Tyre Tread Ventilation Incisions for Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heavy civil engineering vehicle tires face significant thermal stress due to mechanical and thermomechanical loads, leading to elevated crown temperatures that reduce tire endurance and lifespan, with existing tread designs failing to adequately manage thermal levels while maintaining mechanical protection.

Innovation Solution

The tire tread incorporates raised blocks with internal incisions that allow for ventilation, reducing internal temperatures while maintaining material quantity and mechanical strength, featuring incisions with specific dimensions and bridge structures to ensure sufficient rigidity and air circulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the tread blocks are made solid without incisions to maintain mechanical strength and protection against mechanical attacks, then the mechanical protection is improved, but the thermal level of the tread blocks increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical protectionVSAvoidtread block temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The tread blocks are segmented by introducing incisions that divide the solid rubber mass into separated regions. These incisions create internal ventilation channels that allow air circulation through the tread blocks, reducing thermal buildup while the remaining rubber material maintains mechanical protection against mechanical attacks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tread blocks are transformed from solid homogeneous material to a porous structure with internal incisions. These incisions create void spaces that facilitate air flow and heat dissipation, effectively reducing the thermal level while the surrounding rubber matrix preserves the necessary mechanical strength and protection properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Temperature

If incisions are added to tread blocks for ventilation to reduce thermal level, then the temperature is reduced, but the mechanical strength may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetread block temperatureVSAvoidmechanical strength
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The incisions are strategically designed with specific dimensions and configurations to provide ventilation where thermal management is needed, while preserving rubber material in critical areas where mechanical strength is required. The local distribution and geometry of incisions optimize the balance between thermal reduction and mechanical protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The tread block structure becomes a composite of solid rubber material and air-filled incision spaces. This composite structure allows the rubber portions to provide mechanical strength and protection, while the air spaces within incisions facilitate heat dissipation and ventilation, creating a synergistic combination of thermal and mechanical performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Temperature

If deep incisions are made in tread blocks to improve ventilation efficiency, then the thermal management is improved, but the rigidity of the tread blocks decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal managementVSAvoidtread block rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The incisions are designed with optimal depth and width dimensions that provide sufficient ventilation for effective thermal management without excessive material removal. The partial penetration depth of incisions maintains adequate rigidity while still creating effective ventilation channels for heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The geometry parameters of the incisions (depth, width, spacing, shape) are optimized to achieve the desired balance between ventilation efficiency and structural rigidity. By carefully controlling these parameters, the design achieves effective thermal management while maintaining the necessary mechanical stability and resistance to deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 achieves a significant drop in tread block temperatures and maintains protection against mechanical attacks, extending tire endurance by optimizing thermal management and mechanical integrity.

Implementation Method 1

each block comprising at least one incision opening onto its contact face and inside its lateral faces, each incision comprising a set of bypasses... achieving a significant drop in tread block temperatures

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3802156B1Tyre tread for a heavy civil-engineering-type vehicle, comprising ventilation incisions
Publication Date: 2022.07.06 MICHELIN & CO (CIE GEN DES ESTAB MICHELIN)
  • EP3802156B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3802156B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3802156B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to the tread of a tyre for a heavy civil-engineering-type vehicle. The aim of the invention is to reduce the thermal level of the blocks thereof while ensuring good protection thereof in terms of mechanical stress. According to the invention, at least one block (3) comprises at least one incision (6) having a radial height HI, in the radial direction (ZZ'), which is at least equal to 0.4 times and at the most equal to 0.9 times the radial height H of the block (3), and opening up on the contact face (32) in an opening-up section (61) having a closed perimeter LI at least equal to once and at the most equal to three times the average circumferential length B of the block (3) and a thickness EI at least equal to 0.08 times and at the most equal to 0.2 times the radial height HI of the incision (6). Each incision (6) also comprises an assembly (7) of bridges, comprising at least one bridge (8) extending, in the radial direction (ZZ'), at a radial height HP at least equal to 0.3 times and at the most equal to once the radial height HI of the incision (6), the assembly (7) of bridges having a cumulated length LCP at least equal to 0.1 times and at the most equal to 0.4 times the closed perimeter LI of the opening-up surface (61) of the incision (6).