Pneumatic Tire Shoulder Block Stiffness Uniformity

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pneumatic vehicle tires with radial designs face issues of varying circumferential and transverse stiffness in shoulder block rows, leading to uneven braking properties, increased abrasion, and irregular wear, particularly under wintry conditions.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of an additional transverse groove with a width of 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm, which divides shoulder blocks into parts with varying ratios, and incisions parallel to the transverse grooves, helps to equalize circumferential and transverse rigidity across the tire circumference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If pitch length variation method is used to reduce rolling noise, then rolling noise is reduced, but circumferential stiffness and transverse stiffness of tread blocks vary over the tire circumference causing adverse effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverolling noiseVSAvoidcircumferential stiffness uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different groove configurations in different circumferential regions. Specifically, additional transverse grooves are provided only in shoulder blocks belonging to pitches with greater circumferential length, while shoulder blocks in pitches with smallest circumferential length have no additional transverse grooves. This creates locally differentiated stiffness characteristics that compensate for the variations introduced by pitch length variation, resolving the contradiction between noise reduction and stiffness uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If additional transverse grooves are provided in all shoulder blocks, then transverse stiffness is increased, but braking properties and lateral stability suffer due to excessive stiffness variation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransverse stiffnessVSAvoidbraking properties

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different groove configurations in different circumferential regions. Specifically, additional transverse grooves are provided only in shoulder blocks belonging to pitches with greater circumferential length, while shoulder blocks in pitches with smallest circumferential length have no additional transverse grooves. This creates locally differentiated stiffness characteristics that compensate for the variations introduced by pitch length variation, resolving the contradiction between noise reduction and stiffness uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If pitch length variation is applied, then frequency distribution is improved, but irregular wear is promoted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency distributionVSAvoidtread wear evenness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different groove configurations in different circumferential regions. Specifically, additional transverse grooves are provided only in shoulder blocks belonging to pitches with greater circumferential length, while shoulder blocks in pitches with smallest circumferential length have no additional transverse grooves. This creates locally differentiated stiffness characteristics that compensate for the variations introduced by pitch length variation, resolving the contradiction between noise reduction and stiffness uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2965925B1Pneumatic tyres for a vehicle

Publication Date: 2019.02.20 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH

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AI summary

Vehicle pneumatic tires with a tread whose profile structures are arranged in a noise-optimized manner according to a pitch length variation method in a pitch sequence with pitches (P1, P2) with at least two different circumferential lengths (L1, L1', L2, L2'), wherein the tread has a block row (4) in at least one shoulder area with shoulder blocks (3) separated from each other by transverse grooves (2), wherein one or two shoulder blocks (3), each together with an adjacent transverse groove (2), belong to a pitch (P1, P2) of a specific circumferential length (L1, L1', L2, L2') orbelong, and wherein in the shoulder blocks (3) which run in the pitches (P2) with the greatest perimeter length (L2, L2') an additional transverse groove (10) runs, which divides the shoulder block (3) in the ratio 1 : 1 to 2 : 3 into shoulder block parts (3a), wherein in the shoulder blocks (3) which run in the pitches (P1) with the smallest perimeter length (L2; L2') no additional transverse groove (10) is provided.