Pneumatic Tire Tread Notch Geometry for Wet Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic vehicle tires face challenges in improving handling and aquaplaning properties, particularly due to uneven tread wear and drainage issues on wet roads.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of specially designed indentations with rounded, twisting chamfer-like inclined surfaces on the rib flanks, which stabilize the profile ribs under cornering forces and enhance drainage by maintaining a large volume as tread wear progresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional tread designs are used, then manufacturing is simple, but handling and aquaplaning properties are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The profile rib is segmented into multiple notches that divide the rib structure into distinct sections. Each notch creates separate drainage pathways and force distribution zones, improving aquaplaning resistance and handling without requiring an entirely complex new tread design
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a third dimension to the traditional tread pattern by creating notches with twisted chamfer-like inclined surfaces that extend radially inward from the tread surface. This vertical dimensionality allows water evacuation and force distribution in multiple directions, enhancing performance without increasing lateral complexity
2Reliability
If shallow indentations are used, then manufacturing is easier, but drainage effectiveness decreases as tread wears
Solution Approach 1:
The notches are designed to nest within the profile rib structure, with twisted chamfer-like inclined surfaces that create nested drainage pathways. As tread wears, the nested structure maintains drainage effectiveness by providing progressively deeper water evacuation channels while remaining manufacturable through standard molding processes
3Reliability
If notches extend deep into the profile rib, then drainage improves, but structural stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The notches feature twisted chamfer-like inclined surfaces with curved, rounded edges rather than sharp corners. This spheroidality distributes stress more evenly throughout the profile rib structure, maintaining structural stability while the notched geometry provides effective drainage pathways. The curved surfaces prevent stress concentration that would occur with sharp-edged deep notches
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 7~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle pneumatic tire with a tread having at least one profile rib (1, 8) bounded at least on one side by a circumferential groove (2, 9), having a rib flank (1b, 8b) on this groove and a rib outer surface (1a) located in the periphery of the tread, which is provided with a plurality of indentations (5, 11) extending from the circumferential groove (2, 9) and open towards the periphery of the tread, which are shallower than the circumferential groove (2, 9), each having a bottom (5b, 11b) and indentation edges (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) on their outer surface.The rib flank (1b, 8b) has a transition rounding (1b'", 8b'") towards the outer side (1a) of the rib, on which the notches (5, 11) are formed, wherein two notch edges (6c, 6d) of each notch (5, 11) extend beyond the transition rounding (1b'", 8b'") and wherein from one of these notch edges (6d) an outwardly curved inclined surface (5d, 11d) extends towards the bottom (5b, 11b) of the notch (5, 11), which is rotated relative to the circumferential direction in such a way that it is oriented at the bottom (5b, 11b) of the notch (5, 11) at an angle (δ, ε) of 40° to 80° to the circumferential direction.