Tyre Tread Groove Orientation for Dry Stability and Snow Traction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tires with lateral grooves for improved on-snow performance suffer from low tread pattern stiffness, leading to deteriorating steering stability on dry road conditions.
Innovation Solution
A tire design with a tread portion featuring inclined middle and shoulder lateral grooves, chamfered portions, and specific groove configurations that enhance stiffness and traction, maintaining stability on both dry and snowy surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lateral grooves are provided on tread portions to improve on-snow performance, then on-snow performance is improved, but tread pattern stiffness is reduced, resulting in deteriorating steering stability on dry road condition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different groove configurations to different regions of the tread pattern. Middle lateral grooves are provided in middle land portions with specific orientations to improve snow performance, while shoulder lateral grooves are provided in shoulder land portions to maintain stiffness. This local differentiation allows each region to optimize for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between snow performance and steering stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tread pattern is segmented into multiple land portions (middle land portions and shoulder land portions) with distinct groove arrangements. By dividing the tread into functional zones with different groove characteristics, the patent enables simultaneous optimization for both snow traction and dry road stability without compromising either performance aspect.
2Reliability
If middle lateral grooves and shoulder lateral grooves are both provided to enhance snow shearing capability, then on-snow performance is improved, but tread pattern stiffness is reduced, resulting in deteriorating steering stability on dry road condition
Solution Approach 1:
Different groove configurations are applied to different land portions based on their functional requirements. Middle lateral grooves in middle land portions are designed with specific orientations for snow shearing, while shoulder lateral grooves in shoulder land portions are configured to maintain structural stiffness. This localized optimization allows the tread pattern to achieve both snow performance and structural strength simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric groove orientations in different regions of the tread pattern. Middle lateral grooves have different angular orientations compared to shoulder lateral grooves, creating an asymmetric configuration that optimizes each region for its specific function while maintaining overall tread pattern integrity and stiffness.
Data Source
AI summary
A tyre includes a tread portion including a first middle land portion, a second middle land portion, a first shoulder land portion, and a second shoulder land portion. The first middle land portion is provided with first middle lateral grooves terminating within the first middle land portion, the second middle land portion is provided with second middle lateral grooves terminating within the second middle land portion, the first shoulder land portion is provided with first shoulder lateral grooves, and the second shoulder land portion is provided with second shoulder lateral grooves. The first middle lateral grooves and the second middle lateral grooves are inclined in a first direction with respect to the tyre axial direction, and the first shoulder lateral grooves and the second shoulder lateral grooves are inclined in a second direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the tyre axial direction.