Tire Tread Sipe Geometry for Wet Grip and Dry Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tread design optimization methods often compromise between improving wet and dry braking and traction, as lower stiffness enhances wet braking but worsens dry braking, and vice versa.
Innovation Solution
A tire tread design featuring a middle rib with three radially inclined sipes and shoulder ribs with similar sipe configurations, allowing for optimized wet and dry braking and traction by mitigating block stiffness and enabling local deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If more sipes are added to tread blocks, then wet braking and traction are improved, but tread block stiffness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating sipes in the central portion of the tread block while leaving the peripheral portions with higher stiffness. This localized approach allows the central region to benefit from multiple sipes for improved wet braking and traction, while the peripheral regions maintain the structural integrity and stiffness needed for overall tread block performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The tread block is segmented into multiple functional zones through the strategic placement of sipes. The sipes divide the tread block into distinct segments that can deform independently, allowing the central segments to flex for wet braking while peripheral segments maintain integrity for dry braking. This segmentation enables simultaneous optimization of both wet and dry braking characteristics.
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
The design improves both wet and dry braking distances and traction without the trade-off, enhancing retention of snow during acceleration and braking.
Implementation Method 1
A method for eliminating this trade-off and improving both wet and dry braking and traction would be desirable. A tread block design in accordance with the present invention may improve wet and dry braking distance and traction with tilted sipes combined with a chamfer.
Implementation Method 2
The middle rib has a repeated group of three sipes: a first sipe being inclined radially inward a first angle relative to a radial direction, a second sipe being inclined radially inward a second angle relative to a radial direction, and a third sipe being inclined radially inward a third angle relative to a radial direction.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
A tire having a tread (1) is disclosed. The tread (1) comprises a center rib (12) formed by two circumferential main grooves (9) extending along the tire circumferential direction; a first shoulder rib (11) disposed axially outward from the center rib (12) and one of the circumferential main grooves (9); and a second shoulder rib (13) disposed axially outward from the center rib (12) and the other of the two circumferential main grooves (9). The center rib (12) has a repeated first group of three sipes (111), each first group of three sipes (111) having a first sipe (111) being inclined radially inward under a first angle relative to the tire radial direction, a second sipe (111) being inclined radially inward under a second angle relative to the tire radial direction, and a third sipe (111) being inclined radially inward under third angle relative to the tire radial direction.