Tire Tread Resonator Layout for Steering Stability and Noise Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tires, especially those on vehicles with high vehicle heights like SUVs, face challenges in maintaining steering stability during turns due to increased contact pressure on the outer tread surface.
Innovation Solution
The tire design features two outer main grooves and two inner main grooves extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction, with central land portions and resonators arranged to manage air flow and reduce air column resonance, thereby enhancing steering stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If resonators are added to reduce air column resonance, then noise reduction performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator structure is segmented into multiple functional parts: vertical grooves extending from the tread surface, branch grooves connecting to circumferential grooves, and air chambers positioned between circumferential grooves. This segmentation allows the resonator to effectively reduce air column resonance while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design elements distributed across the tread surface.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the groove width of outer main grooves is increased to improve steering stability, then steering stability is improved, but the area available for other tread features is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The groove width of outer main grooves is specifically increased at critical locations where steering stability is most needed, particularly on the outer side of the vehicle with respect to the tire equator. This localized modification of groove width allows the tire to enhance steering stability in the critical outer tread region while preserving sufficient tread surface area in other regions for noise reduction features and overall performance.
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 reduces air column resonance and improves steering stability during turns by distributing contact pressure more evenly and enhancing the rigidity of the outer land portion.
Implementation Method 1
during traveling, occurrence of air column resonance can be suppressed by introducing a portion of air flowing between the main grooves and a road surface into the resonators
Data Source
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AI summary
In a tire, a plurality of outer resonators (25) are formed in an outer land portion (28) partitioned by two outer main grooves (21, 22) and arranged in a tire circumferential direction, a plurality of inner resonators (26) are formed in an inner land portion (29) partitioned by two inner main grooves (23, 24) and arranged in the tire circumferential direction, the outer resonator includes a first vertical groove (31) which extend in the tire circumferential direction, and a first branch groove (32) and a second branch groove (33) which have an inner volume smaller than that of the first vertical groove, extend in the tire width direction from both end portions of the first vertical groove in the tire circumferential direction such that the first branch groove and the second branch groove extend in directions opposite to each other, and are respectively opened to the two outer main grooves, and the inner resonator includes a second vertical groove (36) which extends in the tire circumferential direction, and a third branch groove (37) and a fourth branch groove (38) which have an inner volume smaller than that of the second vertical groove, extend in the tire width direction from the second vertical groove such that the third branch groove and the fourth branch groove extend in directions opposite to each other, and are respectively opened to the two inner main grooves.