Motorcycle Tire Crown Block Arrangement for Mud Ejection

Solution Overview

Problem

Motorcycle tires designed for rough terrain face reduced traction performance due to mud clogging between crown blocks, particularly on muddy ground, as existing designs do not effectively manage the spacing and arrangement of crown blocks to maintain optimal traction across varying terrain conditions.

Innovation Solution

The tire features a specific arrangement of crown blocks with first, second, and third crown blocks positioned around the tire equator, where the minimum axial distance between second and third crown blocks is optimized to prevent mud clogging, ensuring continuous traction on both hard and soft terrain, with the first crown blocks positioned between pairs of second and third blocks to reduce stress and enhance durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If crown blocks are arranged closely together to improve traction on hard terrain, then traction force is improved, but mud clogging occurs on muddy ground reducing performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraction forceVSAvoidtraction performance on muddy ground

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The crown blocks are segmented into three distinct types (first, second, and third crown blocks) with different spacing characteristics. The second crown blocks have smaller axial distance for hard terrain traction, while the third crown blocks have larger axial distance to prevent mud clogging. This segmentation allows the tire to address multiple terrain conditions simultaneously through different block configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the tread are assigned different block spacing characteristics. The second crown blocks provide close spacing for traction on hard terrain, while the third crown blocks provide wide spacing for mud ejection on soft terrain. This local differentiation of quality allows optimal performance in both hard and soft ground conditions without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If crown blocks are arranged with large spacing to prevent mud clogging, then traction on muddy ground is improved, but traction force on hard terrain is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraction performance on muddy groundVSAvoidtraction force on hard terrain

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The crown blocks are segmented into three distinct types (first, second, and third crown blocks) with different spacing characteristics. The second crown blocks have smaller axial distance for hard terrain traction, while the third crown blocks have larger axial distance to prevent mud clogging. This segmentation allows the tire to address multiple terrain conditions simultaneously through different block configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the tread are assigned different block spacing characteristics. The second crown blocks provide close spacing for traction on hard terrain, while the third crown blocks provide wide spacing for mud ejection on soft terrain. This local differentiation of quality allows optimal performance in both hard and soft ground conditions without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Force

If crown blocks are positioned to maximize contact area for traction, then traction force is improved, but stress concentration reduces durability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraction forceVSAvoiddurability

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The crown blocks are segmented into three distinct types (first, second, and third crown blocks) with different spacing characteristics. The second crown blocks have smaller axial distance for hard terrain traction, while the third crown blocks have larger axial distance to prevent mud clogging. This segmentation allows the tire to address multiple terrain conditions simultaneously through different block configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first crown blocks are positioned between the second and third crown blocks to act as stress-absorbing elements. This preliminary arrangement of blocks creates a stress distribution pattern that prevents concentration on any single block, thereby preserving durability while maintaining traction capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10899180B2Motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain

Publication Date: 2021.01.26 SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD

AI summary

A motorcycle tire is provided in a tread portion 2 with blocks including crown blocks 11 disposed in a tread crown region 3. The crown blocks 11 include first crown blocks 16 on the tire equator C, pairs of second crown blocks 17, and pairs of third crown blocks 18. The minimum axial distance L2 between the ground contacting top surfaces of the paired second crown blocks 17 is smaller than the maximum axial width L1 of the ground contacting top surface of the first crown block 16. The minimum axial distance L3 between the ground contacting top surfaces of the paired third crown blocks 18 is greater than the maximum axial width L1 of the first crown block 16.