Pneumatic Tire Land Part Thin Grooves Reduce Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires with high land part rigidity suffer from vibration sounds and uneven wear, and existing sipe configurations are insufficient in reducing these issues while also leading to insufficient pattern noise performance when thin grooves with wider widths are used.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic tire design featuring a land part with thin grooves intersecting the tire circumferential direction, having a narrower width than main transverse grooves, and incorporating ridges on one lateral face that extend in the depth direction, with varying lengths and heights to disturb air flow and reduce resonance sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the rigidity of the land part is high, then the structural strength is improved, but vibration sound and uneven wear are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The land part is segmented by providing thin grooves that divide it into multiple smaller sections. This segmentation reduces the overall rigidity of the land part, thereby suppressing vibration sounds and preventing uneven wear while maintaining sufficient structural strength through the remaining land portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The thin grooves are provided with varying depths and widths at different locations within the land part. This local variation in groove characteristics allows for optimized rigidity distribution, reducing vibration and wear in specific areas while maintaining strength where needed.
2Strength
If a thin groove with wider width than sipe is provided, then the rigidity of the land part is reduced, but resonance sound is easily generated
Solution Approach 1:
The parameters of the thin groove (width, depth, length) are optimized to specific ranges. The groove width is controlled to be greater than sipe width but within a limit that prevents resonance. The groove depth and length are also specified to achieve the desired rigidity reduction without generating resonance sounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The thin groove structure combines multiple geometric features (varying depths, widths, and lengths) to create a composite configuration that simultaneously reduces land part rigidity and suppresses resonance, achieving both objectives through integrated design.
3Ease of operation
If existing sipe configurations are used, then drainage properties are enhanced, but rigidity reduction is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from traditional sipe configurations to thin grooves with varying depths and widths, adding dimensional complexity to the groove structure. This dimensional enhancement allows for superior rigidity reduction compared to conventional sipes while maintaining drainage functionality.
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 effectively reduces block vibration sounds and heel-and-toe wear, while enhancing pattern noise performance by disturbing air flow within the thin grooves, thus improving both noise reduction and wear resistance.
Implementation Method 1
ridges projecting toward the other groove lateral face and extending in a depth direction of the thin groove are provided... in such a manner that they are parallel to each other at intervals in a length direction of the thin groove and that an extending length in the depth direction is set up to include at least two kinds
Data Source
AI summary
In a tread part, a land part (block) partitioned by a main transverse groove is provided with a thin groove having a narrower groove width than the main transverse groove and extending in a tire width direction. On a groove lateral face which is one of opposing groove lateral faces of the thin groove, ridges projecting toward the other groove lateral face and extending in a depth direction of the thin groove are provided. A plural number of the ridges are provided in parallel to each other at intervals in a length direction of the thin groove, and an extending length in the depth direction is set up to include at least two kinds.