Tread Block Length Classes for Tire Noise and Uniform Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tire designs face challenges in optimizing acoustic performance while maintaining uniform wear, as the use of rubber blocks of different sizes can lead to varying wear patterns and noise modulation issues.

Innovation Solution

The tire features a tread with a series of rubber blocks arranged in classes based on circumferential length and incision width, where blocks of the same class have similar dimensions and are delimited by incisions of corresponding classes, facilitating uniform wear and improved molding, thus enhancing both acoustic and wear performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If rubber blocks of varying lengths are used in the same tread rib, then tire noise is reduced through modulation, but uneven wear occurs between different parts of the tread

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire noiseVSAvoidwear uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tread is segmented into multiple tread ribs, each containing rubber blocks of varying lengths. This segmentation allows noise modulation within each rib while maintaining overall wear uniformity across the tread through the periodic arrangement of blocks with different circumferential lengths

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Within each tread rib, rubber blocks have different circumferential lengths to locally modulate noise. The variation in block lengths creates different vibration characteristics that reduce tire noise while the periodic repetition of this pattern across multiple ribs ensures uniform wear distribution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If rubber blocks of uniform size are used in the same tread rib, then wear uniformity is maintained, but tire noise increases due to lack of modulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear uniformityVSAvoidtire noise
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tread design incorporates dynamic variation in rubber block circumferential lengths within each tread rib. This dynamic arrangement of blocks with different sizes creates varying vibration frequencies and amplitudes as the tire rotates, modulating noise while maintaining wear uniformity through the periodic pattern

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-generated harmful factors

If incisions of varying widths are used to delimit rubber blocks, then acoustic performance is improved through noise reduction, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire noiseVSAvoidincision width consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The incisions delimiting rubber blocks are segmented into different width classes (first class, second class, third class) corresponding to different block length classes. This segmentation allows controlled variation in incision widths to match the noise reduction requirements while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized classes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The incision widths are varied as a parameter to correspond with rubber block length classes. By changing the incision width parameter according to the block length class, the design achieves noise modulation while maintaining consistent manufacturing standards within each class

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3994013B1Tyre comprising a tread
Publication Date: 2023.08.30 MICHELIN & CO (CIE GEN DES ESTAB MICHELIN)
  • EP3994013B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3994013B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3994013B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a tyre comprising a tread (10), said tread having at least one series (12) of rubber blocks (13i-1, 13i, 13i+1, 13i+2) which are delimited in pairs by a series of incisions (14i-1, 14i, 14i+i, 14i+2, 14i+3), said blocks (13i-1, 13i, 13i+1, 13i+2) extending in succession along a circumferential direction (X), each block (13i-1, 13i, 13i+1, 13i+2) of the series (12) of rubber blocks having a circumferential length (Li+1, Li, Li+1, Li+2), each incision (14i-1, 14i, 14i+1, 14i+2, 14i+3) having a circumferential width (Ei-1, Ei, Ei+1, Ei+2, Ei+3). The series (12) of rubber blocks comprises blocks belonging to at least two different block classes ((13i-1, 13i); (13i+1, 13i+2)), the blocks of a same class having a substantially identical circumferential length, the blocks of two different block classes having a distinct circumferential length.