Tire Tread Groove Width Variation for Wear and Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing straightaway driving time and higher driving speeds due to improved vehicle performance lead to excessive wear in specific areas of the tire tread and a demand for maintaining drainage performance to prevent hydroplaning phenomena.
Innovation Solution
A tire design featuring a tread portion with multiple inclined grooves extending from the crown region to the shoulder region, where each groove includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, with the third portion having a smaller groove width, connecting the first and second portions, and all inclined to the same side, ensuring high tread rigidity and drainage performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tread portion has a large contact area with the ground, then the drainage performance is improved, but the uneven wear resistance deteriorates due to excessive wear in specific areas during straightaway driving
Solution Approach 1:
The tread portion is segmented into distinct regions (crown region, intermediate region, shoulder region) with different groove configurations. The crown region has inclined grooves extending from the inner side toward the outer side, while the shoulder region has circumferential grooves, creating specialized zones that address both drainage and wear resistance requirements in different areas of the tread.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tread portion are given different local characteristics: the crown region features inclined grooves for efficient water evacuation during straightaway driving, while the shoulder region features circumferential grooves for maintaining contact during cornering. This local differentiation allows each region to optimize its function for specific driving conditions, improving overall drainage performance while distributing wear more evenly across the tread.
2Speed
If the tread portion is designed for high-speed straightaway driving, then the drainage performance is improved, but the uneven wear resistance deteriorates due to excessive wear in specific areas
Solution Approach 1:
The tread is divided into functional zones with the crown region optimized for high-speed straightaway driving through inclined grooves that efficiently channel water away at speed, while the shoulder region maintains compliance during cornering. This segmentation allows the tire to handle high speeds effectively while distributing mechanical stresses to reduce localized wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The crown region is specifically designed with inclined grooves that become more effective at higher speeds for water evacuation, while the shoulder region's circumferential grooves provide lateral stability. This local quality differentiation ensures that the high-speed performance requirements are met in the crown region without compromising the overall tire life through uneven wear patterns.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tread portion maintains compliance during cornering, then the contact area is increased, but the uneven wear resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tread portion is segmented into a crown region and shoulder regions, where the shoulder regions are specifically designed to maintain compliance during cornering through circumferential grooves. This segmentation allows the shoulder regions to adapt to cornering forces while the crown region maintains its optimized configuration for straightaway driving, distributing the mechanical stresses more evenly and reducing localized wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoulder regions are given local characteristics that enhance compliance during cornering through circumferential groove patterns, while the crown region maintains inclined grooves for straightaway performance. This local quality differentiation allows the tire to adapt to cornering conditions without creating excessive wear in any single area, as each region performs its specialized function optimally.
Data Source
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AI summary
To improve uneven wear resistance performance while maintaining drainage performance. A tyre is provided with a plurality of inclined grooves in a tread portion. Each of the inclined grooves extends from a crown region to a shoulder region. Each of the inclined grooves includes a first portion arranged on the crown region side, a second portion arranged on the shoulder region side, and a third portion connecting between the first portion and the second portion. The third portion has a groove width smaller than the first portion and the second portion. The first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are inclined to the same side with respect to the tyre circumferential direction.