Tire Tread Sipe Geometry for Grip and Block Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic tire tread block sipe structures do not effectively balance water absorption for improved grip with maintaining tread block stiffness, especially under wear conditions.
Innovation Solution
A tread block arrangement featuring deep and shallow sipe parts with non-parallel end walls, where the deep parts are at least three times deeper than the shallow parts, and the sipe walls have inclined sections to increase water absorption capacity while preserving tread block stiffness, allowing for longer and wider sipes without compromising stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If deep sipes are made in the tread block to increase water absorption capacity, then grip is improved, but the stiffness of the tread block deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe structure is segmented into multiple sections (first section, second section, third section) with different depths and configurations. This segmentation allows different parts of the sipe to serve different functions: deeper sections for water absorption and grip, while shallower sections maintain structural integrity and stiffness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the sipe have different local qualities in terms of depth and geometry. The first section has specific depth characteristics for water channeling, while the second and third sections have different depth profiles that balance water absorption with structural support, creating local variations in functionality.
2Reliability
If longer and wider sipes are created to improve water absorption, then grip is enhanced, but the tread block stiffness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe is divided into multiple sections with progressively varying depths. This segmentation enables the sipe to be longer and wider for improved water absorption while maintaining stiffness through the strategic placement of shallower sections that act as structural reinforcement zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The sipe geometry is extended into multiple dimensions with varying depth profiles across different sections. This dimensional complexity allows the sipe to achieve both increased water absorption capacity and maintained structural stiffness through three-dimensional geometric optimization.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~2a
Figure 2b~2e
AI summary
There is disclosed a tread block arrangement (200) suitable for a tire (100) or for a tread band (150) for a tire. The tread block arrangement (200) comprises a tread block (210) comprising at least a first sipe (420) delimited by a first sipe wall (425), a second sipe wall (426) and a bottom (427) of the sipe. The first sipe wall (425) and the second sipe wall (426) are arranged parallel to each other and define a width (w) of the sipe. At least the first sipe wall (425) has at least one indentation (428) to increase an empty volume (V) of the sipe (420) at the location of the indentation (428). The first sipe wall (425) has an inclined section (424) to form said at least one indentation (428), wherein a distance (w) between the first sipe wall (425) and the second sipe wall (426) increases towards the bottom (427) of the sipe at the location of the inclined section (424). There is also disclosed a tire (100) having the tread block arrangement (200) and a lamella plate (490) for forming sipes of the tread block arrangement.