Tire Tread Block Sipes for Dry-Wet Braking and Snow Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tires with tread blocks suffer from elongated braking distances on dry and wet road surfaces due to deformation caused by sipes, compromising braking and on-snow performance.
Innovation Solution
A tire design featuring a circumferential groove and tilted grooves with sipes that enhance drainage and rigidity, combined with a balanced land ratio and sipe configuration to improve braking and on-snow performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sipes traverse the blocks to improve on-snow performance, then on-snow performance is improved, but the blocks are deformed upon braking which elongates braking distances on dry and wet road surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the sipes non-traversing only in specific regions (the blocks located in the intermediate portion of the tread width) while allowing other blocks to have different sipe configurations. This localized modification maintains the edge effect for on-snow performance in critical areas while preventing block deformation in regions where braking performance is prioritized.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the tread into different regions (intermediate portion and other portions) with different sipe configurations. The intermediate portion blocks have non-traversing sipes to prevent deformation, while other blocks can have traversing sipes for on-snow performance, allowing each segment to optimize for its specific function.
2Reliability
If tilted grooves are used to improve drainage and braking performance, then braking performance on dry and wet road surfaces is improved, but the complexity of the tread pattern increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing tilted grooves only in specific blocks located in the intermediate portion of the tread width, rather than uniformly across all blocks. This selective application provides the drainage and braking benefits where needed while limiting the overall complexity increase of the tread pattern.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tread portion (2) includes: at least one circumferential groove (3) continuously extending in a tire circumferential direction along a tire equator (C); a plurality of tilted grooves (4) continuously extending from the circumferential groove to tread ends (Te); and a plurality of blocks (5) each delimited by the circumferential groove (3), corresponding ones of the tilted grooves (4), and a corresponding one of the tread ends. Each of the plurality of blocks (5) has a plurality of sipes (6A, 6B, 6C, 6D) extending along the tilted grooves (4). The plurality of sipes at least include: at least one first sipe located on the tire equator side (6A); at least one second sipe (6B) located on the tread end side (Te); and at least one third sipe (6C) located between the first sipe (6A) and the second sipe (6B) in a tire axial direction. An end on the tread end side of the third sipe (6C) is located on an extension line of the second sipe (6B).