Heavy Vehicle Tire Tread Blocks for Mud Traction and Wear Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire treads for heavy construction-plant vehicles face challenges in achieving a balance between grip, particularly on muddy ground, and tire lifetime, especially on rough terrain.
Innovation Solution
The tire tread features blocks with a contact face that is at least partially concave, increasing the perimeter and improving grip, and a base section that is convex and more massive, enhancing wear resistance and anchoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the contact face of blocks is made convex with maximum surface area, then grip on smooth ground is improved, but traction on muddy ground deteriorates due to poor penetration capability
Solution Approach 1:
The block design employs asymmetric geometry where the contact face differs from the base section. The contact face has a concave portion with reduced surface area to enable penetration into muddy ground, while the base section maintains a convex shape with larger surface area for grip on smooth surfaces. This asymmetric configuration allows the block to perform differently depending on the ground condition.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the block are given different geometric properties to fulfill different functions. The contact face (upper portion) is designed with concave features and reduced area for penetration, while the base section (lower portion) is designed with convex features and increased area for anchoring and grip. This local differentiation of geometric quality enables the single block structure to address multiple ground conditions.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the contact face surface area is increased to improve grip, then transverse grip is enhanced, but the perimeter length decreases reducing edge engagement with the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The block design creates asymmetry between the contact face and base section. The contact face incorporates concave portions that reduce its surface area while the base section is convex with larger area. This asymmetric geometry ensures that the perimeter (edges) remains sufficiently long for ground engagement while the contact face area is optimized for penetration rather than maximizing grip alone.
3Ease of manufacture
If blocks are made with uniform cross-section, then manufacturing is simplified, but wear resistance deteriorates on rough terrain due to insufficient anchoring
Solution Approach 1:
The block is designed with non-uniform cross-section where the base section has a larger convex area compared to the contact face. This local variation in geometry provides enhanced anchoring capability in the base section for improved wear resistance on rough terrain, while the upper contact face maintains a configuration optimized for ground penetration. The connecting surface transitions between these two different geometric zones.
4Productivity
If the contact face is made entirely concave to improve mud penetration, then traction on muddy ground is enhanced, but grip on smooth surfaces deteriorates due to reduced surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The block design applies local quality differentiation by making the contact face (upper portion) concave with reduced area for penetration, while the base section (lower portion) is convex with larger area for grip. This localized geometric variation ensures that each region of the block performs its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from considering only the contact face geometry to incorporating the base section geometry as a separate functional dimension. By optimizing the base section with convex features and larger area, the design compensates for the reduced contact face area, ensuring that overall grip performance is maintained while gaining improved penetration capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A Tire tread with blocks for a heavy construction-plant vehicle, to improve the compromise between traction on muddy ground and lifetime in terms of wear on rough ground. A tread (1) has blocks (4), which are separated by cuts (3) and raised with respect to a bottom surface (5). Any block (4) have a contact face (41) having a polygonal shape of surface area SC, which is contained in a tread surface (2), lateral faces (42), and a base section (43), which has a polygonal shape of surface area SB. The contact face (41) of any block (4) has a polygonal shape that is at least partially concave, wat least two consecutive sides (411, 412) that form between them an interior angle A1 of the polygonal shape that is greater than 180° and the surface area SC of the contact face (41) is at most equal to 0.9 times the surface area SB of the base section (43).