Tire Sipe Opening Geometry for Mold Durability and Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic tire molds are prone to deformation during blast cleaning due to high-pressure gas cleaning methods, and there is a need to improve drainage efficiency in tire treads.
Innovation Solution
The tire design includes inclined surfaces and intermediate surfaces between sipe openings and ground contact surfaces, with the intermediate surfaces forming a right angle with projections, enhancing mold durability and increasing water accommodation in tire grooves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If blast cleaning involving blowing out high-pressure gas is applied to the mold, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but the mold may be deformed and turned up from the projection, reducing mold durability
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate surface is formed in advance during mold manufacturing, creating a top surface that contacts the projection at a right angle. This preliminary structural preparation prevents deformation during subsequent blast cleaning operations, allowing efficient cleaning without compromising mold durability.
2Reliability
If the intermediate surface is formed with 0 degrees inclination, then the top surface contacts the projection at a right angle preventing deformation, but the water accommodating region may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate surface is designed with local quality variation: at the contact region with the projection, it has 0 degrees inclination to prevent deformation, while in other regions it can have non-zero inclination angles to accommodate water. This localized differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of mold durability and drainage efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tire (1) according to an example of an embodiment includes a plurality of lands, and a tread (10) having a sipe (61) formed in at least part of the lands. An inclined surface (71, 72) is formed between an opening end on at least one side in a width direction of the sipe (61) and a ground contact surface (S), the inclined surface having a linear shape in cross section and continuing from the ground contact surface (S). An intermediate surface (73) is formed between the inclined surface (71, 72) and the sipe (61), the intermediate surface (73) having an inclination angle with respect to the ground contact surface (S) of 0 degrees or having an inclination angle with respect to the ground contact surface (S) that is smaller than an inclination angle of the inclined surface (71, 72) with respect to the ground contact surface S.