Tire Tread With Continuous Outer Layer For Stiffness And Grip Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern tires face a trade-off between achieving high grip, wear resistance, and rolling resistance, as increased grip leads to faster wear, and wear-resistant compounds compromise on grip performance, especially on wet and snowy surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A tire tread design featuring a continuous outer layer connecting shoulder blocks, allowing for optimized stiffness and force distribution, with different rubber compounds used in various tread regions for specific properties like grip, wear resistance, and rolling resistance, enabling a balance between these demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the grip level is increased, then the grip performance is improved, but the wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread is divided into multiple regions (shoulder blocks, center rib, lateral blocks) with different rubber compound formulations. Shoulder blocks use compounds optimized for wear resistance and handling, while center and lateral blocks use compounds optimized for grip performance. This local differentiation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising overall tire lifetime.
Solution Approach 2:
The tread is segmented into multiple independent blocks (shoulder blocks, center rib, lateral blocks) that can be designed with different properties. The continuous first outer layer connects these segmented blocks while allowing each block to have optimized compound formulation for its specific functional requirements.
2Duration of action of moving object
If wear resistance is improved, then the tire lifetime is extended, but the grip performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different tread regions use rubber compounds with different properties: shoulder blocks use wear-resistant compounds for extended tire lifetime, while center and lateral blocks use grip-optimized compounds to maintain high grip performance on wet and snowy surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The tread employs composite rubber compound formulations in different regions, combining materials with wear resistance properties in shoulder areas and materials with grip enhancement properties in center and lateral areas, achieving both extended lifetime and maintained grip performance.
3Ease of operation
If the stiffness is increased, then the handling is improved, but the rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous first outer layer provides stiffness and structural integrity for improved handling, while the base layer and intermediate layer use softer compounds to reduce rolling resistance. Each layer is optimized for its specific function: the outer layer for handling stability, inner layers for energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The tread design uses a multi-layer radial structure where different layers serve different functions. The first outer layer extends continuously between shoulder blocks to provide handling stiffness, while base and intermediate layers use softer materials to minimize rolling resistance, creating a dimensional separation of functions.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Tire tread (2) comprising two shoulder blocks (6, 10), further comprising a first layer (66) and further comprising at least one second layer (24), whereby said first layer (22) at least partially in both shoulder blocks (6, 10) provides an outer contact surface (30), and whereby said first layer (22) extends continuously between said two shoulder blocks (6, 10), and whereby said at least one second layer (24) between said two shoulder blocks (6, 10) at least partially provides said outer contact surface (30).