Pneumatic Tire Tread Branch Groove Resonator Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tire treads struggle to simultaneously reduce air column resonance and tread pattern noise across multiple frequency bands, as branch grooves need to be lengthy to effectively act as resonators, leading to increased noise production when ribs contact the road surface.
Innovation Solution
The tire tread incorporates a design with multiple branch groove sets where the first branch grooves are at least 40% of the contact surface length and 10-25% of the circumferential groove width, and second branch grooves are between 40-90% of the first branch grooves' length, ensuring sound wave interference and reduced acoustic pressure peaks across various frequency bands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If branch grooves are made longer to effectively act as resonators, then air column resonance is reduced, but tread pattern noise increases due to ribs striking the road surface
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator structure is segmented into multiple branch groove sets (first and second branch grooves) with different lengths. The first branch grooves have length L41 ≥ 40% of contact surface length, while second branch grooves have length L42 between 40-90% of L41. This segmentation allows different frequency bands to be targeted simultaneously, reducing the need for excessively long single grooves while maintaining resonator effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tread are assigned different groove characteristics. The first and second branch grooves are positioned to open into the same circumferential groove but terminate at different locations on the rib, creating localized variations in resonator length and width (W41 and W42) to address different frequency bands locally rather than requiring uniform long grooves throughout.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple resonators are arranged to cover various frequency bands, then air column resonance across multiple bands is reduced, but tread pattern noise is generated by the resonators themselves
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple branch groove sets (first and second branch grooves) are merged into a single integrated resonator structure that opens into the same circumferential groove. The first branch grooves have length L41 ≥ 40% of contact surface length, while second branch grooves have length L42 between 40-90% of L41. This merging allows coordinated operation of multiple resonators within a compact structure, reducing the need for widely spaced adjacent resonators that would generate tread pattern noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The second branch grooves are nested within the structure defined by the first branch grooves, with both sets opening into the same circumferential groove and terminating on the same rib. The second branch grooves are positioned to have openings that alternate with first branch groove openings in the direction of rotation. This nesting allows multiple resonator functions to be packed into a compact space, minimizing the spacing between effective resonator elements and reducing tread pattern noise generation.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If branch grooves are made shorter to reduce tread pattern noise, then noise from rib contact is reduced, but air column resonance is not effectively suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator parameters are optimized by specifying that the first branch groove length L41 is at least 40% of the contact surface length, and the second branch groove length L42 is between 40-90% of L41. The groove widths are also parameterized, with W41 between 10-25% of circumferential groove width W, and W42 ≥ W41. These parameter ranges ensure effective resonance suppression while controlling tread pattern noise.
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
This design effectively reduces air column resonance and tread pattern noise, maintaining consistent rib width and minimizing energy fluctuations, thereby lowering the overall noise level of the tire.
Implementation Method 1
Air column resonance in the circumferential grooves formed in tyre treads is produced by resonance in the tubes (air columns) formed by these circumferential grooves and the road surface
Implementation Method 2
the resonators cause a reduction in air column resonance
Implementation Method 3
resonators of a different type to the branch groove shape, which are known as Helmholtz resonators, for reducing air column resonance of various frequency bands
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
Provided is a pneumatic tyre tread which reduces tread pattern noise while effectively suppressing air column resonance produced by circumferential grooves. The pneumatic tyre tread according to the present invention is provided with circumferential grooves 2, ribs 3, and resonators for reducing air column resonance in the circumferential grooves; the resonators are provided with a number of sets of resonators 41, 42, each comprising at least two types of branch groove shapes; the length of the first branch grooves 41 is at least 40% of the length of the contact surface, and the groove width is between 10% and 25% of the groove width of the circumferential grooves, while the length of the second branch grooves 42 is between 40% and 90% of the length of the first branch grooves, and the groove width is no less than the groove width of the first branch grooves; the first openings and the second openings are alternately present on the same circumferential groove; the length between the openings in the first branch grooves is no more than 50% of the length of the contact surface; and the difference between the minimum cross-sectional void ratio in the ribs where the branch grooves are provided and the maximum cross-sectional void ratio is no greater than 10%.