Rough-Terrain Motorcycle Tire Shoulder Blocks for Soft-Surface Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a demand for motorcycle tires that can perform well on soft road surfaces, requiring improved traction and cornering performance, as existing tires struggle to effectively engage the road and maintain stability during straight running and cornering on such surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The tire design features crown blocks, shoulder blocks, and middle blocks with specific height and structural configurations, including a locally increased base portion on the shoulder blocks and tie bars connecting these blocks, which enhance traction and cornering by increasing the reaction force and rigidity on soft surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the shoulder block height is increased to improve traction on soft road surfaces, then the reaction force and cornering performance are improved, but the tire structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing a base portion with locally increased cross-section specifically at the base surface side of the shoulder block, rather than uniformly increasing the entire tire structure. This localized structural enhancement increases the shoulder block height (hs) to be 105-150% of the crown block height (hc), thereby improving reaction force and traction on soft road surfaces without unnecessarily complicating the overall tire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the tire tread into distinct functional blocks: crown blocks for straight running, shoulder blocks for cornering and edge support, and middle blocks connecting them. The shoulder block is further segmented with a base portion at its base surface side, creating a differentiated structure that optimizes each block's function while managing overall structural complexity.
2Strength
If the shoulder block height is increased to improve cornering performance, then the rigidity and reaction force are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base portion is designed with locally increased cross-section only at the base surface side of the shoulder block, concentrating the structural reinforcement where it is most needed for cornering performance. The height ratio of shoulder block (hs) to crown block (hc) is controlled within 105-150%, providing sufficient rigidity enhancement while avoiding excessive complexity in the molding process.
3Reliability
If the base portion with locally increased cross-section is added to the shoulder block, then the traction performance on soft surfaces is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base portion is strategically positioned only at the base surface side of the shoulder block, providing localized structural enhancement that improves traction reliability on soft surfaces. This localized approach increases the shoulder block height to 105-150% of the crown block height while minimizing the increase in overall structural complexity compared to a uniform design.
Data Source
AI summary
A motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain includes a tread portion. The tread portion includes a base surface and a plurality of blocks. The blocks include a crown block arranged on a tire equator side and a shoulder block arranged on a tread edge side. A height of the shoulder block from the base surface is larger than a height of the crown block from the base surface. The shoulder block is provided on the base surface side with a base portion that has a locally increased cross-section taken along the base surface.