Pneumatic Tire Closed Sipe Widened Portion Ice Traction

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pneumatic tire sipes enhance water absorption but can compromise tread rigidity, leading to reduced steering stability and braking ability, especially on icy surfaces due to narrow spacing and insufficient opening of sipes.

Innovation Solution

A pneumatic tire design featuring closed sipes with widened portions in the tread surface, where the cut width is increased at least 1.5 times but not more than 20 times the standard width, extending throughout the depth of the sipe, and optionally including a second widened portion along the imaginary axis, to facilitate water dispersion and absorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If multiple sipes are disposed closely to each other in the tread surface, then water absorption function is improved, but tread rigidity declines leading to reduced steering stability and braking ability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater absorption functionVSAvoidtread rigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The sipe structure incorporates widened portions at specific locations (intermediate regions from the imaginary axis to terminating portions) while maintaining narrower sections elsewhere. This local variation in cut width allows the sipe to provide enhanced water absorption at the widened portions while the narrower sections preserve tread rigidity. The asymmetric distribution of widened portions creates functional zones that differentiate between water channeling and structural support areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the disposal spacing of sipes is increased to maintain tread rigidity, then steering stability is improved, but the sipes cannot open sufficiently when the tread surface contacts the ground, limiting water absorption effect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetread rigidityVSAvoidwater absorption effect

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The sipe design incorporates variable width sections that dynamically respond to applied pressure. When the tread contacts the ground, the narrower sections of the sipe compress and close, while the widened portions remain open to facilitate water flow. This dynamic behavior allows the sipe to maintain tread integrity during normal operation while effectively channeling water when needed for braking on icy surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If the width of cuts of sipes is formed equally in the longitudinal direction, then manufacturing is simplified, but the sipes do not open sufficiently when the tread surface contacts the ground, limiting water absorption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidwater absorption function

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The sipe structure incorporates widened portions at specific locations (intermediate regions from the imaginary axis to terminating portions) while maintaining narrower sections elsewhere. This local variation in cut width allows the sipe to provide enhanced water absorption at the widened portions while the narrower sections preserve tread rigidity. The asymmetric distribution of widened portions creates functional zones that differentiate between water channeling and structural support areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The design enhances water absorption and discharging functions, improving braking performance on ice by allowing wider opening of sipes under tread contact pressure, thereby providing superior traction and stability on icy surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

due to the tread contact pressure caused by the tire contacting the ground, when traveling on icy road surfaces, the cuts open widely in a width direction centered on the widened portion, thus facilitating the flow of water on the icy road surface to the widened portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS8844591B2Pneumatic tire

Publication Date: 2014.09.30 THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD

AI summary

A pneumatic tire including a closed sipe in a land portion formed in a tread surface, provided with at least three cuts extending in a radiation direction from an imaginary axis that extends in a depth direction of the land portion, and that terminate in the land portion. A widened portion where a width of a cut is locally increased is formed at at least one position of an intermediate region from the imaginary axis to a terminating portion of the cuts.