Tire Buttress Protrusions for Snow Traction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Winter tires face challenges in maintaining effective snow performance, as the tread portion sinks into snow, causing the sidewall surfaces to contact the road, reducing traction and braking force.
Innovation Solution
The tire features a tread portion with radially inwardly extending curved protrusions on the buttress surfaces, which compress snow to generate traction, and includes shoulder blocks with specific concave portions to enhance snow interaction and detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tread portion is provided with lateral grooves to enhance snow grip performance, then snow performance is improved, but the buttress surfaces do not effectively contribute to traction
Solution Approach 1:
The buttress surface is segmented into multiple protrusions arranged in the tire circumferential direction, creating discrete snow-catching elements that work together to generate traction while maintaining the overall structural integrity of the sidewall
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extends the snow interaction functionality from the tread surface to the sidewall buttress surface, utilizing the third dimension (radial direction) to create additional snow-catching surfaces that contribute to traction when the tread sinks into snow
2Ease of operation
If the tire runs on a snowy road, then the tread portion contacts the snow, but the tread sinks into the snow causing the buttress surface to contact the road instead of generating traction
Solution Approach 1:
The curved protrusions are pre-configured on the buttress surface to catch and compress snow before the tire rotation completes the traction cycle, ensuring that when snow contacts the sidewall, it is already positioned to generate reaction force
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions have curved surfaces that extend radially inwardly from the tread surface while curving toward the intended tire rotational direction, creating optimal snow compression geometry that converts sidewall contact into forward motion
3Area of stationary object
If the sidewall buttress surface contacts the snow road, then additional contact area is provided, but no effective traction is generated without proper snow compression mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The buttress surface features localized protrusions with specific curved geometries that concentrate snow compression forces at key contact points, transforming distributed contact pressure into focused reaction forces that drive the tire forward
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design significantly improves traction and snow performance by effectively catching and compressing snow, allowing for better tire reaction force and snow handling.
Implementation Method 1
snow contacting with the buttress surface is caught by the curved protrusion and compressed by the curved protrusion utilizing the rotation of the tire. Thereby, a reaction force is generated on the tire
Data Source
AI summary
A tire has an intended tire rotational direction and comprises a tread portion having a tread surface defined between tread edges and a pair of buttress surfaces defined as extending radially inwardly from the respective tread edges. One or each of the buttress surfaces is provided with a plurality of protrusions protruding axially outwardly and arranged in the tire circumferential direction. The protrusions include a curved protrusion which extends radially inwardly from the tread surface while curving toward the intended tire rotational direction.