Pneumatic Tire Tread Micro-Incision Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic tire tread technologies face challenges in maintaining grip performance on low-friction road surfaces while ensuring durability, as increasing sipe density reduces ground-contacting surface area and can lead to insufficient improvement in grip and durability.
Innovation Solution
The tire tread features a design with micro-incisions that include a series of arcuate and straight portions, strategically placed to increase density without reducing the ground-contacting surface area, enhancing grip and durability by maintaining rigidity and preventing water film removal issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the number (or density) of sipes provided in the ground-contacting elements is increased, then the grip performance on road surfaces having a low coefficient of friction is improved, but the rigidity of the ground-contacting element deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sipes are segmented into multiple short incisions (first sipes, second sipes, third sipes) arranged in series along the longitudinal direction, rather than using fewer long incisions. This segmentation allows increased total sipe density while maintaining ground-contacting element rigidity through the distributed arrangement pattern defined by spacing parameters L1, L2, and L3.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses multiple rows of sipes (first, second, and third sipes) extending in the longitudinal direction, providing excessive sipe density compared to conventional single-row designs. This partial repetition of sipe patterns across multiple rows ensures sufficient grip enhancement while the controlled spacing prevents excessive rigidity loss.
2Reliability
If the number (or density) of sipes provided in the ground-contacting elements is increased, then the edge effect and water film removing effect are improved, but the durability of the tread pattern deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe structure is segmented into multiple short incisions arranged in series rather than fewer long incisions. This segmentation distributes the stress concentration points throughout the ground-contacting element, preventing premature failure at single critical locations and thereby improving tread pattern durability while maintaining edge effect and water film removing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ground-contacting element have different sipe arrangements: the first sipes extend from the circumferential edge toward the center, the second sipes are positioned at specific longitudinal intervals, and the third sipes complete the series pattern. This local differentiation optimizes both durability and grip performance in different zones of the tread element.
3Reliability
If small holes are disposed in a block, then grip performance on road surfaces having a low coefficient of friction is improved, but the ground-contacting surface area of the ground-contacting elements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using small holes (which remove material and reduce surface area), the invention uses narrow incisions or sipes that extend into the ground-contacting element while maintaining the outer surface area. This inverted approach achieves the water film removing effect and edge effect without sacrificing ground-contacting surface area, as the incisions are narrow and do not significantly reduce the overall contact footprint.
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 improves grip on low-friction surfaces by increasing micro-incision density while maintaining tread pattern durability and preventing deformation, thus offering enhanced traction and longer-lasting performance.
Implementation Method 1
Sipes open in ground-contacting surfaces of ground-contacting elements in the tread of the pneumatic tyre, such as blocks or ribs, and they improve the grip performance on such road surfaces by means of a so-called edge effect
Implementation Method 2
they improve the grip performance on such road surfaces by means of a so-called edge effect and by an effect whereby a water film on the road surface is removed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a pneumatic tyre with which grip performance on a road surface having a low coefficient of friction can be improved and tread pattern durability can be further improved. A pneumatic tyre tread 1 according to the present invention has a ground-contacting element 5 demarcated by grooves 4 (4a, 4b) formed in the tread, micro-incisions 3a being formed in the ground-contacting element, the micro-incisions, at least when the tyre is new, having one arcuate portion 33 and two end portions 31, 32 formed in a ground-contacting surface of the tread, opening to a width E in the ground-contacting surface of the tread and extending such that they do not open in the grooves, an incision length L being at most equal to 3.0 mm.