Pneumatic Tyre Tread Blocks with Offset Bridges

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional winter tires experience reduced traction and braking forces on icy roads due to block elements tilting, which compromises contact area and force transfer, while maintaining good snow performance through gripping edge formation.

Innovation Solution

The tire design features two rows of blocks with partially overlapping blocks connected by bridges that alternate in the transverse direction, with oblique grooves ending in blind grooves at specific angles and incisions parallel to these grooves, maintaining contact surface and rigidity for improved snow and ice performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bridges connect adjacent blocks to prevent tilting, then ice performance is improved, but circumferential rigidity may be impaired affecting snow performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveice performanceVSAvoidcircumferential rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The bridges are arranged in an alternating offset pattern rather than a uniform symmetric arrangement. This asymmetric configuration provides sufficient connection to prevent tilting while maintaining circumferential rigidity by distributing flexibility strategically across the tread structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3079924B1Pneumatic vehicle tyre
Publication Date: 2019.02.20 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP3079924B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3079924B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire, in particular for use in winter driving conditions, comprising a tread, which is divided into block rows (2; 6, 8) by transverse grooves (4), angled grooves (10, 11), and circumferential grooves (12), the blocks (1; 7, 9) of which block rows are each provided with a number of incisions (5, 14), which extend at least substantially parallel to each other and to transverse or angled grooves (4; 10, 11) and divide the blocks (1; 7, 9) into block elements (1a), characterized in that blocks (1; 7, 9) arranged adjacent to each other in a circumferential region extending in a circumferential direction are connected to each other by means of narrow bridges (3, 13) at the inner ends of angled or transverse grooves (4; 10, 11) ending in the manner of a blind groove, the bridges (3, 13) being offset from each other in a transverse direction in alternation, such that profile positive structures that are contiguous in a meandering manner are formed in said circumferential region.