Tire Tread Block Incisions for Snow Grip and Dry Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle tires face a conflict between snow performance and dry performance due to cuts in the tread blocks that reduce stiffness, leading to impaired dry performance and uneven force transmission.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating edge-side incisions with free-standing base elevations and adjusting the depth profile lines to ensure similar deformation behavior of block segments, enhancing snow performance while maintaining dry performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cuts are made deeper to improve snow penetration, then snow performance is improved, but block stiffness is reduced excessively, impairing force transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the depth profile of different incisions. Edge-side incisions have free-standing base elevations where the deepest base sections lie outside the free-standing elevations, creating a stepped depth profile. Central incisions have different depth characteristics. This parameter variation allows deep cuts for snow penetration while maintaining overall block stiffness through the free-standing elevation structure, resolving the contradiction between penetration capability and stiffness.
2Reliability
If more incisions are added to increase flexibility for snow performance, then snow performance is improved, but contact area with ground is reduced, impairing dry performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by providing incisions with free-standing base elevations that do not extend fully across the tread block width. The free-standing elevations create partial cuts that provide flexibility for snow performance while maintaining continuous contact areas. This partial incision approach allows flexibility enhancement without excessive contact area loss, resolving the contradiction between snow and dry performance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle tire with a tread having at least one row of profile blocks with profile blocks (1) which are delimited by transverse grooves (2) and on at least one side - either jointly or individually - by a further groove (3) and have block edges (1a) on the transverse grooves (2), wherein the transverse grooves (2) have a depth profile line (TQR) defined by the deepest points of the groove base (2a), wherein the profile blocks (1) include those which are provided with at least three incisions (4, 5) which follow one another in the circumferential direction, wherein the incisions (4, 5) include two corresponding edge incisions (5) and a single central incision (4) or several corresponding central incisions (4).At least the edge-side incisions (5) have free-standing base elevations (10, 10'), wherein in each edge-side incision (5) a greater number of free-standing base elevations (10, 10') is provided than in the or each central incision (4).