Winter Tire Tread Block Incision Angles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic vehicle tires designed for winter driving face challenges in managing circumferential rigidity of tread blocks, which affects tread wear and performance on ice and snow, as increased stiffness from narrower grooves counteracts the intended reduction in abrasion in the central area.
Innovation Solution
Adjusting the angles between incisions on tread blocks by 1° to 1.5°, allowing for targeted manipulation of circumferential rigidity while maintaining essential properties like traction and braking behavior, with the largest angle being no more than 30°, particularly advantageous in studded tires with a spike-free central area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If narrower grooves are provided in the central area of the tread to increase the positive component, then abrasion resistance is improved, but circumferential rigidity of tread blocks increases which counteracts the wear reduction effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the angular parameter of incisions by varying the angle relative to the transverse direction of the tread. This parameter change allows reduction of circumferential rigidity while maintaining the positive component design, thereby resolving the contradiction between abrasion resistance and circumferential rigidity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides each tread block into multiple segments by providing multiple incisions with different angles. This segmentation reduces the circumferential rigidity of the tread blocks in the central area, allowing the positive component to effectively reduce wear without being counteracted by excessive stiffness
2Reliability
If tread blocks are made longer in the circumferential direction to increase the positive component, then central area wear is reduced, but circumferential rigidity increases which counteracts the wear reduction effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the angles of incisions in longer tread blocks. This allows the blocks to maintain their length for increased positive component while the angular variation reduces circumferential rigidity, preventing the stiffness from counteracting the wear reduction effect
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle pneumatic tire, in particular for use in winter driving conditions, having a tread which is segmented into tread lugs (2, 5, 6) by scores (4), grooves (3, 14) and the like, wherein there are tread lugs (6), each having at least three indents (12) extending substantially in a corresponding direction and each running under an angle of 45° at a maximum to the transverse direction of the tread. According to the invention, the tread has tread lugs (6), the indents (12) thereof having angles of varying size (a1 to a6) to the transverse direction of the tread, which are incrementally larger or smaller from indent (12) to indent (12), beginning at one of the two outermost indents (12) in the circumferential direction of the tread lug (6).