Tire Shoulder Tread Layout for Faster Turn-In Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing pneumatic tire design, as specified in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2015-024797, suffers from poor initial responsiveness during turning, which affects steering stability.
Innovation Solution
The tire design includes an outer shoulder land portion with a largest width in the tire axial direction, featuring an outer shoulder lateral groove that extends from the outer tread edge and terminates within the land portion, and an outer shoulder sipe that extends from the first crown main groove and also terminates within the land portion, allowing for torsional deformation and enhanced cornering force generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the outer shoulder land portion has a larger width with terminating grooves and sipes, then initial responsiveness and steering stability are improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer shoulder land portion is segmented into multiple functional zones by dividing it into grooves and sipes. The lateral groove extends from the outer tread edge toward the crown main groove, while sipes extend from the crown main groove toward the lateral groove, creating a segmented pattern that enables controlled deformation and improves steering stability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the outer shoulder land portion are given different properties through the groove and sipe arrangement. The area near the outer tread edge has the lateral groove for initial deformation, while the area near the crown main groove has sipes for additional flexibility. This local differentiation optimizes cornering force generation while managing structural complexity.
2Force
If the outer shoulder land portion is designed with terminating grooves and sipes for deformation, then cornering force generation is enhanced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral groove and sipes are pre-positioned in the tread design with specific termination points within the outer shoulder land portion. The lateral groove terminates before reaching the crown main groove, and sipes terminate before reaching the lateral groove, creating predetermined deformation paths that guide the rubber flow during cornering while establishing clear manufacturing targets.
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves and sipes extend partway through the outer shoulder land portion rather than completely across it. This partial extension provides sufficient deformation capability for enhanced cornering force while avoiding the need for precise full-crossing geometry, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
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
This design improves initial responsiveness during turning and enhances steering stability by enabling the ground-contact surface to immediately deform and generate cornering force without delay, while maintaining ride comfort and uneven wear resistance.
Implementation Method 1
the ground-contact surface of the outer shoulder land portion immediately deforms in torsion so as to follow a road surface, and further generates cornering force without delay
Data Source
AI summary
A tire 1 includes a tread portion 2, and how the tire is to be oriented when mounted to a vehicle is specified for the tire. The tread portion 2 has an outer tread edge T1, an inner tread edge T2, a first crown main groove 4, a second crown main groove 5, and three land portions demarcated by the first crown main groove 4 and the second crown main groove 5. The land portions include an outer shoulder land portion 7 demarcated between the outer tread edge T1 and the first crown main groove 4. The outer shoulder land portion 7 has a largest width in a tire axial direction among the three land portions. The outer shoulder land portion 7 has an outer shoulder lateral groove 20 and an outer shoulder sipe 21.