Asymmetric V-Shaped Tread Pattern for Winter Tire Noise and Stiffness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Winter tires face challenges in providing good traction on snow and ice while maintaining performance on dry and wet roads, with issues of excessive flexibility, noise, and rapid tread wear, as existing designs compromise on stiffness and noise reduction.
Innovation Solution
A tire tread pattern featuring at least two circumferential grooves, asymmetric transverse grooves with a 'V' shape, and lateral transverse grooves that cross the circumferential grooves, reducing flexibility and noise, while enhancing water drainage and grip on various road conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large and deep traction grooves are used to increase void ratio for snow traction, then snow grip is improved, but tread stiffness is reduced and noise increases on dry roads
Solution Approach 1:
The tread pattern is segmented into multiple functional zones: central region with asymmetric transverse grooves for snow/ice traction, shoulder regions with lateral grooves for water drainage, and specific block arrangements. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize for its specific function without compromising overall tread stiffness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tread are given different properties: the central region has deeper grooves and asymmetric transverse patterns for snow grip, while shoulder regions have lateral grooves for water drainage. The void ratio and groove dimensions are locally optimized rather than uniformly distributed, allowing snow performance without excessive noise on dry roads.
2Reliability
If high density of transverse sipes is added to improve ice traction, then ice grip is improved, but tread stiffness is further reduced and block mobility increases
Solution Approach 1:
Asymmetric transverse grooves are introduced with different configurations in different regions. The asymmetry creates effective edges for ice traction while the specific asymmetric pattern controls block mobility to maintain tread stiffness. The asymmetric design provides multiple cutting edges that engage with ice surfaces effectively.
3Reliability
If broad transverse grooves are used to drain water, then water drainage is improved, but tread stiffness is reduced and noise increases on dry roads
Solution Approach 1:
Water drainage function is segmented from the main circumferential grooves to separate lateral grooves in the shoulder regions. This segmentation allows water drainage to be handled by specific lateral channels without requiring broad transverse grooves that would compromise tread stiffness and increase noise on dry roads.
Data Source
AI summary
A tyre for vehicle wheels having a tread pattern includes: a) two circumferential grooves, which define a first and a second shoulder region, and one central region; b) a plurality of asymmetric transverse grooves having a substantially “V” shape, which extend for the whole width of the tread, including an alternate sequence of a first and a second asymmetric transverse groove defining an alternate sequence of a first and a second asymmetric module; and c) a plurality of lateral transverse grooves, which includes one first lateral transverse groove extending for the whole width of the first shoulder region and for a portion of the central region of the first asymmetric modules, and one second lateral transverse groove extending for the whole width of the second shoulder region and for a portion of the central region of the second asymmetric modules.