Wavy Tread Sipe Structure for Tire Grip and Block Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic tires with wavy-shaped sipes experience reduced traction and durability due to rubber deformation at the curving points of the sipes during braking and starting, leading to decreased contact area and block chipping.
Innovation Solution
The tire design incorporates wavy-shaped sipes with a decreasing amplitude from the surface to the bottom, providing resistance to stress and preventing block distortion, while maintaining a linear cross-sectional profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wavy-shaped sipes with largest amplitude at the tire surface are used, then grip performance is improved, but rubber deformation occurs at curving points leading to reduced traction and durability
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe structure is designed with different amplitude characteristics at different locations: the opening at the tire surface maintains a wavy shape with larger amplitude for grip, while the bottom portion has a straight shape with smaller amplitude to prevent deformation. This local differentiation allows each region to fulfill its specific function without compromising overall performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of maintaining a consistent wavy shape throughout the sipe depth, the invention inverts the conventional approach by making the bottom portion straight rather than wavy. This reversal prevents rubber deformation at the critical bottom region while preserving the grip-enhancing wavy structure at the surface opening.
2Reliability
If sipes with large amplitude at the surface are used, then edge effect is increased, but block distortion and chipping occur during braking and starting
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe structure is designed with different amplitude characteristics at different locations: the opening at the tire surface maintains a wavy shape with larger amplitude for grip, while the bottom portion has a straight shape with smaller amplitude to prevent deformation. This local differentiation allows each region to fulfill its specific function without compromising overall performance.
3Reliability
If rubber between sipes deforms at curving points, then contact area decreases, but this leads to reduced traction
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe structure is designed with different amplitude characteristics at different locations: the opening at the tire surface maintains a wavy shape with larger amplitude for grip, while the bottom portion has a straight shape with smaller amplitude to prevent deformation. This local differentiation allows each region to fulfill its specific function without compromising overall performance.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
A pneumatic tire having wavy-shaped sipes is provided with improved traction and durability. A tire includes a tread (10). The tread (10) includes blocks (13) having sipes (14) extending in a direction which intersects a tire-circumferential direction. The sipe (14) has a wavy shape in an extending direction of the sipe (14). The sipe (14) has an opening at a surface of the block (13) and a bottom. The wavy shape continues from the opening to the bottom. Amplitude of the sipe (14) is greatest at the opening and smallest at the bottom. The amplitude decreases at a fixed rate of change from the opening to the bottom, whereby the sipe (14) is linear from the opening to the bottom in a cross-sectional view in the depth direction which is substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the sipe (14).