Tread Groove Protrusion Geometry for Lower Tyre Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tyres are required to improve noise performance while maintaining wet performance as vehicles have become quieter in recent years.
Innovation Solution
A tyre design featuring circumferential grooves with protrusions on the groove bottom, where each protrusion has a longitudinally elongated shape with tapered portions to disturb air flow and reduce air column resonance, enhancing noise performance while maintaining wet performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If protrusions are provided on the groove bottom to improve snow performance, then traction and braking on snow are improved, but air column resonance in the groove increases causing noise
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions are designed with asymmetric tapered portions where the width decreases in the tyre circumferential direction. This asymmetric geometry creates uneven air flow patterns that disrupt standing wave formation and reduce air column resonance, thereby lowering noise while preserving the protrusions' snow biting capability
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions feature tapered portions with specific dimensional parameters - the width in the tyre circumferential direction decreases along the circumferential direction, creating a gradual transition. This parameter variation optimizes both snow interaction and air flow characteristics to minimize noise
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the tyre design focuses on noise reduction, then noise performance is improved, but wet performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential grooves are equipped with protrusions featuring tapered portions specifically designed to address noise through localized air flow disruption. This localized geometric feature maintains effective water evacuation channels, ensuring wet performance is preserved while achieving noise reduction
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 tyre design achieves reduced noise generation and maintains wet performance by disturbing air flow through the grooves, improving traction and braking on snow.
Implementation Method 1
disturb air flow and reduce air column resonance
Implementation Method 2
disturb air flow through the grooves
Implementation Method 3
making the protrusions bite into the snow column when running on snow
Data Source
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AI summary
A tyre includes a tread portion including at least one circumferential groove extending continuously in a tyre circumferential direction. The at least one circumferential groove includes a groove bottom having a plurality of protrusions projecting in a tyre radial direction. Each of the plurality of protrusions has a longitudinally elongated shape with a width in a tyre axial direction and a length in the tyre circumferential direction that is greater than the width. Each of the plurality of protrusions includes a tapered portion whose width decreases in the tyre circumferential direction.