Tyre Tread Pattern With High Pitch Count for Snow and Dry Grip

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tyre designs face challenges in achieving optimal grip and performance on diverse road surfaces, including dry, wet, snowy, and mixed surfaces, due to the dual effect of sipes which improve snowy surfaces but degrade performance on dry surfaces.

Innovation Solution

The tyre features a tread band with a high number of pitches, resulting in numerous transverse grooves of reduced width, which provide gripping edges and snow retention without the need for sipes in the blocks, thus maintaining resistance to tangential stresses for better dry surface performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sipes are added to the tread blocks to improve grip on snowy surfaces, then snowy surface performance is improved, but resistance to tangential stresses on dry surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrip on snowy surfacesVSAvoidresistance to tangential stresses

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The tread band is segmented into a high number of pitches (greater than 110) around the circumference, creating numerous transverse grooves that provide gripping edges for snow retention without requiring sipes in the blocks themselves. This segmentation approach provides snow grip functionality while preserving block integrity for dry surface performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the number of pitches is increased to provide more gripping edges for snow retention, then snowy surface grip is improved, but the width of individual transverse grooves must be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrip on snowy surfacesVSAvoidwidth of transverse grooves

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameter of pitch count from conventional numbers to greater than 110 pitches around the tread circumference. This parameter change allows the creation of numerous thin transverse grooves that collectively provide sufficient gripping edge surface area for snow retention while maintaining adequate groove width for functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If transverse grooves are made narrower to increase the number of pitches, then more gripping edges are available for snow, but groove effectiveness may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesnow retention capabilityVSAvoidgroove width uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The transverse grooves serve multiple functions simultaneously: they create gripping edges for snow retention, they define the pitch repetition pattern around the circumference, and they contribute to the overall tread pattern geometry. This multi-functionality allows narrower grooves to be effective without compromising manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250033417A1A tyre for vehicle wheels

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 PIRELLI TYRE SPA

AI summary

A tyre for vehicle wheels includes a tread band on which grooves are formed, which generally define a tread pattern of the tyre. At least one pitch is defined in the tread pattern. The pitch extends axially on the tread band. The total number of pitches formed on the tread band is greater than 110.