Pneumatic Tire Sidewall Cut Resistance via Closed Lug Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires designed for unpaved roads, especially rocky terrain, face challenges in achieving both high driving performance and sufficient cut resistance at the sidewall portion due to the vulnerability of thin rubber gauges with recess and protrusions extending from the shoulder to the sidewall.
Innovation Solution
The tire design incorporates a combination of lug grooves and blocks with a ridged side block and a ridge portion within the lug grooves, where the ridge portion is continuous to the side block, forming a first narrow groove that extends toward the sidewall, enhancing rock performance and cut resistance by creating adequate recess and protrusion and suppressing side cuts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the groove or block extends up to the sidewall portion beyond the shoulder region to provide recess and protrusion, then driving performance on unpaved road (rock performance) is improved, but cut resistance at the sidewall portion deteriorates due to thin rubber gauge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different groove configurations in different regions of the tread. Specifically, closed lug grooves with ridge portions are positioned in the shoulder region where rock contact occurs, while the sidewall region maintains adequate rubber thickness. This localized structural differentiation allows the shoulder region to provide rock performance while the sidewall region preserves cut resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The tread pattern is segmented into distinct functional zones: shoulder blocks with closed lug grooves for rock performance, and sidewall regions with adequate rubber gauge for cut resistance. The ridge portions within closed lug grooves further segment the groove structure to maintain edge definition while controlling rubber thickness distribution, enabling each zone to optimize its specific function.
2Productivity
If the sidewall portion is made vulnerable to contact with rock and sharp stone to allow recess and protrusion, then rock performance is enhanced, but the sidewall portion becomes easily damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the rock performance functionality in the shoulder region through closed lug grooves with ridge portions, while the sidewall region maintains adequate rubber thickness for damage resistance. This spatial differentiation of functions allows rock performance enhancement without exposing the sidewall to excessive damage risk.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire includes a lug grooves extending in a shoulder region of a tread portion in a width direction up to a sidewall portion, a shoulder block and a side block defined by the lug grooves, in which the side block located outward of the shoulder block in the width direction is ridged higher than the shoulder block, at least a part of the lug grooves being each a closed lug groove closed by a ridge portion provided therein, the ridge portion being continuous to the side block located on both sides of the closed lug groove in the circumferential direction, the ridge portion including a first narrow groove with a smaller groove width and a smaller groove depth than the lug groove, extending in the width direction, and at least one end of the first narrow groove penetrating toward the closed lug groove or the sidewall portion.