Motorcycle Tire Tread Groove Segmentation for Comfort and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motorcycle tires face a trade-off between ride comfort and wear resistance, with high spring constant leading to uncomfortable rides despite improved wear resistance through inclined grooves.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a tread portion with central, middle, and shoulder regions, featuring first and second inclined grooves with tapered portions that gradually change groove width, along with a center longitudinal groove, to balance rigidity and land ratios, enhancing both ride comfort and wear resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tread portion is made with high land ratio to improve wear resistance, then wear resistance is improved, but ride comfort deteriorates due to high spring constant
Solution Approach 1:
The tread portion is segmented into three distinct regions (central region, middle region, and shoulder region) with different land ratio characteristics. The central region has lower land ratio for comfort, while shoulder regions have higher land ratio for wear resistance, resolving the contradiction by spatial segmentation of functional requirements
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tread portion are assigned different local qualities in terms of land ratio. The central region uses smaller land ratios (0.15-0.30) for comfort, while shoulder regions use larger land ratios (0.40-0.60) for wear resistance, allowing each region to optimize for its specific function
2Reliability
If inclined grooves are made with small widths or lengths to improve land ratio, then wear resistance is improved, but ride comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The groove system is segmented into two types: first inclined grooves in the central region with smaller dimensions for comfort, and second inclined grooves in the shoulder region with larger dimensions for wear resistance. This segmentation allows each groove type to be optimized for its regional requirements
Solution Approach 2:
Different groove dimensions are assigned to different regions. The first inclined grooves have groove widths of 2-5mm and lengths of 15-30mm for central region comfort, while second inclined grooves have groove widths of 5-10mm and lengths of 30-50mm for shoulder region wear resistance
3Stability of the object's composition
If the tread portion has high rigidity to maintain cornering stability, then cornering stability is maintained, but ride comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tread portion is segmented into regions with different rigidity characteristics. The central region has lower rigidity for comfort while the shoulder region has higher rigidity for cornering stability, achieved through different land ratios and groove configurations in each region
Solution Approach 2:
Different local rigidity qualities are assigned to different regions. The central region uses lower land ratios (0.15-0.30) for flexibility and comfort, while the shoulder region uses higher land ratios (0.40-0.60) for rigidity and cornering stability
Data Source
AI summary
A motorcycle tire includes a tread portion having a designated rotational direction, the tread portion provided with first inclined grooves extending from a central region to a shoulder region, and second inclined grooves extending from a middle region to the shoulder region. Each first inclined groove includes a first tapered portion, and each second inclined groove includes a second tapered portion. In a pair of the first and second inclined grooves that are arranged closest to each other, the second tapered portion is located behind a forward of the first tapered portion such that a straight line connecting between a forward of the second tapered portion and a backward of the first tapered portion has an angle of from 85 to 90 degrees with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire.