooves for road durability. This tread configuration balances performance between field and road conditions.
6. Heavy-Duty Tire with Curved Inner and Straight Connecting Tread Profiles Featuring Variable Groove Width and Depth
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD, 2018
Heavy-duty tire design to reduce uneven wear on the tire edges. The tread has a unique profile configuration with curved inner profiles and straight connecting profiles. The inner profiles have larger radii than the outer profile. This prevents excessive ground pressure buildup on the edges. The inner profiles connect to the outer profile through intermediate straight sections. This reduces edge slipping and wear. The inner profiles have narrower grooves and shallower depths to maintain rigidity. The outer profiles have wider grooves and deeper depths for traction.
7. Rubber Composition with Natural Rubber, Diene Elastomers, Fatty Acid Amide, and Pre-Hydrophobated Silica
GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO, 2018
Rubber composition for heavy duty off-road tires that provides improved abrasion resistance without sacrificing other properties like durability. The composition contains natural rubber, diene elastomers like cis 1,4-polyisoprene, a fatty acid amide like stearamide, pre-hydrophobated silica, and other typical rubber compounding ingredients. The fatty acid amide improves abrasion resistance when added to the natural rubber-rich tread composition containing pre-hydrophobated silica.
8. Heavy Duty Tire with Distinct Tread Profile Featuring Specific Crown-to-Shoulder Curvature Ratios
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD, 2017
Heavy duty tire with improved wear resistance and reduced rolling resistance. The tire has a unique tread profile shape to balance wear and rolling resistance. The crown and shoulder profiles have curvatures that meet specific ratios. The crown curvature is 7.0x or greater than the shoulder curvature. The connecting point between crown and shoulder is at least 0.7x tread width from the equator. This shape allows wear resistance without excessive shoulder rubber volume for rolling resistance.
9. Radial Tire with Specific Tread Profile Geometry and Shoulder Sipe Configuration
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD, 2015
Heavy-load radial tire with improved wear resistance to prevent uneven wear like stepped wear at the tread edges and shoulder wear. The tire has a specific tread profile shape where the crown curve is a circular arc and the shoulder curve crosses the crown curve at an angle of <=7 degrees. The shoulder curve radius is 0.60-0.95 times the crown curve radius. This prevents excessive bulging at the center of the tread when inflated compared to a single arc profile. The shoulder sipes extend only into the shoulder and don't go beyond. This prevents slip at the edges during contact and reduces stepped wear.
10. Agricultural Tire with Three-Segment Tread Configuration Featuring Varying Depths and Volume Ratios
BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS LLC, 2013
Agricultural tire with optimized tread design for improved performance in both muddy/loose soil and on hard surfaces like roads. The tire has a unique tread configuration with three distinct sixths (inner, middle, outer) of the tread extending between reference planes spaced one-sixth of the tread width apart. The inner sixths have a shallow depth to provide traction in mud, while the middle and outer sixths have progressively deeper depths for harder surfaces. This balances wear and traction across different terrains. The overall tread volume ratio is around 40% with 36-39% in the inner sixths, 32-35% in the middle, and 27-30% in the outer sixths.
11. Heavy Duty Truck Tire with Asymmetric Tread Pattern Featuring Zigzag Inner Ribs and Straight Outer Ribs
KUMHO TIRE CO INC, 2010
Heavy duty truck tire with an asymmetric tread pattern that prevents uneven wear and improves mileage compared to symmetrical tires. The asymmetric tread has different rib shapes on the inside and outside of the centerline. The inner ribs have a zigzag pattern while the outer ribs are straight. This distributes ground contact pressure to prevent rapid wear on the inside. The inner ribs are also blocked by sipes to maintain flexibility. The rib widths, groove positions, and sipe dimensions are optimized to balance stiffness, wear, and traction.
12. Tire with Specific Groove Geometry and Reinforcement Layers Featuring Angled Outer Groove, Cross Bands, and Diagonal Layer
THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD, 2009
Pneumatic tire for heavy load applications that improves durability, wire fatigue resistance, and uneven wear resistance compared to conventional heavy load tires. The tire features a unique tread design with specific groove geometry and reinforcement layers that reduce growth and distortion when inflated. This prevents wire fatigue and uneven wear on the tire shoulders. The tread has an angled outer groove that grows less than 0.3% in the footprint width direction when inflated. It also has cross bands and a diagonal layer at angles of 30 and 5 degrees respectively. This reinforces the tread and reduces growth in the footprint width direction. The tire width-to-height ratio and crown curvature are also optimized to further prevent distortion.
13. Asymmetric Truck Tire with Curved Outer Edges, Vertical Sidewalls, and Reinforced Carcass Featuring Elastic Layer and Protruding Burrs
GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO, 2009
Tire design for trucks with improved steering performance, wet road braking, and rolling resistance. The tire has a specific tread pattern with curved outer edges and vertical sidewalls. The tread has multiple protruding burrs on the outer surface. The tread pattern is asymmetric with different shapes on the left and right sides. The tire also has a reinforced carcass with an elastic layer between the tread and carcass. This improves the tire's ability to grip the road in wet conditions and reduces rolling resistance. The tire's shape and tread pattern also provide better steering response and cornering performance.
14. Axle Assembly with Direct-Mount Hub and Speed Variation for Radial Tires in Heavy Vehicles
MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE SA, 2009
Large heavy vehicles like mining trucks with radial tires over 3.5 meters in diameter to increase load capacity while maintaining wear resistance. The vehicles have axles with symmetric pairs of tires, some inner ones transmit force, outer ones don't. This reduces longitudinal stresses and wear when turning. The wider inner tires have narrow outer counterparts. The tires are mounted directly on hubs without rims for easier replacement. The hubs have recesses for locking rings. This allows precise tire positioning and reduces time and torque for mounting. The vehicle also has devices to vary tire speeds when turning to balance wear.
15. Tire with Zigzag Patterned Intermediate Tread Zones and Transverse Grooves Forming Continuous Ribs
PIRELLI PNEUMATICAI SPA, 2008
A tire design with a zigzag pattern in the intermediate tread zones between the outermost ribs and the shoulder that reduces sawtooth wear and provides improved snow traction. The intermediate zones have transverse grooves that form continuous zigzag ribs between them. This prevents the leading edge of the last rib from sticking out and getting worn from tangential forces. The zigzag pattern allows the ribs to flex without restricting the adjacent grooves. In snow, the blind transverse grooves capture and retain snow to engage it instead of the tire rubber, improving traction.
16. Radial Carcass Tire with Thick Tread and Narrow Central Groove for Heavy-Duty Straddle Vehicles
MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE SA, 2007
Tire for heavy-duty straddle vehicles used in container ports that can handle larger loads and higher speeds without excessive wear or damage. The tire has a radial carcass, a thick tread over 40mm in the median plane, and three circumferential grooves. The central groove has a narrow axial width less than 15mm and a depth ratio between 0.1 and 0.3. This groove shape promotes cooling by closing in the contact area to expel air and prevent sawtooth wear.
17. Tire Tread with Differential Rib Widths and Zigzag Grooves for Balanced Axle Wear
BRIDGESTONE CORP, 2006
Pneumatic tires for trucks and buses that have improved wear resistance and reduced uneven wear when used on both the front and rear axles. The tread design features wider center ribs than the second ribs and shoulder ribs. The center rib width is larger than the second rib width to prevent center wear on the rear axle. The shoulder rib width is larger than the second rib width to prevent shoulder wear on the front axle. This balances wear across both axles without sacrificing stability. The tread also has zigzag main grooves with a 29-31 degree inclination to the equator line to prevent uneven wear while maintaining traction.
18. High Aspect Ratio Agricultural Tire with Single Ply Carcass and Angled Belt Reinforcement
GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER, THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, 2006
High aspect ratio agricultural or off-road tires for vehicles like tractors, with a nominal rim diameter of 20 inches or greater, that provide improved traction and stability on low pressure without increasing width. The tires have a carcass with a single ply and annular beads, a belt reinforcing member with angled belts, and a tread with elongated lugs. The angled belts and wider footprint from the tall sidewalls provide lateral stability without excessive shear stress. The high aspect ratio allows narrower width for reduced crop damage while maintaining traction and load capacity at low pressures.
19. Pneumatic Tire with Recessed Curved Shoulder Profiles and Circumferential Grooves
YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD, YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD:THE, 2006
Pneumatic tire design to improve durability, stability, and wear resistance of tire shoulders. The tire has a tread with multiple land sections separated by circumferential grooves. The shoulder sections at the outer edges have curved profiles that are recessed inward compared to the central rib profile. This reduces pressure and wear in the shoulder center. The recess depth is greater than the central rib extension line and between values H1 and H2. The shoulder recess depth H2 is greater than H3, the distance to the central rib extension line. This configuration balances wear resistance, stability, and durability.
20. Pneumatic Radial Tire with Specific Crown and Shoulder Curvature Profiles and Outermost Belt Layer Creepage Width Configuration
BRIDGESTONE CORP, 2005
A pneumatic radial tire for high-speed heavy-duty applications like aircraft that improves durability and prevents uneven wear. The tire has specific curvature profiles at the crown center and shoulder regions. The curvature at the crown center is 600-720mm at no load and 0 internal pressure, preventing diameter differences and dragging wear at the shoulder. The shoulder curvature is 30-50mm at no load, suppressing shoulder thickness and heat buildup. This prevents uneven wear and diameter differences between center and shoulder. The outermost belt layer has creepage width ≥1.01x ground contact at load, reducing strain at the belt ends. In the middle region, it's approximately parallel to the tread surface.
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