Tire Design Solutions for Enhanced Load Capacity
14 patents in this list
Updated:
As vehicles become heavier and demands on transportation increase, tire design must evolve to support greater loads. Engineers face the challenge of enhancing load capacity without sacrificing performance, safety, or efficiency. Tires must withstand immense pressure and friction, adapting to varied terrains and climates while maintaining durability and reliability.
Designers and engineers strive to balance flexibility and strength, integrating innovative materials and structures. The challenge lies in reinforcing tires to handle weight while ensuring they remain adaptable to road conditions. Achieving this balance requires rethinking traditional designs and exploring new technologies.
This page explores recent advancements in tire design, including reinforced structures for non-pneumatic tires and pneumatic tires with specialized compounds. These solutions aim to increase load capacity and reduce rolling resistance, offering practical approaches for improving tire performance under heavy loads.
1. Curved Flexible Membrane Support Structure with Reinforced Joints for Non-Pneumatic Tires
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2023
Resilient, reinforced support structure for non-pneumatic tires that improves durability and load transmission. The support has a curved, flexible membrane connecting the inner and outer joints. The curved shape allows the support to flex and absorb impacts while maintaining radial stiffness. The joints connect to tire components like hubs and tread bands.
2. Spring Tire with Shape Memory Alloy Springs and Variable Stiffness Tread
The SMART Tire Company Inc., 2023
A spring tire that provides improved load-carrying capacity, climbing ability, flotation, and traction compared to previous non-pneumatic tires. The tire uses shape memory alloy springs in the main body, tread, and bump stop. The tread has variable stiffness springs to create uneven deflection and form tread lugs when pressured. The bump stop contacts the rim to prevent over-deflection. The springs are interconnected to distribute the load around the rim. This allows top and bottom loading for increased capacity. The tire also has a spoked rim and integrated lugs for weight reduction.
3. Pneumatic Tire with Belt Layer and Mercaptocarboxylic Acid Compound Rubber for High Load Capacity and Low Rolling Resistance
BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, 2023
High-strength, load-carrying pneumatic tire with low rolling resistance for small shuttles and other vehicles. The tire has an outer diameter of 350-600 mm and a belt layer to support high loads. It also contains a rubber compound with a mercaptocarboxylic acid compound to improve rolling resistance (fuel efficiency) and rubber strength. The tire design allows for a large rim diameter relative to the outer diameter to maximize load capacity while saving space.
4. Lattice-Patterned Yarn Shear Band Structure for Non-Pneumatic Tires
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
An improved shear band design for non-pneumatic tires provides a cost-effective, lightweight, and low heat-generating load transfer mechanism. The shear band is made of yarns arranged in a lattice-like pattern. The yarns are oriented at different angles to optimize load transfer and shear resistance. This lattice structure allows the shear band to deform primarily in shear rather than bending, which reduces stress and heat generation. The yarns can be made of high-strength materials like aramids or polyethylene to provide the necessary tensile strength.
5. Truck Tire with Enhanced Crown Structure Featuring Thicker Center Rib Section
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
A truck tire with improved crown durability and increased load-carrying capacity. The tire has a tread with a thicker center rib section compared to the shoulder sections. This provides a stronger crown area for better durability and load-carrying capacity.
6. Truck Tire with Multiple Circumferential Ribs, Wide Grooves, and Reinforced Crown Area
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
A truck tire with improved crown durability and increased load-carrying capacity. The tire has a new tread pattern with unique features like multiple circumferential ribs and wide grooves to increase the contact area with the road. This provides better traction and reduces wear. The wider grooves also help with heat dissipation, which improves durability. Additionally, the tire has a reinforced crown area with thicker rubber to handle higher loads.
7. Belt Reinforcement Structure with Angled and Zigzag Belts for Truck Tire Tread
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
A truck tire design with improved load-carrying capacity and durability. The tire has a tread, sidewalls, and beads. It features a belt reinforcement structure under the tread, with two angled working belts and a zigzag belt. The belts are oriented at angles of 10-50 degrees from the circumferential direction. This configuration allows the tire to carry heavier loads without excessive tread wear, providing improved crown durability.
8. Bead Structure with Overlapping Contention Armature for Heavy-Duty Truck Tires
Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, 2023
Bead design for heavy-duty truck tires to improve endurance and prevent carcass damage. The bead features a contention armature that overlaps itself on the outer side of the bead core rod. This overlapping armature provides additional reinforcement and prevents relative movement between the bead core and rubber components, reducing stress on the carcass and increasing bead endurance.
9. Reinforced Annular Beam and Thermoplastic Elastomer Support Structure in Non-Pneumatic Tire
Patrick F. KING, Christopher MAST, John DUTY, 2023
The invention is a non-pneumatic tire (NPT) with improved load-carrying capacity, damage tolerance, and speed capability compared to previous NPT designs. It achieves this through a reinforced annular beam that supports the load and extends radially inward to a thermoplastic elastomer annular support and rim. The annular beam is reinforced to prevent excessive deflection. The annular support is molded after the beam to create prestrain when it contracts upon cooling. This prestrain prevents excessive deflection under load. The rim lacks reinforcement to allow radial deflection.
10. Non-Pneumatic Tire and Wheel Assembly with Integrated Spoke Grid and Outer Flexible Tread Band
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
A non-pneumatic tire and wheel assembly provides a long-lasting, efficient, and comfortable alternative to traditional pneumatic tires that can go flat. The non-pneumatic tire has an outer flexible tread band with a grid of load-carrying spokes inside. The spokes are made of a material having a higher stiffness than the tread band. This allows the spokes to support the load and carry it like a traditional pneumatic tire, while the tread band provides contact with the road. The non-pneumatic tire can be molded in one piece for simplicity and cost efficiency.
11. Tire with Reinforced Crown and Flexible Shoulder Regions
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
A pneumatic tire for vehicles like trucks that has improved durability and load-carrying capacity. The tire has a tread with a crown region and shoulder region. The crown region is reinforced with additional rubber material to increase its durability. The shoulder regions have a lower rubber thickness to allow for more flexing and deformation, which increases the tire's load-carrying capacity. The combination of strengthening the crown and allowing more flex in the shoulders enhances the tire's overall durability and load capacity.
12. Aircraft Tire with Monofilament Breaker Layer Positioned Between Crown Reinforcement and Tread
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
Aircraft tire with improved cut and puncture resistance for heavy load and high-speed conditions. The tire has a cut/puncture-resistant breaker layer between the crown reinforcement and tread. The breaker layer is made of parallel monofilaments inclined at 0-10 degrees to the equatorial plane. This configuration protects against cuts and punctures without sacrificing ride comfort or tire life.
13. Helically Angled Radial Spoke Structure in Non-Pneumatic Wheel Assembly with Closed Cavities and Alternating Openings
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 2023
Non-pneumatic wheel/tire assembly with a spoke structure that supports a vehicle without relying on air pressure like traditional tires. The spoke structure consists of radially extending closed cavities and alternating radially extending openings. These cavities and openings are helically angled relative to the wheel axis. Under load, the flexible wheel ring can deflect vertically, while the part of the spoke structure adjacent to the ring also deflects vertically due to the helical angle. This vertical deflection allows the spoke structure to support the load without buckling.
14. Dual-Strand Reinforced Tire Cord with Opposing Helical Winding and Incomplete External Layer for Enhanced Elastomer Penetration
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2023
A reinforced tire cord that balances strength and flexibility while allowing good elastomer penetration. The cord has an internal strand surrounded by an external strand. The external strand is wound in the opposite direction to the internal strand. The external strand has an incomplete layer - the outer wires don't touch. This creates gaps for elastomer to penetrate between the strands. The internal strand's wires have larger diameters towards the center to help elastomer flow. The cord is used in heavy-duty vehicle tires.
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New developments in tire design show how much progress has been made in increasing load capacity in a variety of applications. The issues of carrying enormous loads while maintaining safety and performance are addressed by these innovations through the integration of new materials and structural systems.