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JP-2026075499-A - Method for forming a test compacted snow road surface

JP2026075499AJP 2026075499 AJP2026075499 AJP 2026075499AJP-2026075499-A

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a method for forming a test compacted snow surface that does not require large-scale equipment. [Solution] The method comprises a first step of cutting an ice block to produce cut ice pieces 31, a second step of filling a first container 4 with the cut ice pieces 31 to form a snow layer 32, and a third step of applying pressure to the snow layer 32 to form a compacted snow layer 33. This method makes it possible to form a test compacted snow road surface without requiring large-scale equipment such as a snow gun. [Selection Diagram] Figure 6

Inventors

  • 諫山 直生

Assignees

  • ＴＯＹＯ ＴＩＲＥ株式会社

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20241022

Claims (9)

  1. The first step involves cutting an ice block to produce shaved ice pieces, A second step involves filling the first container with the cut ice pieces to form a snow layer, A method for forming a test compacted snow road surface, comprising a third step of applying pressure to the snow layer to form a compacted snow layer.
  2. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth step of transferring the compacted snow layer from the first container to the second container.
  3. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to claim 2, wherein the second step involves filling the first container, whose inner surface is covered with a sheet material, with the cut ice fragments.
  4. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to claim 3, wherein the fourth step involves removing the compacted snow layer together with the sheet material from the first container.
  5. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to claim 3, wherein the sheet material is directly adjacent to the inner surface of the first container without any other member being interposed between them.
  6. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the sheet material is a cooking sheet.
  7. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to claim 2, further comprising a fifth step of removing the portion of the compacted snow layer protruding from the second container.
  8. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to claim 2, wherein, after subjecting the compacted snow layer held in the second container to testing, the second container is raised to remove the surface portion of the compacted snow layer.
  9. The method for forming a test compacted snow road surface according to claim 2, wherein the compacted snow layer held in the second container is subjected to testing, and then the compacted snow layer is inverted.

Description

This disclosure relates to a method for forming a test compacted snow surface used for testing rubber materials and the like. To evaluate the ice performance of rubber materials used in rubber products such as automobile tires, bench testing machines equipped with ice surfaces are employed. These machines allow for various tests, such as measuring the coefficient of friction by driving a rubber test piece against the ice surface and observing the behavior of rubber on ice. On the other hand, evaluating the snow performance of rubber materials using such bench testing machines requires preparing a compacted snow surface with the necessary density, which presents a significant practical hurdle. Patent documents 1 and 2 describe methods for forming a compacted snow surface for tire operation, but both require large-scale equipment, including snow guns for supplying artificial snow. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-14667Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-187519 A schematic front view showing an example of a test machine.(A) Plan view and (B) A-A cross-section view showing an example of a compacted snow road surface.A flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for forming a compacted snow surface.Perspective view showing an example of a cutting device.(A) Perspective view and (B) B-B cross-sectional view showing an example of the first container.A schematic cross-sectional view showing the second and third steps.Front view showing how pressure is applied using a jig.A schematic cross-sectional view showing the fourth and fifth steps.Perspective view of the first container with the sheet material attached.Cross-sectional view of the first container to illustrate the installation of the sheet material.A schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a modification.A photograph showing a cross-section of the compacted snow layer after the test was completed. Embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. [Testing machine] First, let me explain the testing machine. Figure 1 is a schematic front view showing an example of the testing machine. The testing machine 10 is used to evaluate the snow performance of rubber materials used in rubber products such as automobile tires. The testing machine 10 is equipped with a test compacted snow surface 3 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "compacted snow surface 3"), and is configured to perform friction tests and other tests by driving the machine while pressing a rubber test piece 1 against the compacted snow surface 3. The testing machine 10 is installed in a constant temperature chamber 20, such as a refrigerator. The testing machine 10 includes a holder 11 for holding the rubber test piece 1 and a load device 12 that presses the rubber test piece 1 against the compacted snow surface 3 with a set input load. In this embodiment, the rubber test piece 1 is bonded to the plate-shaped holder 11 so as to face the compacted snow surface 3, and the holder 11 is connected to the load device 12. The load device 12 is configured to reciprocate the holder 11 along the Z direction (vertical direction in Figure 1), which is perpendicular to the compacted snow surface 3, and a load corresponding to the position of the holder 11 is input to the rubber test piece 1. The load device 12 is configured with a servo motor, but other actuator mechanisms may also be used. The testing machine 10 has a drive device 13 that moves the rubber test piece 1 pressed against the compacted snow surface 3. The drive device 13 is configured to reciprocate a table 14 supporting a load device 12 along the X direction (left-right direction in Figure 1). The movement of the table 14 moves the holder 11, and consequently, the rubber test piece 1 is moved. The actuator 15 is configured to reciprocate a table 18 in the Y direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1), which is perpendicular to the X and Z directions, and is used to align the rubber test piece 1 with the compacted snow surface 3 in the Y direction. The drive device 13 and actuator 15 are each composed of servo motors, but are not limited to this. The testing machine 10 is equipped with a measuring device 16 for measuring the output load acting on the rubber test piece 1. The measuring device 16 is, for example, composed of a load cell. In this embodiment, the measuring device 16 is mounted on the upper side of the holder 11 (opposite side from the rubber test piece 1). The measuring device 16 is capable of measuring loads of three components: a vertical component and two horizontal components. In addition to the output load (load in the Z direction) described above, it can detect the forward/backward force (load in the X direction) and the lateral force (load in the Y direction) acting on the rubber test piece 1. The testing machine 10 includes a control device 17 having a calculation unit 17a that performs various calculations and an operation control unit 17b th