Heavy Vehicle Tyre Tread Blocks for Mud Grip and Wear Life

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tire designs for heavy vehicles in civil engineering face challenges in achieving a balance between adhesion, particularly on muddy soils, and lifespan, especially on aggressive soils, while maintaining effective transverse and longitudinal adhesion.

Innovation Solution

The tire design incorporates blocks with a contact face that is polygonal and at least partly concave, featuring multiple concave parts to increase the perimeter and decrease the surface area, and a basic section with a convex polygonal shape. This configuration enhances adhesion and motor skills while maintaining robustness and wear resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If the contact face of blocks is made convex with maximum surface area, then adhesion on smooth ground is improved, but adhesion on muddy ground deteriorates due to poor penetration and evacuation capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion on smooth groundVSAvoidadhesion on muddy ground
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional convex contact face design by implementing a concave contact face with recesses. This inversion allows the block to penetrate muddy ground more effectively while the recesses capture and evacuate mud, thereby improving adhesion on muddy ground without sacrificing performance on smooth ground

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Force

If the contact face surface area is increased to improve adhesion, then grip is enhanced, but wear resistance deteriorates on aggressive ground

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovegripVSAvoidlifespan
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating recesses at specific locations on the contact face rather than uniformly modifying the entire surface. The recesses are strategically positioned to capture and evacuate mud while the raised portions maintain structural integrity and wear resistance, achieving both improved grip and extended lifespan

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the block height is increased to improve penetration and evacuation capacity, then adhesion on muddy ground is improved, but transverse grip deteriorates due to reduced stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion on muddy groundVSAvoidtransverse grip
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent solves the height-stability contradiction by introducing a third dimension through recesses on the contact face. Instead of simply increasing block height, the recesses create vertical cavities that enhance mud evacuation while the overall block geometry maintains a low profile, preserving transverse stability through optimized width and base configuration

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

Data Source

PatentEP3999360B1Tyre tread for a heavy construction-plant vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.04.23 MICHELIN & CO (CIE GEN DES ESTAB MICHELIN)
  • EP3999360B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3999360B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The subject of the present invention is a tyre tread having blocks, for a heavy construction-plant vehicle, and the invention aims to improve the compromise between the traction on muddy ground and the life in terms of wear on harsh ground. A tread (1) comprises blocks (4) that are separated by cuts (3) and are in relief with respect to a bottom surface (5). Every block (4) comprises a contact face (41) having a polygonal shape of area SC, contained in a tread surface (2), lateral faces (42) and a base section (43) having a polygonal shape of area SB. According to the invention, the contact face (41) of every block (4) has an at least partially concave polygonal shape, comprising at least two consecutive sides (411, 412) that form between one another an angle Al on the inside of the polygonal shape greater than 180° and the area SC of the contact face (41) is at most equal to 0.9 times the area SB of the base section (43).