Tire Tread Middle Blocks with Recesses and Dimples
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Solution Overview
Problem
Winter tires face a challenge in maintaining steering stability on dry roads while improving driving performance on snow-covered roads, as tread designs that enhance snow traction often result in low pattern rigidity and reduced ground contact area, leading to deteriorated steering stability on dry surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The tire design incorporates a tread portion with a shoulder main groove and a crown main groove, divided by middle land portions with recesses and dimples, along with middle lateral grooves and shoulder lateral grooves, to balance snow traction and steering stability. The middle land portions are divided into blocks with recesses and dimples, and the grooves are configured to maintain rigidity and facilitate snow release, while the shoulder and crown land portions enhance stability on dry roads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tread groove width and depth are increased to improve snow traction, then driving performance on snow road condition is improved, but pattern rigidity and ground contacting area are reduced, leading to deteriorated steering stability on dry road condition
Solution Approach 1:
The middle land portion is divided into multiple middle blocks by middle lateral grooves, creating a segmented structure that allows localized deformation for snow traction while maintaining overall pattern rigidity through the connected groove system
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tread are designed with different properties: the middle blocks have recesses and dimples for snow interaction, while the shoulder land portions maintain larger ground contact area for stability, creating local quality variations that satisfy different functional requirements
2Force
If the tread groove width and depth are increased to improve snow traction, then snow-shearing force is enhanced, but ground contacting area is reduced, leading to reduced traction on dry road condition
Solution Approach 1:
The recesses extend in the tire axial direction rather than only in the circumferential direction, creating a three-dimensional structure that increases snow interaction surface area without significantly reducing the ground contacting 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 effectively improves driving performance on snow-covered roads by generating snow-shearing force and maintaining better steering stability on dry roads by promoting flexible deformation and reducing pattern rigidity imbalances, ensuring smooth snow release and enhanced traction.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one dimple is located on a side of the shoulder main groove with respect to the center in the tire axial direction of the middle land portion
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the plurality of middle blocks is provided with a recess extending inwardly in the tire axial direction from the shoulder main groove and terminated within the at least one of the middle blocks
Implementation Method 3
a tire capable of improving driving performance on snow road condition while maintaining steering stability on dry road condition
Implementation Method 4
shoulder main groove extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction
Data Source
AI summary
A tire includes a tread portion being provided with a shoulder main groove and a crown main groove to form a middle land portion therebetween. The middle land portion is divided into a plurality of middle blocks. At least one of the middle blocks is provided with a recess to form a first portion located on a circumferential first side of the recess and a second portion located on a circumferential second side of the recess, wherein at a side of the shoulder main groove, the second portion has a circumferential edge smaller than that of the first portion. The second portion includes a ground contacting surface provided with a dimple. The dimple is located on a side of the shoulder main groove with respect to the center in the tire axial direction of the middle land portion.