The AutoSock is a newly developed tire cover, aimed at increasing tire-toroad friction when driving cars on icy or snowy

roads:
Perfect temporary winter aid for vehicles

Approved by TV SD and leading car manufacturers

Certified as a Snow Chain equivalent in more and more countries

Easy and fast to fit and remove, even in cold and difficult weather

Lightweight and easy to store Comfortable while driving does not cause noise nor vibrations

Self-centering

Reusable and machine washable

Recyclable and environmental friendly

Usable with alloy rims - even when metal chains are not allowed!

No damage to alloy rims

Works on all vehicles with low clearance between tire and car body

Improves electronic safety systems (ABS, ESP).

HISTORY
The idea behind using textiles to increase friction on snow and ice is rather old.
History tells us that the wife of Henry Ford was the first to suggest this, and the experience was in fact that it worked. In order to develop an idea into reality a resource group was formed in 1998 with the lead of Brd Ltveit. The group consisted of people with high level of competence within the professional fields of yarn production, textiles and garment manufacturing, friction, certification of automotive products, design and marketing.

Over the past 10 years, AutoSock has been developed from a simple prototype with little scientific foundation to a high-technology research-based product with excellent traction and durability properties. The research and development has been supported by extensive tests and scientific textile- and friction theories.

1996 : Brd Ltveit, the inventor of AutoSock starts his Research and Development work.

1997 : Invento AS becomes the main shareholder of AutoSock.

1998 : Beginning of the collaboration with Kosa Gmbh, worldwide leading fi bre manufacturer in Germany.

2000 : Beginning of the cooperation with Reutlingen University, leading expertise and research centre on industrial textiles.

2001 : Creation of a new product category and homologated by the TV Institute.

2001 : Registration of AutoSock European Patent.

2001 : AutoSock is launched into the Scandinavian market.

2002 : Approved by VW and BMW Group to be followed by 10 other car manufacturers.

2005 : AutoSock European Patent is being granted.

2006 : AutoSock achieves sales of 1 million pairs.

2007 : AutoSock is approved by 12 car manufacturers.

2008 : AutoSock is approved as -NORM 5121.

2008 : AutoSock for Truck is approved as a traction device by CDOT (Colorado Department Of Transportation) in USA

2009 : AutoSock has been approved as a snowchain equivalent in Czech Republic and Slovenia

How does it work?

It is well known that snow and ice sticks to textiles. AutoSock is made from 100% hightechnology fibers. These fibers, which become hairier with use, are arranged in a specific pattern in order to optimize grip. The specially developed textile has the advantage of handling water film found between the icy and snowy road and the tyre, (generated for example by heat from the sun, or wheel spin), thereby maximizing the grip. Tribology/ Dry vs. wet friction Tribology is defined as the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion and of the practices related thereto. A tribological system consists of three parts: Upper surface Lubricant Lower surface In the case of friction on icy or snowy roads the upper surface is the tyre or AutoSock, thelubricant is water film created by frictional melting and liquid layer on the ice/snow, and thelower surface is the icy or snowy road.

When the water film thickness is insignificant, we have dry friction; this is the case when braking a car at 20C. When the water film seperates the two surfaces, we have wet friction; this is the case when a car water planes.

When the water film thickness is insignificant, we have dry friction; this is the case when braking a car at -20C. When the water film separates the two surfaces, we have wet friction; this is the case when a car water planes. AutoSock wants to have as large area as possible under the AutoSock with dry friction, since dry friction gives the highest friction coefficient. Snow vs. Ice friction AutoSock has: A surface pattern that makes the total contact area exposed to friction sufficiently large under both soft and hard snow or ice conditions A combination of surface pattern, strength and elasticity that make the contact points sufficiently sticky under hard snow or ice conditions To some extent we have a trade off between good friction properties on snow relative to ice. It is favourable to open up the structure in order to increase the total contact area exposed to friction on snow. At the same time the contact points need to be sufficiently sticky on hard ice.

The contact configuration of a tyre or AutoSock can be quite different on snow relative to ice.

The upper figures show the contact configurations of a tyre on soft snow.The figure to the left simulates compaction resistance, while the figure to the rightsimulates impact resistance.

The lower figure shows the contact configuration of a tyre on ice where the macroscopic impact and compaction resistances are negligible.

Electrical parameters The AutoSock is made of a special high friction textile fabric. In a frictional AutoSock sliding situation, electrostatic pressures can be defined in: The air gaps between: a) the sock surface and the icy or snowy road, b) the sock surface and the water film, c) the water film and the icy or snowy road surface. The interfacial contacts between: a) the sock surface and the icy or snowy road surface, b) the sock surface and the water film, c) the water film and the icy or snowy road surface. The water film. The dry friction process is dominated and characterised by accumulation of electrostatic charges in the slider contact points. The frictional water film initiates discharge of potential differences between the slider and the sliding surface due to the much higher electrical conductivity of water relative to snow/ice. The topography of the slider and the sliding surface is decisive for the electrical contact configuration between the slider and the sliding surface. The electrolytic conductivity of a melted snow/ice sample may indicate the rate of ions introduced to the interface between snow/ice and the slider by frictional melting and thereby the rate and ease of discharge between the slider and snow/ice through the frictional water film during braking. Larger frictional electrification should take place on snow/ice with low electrical conductivity compared to snow/ice with high electrical conductivity.