Directional Tire Tread Layout for Dry, Wet, and Snow Grip

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle tires face challenges in achieving equally good dry, wet, and snow performance, with current designs often prioritizing one condition over others.

Innovation Solution

The tire design features transverse grooves with a width of 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm, inclined groove sections, and 'sack-like' crossgrooves that end in front of medium-sized grooves, enhancing water drainage, power transmission, and snow accumulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If transverse grooves extend fully to circumferential grooves, then water drainage is improved, but tread wear becomes uneven and dry performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater drainageVSAvoiddry performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The transverse grooves are segmented to terminate at a determined distance in front of the circumferential grooves rather than extending fully to them. This segmentation allows the groove to fulfill its water drainage function while preserving the structural integrity of the central rib for dry performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the tread are given different groove configurations. The transverse grooves in central profile ribs terminate before reaching circumferential grooves to maintain dry performance, while transverse grooves in shoulder-side profile ribs do extend to circumferential grooves to maximize water drainage where needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If groove sections are inclined towards the equatorial plane, then wet performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewet performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The groove sections are designed with specific inclination angles relative to the circumferential direction, with incoming ends closer to the equatorial plane than outgoing ends. This parameter optimization enhances water drainage while maintaining manufacturability through standardized angle specifications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4244080B1Pneumatic vehicle tire
Publication Date: 2025.04.23 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP4244080B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire, comprising a directional tread having two shoulder-side profile ribs (3), two middle profile ribs (2) and one central profile rib (1); wherein the profile ribs (1, 2, 3) are separated by two shoulder-side circumferential grooves (5) and two middle circumferential grooves (4); wherein the shoulder-side profile ribs (3) and the middle profile ribs (2) are divided into tread lugs (2a, 3a) by transverse grooves (8, 9), which run in a V shape over the tread width in a top view and run parallel to each other within the profile ribs (2, 3) and lead into the shoulder-side circumferential grooves (5), the transverse grooves having a width (bQR) of 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm; and wherein the shoulder-side circumferential grooves (5) have groove portions (5a) which run at an angle to the circumferential direction in a top view, each groove portion separating one tread lug (2a) of the middle profile ribs (2) from one tread lug (3a) of the shoulder-side profile ribs (3), and each groove portion having a leading end (5a'), which reaches the ground first as the tire rolls during forward driving, and having a trailing end (5a''). The transverse grooves (8) that run in the middle profile ribs (2) end before the middle circumferential groove (4) in question at a distance (a1) determined in the axial direction. The groove portions (5a) of the shoulder-side circumferential grooves (5), seen in a top view, are at an angle to the circumferential direction such that the leading ends (5a') of the groove portions (5a) are closer to the tire equatorial plane (line A-A) than the trailing ends (5a'') of the groove portions (5a) are.