Tire Tread Protrusion Layout for Stable Snow Edges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire treads with snow edges and sipes face issues of instability and limited traction performance, particularly in snowy conditions, due to the interaction of snow edges with micro-cuts acting as levers, leading to localized destabilization and reduced grip.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating protrusions with variable spacing and configurations, such as projections that extend radially in a plane perpendicular to its path, in a plane perpendicular to the base surface, with a minimum distance of 0.5 mm from the cutting line, and having directional components in both axial and circumferential directions, combined with sipes that also vary in distance from the block edge, enhancing stability and grip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If snow edges are formed directly on the groove flank or at the edge of a profile block, then good snow grip in a direction perpendicular to the protrusion's direction is achieved, but the protrusion creates localized destabilization and reduced grip when combined with sipes due to the lever effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating protrusions with specifically optimized local characteristics - the protrusions have rounded corners with radii of 0.1-0.3mm and specific height-to-distance ratios (0.2-0.5) from the groove flank. This local geometric optimization allows the snow edge to maintain stability even when in close proximity to sipes, resolving the contradiction between snow grip reliability and tread stability by making the protrusion geometry itself more resilient to the lever effect.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sipes are placed close to profile blocks with snow edges, then drainage and additional edges for improved wet braking and winter performance are achieved, but the micro-cuts locally soften and destabilize the tread due to the lever effect of adjacent snow edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying the distance between protrusions and grooves (0.1-2.0mm) and adjusting protrusion dimensions (height 0.2-1.0mm, corner radius 0.1-0.3mm). These parameter optimizations allow sipes to be placed closer to profile blocks for improved wet braking performance while the specifically tuned protrusion parameters prevent excessive destabilization, achieving a balance between adaptability and stability.
3Productivity
If irregular sipe paths are used to improve drainage and edge creation, then wet braking performance is enhanced, but particularly small distances occur locally between the fine cut and profile block edge with snow edge, exacerbating the destabilizing lever effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing the specific geometric parameters of protrusions in regions adjacent to irregular sipe paths. The rounded corner geometry (0.1-0.3mm radius) and controlled height-to-distance ratios create locally resilient snow edges that can accommodate the variable spacing caused by irregular sipe paths, maintaining stability even when drainage efficiency requires close proximity between sipes and profile blocks.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tread (2) for a vehicle tire (1), wherein the tread (2) comprises at least one radially extending groove (4) with a groove flank (5) extending below a base surface (3) and at least one radially extending projection (6) extending above the base surface (3), wherein the projection (6) follows a continuous projection profile on the base surface (3), the length of the projection profile being large compared to the dimensions of a cross-section of the projection (6) in planes perpendicular to the projection profile. The projection profile has a variable distance (D1, D2, D3) from a line of intersection (7) between the groove flank (5) and the base surface (1), wherein a minimum distance between the projection profile and the line of intersection (7) is not greater than 0.5 mm.