Winter Tire Tread Blocks with Distributed Snow Pockets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic vehicle tire tread designs with wavy or zigzag-shaped fine incisions suffer from uneven rigidity and excessive softening, leading to suboptimal power transmission on winter roads due to uneven distribution of snow pockets, which affect the tire's ability to adhere to snow and ice.
Innovation Solution
The snow pockets are strategically distributed across the tread block surface such that one fine cut has snow pockets only at wave crests, while adjacent fine cuts have them at wave valleys, achieving uniform rigidity and softening, with trapezoidal incisions and symmetrical snow pockets improving snow-snow friction and power transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If snow pockets are concentrated in specific areas of the fine incisions, then snow-snow friction is improved, but the rigidity of the tread block becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating snow pockets with different widths at different locations within the fine incisions. Specifically, the incisions have a first width over most of their length and sections of a second, larger width formed as snow pockets in areas of greatest deflection. This localized modification allows the tread block to have varying properties in different regions - softer in snow pocket areas for better snow adhesion, and stiffer in other areas for structural support and power transmission.
2Reliability
If the profile block is softened to improve snow adhesion, then grip on winter roads is enhanced, but power transmission capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying local quality - the tread block is softened only in specific localized areas where snow pockets are formed, while the majority of the profile block maintains its original stiffness. The snow pockets occupy only portions of the fine incisions, allowing the block to exhibit locally softened characteristics for improved snow adhesion while preserving overall structural rigidity for effective power transmission during acceleration and braking.
3Reliability
If wide sections are formed as snow pockets, then snow friction is increased, but the mutual support effect of fine incision walls is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming snow pockets with increased width only in specific sections of the fine incisions, particularly in areas of greatest deflection. The wide sections have a depth that is at least 30% of the depth of the narrow sections but less than the full depth, creating localized zones of enhanced snow adhesion while preserving the structural integrity and mutual support effect of the fine incision walls in the remaining portions.
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 distribution ensures a uniform rigidity and stability of the tread block surface, enhancing power transmission and snow-snow friction, while maintaining durability and grip properties, particularly in high-load conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the fine incisions continue to have a first width of 0.3 to 0.6 mm, which is formed over a large part of the longitudinal extent of the fine incision and have sections of a second, larger width, which are locally formed as snow pockets in the areas of greatest deflection
Implementation Method 2
the snow pockets of the fine cuts, that is to say the sections of greater width, serve primarily to take up snow in winter conditions in order to increase the snow / snow friction and thus enable the tire to adhere better to the winter road
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to pneumatic tires for passenger cars, in particular for use under winter driving conditions, with a tread profile having at least one circumferential row of blocks, the profile blocks (1) of which are separated from each other by transverse grooves and the profile blocks (1) of which are provided in plan view with at least two essentially parallel and aligned wavy or zigzag-shaped fine incisions (2), which form wave crests (4) around an imaginary zero line with upward deflection and wave troughs (5) with downward deflection and wherein the fine incisions (2) further have two different widths (bi, b2) in plan view, a first width (bl) of 0.3 to 0.6 mm, which is formed over a large part of the longitudinal extent of the fine incision (2) and sections of a second, larger width (b2), which are formed as snow pockets (6) locally around the points of greatest deflection.The snow pockets (6) are arranged such that a fine cut (2) has snow pockets (6) exclusively in the wave crests (4) and the fine cut(s) (2) immediately adjacent to this fine cut (2) has snow pockets (6) exclusively in the wave troughs (5) or vice versa.