Off-Road Tire Side Block Geometry for Rock and Mud Traction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing off-road tires struggle to achieve high traction performance on rocky and muddy terrains due to insufficient design features that effectively engage with the ground.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic tire design featuring side blocks with distinct main and sub blocks, each with varying protrusion heights and inclinations, optimized for maximum engagement with rocky and muddy surfaces, enhancing traction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If side blocks are designed with uniform protrusion height, then manufacturing is simple, but traction performance on rocky terrains is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The side blocks are designed with non-uniform protrusion heights, where specific portions have different heights to optimize traction on rocky terrains. The first side blocks have a first protrusion height and the second side blocks have a second protrusion height that is different from the first, allowing different regions of the tire to interact with the terrain in optimally different ways for enhanced grip and reliability.
2Reliability
If side blocks have high protrusion height for better rock engagement, then traction on rocky terrains improves, but susceptibility to chipping increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the side blocks have different protrusion heights, with the first side blocks having a first protrusion height and the second side blocks having a second protrusion height. This local variation allows optimal engagement with rocks while distributing stress to reduce chipping susceptibility in any single location.
Solution Approach 2:
The side blocks are divided into multiple segments (first side blocks and second side blocks) with different characteristics. This segmentation allows each segment to be optimized for specific functions - some for rock engagement and others for reduced chipping - thereby resolving the contradiction between traction and durability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If all side blocks have the same protrusion height, then structural symmetry is maintained, but traction performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The tire design intentionally introduces asymmetry by providing first side blocks with a first protrusion height and second side blocks with a second protrusion height that is different from the first. This asymmetric configuration breaks the uniformity to optimize traction performance on varied terrains while maintaining overall tire functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic tire includes a tread, a side wall, and a bead. The side wall includes side blocks protruding outward in a tire axial direction. Each side block includes at least a main block extending in a tire radial direction. The main block includes a protrusion region having a largest protrusion height in the main block, and an inner inclination region connected with an inward edge of the protrusion region in the tire radial direction. The inner inclination region has a protrusion height that gradually decreases as the inner inclination region extends away from the protrusion region. The protrusion region has a length in the tire radial direction, and the length is equal to or larger than a length of the inner inclination region in the tire radial direction.