Tread Sipe Layout for On-Ice Grip and Land Portion Rigidity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic tire designs struggle to balance the rigidity of the land portion with effective water drainage through sipes, limiting on-ice gripping performance.
Innovation Solution
The tire features connected sipes with a main portion extending in the tire circumferential direction and side portions branching at an angle, terminating within the land portion, to efficiently remove water while maintaining rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sipes are disposed at high density to improve water drainage, then on-ice gripping performance is improved, but rigidity of the land portion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sipes are segmented into main bodies and circumferential direction parts with protrusions and recesses. This segmentation allows the sipes to provide effective water drainage pathways while the modular structure maintains land portion rigidity by distributing the cut patterns strategically rather than creating continuous weak points across the entire land portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The sipe structure incorporates local variations in geometry including protrusions and recesses that engage with facing sipe wall faces. These localized structural features concentrate the water drainage function in specific areas while preserving rigidity in other regions of the land portion, achieving functional differentiation within the sipe structure.
2Productivity
If sipes are made wider or deeper to improve water drainage, then water removal efficiency is improved, but structural integrity of the tread is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe design extends into the circumferential direction with protrusions and recesses that engage with facing walls, adding a third dimension to the traditional linear sipe structure. This dimensional expansion increases the effective drainage surface area and water removal capability without requiring excessive width or depth in the radial direction, thereby preserving tread structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The circumferential direction parts with protrusions and recesses are nested within the overall sipe structure, creating a multi-level configuration. This nested design maximizes water drainage surface area within the available space while maintaining compact dimensions that preserve the structural integrity of the surrounding tread material.
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 design enhances on-ice gripping performance by effectively draining water and maintaining land portion rigidity, improving traction and braking performance.
Implementation Method 1
The sipes allow water that gushes onto the tire contact patch as the icy road surface melts to drain out of the contact patch
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The provided is a pneumatic tire having at least one land portion in a tread surface, wherein one or more connected sipes are disposed on at least one of the land portions, the connected sipes have a main portion extending in a first predetermined direction and a side portion extending from the main portion to a side of the main portion at an angle with respect to the first predetermined direction, the side portion has a first side portion disposed on one side of the main portion and a second side portion disposed on the other side of the main portion, and the first side portion and the second side portion are arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction.