Winter Tire Tread Layout for Grip on Smooth and Rough Ice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Winter tires face a challenge in balancing good grip on both smooth ice and roughened ice, as features that enhance grip on one surface often compromise the other.
Innovation Solution
The tire design features shoulder-side and middle blocks with specific incisions and microgrooves that create small, flexible contact surfaces for enhanced grip on snow and rough ice, while maintaining a larger contact area for smooth ice through precise alignment and spacing of these features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blocks are provided with deep incisions and microgrooves to enhance grip on snow and rough ice, then grip on snow and rough ice is improved, but contact area on smooth ice is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tread pattern applies different features to different blocks: shoulder-side blocks have incisions extending fully to the axial direction for maximum grip on rough surfaces, while middle blocks have incisions with limited axial extension to preserve contact area. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each block type for its specific function in the overall grip performance.
2Reliability
If incisions and microgrooves are added to blocks to improve grip on roughened ice, then grip on roughened ice is enhanced, but the contact area for smooth ice is minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent differentiates between shoulder-side blocks and middle blocks in terms of incision design. Shoulder-side blocks feature full-length incisions for maximum rough ice grip, while middle blocks have incisions with limited axial extension, creating a gradient of features that balances rough ice grip with smooth ice contact area preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying full-length incisions to all blocks (excessive action), the patent applies them selectively to shoulder-side blocks only (partial action). This partial application achieves the necessary grip enhancement on rough ice while minimizing the negative impact on smooth ice contact area.
3Reliability
If blocks are designed with multiple incisions and microgrooves for better snow grip, then snow grip is improved, but power transmission to the surface is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates local quality variations by providing shoulder-side blocks with full-length incisions for snow grip while limiting middle block incisions. This spatial differentiation allows the tire to achieve snow grip through shoulder blocks while middle blocks maintain larger contact areas for power transmission, resolving the contradiction between these two functions.
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 design enables excellent grip on both smooth and rough ice by allowing flexible force transfer to fine structures, while minimizing the reduction in contact area on smooth ice.
Implementation Method 1
The microgrooves are designed to ensure the drainage of the water film, while still providing good power transmission to the surface as well as good wet braking and snow grip
Implementation Method 2
The funnel-shaped widening improves water absorption and drainage into the transverse grooves
Implementation Method 3
The microgrooves are designed to ensure the drainage of the water film
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Vehicle tires, in particular winter tires for passenger cars, with a tread comprising axially extending shoulder-side blocks (6) with predominantly parallel block edges (2) and with central blocks (1) with predominantly parallel block edges (2) between the shoulder-side blocks (6). The shoulder-side blocks (6) and the central blocks (1) are each provided with at least two parallel incisions (3) in plan view. The shoulder-side blocks (6) and the central blocks (1) are each provided with several parallel microgrooves (4) in plan view, the microgrooves (4) extending parallel to the incisions (3) and without intersecting them.The shoulder-side blocks (6) and the middle blocks (1) are each provided with at least two transverse micro-grooves (5) running parallel to each other in plan view and extending predominantly in circumferential view of the vehicle pneumatic tire, with a width of 0.2 mm to 0.6 mm and a depth of 0.6 mm to 3 mm.