JP4735130B2 - Tire tread sample model - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tire tread sample model, and more particularly to a tire tread sample model that can accurately convey a sipe mechanism having a complicated shape to a general consumer.

  The tread structure of tires is becoming more complex year by year, and it is becoming more difficult to convey the mechanism to general consumers. Sipes provided on tread blocks such as icy and snowy road tires are no exception, and instead of the conventional simple sipe extending in a flat shape, a complicated sipe extending in the depth direction is provided. A shape sipe, a so-called three-dimensional sipe, has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1), and it has become difficult to convey the sipe mechanism hidden in a block to general consumers.

  Therefore, in order to make it easier for consumers to understand, various ingenuity has been devised to create schematic diagrams and cut samples, but it can be said that they can accurately convey the sipe mechanism. However, there is a problem that it is difficult for consumers to easily understand the design intent and effects of Sipe.

Although not directly related to the present invention, conventionally, a tire in which all rubber members constituting the tire are formed using transparent rubber is known as a tire that facilitates observation of the tire structure (for example, Patent Document 2). reference).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-183303 JP 2003-136909 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a tire tread sample model capable of accurately transmitting a sipe mechanism and easily understanding a sipe design intention and effect.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a tire tread sample model having a block provided with a sipe, wherein the block is made of a rubber or resin that is transparent or translucent and elastically deformable, and the surface of the block or Lines are formed at predetermined intervals on the sipe wall surface of the block .

  According to the above-described present invention, since the block having the sipe is made of rubber or resin that is transparent or translucent and elastically deformable, the shape of the sipe can be seen in the block as it is without being cut. At the same time, the movement of the sipe that deforms when the block is pressed against the surface of the table or the like so that the same force as when braking or driving can be seen, so the sipe mechanism can be accurately communicated to the consumer. Is possible. Therefore, the consumer can easily understand the design intention and effects of Sipe.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a tire tread sample model of the present invention, which includes a block 2 provided with a sipe 1 and a pedestal 3 provided on a bottom surface 2 a of the block 2.

The sipe 1 extending in the width direction of the block 2 has a shape (so-called three-dimensional shape sipe) extending with a larger amplitude as the depth increases in the depth direction.
The block 2 is made of an elastically deformable transparent rubber or resin, and the shape of the sipe 1 extended to the block 2 is visible from the outside.

  The transparent rubber used for the block 2 is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known rubber can be used. For example, polybutadiene rubber having high transparency can be preferably used. Moreover, as a transparent resin used for the block 2, a conventionally known resin can be used, and is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a silicon resin. The rubber or resin is not limited to the above-described transparency as long as the shape of the sipe 1 is visible from the outside, and may be translucent.

  In the illustrated example, the block 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped block, but has a block shape provided on the tread of an actual tire, such as a parallelogram shape or a semicircular shape when viewed from above in FIG. Any block may be used.

  The size of the block 2 may be the size of the actual block formed on the tread of the tire, but it is preferable that the size of the sipe 1 is such that the size is enlarged several times. Is preferable to make it easier for consumers to understand.

  Each side surface 2b and upper surface 2c of the block 2 is formed with a grid-like line 4 having a predetermined interval (a constant interval in the figure), thereby holding the pedestal 3 and braking the block 2 to a surface such as a table Alternatively, it is easy to see the behavior of the block 2 that deforms when it is pressed so that the same force is applied as when it is driven (the movement of the block due to the shape of the sipe 1). The grid-like lines 4 are preferably provided on the entire surface of the block 2 as shown in the drawing so that the behavior of the block 2 can be easily understood from any direction, but formed on any one surface as necessary. You may make it do.

  The lattice-like lines 4 may be formed on the sipe wall surface 1a as shown in FIG. 2 instead of the surface of the block 2, and the behavior of the block 2 deformed thereby on the sipe wall surface 1a, that is, the sipe 1 It is easy to see the movement of the. In the figure, the grid-like lines 4 are provided on the sipe wall surfaces 1a on both sides, but any one of the sipe wall surfaces 1a may be used. As a matter of course, a lattice-like line 4 may be provided on both (the surface of the block 2 and the sipe wall surface 1a).

  Such a grid-like line 4 may be formed, for example, by applying optical damage to the surface with laser light, or a grid-like line may be drawn on the surface using a visible paint. Good.

The lines 4 are preferably formed in a lattice shape in order to understand the behavior of the block 2 in detail. However, the lines 4 may be formed in parallel with predetermined intervals instead of the lattice-like lines.
The pedestal 3 is made of a hard material such as hard plastic, hard rubber, or metal, and is fixed to the bottom surface 2a of the block 2 that is elastically deformed by an adhesive or the like.

  Such a sample model includes, for example, a sipe forming blade for forming the sipe 1, and a block 2 formed by a mold including an upper mold for forming the upper half of the block 2 and a lower mold for forming the lower half of the block 2. After the above is molded, the above-described line 4 is formed on the molded block 2, and then the base 3 and the block 2 are bonded by an adhesive or the like.

  Alternatively, after forming the block 2 without a sipe with a mold comprising an upper mold for molding the upper half of the block 2 and a lower mold for molding the lower half, the sipe is formed by laser burning using laser light on the block 2. 1 and the line 4 are formed sequentially, and then the base 3 and the block 2 are bonded together as described above.

The connection between the base 3 and the block 2 may employ a fitting structure in which the block 2 is fitted into the base 3 instead of the adhesive.
According to the tire tread sample model of the present invention described above, the block 2 having the sipe 1 is made of a rubber or resin that is transparent or translucent and elastically deformable, so that the shape of the sipe 1 remains as it is without being cut. In addition, the movement of the sipe 1 that is deformed when the upper surface 2c of the block 2 is pressed against a surface such as a table so that the same force as that applied during braking or driving can be seen is also visible. Therefore, it becomes possible to accurately convey the mechanism of Sipe 1 to the consumer, thereby making it possible for the consumer to easily understand the design intent and effects of Sipe.

  In addition, since the lines 4 are formed at predetermined intervals on the sipe wall surface 1a of the block 2, the movement of the sipe 1 can be easily seen, so that the mechanism of the sipe 1 can be transmitted more accurately and easily, and the lattice Since the movement of the sipe 1 can be understood in more detail by providing the shaped line 4, it becomes possible to convey the mechanism of the sipe 1 to the consumer more accurately and easily.

  In addition, by forming a grid-like line 4 on the surface of the block 2, it is possible to make the movement of the block surface caused by the shape of the sipe 1 easier to see, so that the mechanism of the sipe 1 can be transmitted more accurately and easily. Can do.

In the present invention, the sipe wall surface 1a of the block 2 is preferably colored with a paint or the like in order to make the movement of the sipe 1 easier to see.
The line 4 may be a convex line or a concave line in which convex portions or concave portions extend in a line instead of the above-described configuration. Such a line can be easily formed by molding the block 2 using a mold in which convex portions and concave portions extending in a line shape are formed on the inner surface of the mold and the surface of the sipe molding blade.

  In the above-described embodiment, the tire tread sample model is exemplified by one provided with one block 2 on the pedestal 3, but may be provided with a plurality of blocks 2 on the pedestal 3. When a plurality of blocks 2 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the tire, the pedestal 3 is preferably formed in an arc shape in the same manner as the tread of the tire, whereby a lateral groove is formed in the tire circumferential direction. Thus, the behavior when the blocks arranged continuously through the ground contact the road surface can be easily explained.

  In the above embodiment, the pedestal 3 is fixed to the block 2. However, if the thickness from the bottom of the sipe 1 to the bottom surface 2a of the block 2 is secured to a predetermined amount or more, the pedestal 3 is not necessarily required. A configuration without 3 is also possible.

  The present invention can be suitably used to accurately convey the structure of a three-dimensional shape sipe that has a particularly complicated shape. However, it is a matter of course that a sipe having a simple planar shape (so-called 2) is used. It can also be used in the case of a sipe having a three-dimensional shape.

  The tire tread sample model of the present invention can be used as a tool carried by a salesman or for the purpose of promoting tire sales at a store, as a distributed sales promotion product, or as an event display tool. It can be used effectively in a wide range such as visual confirmation and verification of simulation results.

It is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a tire tread sample model of the present invention. It is a principal part perspective view which shows other embodiment of the tire tread sample model of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Sipe 1a Sipe wall surface 2 Block 2a Bottom surface 2b Side surface 2c Top surface 3 Base 4 Line

Claims (7)

Tire tread sample model having a block provided with sipes, wherein the block is made of rubber or resin that is transparent or translucent and elastically deformable, and lines are formed at predetermined intervals on the surface of the block Tread sample model. A tire tread sample model having a block provided with sipes, wherein the block is made of rubber or resin that is transparent or translucent and elastically deformable, and lines are formed at predetermined intervals on the sipe wall surface of the block. tire tread sample model. The tire tread sample model according to claim 2 , wherein lines are formed at predetermined intervals on the surface of the block. Tire tread sample model according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the line is a grid line.   The tire tread sample model according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a sipe wall surface of the block is colored.   The tire tread sample model according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a pedestal is provided on a bottom surface of the block.   The tire tread sample model according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sipe has a shape extending with an amplitude in a depth direction.

Images