Tire Tread Block Sipe Segmentation for Snow Discharge
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tires fail to achieve optimal steering stability and performance on snow and ice due to limitations in tread design, particularly in maintaining rigidity and traction while effectively compressing and discharging snow.
Innovation Solution
A tire design featuring main grooves with inclined first transverse grooves and blocks that include first and second slots, and sipes extending from these slots, which compress snow, maintain traction, and prevent rigidity loss by terminating within the blocks, enhancing steering stability and performance on snowy and icy surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sipes completely extend across blocks, then snow discharge performance is improved, but block rigidity decreases leading to poor steering stability
Solution Approach 1:
The sipes are segmented into multiple sections rather than extending continuously across the block. Each sipe is divided into a first section and a second section that are separated by a gap, preventing the sipe from completely traversing the block. This segmentation maintains block rigidity while still providing effective snow discharge pathways through the distributed sipe structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the block are assigned different functions: the first sipe handles snow discharge from one side while the second sipe handles discharge from the opposite side. The sipes are positioned and sized differently to optimize local snow evacuation while preserving overall block structural integrity and steering stability.
2Reliability
If slots and sipes are added to blocks, then traction on snow and ice is improved, but block strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sipes are designed to extend only partially across the block rather than completely through it. The first sipe extends from the first side surface and terminates before reaching the second side surface, and the second sipe similarly extends from the second side surface and terminates before reaching the first side surface. This partial action provides sufficient traction enhancement through increased edge contact with snow and ice while preserving block strength by avoiding complete penetration that would compromise structural integrity.
3Productivity
If transverse grooves completely extend across land portions, then snow compression and discharge is improved, but steering stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse grooves are segmented into multiple sections rather than forming continuous channels across the land portions. Each transverse groove is divided by gaps into distinct segments, which maintains the land portion rigidity needed for steering stability while still providing effective snow compression and discharge through the distributed groove structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A tire includes a tread having main grooves linearly continuously extending in tire circumferential direction, and a first land portion formed between the main grooves. The first land portion has first transverse grooves such that each first transverse groove is extending inclined in first direction with respect to tire axial direction and completely across the first land portion, and first blocks formed between the first transverse grooves such that one or more first blocks have a first slot extending from first side surface of the first block on one side in the tire axial direction, a second slot extending from second side surface of the first block on the opposite side in the tire axial direction, a first sipe extending from the first slot and terminating within the first block, and a second sipe extending from the second slot and terminating within the first block without intersecting the first sipe.