Tire Zigzag Groove Traction Noise Wear Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tires face a challenge in balancing on-the-snow traction performance, noise performance, and uneven wear resistance, as increasing transverse grooves for improved traction lead to noise and uneven wear issues.
Innovation Solution
A tire design featuring a zigzag main groove with outward and inward transverse grooves, where the outward grooves connect to one end of the axially outer segments and inward grooves connect to neither end, with specific groove widths, angles, and orientations to enhance traction and reduce noise and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the volume of transverse grooves is increased to improve on-the-snow performance, then on-the-snow traction performance is improved, but noise performance deteriorates due to loud pumping sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The first main groove is divided into multiple axially outer segments and axially inner segments connected by oblique segments, creating a zigzag pattern. This segmentation allows the groove to maintain effective volume for snow shearing while disrupting continuous noise propagation paths, thereby reducing pumping sounds while preserving on-the-snow traction performance
Solution Approach 2:
The main groove is transformed from a simple linear groove into a three-dimensional zigzag structure with oblique segments inclined at specific angles. This dimensional change increases the groove's interaction with snow blocks while breaking up noise generation patterns, resolving the contradiction between traction performance and noise reduction
2Reliability
If the volume of transverse grooves is increased to improve on-the-snow performance, then on-the-snow traction performance is improved, but uneven wear resistance deteriorates due to reduced land region rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The zigzag segmentation of the main groove creates multiple smaller land regions between segments rather than one large land region. This segmentation distributes the load more evenly across multiple contact points, maintaining overall rigidity while allowing sufficient groove volume for improved snow traction performance
Solution Approach 2:
The oblique segments are positioned at specific angles and locations to locally optimize the balance between groove volume for snow interaction and land region rigidity for wear resistance. Each segment configuration is designed to provide the minimum necessary rigidity while maximizing snow shearing capability
Data Source
AI summary
A tire includes a tread portion provided with a first main groove disposed between the tire equator and a tread edge and extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction; outward transverse grooves extending axially outwardly from the first main groove; and inward transverse grooves extending axially inwardly from the first main groove. The first main groove is a zigzag groove including axially outer segments extending along the tire circumferential direction; axially inner segments extending along the tire circumferential direction and positioned axially inside the axially outer segments; and oblique segments linking therebetween. Each of the axially outer segments is connected with one of the outward transverse grooves and one of the inward transverse grooves.