Tilted Tire Sipes With Undulated Section for Grip and Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire designs with sipes, particularly those with radial stages inclined with respect to the radial direction, suffer from performance reduction due to overhang of tread block portions, leading to durability issues and reduced tire performance.
Innovation Solution
A tire tread design featuring a staggered sipe configuration with an inclined section undulated and inclined relative to the radial direction, optimized with specific angles and undulations, enhances grip and durability by improving the interaction with the ground surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sipes with radial stages inclined with respect to the radial direction are used, then grip performance is improved, but tread block overhang increases leading to reduced durability
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe is divided into multiple sections: a first section extending from the tread surface at an inclination angle of 10° to 45° relative to the radial direction, and a second section extending from the first section at an inclination angle of 70° to 90° relative to the radial direction. This segmentation allows each section to perform different functions - the first section optimizes grip by inclining toward the direction of travel, while the second section provides a near-vertical termination that reduces tread block overhang and improves durability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the sipe are given different local qualities through varying inclination angles. The first section has a moderate inclination (10°-45°) optimized for grip performance, while the second section has a steep inclination (70°-90°) optimized for reducing overhang. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between grip and durability.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If sipes with perpendicular orientation to tread surface are used, then tread block overhang is reduced, but grip performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a single perpendicular sipe configuration, the invention segments the sipe into two sections with different orientations. The first section provides the grip-enhancing inclination (10°-45°), while the second section provides the durability-enhancing near-vertical orientation (70°-90°), combining benefits of both approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The sipe configuration transitions from a simple two-dimensional cross-sectional view to a three-dimensional structure where the first and second sections create a stepped pattern. This dimensional change allows the sipe to achieve both grip optimization and overhang reduction that cannot be achieved with a single planar orientation.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional sipe designs are used, then manufacturing is simple, but fatigue cracks propagate at the bottom of sipes under heavy duty use
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented sipe structure with two distinct sections creates a stepped configuration that interrupts crack propagation paths. The change in orientation between sections acts as a barrier to fatigue crack growth, improving reliability under heavy duty use while maintaining manufacturability through standard molding techniques.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tire tread and a tire is disclosed. The tire tread comprises a groove (26) with a groove depth and a tread element (22) adjacent to the groove (26). The tread element (22) comprises a tread surface (20) intended to engage a ground surface, a radial direction (R) perpendicular to the tread surface (20), and a sipe (24) radially extending from the tread surface (20). The sipe (24) has, along the radial direction (R), an outer section (52) parallel to the radial direction (R), an inner section (54) parallel to the radial direction (R), said inner section (54) comprising an even outer edge (56), and an inclined section (58) between the outer section (52) and the inner section (54). The inclined section (58) is inclined with respect to the radial direction (R) under an inclination angle of at most 60° and/or at least 5° and the inclined section (58) comprises undulations (82) extending along the even outer edge (56). Also, a sipe blade (80) for molding a sipe (24) in such a tread element (22) is disclosed.