Tyre Tread Groove Facets for Crack-Resistant Low-Noise Tires

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle tires suffer from high tensile stresses at groove bases leading to cracking and tire-road noise issues, despite faceted surface arrangements that reduce noise but require improvement in crack resistance.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating edge connection points where at least six bending edges of the faceted surface arrangement meet, distributing stress evenly and creating inhomogeneous stiffness in the groove walls to reduce cracking and tire-road noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional groove designs are used, then water drainage is effective, but high tensile stresses occur at groove bases leading to cracking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrack resistanceVSAvoidstress concentration at groove base
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The groove base is segmented into multiple faceted surfaces with different orientations, creating multiple small planes instead of a single continuous surface. This segmentation distributes the tensile stresses that occur during tire rolling, preventing stress concentration at any single point and thereby reducing crack initiation and propagation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The faceted surface arrangement introduces asymmetric geometric features at the groove base, with facets oriented at different angles relative to the groove walls. This asymmetric design creates a more uniform stress distribution pattern compared to conventional symmetric groove designs, reducing peak tensile stresses that lead to cracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Object-generated harmful factors

If noise breakers are added to counteract sound propagation, then tire-road noise is reduced, but the local groove cross-section is significantly reduced impairing water drainage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire-road noiseVSAvoidwater drainage capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding protruding noise breakers that occupy groove volume, the invention uses faceted surfaces that modify the groove wall geometry in a different dimensional approach. The facets create sound-scattering surfaces through angular orientations while maintaining the overall groove cross-sectional area open for water drainage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The faceted surface arrangement applies localized geometric modifications specifically at the groove walls where sound scattering is most effective, while leaving the central groove volume intact for water drainage. This localized quality change achieves noise reduction without compromising drainage capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-generated harmful factors

If faceted surface arrangements are added to reduce noise, then tire-road noise is reduced, but crack resistance requires further improvement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire-road noiseVSAvoidcrack resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove base is segmented into multiple faceted surfaces with different orientations, creating multiple small planes instead of a single continuous surface. This segmentation distributes the tensile stresses that occur during tire rolling, preventing stress concentration at any single point and thereby reducing crack initiation and propagation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The faceted surface arrangement simultaneously serves multiple functions: it scatters sound waves to reduce tire-road noise and distributes tensile stresses to improve crack resistance. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate noise reduction devices that would compromise structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4699818A1Vehicle tyre
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP4699818A1 patent drawingFigure 1~1a
  • EP4699818A1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP4699818A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a vehicle tire with a tread having grooves (1, 1', 1", 1‴) with a maximum depth (TUR) of 30% to 100% of the tread depth, a width (BUR) at the widest point of 5.00 mm to 15.00 mm and an inner groove surface (4, 5), wherein at least a part of the inner groove surface (4, 5) is occupied by a faceted surface arrangement (F, F', F", F‴) with projecting fold edges (K1) and recessed fold edges (K2), wherein the faceted surface arrangement (F, F', F", F‴) is formed from triangular facets (6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8) adjoining each other at the fold edges (K1, K2) and wherein the fold edges (K1, K2) are joined at edge connection points (P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7) meet, The edge connection points (P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7) include those at which at least six bend edges (K1, K2) of the faceted surface arrangement (F, F', F", F‴ meet.