Tread Groove Layout for Lower Cornering Force and Tire Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric and hybrid vehicles with heavy batteries experience increased cornering power when equipped with traditional tires, leading to impaired steering stability and noise issues due to increased tire load, and increasing the number of grooves in the tread portion to reduce cornering power results in increased noise.
Innovation Solution
A tire design featuring a tread portion with three or four circumferential grooves that divide it into land regions, including a shoulder land region and a middle land region with a middle circumferential sipe and lateral sipes, and shoulder lateral grooves and sipes that reduce rigidity and cornering force, thereby improving steering stability and noise performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the number of grooves in the tread portion is increased to reduce cornering power, then the cornering power is reduced, but the noise during running increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tread portion into multiple land regions (shoulder land region, middle land region, crown land region) separated by circumferential grooves. This segmentation allows different regions to have different functions: the shoulder land region with lateral grooves reduces cornering power, while the middle and crown land regions with sipes control noise, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing cornering power and controlling noise
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the tread are given different structures and properties. The shoulder land region has lateral grooves for reducing cornering power, the middle land region has sipes for noise control, and the crown land region has specific groove patterns. This local differentiation allows each region to optimize its function, reducing overall noise while achieving the desired cornering power reduction
2Force
If the tire is mounted on heavy vehicles to increase cornering power, then the cornering power is increased, but the steering stability is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The tread is segmented into functional regions with different groove patterns. The shoulder land region with lateral grooves provides reduced cornering power to prevent excessive steering response, while other regions maintain adequate grip, thus achieving balanced steering stability for heavy vehicles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the tread pattern, specifically the configuration, depth, and distribution of grooves and sipes in different land regions. These parameter changes optimize the balance between cornering power and steering stability, allowing the tire to perform adequately on heavy vehicles without excessive cornering force
Data Source
AI summary
A tire has a tread portion provided with three or four circumferential grooves including a shoulder circumferential groove to form a shoulder land region and a middle land region. The middle land region is provided with a middle circumferential sipe and middle lateral sipes. The shoulder land region is provided with shoulder lateral grooves extending from the shoulder circumferential groove to a tread edge, and shoulder lateral sipes extending from the shoulder circumferential groove and terminated without reaching the tread edge.