Patents Examined by Steven D. Maki
  • Supplemental tire tread for a solid tire
    Patent number: 11220137
    Abstract: A supplemental tire tread for installation on an outer surface of a solid tire, the outer surface of the solid tire defining opposed sidewalls and a tread surface that extend between the sidewalls. The supplemental tire tread has a tread body having an outer tread surface, an inner surface, and an attachment for attaching the tread body around the tread surface of the tire. The inner surface of the tread body has tire supports with tire receiving receptacles that open away from the inner surface of the tread body and receive the solid tires when installed. The tread body has anchor receptacles that engage anchors that pierce the solid tires to support the tread body against relative rotation of the solid tire and the tread body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventors: Tom Zaleski, Sr., Tom Zaleski, Jr.
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11214097
    Abstract: To obtain a uniform ground contact pressure distribution in a pneumatic tire in which an edge portion of a land portion is provided with a notch portion. In a pneumatic tire according to an embodiment, an edge portion of a land portion formed in a tread portion is provided with a notch portion having a triangular shape in the plan view. A wavy sipe is provided to extend from an apex corner portion of the notch portion into the land portion and a straight sipe is provided adjacent to the wavy sipe with a gap interposed therebetween to extend into the land portion and to open to the edge portion of the land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11207923
    Abstract: To provide a pneumatic tire capable of improving rut running performance. In a pneumatic tire according to an embodiment, a shoulder block provided in a shoulder region of a tread portion is provided with a plurality of sipes which are formed at intervals in a tire circumferential direction to extend in a tire width direction. In the plurality of sipes, a dimple is provided on an outside in the tire width direction in relation to each tire ground contact end in a communication state. The dimple includes a portion formed with a wide width from a connection portion with the sipe toward the outside in the tire width direction and maximum width portions of the plurality of dimples are disposed to be offset in the tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11203234
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes first and second pairs of main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction; and auxiliary grooves disposed in land portions located between the first and second main grooves which open to the corresponding first main groove or the corresponding second main groove and terminate within the corresponding land portion. Each of the auxiliary grooves includes a first auxiliary groove that extends from the opening portion to the bent portion and a second auxiliary groove that extends from the bent portion to the terminating end. A length a of the first auxiliary groove and a length b of the second auxiliary groove have the relationship 0.3a<b<0.8a. The angle ? made by the first auxiliary groove and the second auxiliary groove at the bent portion is in the range 0°<?<90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventor: Naoko Suzuki
  • Tire and tire set
    Patent number: 11198332
    Abstract: A tyre includes a tread portion provided with blocks each protruding toward a ground contact surface thereof from a tread bottom surface, and axially spaced side portions each extending from the tread portion to a respective bead portion. The blocks include shoulder blocks spaced. The shoulder blocks each include an overhanging portion located axially outside the corresponding side portion. The overhanging portion includes a pair of first walls extending in substantially parallel with a tyre meridian cross-section. The shoulder blocks have shoulder block lengths which are lengths in the tyre circumferential direction measured between the pair of first walls along the ground contact surface, wherein the shoulder block lengths are shorter than gap lengths which are lengths in the tyre circumferential direction measured on the tread bottom surface between adjacent shoulder blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Hikita
  • Variable thickness sipes
    Patent number: 11186054
    Abstract: The present invention includes tire treads having a sipe (18) and a void feature (22) in fluid communication with the sipe. Particular embodiments of the present invention also include methods for forming the same. In various embodiments, the sipe has a length, a height, and a thickness that is variable across the length and height of the sipe. The thickness of the sipe includes a thick portion (24) and a thin portion (26), the thick portion at least partially extending around a perimeter of the thin portion. In particular embodiments, the void feature (22) which is in fluid communication with the sipe extends primarily in a direction of the sipe length and has a width extending in the direction of the sipe thickness equal to or greater than substantially 1 millimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Mark Collett, Francois Hottebart, Constantin Lazar, Martin Lipham
  • Tire with improved performances having cuts with a protuberance that locally reduce a width of a cut in the tread
    Patent number: 11186124
    Abstract: Passenger vehicle tire, the tread having edge parts (11), provided with a plurality of transversely or obliquely oriented cuts (3) having a width at most equal to 2 mm and a depth at least equal to 75% of the thickness of the tread that is intended to be worn away, more than half of the cuts (3) comprising a protuberance that locally reduces the width of the cut (3) to a width at least equal to 0.2 mm and at most equal to 0.5 mm. The tread material which comes into contact with the road surface in the new state has a Shore A hardness at least equal to 48 and at most equal to 57, a loss at 60° C. at least equal to 12% and at most equal to 20%, a glass transition temperature Tg at least equal to ?20° C. and at most equal to ?10° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Frédéric Bourgeois, Fabien Hellot
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11186125
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of circumferential main grooves, a plurality of lug grooves, and a plurality of blocks. Raised bottom portions are formed on groove bottoms of shoulder circumferential main grooves that are the circumferential main grooves, among the plurality of circumferential main grooves, positioned most outward in a tire lateral direction, and shoulder lug grooves that are the lug grooves, among the plurality of lug grooves, positioned outward from the shoulder circumferential main grooves in the tire lateral direction and connected to the shoulder circumferential main grooves from outer sides in the tire lateral direction. The raised bottom portions are formed so as to exclude at least intersection portions where the shoulder circumferential main grooves and the shoulder lug grooves intersect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Koshi Iga
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11179974
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes blocks (36 and 41) formed by main grooves (10 and 15) extending in a circumferential direction of the tire and lateral grooves (20 and 25) extending in a tire width direction, and notches (50, 60, and 70) in stepped side end portions of the blocks (36 and 41). The lateral grooves (20 and 25) extend obliquely such that a tire grounding end (E) side is grounded later. Portions adjacent to the notches (50, 60, and 70) on the tire grounding end (E) side of the notches (50, 60, and 70) are protrusions (51, 61, and 71) protruding while forming an acute angle toward a tire equator (C) side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Heavy duty pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11167598
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire includes a tread pattern that includes circumferential main grooves, a center wide groove extending in a center region between the circumferential main grooves, and center lug grooves disposed in a first center region and a second center region on either side of the center wide groove in the tire lateral direction, the center lug grooves having a linear shape and opening to the center wide groove. The center lug grooves and the circumferential main grooves have a narrower groove width than shoulder lug grooves disposed in a shoulder region. The center lug grooves of the first center region and the center lug grooves of the second center region extend parallel with one another. The center wide groove has a constant groove depth that is shallower than the maximum groove depth of the circumferential main grooves and the center lug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Yukihito Yamaguchi
  • Tire
    Patent number: 11161375
    Abstract: The tire has a tread portion 2 comprising a plurality of main grooves and a first land portion 11 divided by the main grooves. The first land portion 11 comprises a plurality of first blocks 15 divided by first lateral grooves 14. The first lateral groove 14 is provided with a first tie bar 19 raising from a part of the groove bottom excluding its end portions in the tire axial direction. The first block 15 is provided with a first sipe 20 inclined with respect to the tire axial direction to the same orientation over its entire length from a first longitudinal edge 26 to a second longitudinal edges 27 of the block. The first sipe 20 is composed of a first portion 21 extending from the first longitudinal edge 26, a second portion 22 extending from the second longitudinal edge 27, and a third portion 23 between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuma Mori
  • Methods for manufacturing a tread for agricultural tire using a dinitrile oxide cure system
    Patent number: 11148381
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tread for agricultural tires, the method comprising providing an agricultural tire casing, providing a cured rubber component having first and second planar surfaces, providing a plurality of cushion gums, wherein the plurality of cushion gums contains a cure system comprising a stable dinitrile oxide compound, providing a plurality of lugs, and forming an agricultural tread composite by mating the lugs to a planar surface of the cured rubber component using the cushion gum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Barned, Joshua Abell, David Bender
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11148471
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire are defined: a first imaginary line VL1 passing through a ground contact surface in a meridian cross section of a tread portion, a second imaginary line VL2 passing through a bottom portion of a shoulder main groove and parallel to VL1, an intersection point between VL2 and a surface of a shoulder land portion outward of a ground contact edge T in a lateral direction, and an equatorial plane CL. Given A as a distance in the lateral direction between an intersection point P and CL, B as a groove depth of the shoulder main groove, and C as a distance in the lateral direction between T and CL, 0.80?(B+C)/A?1.15 is satisfied and, given E as a distance in the lateral direction between the bottom portion of the shoulder main groove and P, 2.0?E/B?5.0 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sato
  • Tire
    Patent number: 11135878
    Abstract: A tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2 comprising shoulder blocks 3 and crown blocks 4. The shoulder blocks 3 each has a ground contacting surface (3t) comprising an axially outer portion 6 extending axially inwardly from one of tread edges (Te) and a steeply oblique portion 7 extending axially inwardly from the axially outer portion 6 with a larger inclination angle with respect to the tire axial direction than the axially outer portion 6. The crown blocks 4 each has a ground contacting surface (4t) comprising a first oblique portion 10 inclined oppositely to the steeply oblique portion 7 and a second oblique portion 11 extending from and obliquely and oppositely to the first oblique portion 10. In a development view of the tread portion 2, longitudinal directions of the steeply oblique portion 7 and the first oblique portion 10 intersect at an angle from 70 to 110 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuru Sueyoshi
  • Motorcycle tyre and pair of motorcycle tyres
    Patent number: 11130371
    Abstract: A motorcycle tyre has a tread band including a central portion and two shoulder portions arranged at axially opposite sides of the central portion. The central portion includes a first plurality of grooves extended according to a substantially longitudinal direction and alternatively arranged at opposite sides of the equatorial plane of the tyre. Each groove of the first plurality of grooves has a substantially curvilinear course such as to form a concavity. The central portion further includes a sub-portion substantially free of grooves placed astride the equatorial plane of the tyre. Each of the shoulder portions includes a second plurality of grooves arranged obliquely relative to the equatorial plane of the tyre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mario Mariani, Sandro Gallo, Andrea Schiavolin, Pierangelo Misani
  • Tire with reduced noise
    Patent number: 11117425
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tire configured for reducing noise during running of the tire by forming a predetermined shape in a groove of the tire to reduce a peak of air column resonance sound. The tire with reduced noise includes a first protrusion formed on a sidewall of a groove, protruding in a depth direction of the groove, and dispersing sound waves generated in a tread, and a second protrusion formed on the sidewall of the groove, protruding in a longitudinal direction of the groove, and dispersing sound waves generated in the tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Hankook Tire Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki Bum Kim, Su Jin Son, Il Sik Kim, Chang Hyo Hong
  • Pneumatic tire and method of manufacturing same
    Patent number: 11110756
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided in the tread portion with a land portion including a conductive portion made of a conductive rubber. The conductive portion has a radially inner end electrically connected to a conductive tire internal structural to be connected to a wheel rim, and a radially outer end exposed in a ground contacting top surface of the land portion. The conductive portion extends from its radially inner end to outer end while inclining toward a first side surface of the land portion. The first side surface comprises a radially inner part, and a radially outer part extending radially outwardly from the radially inner part while inclining to the radially outer end of the conductive portion at an angle greater than the radially inner part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Mukai, Yoshiaki Kanematsu
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11110753
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has an asymmetrical tread pattern and a designated vehicle mounting direction. A sipe includes a leading-side edge and a trailing-side edge, each provided with a chamfered portion shorter than a length of the sipe, and a non-chamfered region where other chamfered portions do not exist disposed in an area opposite the chamfered portion. The sipe has a maximum depth x (mm) and the chamfered portion has a maximum depth y (mm) that satisfy x×0.1?y?x×0.3+1.0. The sipe has a constant width in a range from an end portion of the chamfered portion positioned inward in a tire radial direction to a groove bottom of the sipe. A groove area of the chamfered portions and the sipes included within a ground contact region is greater on a vehicle mounting inner side than on a vehicle mounting outer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventors: Hiraku Kouda, Tatsuro Shinzawa, Takanori Uemura
  • Winter tyre
    Patent number: 11110752
    Abstract: A winter tyre is described having a tread band wherein a plurality of blocks configured to obtain optimal performance both on snow-covered roads and on dry and wet roads in specific conditions of use (in particular during acceleration, braking or cornering with high power vehicles). Each of the aforementioned blocks has at least one sipe that defines two adjacent block portions in the respective block, each block portion having a respective surface facing the sipe. The surface has a radially outer portion having a profile which is substantially undulating, a radially inner portion also having a profile which is substantially undulating and an intermediate portion arranged between the radially outer portion and the radially inner portion and having a profile which is substantially rectilinear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Bolzoni, Gianfranco Colombo, Alberto Abondio
  • Rubber composition for tires, and pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 11097572
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes 100 parts by mass of a rubber component including from 25-30 parts by mass of a diene rubber having a glass transition temperature of from ?20° C. to ?40° C., having a tertiary amine having an epoxy group as a modifying group, and a vinyl content from 35-45 mass %, 20-35 parts by mass of a diene rubber obtained by reacting a polyorganosiloxane to an active terminal of a diene-based polymer chain having the active terminal formed by making a polymer block A continuous with a polymer block B, the polymer block A including 80-95 mass % of isoprene and 5-20 mass % of an aromatic vinyl, having an active terminal, and having a weight average molecular weight from 500-15,000, the polymer block B including 1,3-butadiene and an aromatic vinyl and an active terminal, the vinyl content lower by from 5-25 mass % than that of the first conjugated diene polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryosuke Takagi