Vehicle Tire Tread Groove Segmentation for Wet Grip and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic vehicle tires face a conflict between improving performance on dry and wet roads, as designs that enhance one often compromise the other, leading to instability and noise issues.
Innovation Solution
The tire design features groups of grooves arranged like a regular star, with three grooves starting from a central area and ending within the profile strip, one running axially, and chamfers to stabilize edges, which increases edge length and negative volume without reducing rigidity, improving both dry and wet road performance and reducing noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple narrow grooves or incisions are added to tread blocks to increase gripping edges, then wet road performance is improved, but the rigidity of the tread block is reduced and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tread block is segmented by grooves into multiple sub-regions, creating numerous gripping edges for wet road performance while maintaining the overall block structure for stability
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tread block have different properties: the central area remains solid for rigidity, while the outer regions contain grooves for gripping edges, creating local specialization of functions
2Reliability
If profile bands with grooves are designed to increase negative volume for wet performance, then water evacuation is improved, but the rigidity of the profile positive is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The profile band is segmented by grooves into multiple sections, increasing the negative volume for water evacuation while the segmented structure still maintains overall rigidity
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves extend in the axial direction of the tread, adding a dimensional aspect to the groove configuration that enhances rigidity while maintaining wet performance
3Reliability
If grooves are arranged to maximize edge length for dry handling, then dry road performance is improved, but noise emissions increase due to simultaneous edge contact
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves are arranged in an asymmetric star pattern with one axial groove and two inclined grooves, creating uneven edge distribution that prevents simultaneous contact and reduces noise while maintaining dry handling performance
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~6
Figure 7
AI summary
Pneumatic vehicle tyre with a tread which are divided by circumferential grooves (2) and by tread lugs extending in the circumferential direction, at least one profile strip (1, 1', 1 ") being part of said profiles. In the profile strip (1, 1', 1 "), respectively three grooves (4, 5, 6, 4', 4 ", 5 ", 6 ") having a width of 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm form a groove group (3, 3', 3 "). Said grooves (4, 5, 6, 4', 4 ", 5 ", 6 ") form stars, starting from a recessed central region (7), and at least two grooves (5, 6, 5 ", 6 ") of the groove group (3, 3', 3 ") end within the profile strip (1, 1', 1") and a groove (4, 4', 4 ") extends axially or essentially in the axial direction of the running strip.