Pneumatic Tire Groove Segmentation for Snow Traction and Rigidity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pneumatic tires face challenges in improving traction on snowy road surfaces while maintaining rigidity, as the length of circumferential grooves is limited, which restricts the enhancement of traction and stability on such surfaces.

Innovation Solution

The pneumatic tire design features first and second shoulder lands with slits extending across their full width, and a center land with slits that are contiguous with circumferential grooves, allowing for increased traction on snowy surfaces while maintaining rigidity by optimizing the arrangement and separation of slits and grooves.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If circumferential grooves are made longer to increase traction on snowy surfaces, then traction performance improves, but block rigidity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraction performance on snowy surfacesVSAvoidblock rigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the circumferential groove into multiple segments separated by block end portions. The circumferential groove is interrupted by lands, creating multiple groove segments that provide cumulative traction edges while maintaining block structural integrity. This segmentation allows the groove to extend further without compromising block rigidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies different groove configurations to different blocks based on their position. Shoulder blocks have circumferential grooves that extend along their entire length, while intermediate blocks have grooves that may be discontinuous or shorter. This localized differentiation optimizes traction at the shoulders where it's most needed while preserving rigidity in intermediate blocks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If circumferential groove length is increased to improve snowy surface performance, then edge traction increases, but the groove becomes too short to provide adequate traction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraction on snowy road surfacesVSAvoidcircumferential groove length

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The circumferential groove is divided into multiple segments separated by land portions. Each segment provides traction edges, and the cumulative effect of multiple segments along the circumferential direction creates effectively long traction paths without requiring a single continuous long groove.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extends traction capability by utilizing the circumferential dimension through multiple groove segments rather than relying solely on groove length in one continuous direction. The segmented approach creates a multi-dimensional traction network that effectively increases total groove length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11833859B2Pneumatic tire

Publication Date: 2023.12.05 TOYO TIRE CORP

AI summary

In a pneumatic tire, a first shoulder block comprises at least one first shoulder circumferential groove which extends in a tire circumferential direction, the at least one first shoulder circumferential groove is respectively separated from a pair of first shoulder slits, a center block comprises at least one center circumferential groove which extends in the tire circumferential direction, and the at least one center circumferential groove is respectively contiguous with a pair of center slits.