Heavy Goods Vehicle Tyre Tread Cuts for Uneven Wear Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heavy-duty vehicle tires with complex circumferential cutouts experience irregular wear patterns, leading to reduced ride comfort and premature tire removal due to variations in contact pressure at the edge of the ribs, which are prone to wear irregularities.

Innovation Solution

The tire tread features complex circumferential cuts with alternating external and internal cavities, where at least one wall is substantially flat, limiting the axial variation of the cut's trace to 2% of the tread width, ensuring consistent contact pressure and reducing the risk of irregular wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If a conventional tyre tread pattern is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the tyre wears quickly and generates excessive heat leading to premature failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetyre service lifeVSAvoidtread pattern complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tread pattern is divided into multiple circumferential rows of tread blocks (at least three rows), with each row containing multiple tread blocks separated by grooves. This segmentation allows heat to be distributed and dissipated across multiple surfaces, preventing excessive heat concentration in a single area, thereby reducing the risk of heat-induced tyre failure and extending service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tread blocks are designed with three-dimensional features including variable heights, depths, and circumferential positioning variations. The grooves between blocks create vertical and lateral dimensional variations that enhance heat dissipation surfaces and improve wear distribution across the tyre contact patch, extending tyre durability without requiring complex manufacturing processes.

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

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a complex tread pattern with multiple rows of tread blocks is implemented, then heat generation is reduced and wear is minimized, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat generation and wearVSAvoidtread pattern precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The tread blocks within each circumferential row are designed with local variations in height, depth, and positioning relative to the tyre centre line. This local quality variation ensures that no single area bears excessive stress or heat, distributing wear and thermal load across the entire tread surface. The design accommodates manufacturing tolerances by creating a pattern where slight variations in block dimensions do not compromise overall performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The tread pattern employs systematic variations in geometric parameters including block height, groove depth, and circumferential spacing. These parameter changes are designed to optimize heat dissipation and wear characteristics while remaining within standard manufacturing capabilities. The pattern uses repeatable modular units that can be produced with conventional tyre manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4426569B1Heavy goods vehicle tyre with complex tread pattern
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 MICHELIN & CO (CIE GEN DES ESTAB MICHELIN)
  • EP4426569B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4426569B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a tyre (1) for a heavy goods vehicle comprising a tread (2) having at least one complex circumferential cut (41, 42) consisting of an alternation of external cavities (61, 62) that open onto the tread surface (3), and of internal cavities (71, 72) that are hidden inside the tread (2), and aims to improve the sensitivity of the tread to uneven wear. According to the invention, at least one complex circumferential cut (61, 62) has just one of its two walls (81, 82) substantially planar so that the intersection of the wall (81, 82) with the tread surface (3) forms a line (811, 821) of which the amplitude (A) of the axial variation is at most equal to 2% of the axial width (L) of the tread (3).