Studded Tire Recesses for Ice Splinter Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Studded tires experience a limit in grip performance on ice due to the accumulation of ice splinters, which reduces the contact area between the tire tread and the ice, leading to decreased effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating recesses in the tread pattern near the studs to store ice splinters generated during scraping, with a volume that is at least equal to the product of the stud's minimum cross-sectional area and a length of 50 mm, allowing for reduced interface thickness and increased anchorage force on the ice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If studs are used to scrape ice and generate anchorage forces, then grip performance is improved, but ice splinters accumulate in the contact area and reduce stud effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful ice splinters from the contact area between the tread and ice by providing recesses that collect and store the splinters. This removes the harmful factor (splinters blocking stud contact) while preserving the useful function (studs scraping ice for anchorage).
Solution Approach 2:
The recesses act as intermediary structures between the studs and the ice surface. They provide a storage zone for ice splinters, mediating the interaction between the scraping studs and the ice to prevent splinter accumulation from interfering with stud effectiveness.
2Force
If recesses are added to store ice splinters, then grip performance is improved, but the tread structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tread is segmented into functional zones: stud-bearing areas for anchorage and recess areas for splinter storage. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other, improving grip while managing complexity through functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
The recesses are strategically positioned in specific locations relative to the studs (within 1 cm distance) to create local zones of splinter storage. This local quality approach ensures that splinters are collected where they interfere with stud performance without requiring complex modifications to the entire tread structure.
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 storage of ice splinters in recesses enhances grip performance by increasing the effective protrusion depth of the studs into the ice, resulting in improved traction and anchorage, while periodic emptying ensures continuous effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the storage of ice splinters in the recesses makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the interface between the rolling surface and the surface of the ice
Implementation Method 2
the studs scrape the ice and generate additional forces on the ice
Implementation Method 3
the fact that the studs dig into the ice, compensates for the loss of grip displayed by the tire tread pattern elements
Data Source
AI summary
A tire (10) for driving on ice, comprising: a tread (20) having a rolling surface configured to come into contact with the ground when the tire is rolling along; at least one stud (30) having a longitudinal axis (A-A), a part of the stud projecting from the rolling surface, the intersection between the stud and the plane tangential to the portion of the rolling surface around the stud forming a contour C, that part of the stud that projects from the rolling surface having a minimum cross section Sm, Sm corresponding to the smallest cross section of the said part in any plane containing the radial direction that passes through the point of intersection between the longitudinal axis of the stud and the plane tangential to the portion of the rolling surface around the stud; at least one recess (200) in the tread forming, on the rolling surface, a contour G, the recess being associated with the stud in that the minimum distance D between the contours C and G is less than or equal to 1 cm; in which, for each stud, the sum of the volumes Vn of the recesses associated with the stud, expressed in mm3, is greater than or equal to the product of the minimum cross section Sm of that part of the stud that projects from the tread, expressed in mm2, multiplied by a length of 50 mm.