Innovative Techniques to Reduce Tire Rolling Resistance
23 patents in this list
Updated:
Reducing tire rolling resistance is crucial for enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Tires, as the sole contact point between a vehicle and the road, play a pivotal role in energy consumption. Lower rolling resistance translates to less energy loss and improved vehicle performance, making it a significant focus for engineers and researchers.
Professionals face the challenge of balancing rolling resistance with grip, durability, and comfort. Innovative materials and tire designs must work together to achieve these goals without compromising safety. Complex interactions between rubber compounds and structural elements further complicate the task, requiring precise engineering and testing.
This page explores a range of advanced techniques, including specialized rubber compositions and layered tread structures, to address these challenges. These solutions enhance tire performance by optimizing material properties and structural designs, resulting in reduced rolling resistance and improved overall efficiency.
1. Syndiotactic 1,2 Polybutadiene-Enhanced Rubber Composition with Carbon Black Filler
APOLLO TYRES GLOBAL R&D B.V., 2023
A cross-linkable rubber composition for tire treads with improved rolling resistance and wet grip. It contains natural rubber or isoprene rubber, syndiotactic 1,2 polybutadiene, and carbon black filler. The key is using a small amount of syndiotactic 1,2 polybutadiene rubber along with carbon black. This provides a balance of wet grip and rolling resistance properties when cured, without compromising either.
2. Heavy-Duty Tire with Dual-Arc Carcass Contour and Enhanced Vulcanization Molding Process
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
Heavy-duty tire design and manufacturing to improve bead durability without increasing rolling resistance. The tire has a unique carcass contour and molding process. The carcass contour has an outwardly bulging curved portion connected to an inwardly recessed inversely curved portion. This shape is represented by two tangent arcs. The ratio of distances from the tire equator and bead base to the arcs' inflection point falls within specific ranges. The molding process uses a clip width slightly larger than the rim width to apply pressure evenly during vulcanization.
3. Pneumatic Tire with Bead-Reinforcing Layer and Specified Geometric and Material Properties
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
Pneumatic tire design that reduces rolling resistance and improves fuel efficiency without sacrificing durability. The tire has a bead-reinforcing layer outside the carcass that reinforces the bead portion. The tire also has specific geometric and material properties like loss tangent, complex elastic modulus, groove ratios, and sidewall characteristics.
4. Pneumatic Tire with Specific Side Rubber Thickness, Loss Tangent, and Dimensional Ratios
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
A pneumatic tire with reduced rolling resistance and improved durability for high-speed driving. The tire has a side rubber thickness of 3mm or less outside the carcass at the widest point, a loss tangent of 0.15 or less for the rubber, and specific dimensional ratios. The ratio of (outer diameter minus 2 times height) to width is at least 470mm, and the aspect ratio is 45% or higher.
5. Tire with Specific Sidewall and Clinch Loss Tangent and Elastic Modulus Characteristics
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
A high fuel efficiency tire with reduced rolling resistance at high speeds and excellent durability. The tire has a sidewall and clinch portion where the loss tangent measured at 70°C and 10 Hz is such that (tan δ sidewall + tan δ clinch) ≤ 0.3 and |tan δ sidewall - tan δ clinch| ≤ 0.07. It also has a sidewall-to-clinch complex elastic modulus difference of (E clinch - E sidewall) ≤ 8.0 MPa.
6. Layered Rubber Compound Structure in Crown Region of Tire with Varying Shear Modulus
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2023
A tire design with improved balance of performance characteristics such as grip, rolling resistance, wear, and noise. The tire has a specific layering structure of rubber compounds in the crown region. This includes a top layer with high shear modulus, a bottom layer with low shear modulus, and an intermediate layer with medium shear modulus. This layering arrangement provides an optimized balance of properties that allows improved performance across multiple criteria compared to conventional tires.
7. Pneumatic Tire with Outwardly Tilted Bead Apexes for Enhanced Torsional Stiffness
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
Pneumatic tire design to reduce rolling resistance while maintaining tire rigidity for steering stability. The tire has a pair of bead apexes where the main body of the apex tilts at a specific angle (θc) relative to the tire axis. The apex tilting angle affects rolling resistance and torsional stiffness. The apex is tilted outward from the tire center. This imparts higher rolling resistance compared to a non-tilted apex. The angled apex increases in-plane torsional stiffness.
8. Functionalized Polymer Additive Compositions in Tire Treads Incorporating Butyl Rubber and Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Terpolymer
ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc., 2023
Tire tread compositions that improve wet traction without sacrificing rolling resistance and wear. The compositions use functionalized polymers like butyl rubber and ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer as additives. The functionalization involves adding sulfur and other compounds to modify the polymer properties.
9. Rubber Compositions Incorporating Hydrocarbon Resins and Blocked Mercaptosilane Coupling Agent
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2023
Rubber compositions for tire treads that improve rolling resistance without compromising wet grip. The compositions use a specific combination of hydrocarbon resins that plasticize the rubber and a blocked mercaptosilane coupling agent for the filler. This unique resin-coupling agent combination reduces the rolling resistance while retaining a good wet grip.
10. Tire with Multi-Layer Tread Comprising Dual Cap Layers with Differential Rebound Resilience
THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, 2023
A tire with a multi-layer tread for improved wet grip, rolling resistance, and snow performance. The tread has two cap layers, an outer layer with lower rebound resilience for wet grip and an inner layer with higher rebound resilience for rolling resistance. The outer layer has a thickness optimized for wear until 4 mm tread depth. The inner layer extends beyond grooves for rolling resistance.
11. Three-Layer Tire Tread Structure with Varied Loss Tangents and Axial Widths
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
A tire design that allows the reduction of rolling resistance while maintaining good wet performance and durability. The tire tread has three layers - cap, intermediate, and base. The layers have different loss tangents, with the base layer having the lowest. The intermediate layer is between the cap and base layers. The cap layer has the widest axial width, the base layer has the narrowest, and the difference in width is within a certain range.
12. Rubber Composition with Modified Silica and Diene Rubber Exhibiting High Silica Aggregate Deformation Ratio
Toyo Tire Corporation, 2023
Rubber composition for tires that enables improved wet grip and rolling resistance performance, which are conflicting properties. The rubber composition contains diene rubber and silica with a silica surface modified with alkylalkoxysilane. The key aspect is that the vulcanized rubber exhibits a high change rate of silica aggregate distance when deformed, calculated as V50/V0. This indicates a high deformation following the property of the rubber polymer chains around the silica aggregates. A V50/V0 ratio of 1.30 or more, preferably 1.32 or more, enables achieving both improved wet grip and rolling resistance.
13. Tire with Narrow Circumferential Groove Between Shoulder Groove and Outer Tread Edge
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
Tire design that reduces rolling resistance without compromising wet grip and with less risk of belt damage. The tire has circumferential grooves on its tread, with an additional narrower circumferential groove between the shoulder circumferential groove and the outer tread edge. This narrower groove reduces compressive strain in the shoulder area which increases rolling resistance without compromising wet grip.
14. Tire with Elongated Tread Design and Multi-Layered Construction Featuring Differential Heat Generation Layers
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
A tire that reduces rolling resistance while maintaining wet performance. The tire features a tread design with specific proportions of the ground contact length and a multi-layered construction. The tread has an elongated shape with an equator length of 1.2-1.5 times the length at 80% of the width. The layers are a cap layer with reduced thickness on the shoulder, an intermediate layer with lower heat generation than the cap, and a base layer with lower heat generation than the intermediate layer.
15. Tire Tread with Multi-Layered Grip Gradient and Alternating Layer Configuration
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
Tire with improved balance of rolling resistance and wet performance through the tread design. The tread has layers with decreasing grip properties from outer to inner layers. The cap layer has the highest grip, the intermediate layer has a lower grip, and the base layer has the lowest grip. This is achieved by using rubber compounds with progressively lower loss tangent values from cap to base layer. The layering is arranged in alternating three-layer and two-layer sections across the tread width. This tread construction allows reduced rolling resistance from the lower grip base layer while maintaining wet performance as the tread wears by gradually transitioning grip from cap to base layer.
16. Long-Chain Branched Cyclopentene Ring-Opening Rubber Blend with Natural and Polybutadiene Rubber for Tire Treads
ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc., 2023
Rubber compounds for heavy-duty truck and bus tire treads provide reduced rolling resistance and improved wet skid resistance and wear compared to conventional tire tread compounds. The rubber compounds contain a blend of long-chain branched cyclopentene ring-opening rubber (LCB-CPR) along with natural rubber (NR) and/or polybutadiene rubber (BR), reinforcing fillers, and process oil.
17. Tire Tread Rubber Composition Incorporating Low Acid and Hydroxyl Number Rosin Ester Resin
Kraton Polymers LLC, 2023
Tire tread rubber composition with improved wet grip and rolling resistance performance. The composition contains a rubber component, fillers, and optional plasticizers. The key ingredient is a specific type of rosin ester resin with low acid and hydroxyl numbers. The rosin ester resin reduces rolling resistance while improving wet grip compared to other rosin esters or hydrocarbon resins. The tire composition allows a tire tread to have both a high wet grip and low rolling resistance for improved safety and fuel efficiency.
18. Rubber Composition with Partially Saturated Elastomer and Aluminum Hydroxide Filler
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
Rubber composition for tires that provides good wet traction, durability, and rolling resistance. The composition includes a partially saturated elastomer with low double bond content, aluminum hydroxide filler, and optional resin, oil, silane, and accelerator.
19. Rubber Composition with Styrene Butadiene Rubber, Filler, Aluminum Hydroxide, and Dicyclopentadiene Hydrocarbon Resin
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
Rubber composition for tires with improved grip, rolling resistance, and robustness. It contains styrene butadiene rubber, filler, aluminum hydroxide, and a hydrocarbon resin-like dicyclopentadiene. The rubber composition also has a glass transition temperature within a range of -25°C to -15°C.
20. Rubber Composition Comprising Styrene Butadiene Rubber, Diene-Based Rubber, Silica Fillers, Aluminum Hydroxide, and Rosin-Based Resin
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
Rubber composition that provides improved tire grip and limited rolling resistance for high-performance summer tires. The rubber composition contains styrene butadiene rubber, a diene-based rubber, fillers like silica, small amounts of aluminum hydroxide, and a rosin-based resin. The aluminum hydroxide provides a wet grip and the rosin resin enhances wet handling performance. This composition achieves a balance of grip, rolling resistance, and robustness for high-performance summer tires.
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Since they use less fuel and have less environmental impact, tire rolling resistance reduction techniques are revolutionizing the automotive industry. The difficulties of rolling resistance are being effectively addressed by manufacturers without sacrificing other crucial tire properties because of careful design and material optimization.