Winter Tire Tread Block Layout for Snow and Dry Grip Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
New vehicle tires often exhibit poorer initial performance on snow due to their smoother surface, which affects rolling characteristics and driving safety, and this performance gap can negatively impact end-user acceptance.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle tire design featuring at least three different types of profile blocks distributed over the tread pattern, with two types of groove-like depressions, where the outer blocks have sufficient first and second groove-like depressions at an oblique intersection angle, enhancing snow performance without compromising dry road performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact surface is structured with groove-like depressions to improve snow performance, then rolling properties on snow are improved, but performance on dry roads deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tread is divided into multiple profile blocks with different groove configurations. Outer profile blocks contain both first groove-like depressions (extending in the circumferential direction) and second groove-like depressions (extending in the axial direction), while inner profile blocks contain only first groove-like depressions. This segmentation allows different regions to contribute differently to snow performance without compromising overall dry road performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different profile blocks are assigned different groove patterns based on their location. The outer profile blocks have a more complex groove structure (both first and second groove-like depressions) to enhance snow performance at the edges, while the inner profile blocks have a simpler structure (only first groove-like depressions) to maintain dry road performance in the center region.
2Ease of operation
If the contact surface is made smoother to improve dry road performance, then performance on dry roads is improved, but rolling properties on snow deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The tread surface is segmented into different profile blocks with varying groove densities. The inner profile blocks have fewer groove-like depressions compared to outer profile blocks, creating a relatively smoother contact surface in the center region that maintains dry road performance while still providing adequate snow performance through the outer blocks.
3Reliability
If brand-new tires are designed with extensive groove structures to ensure immediate snow performance, then initial snow performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread structure is segmented into three types of profile blocks (inner, outer, and intermediate blocks) with progressively complex groove patterns. This segmentation provides a balanced approach that ensures adequate initial snow performance without requiring excessive groove structures throughout the entire tread, thereby controlling manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly complex grooves across the entire tread, the invention applies complex groove patterns (both first and second groove-like depressions) only to outer profile blocks where they are most effective for snow performance, while using simpler patterns for inner blocks. This localized approach reduces overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining initial snow performance.
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 tire achieves excellent rolling properties on snow for new tires while maintaining favorable performance on dry roads, thus resolving the conflict between snow and dry road performance objectives.
Implementation Method 1
winter tires, which exhibit high frictional resistance with the road surface even under winter conditions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle tire (10) with a profiled tread (12) comprising as profile blocks: i) a plurality of first outer profile blocks (18a, 18b, 18c) and second outer profile blocks (20a, 20b, 20c), ii) a plurality of inner profile blocks (22a, 22b), and iii) a plurality of first intermediate profile blocks (24a, 24b) and second intermediate profile blocks (26a, 26b), wherein the first outer profile blocks (18a, 18b, 18c), the second outer profile blocks (20a, 20b, 20c), the first intermediate profile blocks (24a, 24b) and the second intermediate profile blocks (26a, 26b) in the contact surface (16) each have continuous or interrupted first groove-like depressions (28a, 28b, 28c) and continuous or interrupted second groove-like depressions (30a, 30b, 30c), wherein the first outer profile blocks (18a, 18b, 18c), the second outer profile blocks (20a, 20b, 20c), the first intermediate profile blocks (24a, 24b) and the second intermediate profile blocks (26a,26b) each comprise three or more second groove-like depressions (30a, 30b, 30c), the center of gravity of which encloses an angle of intersection in the range of 30° to 89° with the center of gravity of at least one first groove-like depression (28a, 28b, 28c) of the profile block.