Pneumatic Tire Tread Stone Repulsion via Segmented Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic vehicle tire treads struggle to reliably repel small stones while maintaining even wear and minimizing noise during rolling, as known designs often fail to effectively prevent stone entrapment and result in unsatisfactory noise levels.
Innovation Solution
The tire tread design features beveled block corners with a large opening angle, a twisted three-dimensional shape, and continuously curved surfaces to facilitate the expulsion of stones, along with an asymmetrical arrangement of beveled edges that optimize noise reduction and stone rejection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If circumferential grooves are designed with conventional shapes, then manufacturing is simple, but foreign bodies like stones easily get stuck in the grooves
Solution Approach 1:
The groove base path is segmented into multiple sections with different orientations. The first section runs substantially perpendicular to the tread periphery, while the second section runs at an angle between 10° and 70° relative to the first section. This segmentation creates a stepped configuration that prevents stones from getting stuck while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove design transitions from a conventional two-dimensional cross-sectional view to a three-dimensional stepped configuration by varying the groove base path orientation in the circumferential direction. This dimensional change creates multiple elevation levels that effectively repel stones while preserving structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If groove base path runs in zigzag shape with large amplitude, then stone entrapment is reduced, but noise development during rolling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The groove design applies different characteristics to different sections: the first section has a specific orientation perpendicular to the tread periphery, while the second section has a controlled angle between 10° and 70°. This local differentiation optimizes stone repulsion in each section while controlling overall noise generation through the gradual transition.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove base path angle parameter is changed from a conventional large zigzag amplitude to a controlled range of 10° to 70° for the second section. This parameter optimization reduces the abruptness of the groove transitions, thereby decreasing rolling noise while maintaining effective stone repulsion capability.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If circumferential grooves are designed to prevent stone entrapment, then profile durability improves, but grip properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The groove design implements partial stone repulsion through a two-section base path rather than complete stone exclusion. The first section runs perpendicular to the tread periphery for effective stone deflection, while the second section at a controlled angle maintains connectivity and grip properties, achieving optimal balance between durability and traction.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a pneumatic tire for commercial vehicles, wherein foreign objects, particularly small stones, are reliably deflected, where the block corners of each of four adjacent profile blocks (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) are angled in a symmetrical arrangement for deflecting small stones, wherein the shape of the angled block corners (7) results from a negative imprint of a three-dimensional track-shaped body (4) disposed substantially in the longitudinal axis of the circumferential grooves (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) between the four adjacent profile blocks.