Pneumatic Tire Tread Pattern with Diagonal Sub Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current all-season pneumatic tires for passenger cars lack sufficient resistance to uneven wear and traction performance on snow, making them unsuitable for adverse conditions.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic tire design featuring a tread pattern with circumferential main grooves, a land section with sub grooves and sipes, where the sub grooves have a diagonal orientation with varying slant angles and sipes connecting between the sub grooves and main grooves, enhancing snow performance without compromising wear resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If curved diagonal grooves are provided in the center land section extending diagonally from the inside crown longitudinal groove toward the outside crown longitudinal groove, then snow traction performance is improved, but resistance to uneven wear deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sub groove is divided into multiple groove sections (first groove section, second groove section, third groove section) with different orientations and functions. The first groove section extends diagonally toward the first side, the second groove section extends substantially in the circumferential direction, and the third groove section extends diagonally toward the second side. This segmentation allows each section to contribute differently to snow traction while maintaining wear resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the sub groove have different local characteristics optimized for specific functions. The first groove section with diagonal orientation toward the first side provides snow traction, the second groove section with circumferential orientation maintains wear resistance, and the third groove section with diagonal orientation toward the second side provides additional snow traction. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between snow performance and wear resistance.
2Reliability
If the sub groove extends diagonally with varying slant angles, then snow handling performance is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sub groove is segmented into multiple straight-line groove sections connected by bends, rather than using a single complex curved groove. Each groove section has a defined slant angle range, making the design easier to manufacture while still achieving the desired snow handling performance through the varying orientations.
Solution Approach 2:
The slant angle of the groove sections is varied within specific ranges (first groove section: 0 to 30 degrees, second groove section: 10 to 45 degrees) to optimize snow handling performance. By defining specific angle ranges rather than fixed angles, the design maintains performance while accommodating manufacturing variations.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire includes first and second side members at first and second sides and a tread section between the first and second side members. The tread section has a tread pattern including a pair of main grooves extending linearly in a circumferential direction of the tire and a land section extending in the circumferential direction between the main grooves. The land section includes a sub groove extending in the circumferential direction without connecting to the main grooves, and a first sipe connecting between the sub groove and one of the main grooves. The sub groove includes a first groove section extending diagonally toward the first side at 0 to 30 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction and a second groove section connecting to the first groove section and extending diagonally toward the second side at 10 to 45 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction.