Off-Road Tire Tread Layout for Traction and Block Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires designed for unpaved roads face a challenge in balancing improved driving performance, particularly traction and starting performance, with sufficient damage resistance, as large groove areas and increased edge components can compromise block rigidity.
Innovation Solution
The tire features center and shoulder blocks with inclined grooves, notches, and sipes arranged at specific angles and lengths, including bent portions, to enhance traction and prevent lateral slippage while maintaining block rigidity and damage resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the groove area is increased to bite into mud or the like, then driving performance on unpaved roads is improved, but block rigidity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread blocks are segmented by forming sipes (slit-like grooves) within them, creating multiple edge components without increasing the overall groove area. This segmentation allows the blocks to maintain structural integrity while providing enhanced biting edges for unpaved road traction.
Solution Approach 2:
The sipes are strategically positioned within specific regions of the tread blocks (first region: 0-12.5% from equator, second region: 12.5-75%, third region: 75-100%), with different average angles in each region. This local differentiation optimizes both traction performance and block rigidity maintenance.
2Productivity
If sipes are formed in each block to increase edge components, then driving performance on unpaved roads is improved, but block rigidity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sipes are designed with specific geometric parameters including controlled average angles (90°±10° in first region, 130°±10° in second region, 70°±10° in third region) and bent portions. These parameter optimizations ensure the sipes provide sufficient edge effect for traction while their configuration suppresses block flexure to maintain rigidity.
3Productivity
If the number of edge components is increased to improve starting performance, then driving performance on unpaved roads is improved, but damage resistance of blocks decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of simply increasing the number of sipes in a single plane, the invention introduces bent portions that create three-dimensional edge structures. This dimensional transformation provides enhanced starting performance through increased edge contact with the road surface while the bent configuration reinforces block structure to improve damage resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire is provided. Center blocks in a center region are in pairs across grooves inclined with respect to a circumferential direction. Each of the center blocks extends from one side to the other of an equator and includes a notch defined by a first and second walls connected in a V-shape in a tread contact surface. The first wall extends within ±20° of the circumferential direction, the second wall extends within ±10° of a lateral direction, an average angle of sipes formed in one of the center blocks and the shoulder blocks is smaller than or equal to 90°±10° with respect to the equator for a first region, smaller than or equal to 130°±10° for a second region, and smaller than or equal to 70°±10° for a third region, and each of the sipes includes at least one bent portion.