Pneumatic Tire Tread Rib With Closed Ring Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic vehicle tire tread profiles with radially raised profile elements and transverse grooves compromise handling and noise properties on dry roads due to reduced circumferential and transverse rigidity, while profiles with circumferential ribs lack water absorption capacity on wet roads, leading to impaired traction and aquaplaning performance.
Innovation Solution
A tread profile design featuring a circumferential rib with grooves forming a closed ring shape around a rib section, where the transverse extension sections have a deeper groove depth than the longitudinal sections, providing high circumferential and transverse rigidity, improved water absorption, and reduced noise generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transverse grooves are formed in tread block rows to improve water absorption and aquaplaning resistance, then water absorption capacity is improved, but circumferential and transverse rigidity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential rib is segmented by forming closed ring-shaped grooves around specific rib sections, creating discrete water collection zones while preserving the structural integrity of the remaining rib portions. This segmentation allows water absorption functionality to be localized without compromising the overall rigidity of the circumferential rib structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the circumferential rib are given different properties: rib sections with closed ring grooves provide water absorption capacity, while rib sections without grooves maintain high rigidity. This local differentiation allows the tread profile to simultaneously achieve both water absorption and structural strength in different areas.
2Reliability
If transverse grooves extend through tread block rows to improve wet road grip, then aquaplaning characteristics are improved, but handling properties on dry roads are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The groove configuration is segmented into closed ring shapes around specific rib sections rather than continuous transverse grooves through entire tread block rows. This provides localized water management where needed while preserving the continuity and rigidity of the circumferential rib structure for maintaining handling properties on dry roads.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using open transverse grooves that compromise structural integrity, the invention uses closed ring-shaped grooves that enclose water within specific zones. This inverted approach to groove design allows water absorption without creating the flexibility issues that degrade handling characteristics.
3Force
If circumferential ribs are formed to improve power transmission on dry roads, then braking and traction forces are improved, but water absorption capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential rib structure is designed with local variations: specific rib sections have closed ring grooves for water absorption, while other sections maintain continuous rib structure for optimal power transmission. This allows the circumferential rib to simultaneously provide both mechanical strength for force transmission and localized water management capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The circumferential rib is functionally segmented into water-absorbing zones (with closed ring grooves) and force-transmission zones (continuous rib structure). This segmentation allows each region to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, achieving both improved water absorption and maintained power transmission.
4Reliability
If transverse grooves are formed to improve wet road traction, then water channeling is improved, but noise generation increases due to pulsed vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using open transverse grooves that create sharp edges and pulsed vibrations, the invention uses closed ring-shaped grooves that enclose water within the rib structure. This inverted groove design eliminates the sharp edges that cause vibration and noise while still providing effective water channeling and wet road traction through the enclosed water zones.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 3~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
A tread profile of a vehicle pneumatic tyre having profile elements (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) which are raised radially and are separated from one another by grooves (6, 7, 8, 9), said profile elements (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) being, for example, profile block elements or profile ribs having a circumferential rib (1) which is bounded in the radial direction (R) of the tyre in the outer direction by a radially outer surface (11), wherein grooves (12), which form a closed annular shape about a rib section (17), are formed distributed over the circumference of the vehicle pneumatic tyre in the radially outer surface (11) of the circumferential rib (1), are spaced apart with respect to one another in the circumferential direction (U) and are spaced apart in the axial direction (A) from the nearest rib edge of the circumferential rib (1).