Heavy-Duty Tire Tread Cut Geometry for Stone Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy-duty vehicle treads with complex cuts are prone to stone retention, leading to potential damage to the crown reinforcement and tire breakage due to stones being trapped in external cavities and connecting channels, especially in off-road conditions.
Innovation Solution
A tire tread design featuring complex cuts with optimized geometries, where external cavities open onto the surface, internal cavities do not, and connecting channels ensure gradual transitions, limiting the passage of stones by setting specific height and length ratios to prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex cuts with external cavities and connecting channels are used to evacuate water, then water evacuation capability is improved, but stone retention increases leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of stone retention into a beneficial filtering mechanism. The connecting channels are designed with specific height and length ratios that allow water to pass through while blocking stones. The stones that would otherwise cause damage are now retained on the tread surface, where they can be easily removed, while still allowing effective water evacuation through the controlled geometry of the cuts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the geometric dimensions of the complex cuts. Specifically, the height of external cavities is set to at least half the total height of the complex cut, and the height of connecting channels is limited to at most one third of the total height. These parameter relationships create a size-based filtration effect that distinguishes between water molecules and stone particles, allowing water passage while blocking stones.
2Productivity
If connecting channels are made taller to improve water flow, then water evacuation is enhanced, but stone passage increases causing damage to crown reinforcement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by establishing specific parameter relationships: the height of connecting channels is limited to at most one third of the total height of the complex cut, while external cavities have heights of at least half the total height. This creates an optimized water flow path that maintains adequate evacuation capability while the limited connecting channel height acts as a barrier to stone passage, protecting the crown reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different functional zones within the complex cuts. External cavities with greater height provide water storage and flow capability, while connecting channels with limited height provide filtration and protection. This spatial differentiation of properties within the same structure allows simultaneous achievement of water evacuation and stone blocking functions.
3Reliability
If grooves are made wider to evacuate water effectively, then water evacuation is improved, but rolling resistance increases due to greater material deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the water evacuation function into multiple components: external cavities for water storage, connecting channels for controlled water flow, and internal cavities for additional water capacity. This segmentation allows water evacuation to be achieved through a distributed network of smaller features rather than a few wide grooves, reducing the overall material deformation and rolling resistance while maintaining effective water evacuation capability.
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
The design enhances stone resistance, maintaining effective water evacuation and grip while protecting the tire's crown reinforcement, reducing the risk of damage and extending tire life.
Implementation Method 1
connecting channels ensure gradual transitions, limiting the passage of stones by setting specific height and length ratios to prevent damage
Implementation Method 2
The evacuation of the water is ensured by the cuts, which form a fluid flow network that needs to be effective throughout the duration of use of the tire
Implementation Method 3
The deformations in compression and in shear of the raised elements delimiting the groove govern the pressures in the contact patch
Implementation Method 4
these deformations, by generating hysteresis losses in the material of the tread, impact the rolling resistance, and therefore the fuel consumption of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A tire tread (1) for a heavy-duty vehicle to improve resistance to attack by stones. The tread (1) in the new state having at least one complex cut (5) with, along a mean line (Lm), an alternation of external cavities (6), opening onto the tread surface (2), and internal cavities (7), not opening onto the tread surface (2), two consecutive cavities, respectively an external cavity (6) and an internal cavity (7), being connected to each other by a connecting channel (8) of non-zero length, the height (H11) of each external cavity (6) being at least equal to half the height (H) of the complex cut (5), the height (H3) of each connecting channel (8) being at most equal to one third of the height (H) of the complex cut (5).