Directional Tire Tread Layout for Drainage and Cornering Grip

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pneumatic tires with circumferential and inclined grooves struggle with low rigidity in the tire width direction, leading to inadequate gripping performance during high-speed cornering.

Innovation Solution

A pneumatic tire design featuring repeated inclined groove groups on both sides of the tire width direction, with aligned ends and varying inclination angles, eliminating the need for a circumferential groove, enhancing rigidity and drainage performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If two circumferential grooves and inclined grooves are provided, then drainage performance is improved, but rigidity of the center rib in the tire width direction deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage performanceVSAvoidrigidity of center rib
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the circumferential groove that caused the center rib rigidity problem, and instead introduces repeated inclined groove groups that achieve drainage functionality without compromising the center rib structure. This extraction of the problematic element while preserving the beneficial function resolves the contradiction between drainage performance and center rib rigidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the groove configuration parameters by introducing repeated inclined groove groups with specific arrangements (first and second inclined grooves at different positions) rather than using traditional circumferential grooves. This parameter change allows drainage performance to be maintained or improved while preserving center rib integrity and rigidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If circumferential grooves are provided for drainage, then drainage performance is improved, but gripping performance during high-speed cornering deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage performanceVSAvoidgripping performance during cornering
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the circumferential groove configuration that compromised gripping performance during cornering, replacing it with repeated inclined groove groups that provide drainage functionality while maintaining better contact and grip characteristics during high-speed cornering maneuvers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the groove pattern parameters from circumferential grooves to repeated inclined groove groups with specific arrangements, which improves gripping performance during cornering while maintaining adequate drainage performance through the inclined groove configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4674644A1Pneumatic tire
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP4674644A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4674644A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4674644A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion with a tread pattern in which a rotation direction is specified. The tread pattern includes, on each of both sides in the tire width direction across the tire equator, a repeated inclined groove group that is repeated in the tire circumferential direction, the repeated inclined groove group including a plurality of inclined grooves. The plurality of inclined grooves of the repeated inclined groove group include a first inclined groove extending across the tire equator, and a second inclined groove extending along the first inclined groove and terminating without crossing the tire equator. An end of the first inclined groove of a one-side repeated inclined groove group, an end of the second inclined groove of the one-side repeated inclined groove group, and an end of the second inclined groove of an other-side repeated inclined groove group are aligned along a straight line.