Off-Road Tire Shoulder Block Stepping for Traction and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires with tread patterns designed for off-road use suffer from uneven wear and reduced block rigidity due to acute angled block ends, compromising traction performance.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic tire design featuring blocks with acute angled ends formed with a narrowing distal end and a stepped shape, including a tilted surface with a maximum length extending outward from the block, to enhance traction while suppressing uneven wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If part of each block is formed with a portion protruding outward at an acute angle to increase engagements with mud and rocks, then traction performance is improved, but block rigidity is locally reduced making the block more susceptible to uneven wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a stepped shape with three or more steps at the block end, where each step has different geometric characteristics. The first step maintains the acute angle for traction, while subsequent steps provide progressively larger surfaces that reinforce block rigidity and distribute stress, preventing uneven wear while preserving the protruding portion's engagement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The block end is segmented into multiple steps (three or more), dividing the originally continuous acute-angled surface into discrete levels. This segmentation allows different portions of the block end to serve different functions: the first step engages with terrain for traction, while the second and third steps provide structural reinforcement and stress distribution to maintain block rigidity
2Adaptability or versatility
If a portion of a block is formed at an acute angle to have a pointed shape, then the number of engagements with mud, rocks and terrain is increased, but uneven wear of the block increases due to reduced block rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The stepped shape creates local quality variations at the block end, where the first step provides the acute-angled pointed shape for terrain engagement, while the second and third steps provide progressively larger surfaces with different geometric properties that distribute contact stresses and reduce uneven wear through localized reinforcement
Solution Approach 2:
The block end surface is segmented into three or more distinct steps, allowing the first step to specialize in terrain engagement while the subsequent steps specialize in stress distribution and wear prevention, thereby separating the conflicting functions of adaptability and wear uniformity into different spatial zones
Data Source
AI summary
In a pneumatic tire, a first shoulder block includes a corner formed at an acute angle to have a narrowing distal end. A stepped shape with three or more steps is formed at the corner of the first shoulder block. The stepped shape is formed at a second step from a contact area side of the first shoulder block, and has a tilted surface with a maximum length among the steps constituting the stepped shape, the length extending outward from the block.