Ice Grip Stud Structure to Prevent Tire Recess Shifting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ice grip devices for pneumatic tires face issues such as premature wear and shifting within the tread portion, leading to impaired traction performance and potential device loss, due to the interaction with icy road surfaces and the design of the recess in the tire tread.

Innovation Solution

An ice grip device with a bottom flange featuring a single tail portion that extends radially outward, preventing rotation and shifting by stretching the recess and improving force transmission, combined with a pin design that includes an angled surface and dome shape to reduce premature wear and enhance traction, while maintaining a compact size for easy installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the recess size is reduced to provide a tight fit for the ice grip device, then device stability and prevention of shifting is improved, but device installation difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice stabilityVSAvoidinstallation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bottom flange is designed with an asymmetric structure featuring a single tail portion that extends radially outward from the main portion. This asymmetric configuration provides stabilization by preventing rotation and shifting of the device within the recess, while the tail portion's strategic placement ensures the device remains stable without requiring an overly tight recess fit, thus maintaining installation ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If the ice grip device interacts with icy road surfaces to improve traction, then traction performance is improved, but device wear and road surface wear increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraction performanceVSAvoiddevice wear
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The pin is designed with an angled surface that creates a scraping edge before the main pin body contacts the road surface. This preliminary scraping action removes ice and snow buildup, allowing the pin to engage more effectively with the ice while reducing premature wear. The angled surface prepares the contact interface in advance, improving traction while extending device life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Duration of action of stationary object

If the pin includes an angled surface to reduce premature wear, then device durability is improved, but pin complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice durabilityVSAvoidpin complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The angled surface is applied locally to a specific portion of the pin rather than the entire pin structure. This localized modification creates the beneficial scraping edge that reduces premature wear and improves durability, while keeping the rest of the pin simple in design. The selective application of the angled surface minimizes the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3674105B1Advanced ice grip device and pneumatic tire with advanced ice grip device
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3674105B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3674105B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3674105B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An ice grip device comprises a body configured to be received in a recess provided in the tread portion of a tire and a pin connected to the body, wherein the body comprises a top flange connected to the pin, a shaft and a bottom flange arranged adjacent to one another along a longitudinal axis, each having a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the cross-sectional area of the shaft is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the top flange and the bottom flange, respectively, wherein the bottom flange includes a main portion centered on the longitudinal axis and a single tail portion that extends radially outwardly from the main portion with respect to the longitudinal axis.