Multi-purpose Tire Tread with Interlocking Shoulder and Center Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radial tires designed for multi-purpose operational use in various road conditions face challenges in achieving desired performance while meeting statutory noise constraints, particularly in balancing on-road and off-road capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A tire tread pattern featuring interlocking shoulder and center tread regions with distinct, asymmetrical, and irregularly shaped tread blocks, where the center tread elements are more inclined and have a smaller surface area than the shoulder tread elements, creating zig-zag grooves to enhance traction and reduce noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tire tread pattern is designed for off-road performance with large shoulder tread elements, then off-road traction is improved, but on-road noise levels increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tread pattern is segmented into distinct shoulder tread regions with large tread elements for off-road traction and center tread regions with smaller tread elements for on-road performance. The shoulder tread elements have a ground contacting surface area greater than the center tread elements, allowing each region to be optimized for its specific function while working together in a unified tread design
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tread are given different local qualities - the shoulder regions feature larger tread elements with greater ground contacting surface area optimized for off-road conditions, while the center region features smaller tread elements optimized for on-road noise reduction. This local differentiation allows the tire to provide both off-road traction and acceptable on-road noise levels simultaneously
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a tire tread pattern is designed for on-road performance with small center tread elements, then road noise is reduced, but off-road traction capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread is divided into functionally distinct segments - center tread regions with smaller elements for noise reduction and shoulder tread regions with larger elements for off-road grip. This segmentation allows the center region to minimize road noise while the shoulder regions maintain off-road capability
Solution Approach 2:
The center tread region is specifically designed with smaller tread elements that have less ground contacting surface area, creating a local quality optimized for reducing road noise. This local optimization in the center region does not compromise the shoulder regions which maintain larger elements for off-road traction
3Ease of manufacture
If a tire uses a traditional symmetric tread pattern, then manufacturing is simplified, but performance in varied road conditions is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The tread pattern employs asymmetric tread elements within each region - the shoulder tread elements and center tread elements have different shapes, orientations, and surface areas. This asymmetry is deliberately designed to optimize performance across varied road conditions, with each asymmetric element configured to address specific operational requirements while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Data Source
AI summary
A tire has a circumferential tread, the tread including shoulder tread regions configured for off-road performance separated by and interlocking with a center tread region configured for on-road performance. The shoulder tread regions are defined by a repeating pattern of two or more distinct shoulder tread elements and the center tread region is defined by a repeating pattern of two or more distinct center tread elements. The shoulder tread elements each have a ground contacting surface area greater than a ground contacting surface area of the center tread elements. The center tread elements extend at a relatively greater angle of inclination with respect to an equatorial centerplane of the tire and the shoulder tread elements extend at a relatively lesser angle of inclination with respect to the centerplane. The center tread elements and the shoulder tread elements are irregular and asymmetrical about a longitudinal central axis and a transverse central axis and, together, total five or more (three in the center tread region and two in the shoulder tread region) tread blocks of mutually distinctive geometric shape.