High-Pitch Tire Tread Layout for Snow Grip and Block Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire designs face challenges in achieving optimal performance on diverse road surfaces, such as snowy and dry surfaces, due to the negative impact of sipes on block resistance and grip, leading to compromised performance on wet or dry roads.
Innovation Solution
A tire design with a high number of pitches and transverse grooves, minimizing the need for sipes in blocks, enhances grip and resistance to tangential stresses, ensuring balanced performance on various road conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sipes are added to blocks to improve grip on snowy surfaces, then grip on snowy surfaces is improved, but resistance to tangential stresses on dry and wet roads deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tread band is divided into multiple pitches (at least 100 pitches) with transverse grooves creating numerous small blocks. This segmentation provides multiple gripping edges for snow retention while maintaining overall block integrity through the high number of repeated units, thereby improving snowy surface grip without compromising resistance to tangential stresses on dry and wet roads.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of pitch count from conventional low numbers to at least 100 pitches. This parameter change creates a tread pattern with many small blocks that provide sufficient snow gripping edges while each individual block maintains adequate size and strength to resist tangential stresses during acceleration and braking on various road surfaces.
2Reliability
If the number of pitches is increased to improve snow retention, then grip on snowy surfaces is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread pattern employs periodic repetition of pitch units around the circumference of the tread band. By repeating the same pitch design at least 100 times, the invention achieves complex overall functionality for snow retention while using a simple, repeatable modular unit, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity compared to designing unique features for each position.
Solution Approach 2:
Each pitch unit serves multiple functions: it creates transverse grooves for snow retention, forms blocks with gripping edges, and contributes to overall tread pattern symmetry. This multi-functionality of the repeated pitch unit achieves snow retention capability without requiring additional complex features, thereby improving snow grip while controlling device complexity.
3Reliability
If transverse grooves are added to create gripping edges, then grip on various road surfaces is improved, but block strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tread band is segmented into at least 100 small pitch units, each containing transverse grooves that create gripping edges. This fine segmentation distributes the stress across many small blocks rather than a few large ones, allowing each block to be smaller and weaker individually while the collective assembly provides sufficient overall strength and grip on various road surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the scale parameter by creating many small pitch units instead of fewer large ones. This parameter change allows transverse grooves to be incorporated into each small block without compromising overall block strength, as the stress is distributed across numerous units, thereby improving grip while maintaining adequate strength for acceleration and braking.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A tyre (1; 100) for vehicle wheels comprises a tread band (2), on which there are formed a plurality of grooves (20, 30) which generally define a tread pattern of the tyre. There is defined in the tread pattern at least one pitch (M) which extends axially on the tread band and the total number of pitches formed on the tread band (2) is greater than 110.