Motorcycle Tire Tread Circumferential Cut for Contact Patch

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Solution Overview

Problem

Motorcycle tires face challenges in torque transfer and ground contact area due to pronounced curvatures, which limit the surface area of contact and lead to energy losses, especially during braking and acceleration.

Innovation Solution

A tire design featuring a circumferentially continuous cut in the tread, composed mainly of incisions with minimal width and strategically placed wider regions to minimize compressive loading and maximize contact patch area, while maintaining structural integrity and grip on wet surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the tread has pronounced curvatures to maintain structural integrity, then the tire stability is improved, but the contact patch area is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetire stabilityVSAvoidcontact patch area

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The circumferential cut divides the tread into multiple segments separated by radial ribs, allowing the tread to maintain structural integrity through the ribs while the cut portions can flatten to increase contact patch area during braking and acceleration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tread features localized circumferential cuts in specific regions while maintaining full tread structure in other areas through radial ribs, creating different mechanical properties in different zones to simultaneously achieve stability and increased contact area

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of energy

If the circumferential cut width is increased to reduce compressive loading, then energy losses are reduced, but the grip on the road surface is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy lossesVSAvoidgrip force

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The circumferential cut has varying width along its length, with wider sections to reduce compressive loading and energy losses, and narrower sections to maintain adequate grip on the road surface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The circumferential cut design allows dynamic adaptation where the cut portions can open up under compression during braking/acceleration to reduce energy losses, while the radial ribs maintain connection to the road surface for grip

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9937754B2Tire for two-wheeled vehicles, comprising a tread having a circumferentially continuous groove

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 MICHELIN & CO (CIE GEN DES ESTAB MICHELIN)

AI summary

A tire for a motorized two-wheeled vehicle comprising a reinforcing structure of the carcass type, made up of reinforcing elements, anchored on each side of the tire to a bead the base of which is intended to be mounted on a rim seat, each bead being extended radially outward by a sidewall, the sidewalls radially toward the outside joining to a tread. At least the central part of the tread comprises at least one circumferentially continuous cut, the cut being made up, for at least 80% of its length of at least one incision and at most 20% of at least one part having a width greater than that of an incision and the apparent area of the at least one incision is greater than the apparent area of the at least one part having a width greater than that of an incision.