Motorcycle Tire Tread Block Segmentation for Turning Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motorcycle tires for motocross and enduro on rough terrain face challenges in achieving improved linear traction and grip performance in turning, with a need for further enhancement.
Innovation Solution
Optimizing the arrangement of center blocks, intermediate blocks, and shoulder blocks in both the tire circumferential and width directions, including specific gap configurations and concave shapes, to prevent overlapping and enhance grip during turning while maintaining traction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If blocks are arranged with large width and perpendicular edges to improve linear traction, then traction performance is improved, but grip performance in turning deteriorates due to overlapping parts between blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The tread blocks are segmented into three distinct types (center blocks, intermediate blocks, and shoulder blocks) with different geometries and arrangements. Center blocks have large width and perpendicular edges for traction, while intermediate blocks are positioned to prevent overlapping and improve turning grip, and shoulder blocks provide outermost contact. This segmentation allows each block type to optimize for its specific function without compromising overall performance.
2Ease of operation
If overlapping parts between center blocks and intermediate blocks are eliminated to improve turning grip, then grip performance in turning is improved, but linear traction performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the tread are given different qualities and characteristics. Center blocks in the middle region have large width and perpendicular edges optimized for linear traction. Intermediate blocks in the lateral region have configurations optimized for preventing overlapping and improving turning grip. Shoulder blocks at the outermost region provide additional turning support. This local differentiation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising overall traction or turning performance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
Provided is a motorcycle tire which exhibits an improved grip performance in turning as compared to the prior art while ensuring traction performance. The motorcycle tire includes: a center block row composed of center blocks (11) formed on a tire equator in a tread portion (10); at least one or more intermediate block rows composed of intermediate blocks (12) formed on each tire width-direction outer side of the center block row; and shoulder block rows composed of shoulder blocks (13) constituting the outermost blocks in the tire width direction, and the center blocks (11) and intermediate blocks (12A) constituting a tire width-direction innermost intermediate block row among the intermediate block rows are separated in both the tire circumferential direction and the tire width direction.