Tire Tread Groove Layout for Lower Running Noise on Wet and Snow Roads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tire designs that improve ice and snow road performance and steering stability on dry surfaces often generate noise due to grooves or sipes, which is a concern in quieter vehicles, necessitating a solution that enhances noise performance while maintaining wet and on-snow performance.
Innovation Solution
A tire tread design featuring a first and second tread end with a ground-contact surface, including inclined groove-shaped elements arranged in a specific pattern, where first and second groove-shaped elements are positioned to alternately contact the ground, reducing impact force fluctuations and noise, while maintaining friction for wet and snow performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grooves or sipes are added to the tread portion to improve ice and snow road performance and steering stability, then wet performance and on-snow performance are improved, but running noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread groove is divided into multiple groove-shaped elements (first and second groove-shaped elements) with different orientations. The first groove-shaped elements extend in a first direction while the second groove-shaped elements extend in a second direction different from the first direction. This segmentation allows each element type to contribute differently to noise reduction while collectively maintaining wet and on-snow performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric arrangement of groove-shaped elements by creating two distinct types with different extension directions. The first groove-shaped elements and second groove-shaped elements are arranged in specific patterns where their outer ends and inner ends are positioned at different circumferential locations, creating an asymmetric configuration that reduces noise while preserving traction performance.
2Reliability
If traditional groove arrangements are used to maintain wet and on-snow performance, then grip force is maintained, but noise performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the tread groove are assigned different local qualities through the first and second groove-shaped elements. The first groove-shaped elements are positioned with their outer ends at specific circumferential locations while second groove-shaped elements are positioned with their outer ends at different circumferential locations. This local differentiation allows optimal noise reduction in different areas while maintaining overall grip performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove-shaped elements are arranged in periodic patterns around the tire circumference. The first and second groove-shaped elements are alternately positioned to create a periodic structure that modulates the impact forces during rotation, thereby reducing noise while maintaining consistent grip force across different operating conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tire includes a tread portion 2 having groove-shaped elements 5. The groove-shaped elements 5 include first groove-shaped elements 6 and second groove-shaped elements 7 which are inclined and arranged in a first arrangement pattern over one round of the tire. Each first groove-shaped element 6 has a first outer end and a first inner end. Each second groove-shaped element 7 has a second outer end and a second inner end. In the first arrangement pattern, the first outer end of one of the first groove-shaped elements 6 is disposed at the same position in a tire circumferential direction as the second inner end of one of the second groove-shaped elements 7, and the second outer end of one of the second groove-shaped elements 7 is disposed at the same position in the tire circumferential direction as the first inner end of one of the first groove-shaped elements 6.