At first glance, there doesn’t appear to be much ingenuity behind an everyday automobile tire, just some rubber wrapped around a steel rim. That’s all there is to it, right? For the past fifty years that may have been the case, but in today’s world, tire manufacturers and even startup companies are challenging the traditional style of a tire and creating an entirely new concept.
Traditional tires or pneumatic tires haven’t changed much since John Dunlop developed the first rubber tire concept in 1888. In addition to providing traction, pneumatic tires provide comfort to the driver by absorbing impact while being attached to the vehicle by a steel rim. However, different companies have different methods of creating pneumatic tires. Tire manufactures have different rubber formulas to deliver special combinations of both durability and performance. Currently, Goodyear, Michelin, and Bridgestone are leading the industry in tire sales.
In recent years, Michelin has been stirring up some buzz in the tire industry. With the introduction of their new T-wheel designed tire, Michelin is changing the game of tire manufacturing. The T-wheel is designed to work without air. Instead, the tire is supported by flexible polyurethane spokes that move with the tire. This design allows for the tire to experience greater abuse without rupturing, and it cannot be punctured!
The T-wheel differs from other traditional solid puncture-proof tires in the way it was created. Regular solid tires although puncture proof, make for a harsh ride for the operator and are hard on equipment since there is nothing there to absorb impact. The T-wheel is designed so that it offers the same puncture-proof technology yet absorbs impact at the same time due to its flexible design.
Check out how Michelin’s latest design stacks up against both pneumatic tires and solid tires, here!
It’s safe to say that innovation can come to even to most simple of products. Who would have ever thought you could re-engineer a basic tire? It is innovations like these that help pave way for “a better way” of moving forward in numerous industries.
Do you have an idea for a product that offers a better way of doing something? If so, submit your idea today!
Copyright Davison, 2017
Davison had no involvement with the design or development of the featured product.