Tire Tread Undulating Grooves Prevent Flow Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tire tread grooves designed for water drainage in rainy conditions lead to reduced material quantity and increased wear rate, affecting service life and performance, while existing solutions like undulating grooves face issues with flow interference and stiffness reduction.
Innovation Solution
The tire tread features undulating grooves with specific cross-sectional modifications at intersections to ensure continuous flow without disturbing adjacent grooves, maintaining water drainage efficiency and tread stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grooves are formed to have a useful depth equal to the height of strip to be worn for water drainage, then water drainage performance is improved, but service life is reduced due to increased wear rate
Solution Approach 1:
The groove is divided into multiple segments along its length, with each segment having a different depth. The groove depth varies from a first depth at a first location to a second depth at a second location, creating multiple shallower drainage channels instead of one deep groove. This segmentation maintains water drainage capability while preserving more tread material overall, thereby extending service life.
2Reliability
If grooves are formed for water drainage, then water elimination capability is improved, but compressive and shear rigidities are reduced due to less material
Solution Approach 1:
The groove depth is varied locally along its length rather than being uniform. At certain locations where higher rigidity is needed, the groove is shallower, preserving more material and maintaining structural strength. At other locations where drainage is prioritized, the groove is deeper. This local variation in groove depth allows the tread to maintain both water elimination capability and compressive/shear rigidities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances water drainage performance in wet conditions while minimizing wear and maintaining tread stiffness, preventing flow interference and extending tire service life.
Implementation Method 1
the use of tires in driving conditions in rainy weather requires the fastest possible elimination of the water in the region of contact of the tire with the roadway
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a tire tread including a tread surface including a plurality of recesses (2, 2'), at least one first recess (2) being oriented in a first direction and at least one second recess (2') being oriented in a second direction different from the first direction. Said first and second recesses, when new or after partial wear, open onto the same tread surface, said tread being such that in the area where the recesses (2, 2') intersect, one of said recesses passes radially underneath the other recess with a minimum non-zero distance D between said recesses in said intersection area so that the flow circulating in one of said recesses does not interfere with the flow circulating in the other recess.