Having Isolated Holes Or Suction Cups Patents (Class 152/209.17)
  • Patent number: 11827059
    Abstract: A tread portion includes a groove having first and second groove walls opposing each other, at least one first recess formed by partially recessing the first groove wall, and at least one second recess formed by partially recessing the second groove wall. A depth of each of the first and second recess from a ground contact surface is less than a groove depth of the groove. The first recess includes a first opening disposed at the first groove wall, and a first end portion extending substantially parallel to the first opening at a position farthest from the first opening. The second recess includes a second opening disposed at the second groove wall, and a second end portion extending substantially parallel to the second opening at a position farthest from the second opening. The first and second end portions are disposed so as not to oppose each other through the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Koichi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11820175
    Abstract: A tyre includes a crown main groove formed by unit patterns. Each of the unit patterns includes a first inclined element, a second inclined element, a first bent element, and a second bent element. The first inclined element extends obliquely. The second inclined element extends obliquely in a direction opposite to the first inclined element. The first bent element extends so as to connect between the first inclined element and the second inclined element. The second bent element is connected with the second inclined element. The first bent element is bent so as to be convex toward the first tread edge without having a component extending in parallel with the tyre circumferential direction. The second bent element is bent so as to be convex toward the second tread edge without having the component extending in parallel with the tyre circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11718131
    Abstract: Tread (1) for a heavy-duty vehicle tire having a total thickness corresponding to the thickness of material to be worn away during running, this tread having, in the new state, a tread surface (10) intended to come into contact with a roadway when running. The tread comprises at least one hidden cavity (2) forming a new groove opening onto the tread surface after a predetermined amount of partial wear. Cavity (2) comprises two opposite lateral walls (21, 22) connected together by bottom (23) radially towards the inside and by crown part (24) radially towards the outside. Crown part (24) is provided with a plurality of fine grooves (25) extending radially towards the outside from crown part (24) delimiting the cavity and extending in a direction that makes an angle at least equal to 40 degrees with the main direction of cavity (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Tony Zivkovic, Arnaud Larregain
  • Patent number: 11370251
    Abstract: A tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2 whose position when mounted on a vehicle is specified. The tread portion 2 comprises an outer tread edge (To), an inner tread edge (Ti), a plurality of main grooves 10, and a plurality of land regions 15. The main grooves 10 include a first main groove 11 whose groove edges are both positioned on an inner-tread-edge-(Ti) side of a tire equator (C), a second main groove 12 arranged on an inner-tread-edge-(Ti) side of the first main groove 11, and a third main groove 13 arranged between the tire equator (C) and the outer tread edge (To) and having a groove width smaller than the first and second main grooves 11 and 12. The land regions 15 include an inner middle land region 16 and an outer middle land region 17 having an axial width larger than the inner middle land region 16.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Maeda, Keita Nakano
  • Patent number: 11325423
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion with shoulder lug grooves spaced apart in a circumferential direction, each extending outward in a tire lateral direction, opening to a ground contact end, and including a closed end inward in the tire lateral direction. In a region of each of the shoulder lug grooves from an end of a belt having a greatest width in a belt portion of the pneumatic tire to an inner side in the tire lateral direction, the shoulder lug groove has a groove width that decreases inward in the tire lateral direction, and includes a portion where a groove cross-sectional area is kept constant by a change in at least one of a groove wall angle or a groove depth of the shoulder lug groove, the portion being provided in the tire lateral direction across a length of at least 20% of half a tire development width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Risa Tauchi
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11034190
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes: a rib defined by a circumferential main groove; circumferential sipes formed in the rib at intervals in the circumferential direction; rib edge sipes formed in the rib aligning in the circumferential direction, each of the rib edge sipes terminating in the rib opening to the circumferential main groove; and first and second narrow grooves extending in the circumferential direction, each of the first and second narrow grooves having a groove depth shallower than depths of the circumferential sipes and the rib edge sipes, the first narrow grooves having ends connected to one of the circumferential sipes adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and the second narrow grooves each including an inner connecting portion connected to one of the first narrow shallow grooves and including an outer connecting portion connected to one of the rib edge sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Inventor: Hideki Hamanaka
  • Patent number: 11021018
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion including first to third main grooves continuously extending in a tire circumferential direction. The first main groove has a groove centerline arranged on a side of the inboard tread edge with respect to a tire equator and the groove centerline is located at an axial distance L1 from the tire equator of from 5% to 25% of a tread half width. The second main groove is arranged between the first main groove and the inboard tread edge and has a groove centerline located at an axial distance L2 from the tire equator of from 35% to 65% of the tread half width. The third main groove is arranged between the tire equator and the outboard tread edge and has a groove centerline located at an axial distance L3 from the tire equator of from 25% to 55% of the tread half width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Maeda, Keita Nakano
  • Patent number: 10967678
    Abstract: A method of laminating a vulcanized tire includes providing a vulcanized tire having a circumferential tread and a pair of sidewalls constructed of a base rubber. The method further includes cleaning the circumferential tread, providing a laminate, and forming a plurality of holes in the laminate. The method also includes applying the laminate to at least a portion of one of the circumferential tread and a sidewall of the vulcanized tire. The method further includes applying pressure to the laminate, thereby evacuating air between the laminate and the circumferential tread of the vulcanized tire and curing the laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Kathleen A. Clemmer, John P. Rodak
  • Patent number: 10894396
    Abstract: A device for manufacturing a multiple layer rubber strip including a first rubber strip and a second rubber strip, the device includes a first rubber extruder for extruding the first rubber strip, a second rubber extruder for extruding the second rubber strip, a first conveyor for conveying the first rubber strip extruded from the first extruder to a downstream side in a convey direction, and a second conveyor for conveying the second rubber strip extruded from the second extruder to a downstream side in the convey direction. The second conveyor is located upwardly of the first conveyor and has a downstream conveyor end which positions above a conveying surface of the first conveyor such that the second rubber strip delivered from the downstream conveyor end meets and overlaps the first rubber strip on the first conveyor at a joining location to form the single multiple layer rubber strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Onimatsu, Kaoru Kubota, Kazuya Suzuki, Makoto Igarashi
  • Patent number: 10807417
    Abstract: The tread has main grooves that delimit a central region of a width comprised between 15 and 25% of a total width W and that define the wearable thickness of the tread. The tread also has lateral regions on each side of the central region, and the lateral regions are divided into raised elements. The elongate elements are delimited by oblique secondary grooves which are inclined by a mean angle of between 35 degrees and 55 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction and have a depth P5 which is between 30% and 60% of the depth P. Each elongate raised element has an oblique cut which divides the element into two elongate element halves, and each oblique cut is formed by a sipe extended by an internal canal. The internal canal forms a new groove once the tread is partially worn before the oblique secondary grooves completely disappear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Patrick Dayet
  • Patent number: 10800119
    Abstract: A method for producing a tread for a tire having a plurality of contacting element delimited by a plurality of grooves and a connecting member. The method includes depositing at least one connecting member on a surface of an unvulcanized green tread, introducing the unvulcanized green tread with the connecting member into a mold having at least one molding element having a plurality of rib for forming the groove on the tread, at least two rib side faces and a molding surface, at least one rib having at least one notching portion receiving a guiding member including a guiding slit, moving the connecting member to a predetermined position in the guiding slit through the guiding slit by green tread, molding and vulcanizing the green tread with the connecting member in the mold, and taking a molded and vulcanized tread out from the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Xavier Marduel, Romain Calvel
  • Patent number: 10773554
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire includes, on a tread surface, at least two circumferential main grooves and at least one rib-like land portion defined by two of the circumferential main grooves. The rib-like land portion includes neither grooves nor sipes that extend to include a widthwise center line of the rib-like land portion. The rib-like land portion includes a one-end-open sipe and a both-end-closed sipe. The one-end-open sipe has a widthwise sipe portion and a circumferential sipe portion, the widthwise sipe portion extending in tire width direction from one end of the one-end-open sipe and being terminated within the rib-like land portion, and the circumferential sipe portion being located closer to the widthwise center line than the both-end-closed sipe, extending in tire circumferential direction from the widthwise sipe portion, and being terminated at another end of the one-end-open sipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shintaro Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 10737534
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread part having main grooves each continuously extending in a tire circumferential direction, and land portions demarcated by the main grooves. The tread part has a tread surface, each of the land portions has slots formed such that each of the slots is recessed from the tread surface and extending from a first end to a second end in a curve forming an arc shape, and each of the slots has an opening edge on the tread surface such that the opening edge is forming a crescent shape that is gradually increased in width from the first end and the second end toward a longitudinal direction central portion of each of the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Oji
  • Patent number: 10696100
    Abstract: The tire tread having a tread surface and a total thickness E and at least one main groove which opens when new onto a tread surface. In the vicinity of this main groove, at least one discontinuous secondary groove has a plurality of hidden parts and a plurality of open parts. The open parts are open onto the tread surface when new. The main groove and the discontinuous secondary groove have roughly identical main directions. The mean distance L1, which is a distance measured at the open parts between the mean surface of the main groove and the mean surface of the discontinuous groove, is less than the mean distance L2 measured between the mean surface of the main groove and the mean surface of the discontinuous groove in the regions of the discontinuous groove that do not have open parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Gayton, Saliou Dieng
  • Patent number: 10675916
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a land portion is provided with a land groove connected to a peripheral grooves only in first end portion among both end portions. A direction in which the first end portion of the land groove connected to first side of at least one the peripheral groove is inclined to a tire width direction is the same as a direction in which the first portion of the land groove connected to second side of the peripheral groove is inclined to the tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Souichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10618356
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a land portion is provided with a land groove connected to a peripheral grooves only in first end portion among both end portions. A direction in which the first end portion of the land groove connected to first side of at least one the peripheral groove is inclined to a tire width direction is the same as a direction in which the first portion of the land groove connected to second side of the peripheral groove is inclined to the tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Souichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10449806
    Abstract: A tire for an aeroplane with the tread (2) comprising two shoulder ribs (6) having an axial width LS, each shoulder rib (6) comprises cavities (8) that open onto the tread surface (3), forming an opening surface (81) inscribed in a circle of diameter D. These cavities (8) are distributed circumferentially at a circumferential spacing P and along a periodic curve (9) having a period T and an amplitude A. The circumferential spacing P between two consecutive cavities (8) is at most equal to 0.2 times the period T of the periodic curve (9), the period T of the periodic curve (9) is at most equal to the circumferential length LC of the contact patch (31), and the amplitude A of the periodic curve (9) is at most equal to 0.5 times the axial width LS of the shoulder rib (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Olivier Francois, Antoine Canzi
  • Patent number: 10427371
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a molding element for a mold used for manufacturing a tread of a tire having a plurality of contacting element, a plurality of grooves and a connecting member connecting two side faces of adjacent contacting elements, the molding element having a molding surface and a rib for forming the groove between adjacent contacting elements, at least two rib side faces, the rib having a notching portion, the guiding member having a guiding slit extending from one of the two opposite side faces to the other of the two opposite side faces through the guiding member and radially from the top face, at least one of faces of the notching portion is provided with a means for keeping the guiding member in place in the notching portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Romain Calvel, Khotchakorn Pengsaloong, Supradit Khaoyabut
  • Patent number: 10427370
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a molding element for a mold used for manufacturing a tire. The molding element has a molding surface for forming a contact face of the contacting elements and a rib for forming the groove between adjacent contacting elements, at least two rib side faces forming the side faces of the contacting element, the rib having a notching portion, a guiding member made of a material different from a material of the molding element is received in the notching portion and has two opposite side faces configured to form a part of the side faces of the contacting element and a top face configured to form a part of a bottom of the axial groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Romain Calvel, Xavier Marduel
  • Patent number: 10427471
    Abstract: The tread has a wearable thickness of material EMU and has raised elements delimited by grooves. Each solid part has a contact face and a cavity with a depth greater than 50% of the wearable thickness. Each cavity opens onto the contact face when new and is delimited by a wall surface and a bottom surface. Each wall surface deliminates a cavity that intersects the contact face along a corner edge contour that has a geometry that has a major axis which is at least 1.5 times the length of a minor axis when new. For any tread surface down to a predefined wear level, the level is at most 30% of the wearable thickness of material EMU, and the angle between the major axis and the circumferential direction is between 0 and 40 degrees. After the wear level, the angle is greater than 40 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche Et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Franck Nugier, Dominique Chauvin, Arnaud Larregain
  • Patent number: 10421240
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a molding element for a mold used for manufacturing a tread of a tire having a plurality of contacting element, a plurality of grooves and a connecting member connecting two side faces of adjacent contacting elements, the molding element having a molding surface and a rib for forming the groove between adjacent contacting elements, at least two rib side faces, the rib having a notching portion, a guiding member made of a material different from a material of the molding element being received in the notching portion and has two opposite side faces and a top face, the material of the guiding member having a modulus at 10% elongation lower than that of the molding element, the guiding member having a guiding slit, the guiding member has a recessed area extending in a direction along the guiding slit on the top face and an outermost portion of the guiding slit is open in the recessed area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Romain Calvel, Khotchakorn Pengsaloong
  • Patent number: 10369846
    Abstract: The tread has a total width W and two main grooves. The main grooves divide the tread into a middle region and edge regions. The middle region has an axial width Lm that is 45% to 70% of the total width W. The volume void ratio of the tread when new is less than 17%. An internal surface extends parallel to the tread surface when new and is in contact radially with the innermost points of the deepest main grooves. The middle part has a plurality of transverse sipes, each of which has a depth at least equal to the depth of the main grooves. The transverse sipes open into the main grooves. The middle region has a volume void ratio when new that is less than half the total volume void ratio of the tread, and at least one circumferential channel appears when the tread becomes part worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissments Michelin, Michelin Recherche Et Tehcnique, S.A.
    Inventors: Fabien Marlier, Maxime Rolland, Damien Bardin, Christophe Gayton, Tony Zivkovic
  • Patent number: 10336140
    Abstract: The present invention concerns tire treads having projecting features comprising wear indicators, stone ejectors, and/or noise suppressors arranged within voids submerged below the top, outer side of a tread. Particular embodiments of the invention provide a tire tread having a submerged void extending into to the tread thickness from the bottom side of the tread to a terminal location spaced below the tread top side, the top side forming a ground-engaging side of the tread. Such embodiments further include a plurality of projecting features arranged within the submerged void below the terminal location of the submerged void, the plurality of projecting features being further arranged in a spaced arrangement along a length of the submerged void, each of the plurality of projecting features extending partially across a width of the submerged void, which may comprise a groove, for example. The invention includes methods of forming the tread and a treaded tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: E. Bruce Colby, Dimitri G. Tsihlas, Zarak E. Cesar
  • Patent number: 10195906
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion having an installing direction to a vehicle so as to have an outboard tread edge. The tread portion is provided with a plurality of first inclined grooves each having an inclination to a circumferential direction of the tire and extending from at least a tire equator to the outboard tread edge, a plurality of second inclined grooves each having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the first inclined grooves and extending from at least the tire equator toward the outboard tread edge, and a plurality of blocks separated by the first inclined grooves and the second inclined grooves. Each second inclined groove includes an outboard end that terminates at one of the first inclined grooves so that a plurality of substantially trapezoidal shoulder blocks are arranged along the outboard tread edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Keita Nakano
  • Patent number: 10000093
    Abstract: Tire with radial carcass reinforcement having a tread of thickness E, this tread having a tread surface to come into contact with a roadway and comprising at least one cut opening onto the tread surface to form edge corners, this cut extending into the tread over a total depth H at most equal to the thickness E of the tread, this cut being, between the tread surface and a depth H1 at most equal to the total depth H, in the form of a sipe having a width D suitable for being able to close up at least in part under normal running conditions of the tire. There is also formed, in the vicinity, i.e. at a minimum distance from the said edge corner that is at most equal to five times the width D of the cut, of at least one edge corner of this cut and on the tread surface, at least one cavity having a depth h that is small in comparison with the depth of the cut, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Inventors: Christophe Gayton, Stéphane Oraison, Benjamin Quantinet, Matthieu Vandaele
  • Patent number: 9994078
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1) includes a tread portion (2) having at least one heat-dissipating recess portion (9). The recess portion (9) includes an opening edge (10) and an inner wall portion (11). The opening edge (10) includes a linear first edge (10a) and second edge (10b) opposite each other. The inner wall portion (11) includes a first wall surface (11a) extending from the first edge (10a) to a bottom portion (9a) at the deepest position of the recess portion (9), and a second wall surface (11b) extending from the second edge (10b) to the bottom portion (9a). An inclination angle ([theta]1) of the first wall surface (11a) with respect to a first normal (12a) to a contact surface passing the first edge (10a) is greater than an inclination angle ([theta]2) of a second wall surface (22b) with respect to a second normal (23b) to the contact surface passing the second edge (21b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Seiji Nomura
  • Patent number: 9902209
    Abstract: A tread having a plurality of grooves formed on each half of the tread on each side of a midplane X-X?, each opening axially to the outside and extending axially towards the midplane X-X? so that the plurality of grooves forms a first pattern in the overall shape of a V pointing in a groove direction Xr. The tread includes a plurality of sipes. From a certain degree of wear onwards, all or some of the sipes become enlarged forming cavities extending in an oblique direction forming a second pattern in the overall shape of a V pointing in a cavity direction Xc. Each of these cavities opens into just one of the grooves of the tread, the plurality of grooves forming, at this level of wear, the same first pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Vincent Ledieu, Bertrand Fraenkel, Illyes Batnini, Marie-Helene Vantal
  • Patent number: 9889709
    Abstract: A tire includes knobs that are small in relation to the size of the tire. The knobs are closely positioned together in groups and may be disposed in recesses to lower the tops of the knobs relative to the circumferential outer surface of the tire. The recesses may comprise a variety of shapes and designs. The knobs may have varying lengths, widths, heights and shapes. The knobs may also be grouped to form letters, numerals, symbols and graphic images. The size of the knobs and distance of spacing between adjacent knobs may be proportionally small in relation to the tire's width, diameter, circumference, or ridable surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Inventor: Shinji Marui
  • Patent number: 9878584
    Abstract: Tread for heavy vehicle tire, this tread having a tread surface in the new state, this tread comprising a plurality of cuts opening onto the tread surface in the new state and at least one channel internal to the tread, this channel being intended to form a new groove after the tread has partially worn away, furthermore, each channel is extended radially towards the tread surface by a sipe of the same orientation as said channel and of width L4, and in addition a plurality of sipes of width L3 intersect the sipe extending each channel to form a well, this well opening both onto the tread surface in the new state and into a channel, the tread according to the invention being such that, for at least for a plurality of wells (each well has—in a direction extending from the tread surface towards the channel, at least one maximum-section part and one reduced-section part, the reduced-section part having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the maximum-section part so as to limit the ingr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Vincent Martin, Damien Bardin, Catherine Houis
  • Patent number: 9701163
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a sipe formed in a land portion includes a first large width portion having a larger groove width than an opening end formed on a surface of a tread, a neck portion having a smaller groove width than the first large width portion, and a second large width portion having a larger groove width than the neck portion which are disposed in this order on a depth side in a sipe depth direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinichi Kaji
  • Patent number: 9527349
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a closed sipe in a land portion 3 formed in a tread surface, provided with at least three cuts extending in a radiation direction from an imaginary axis that extends in a depth direction of the land portion, and that terminate in the land portion. The cuts are provided with a spiral-like twist in the depth direction, centered on the imaginary axis, and a twist angle thereof is not less than 10° and not more than 135°. Additionally, a length in the radiation direction of the cuts or a width of the cuts is formed larger at a tread surface side than at a bottom surface side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 9505271
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 according to the present invention comprises at least land portion formed by circumferential groove 3,5 extending in circumferential-direction. The land portion includes land portion 11 having groove side wall 17 forming the circumferential groove 3 and land portion 15 having groove side wall 19A forming the circumferential groove 3. The groove side wall 17 and the groove side wall 19A meander in the circumferential-direction in surface view. A groove width of the circumferential groove 3 in width-direction changes in predetermined cycles in the circumferential-direction. The land portion 15 includes wide land portion in which width of the land portion in the width-direction is predetermined width, and narrow land portion in which the width in the width-direction is narrower than the predetermined width. A surface of the wide land portion is provided with recess portion 23 recessed inward in radial-direction from surface of the land portion 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takamitsu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9493038
    Abstract: A tire for an aeroplane and, in particular, a crown of a tire for an aeroplane, to reduce the dimensions and mass of pieces of tread in the event of accidental tire tread separation, without the use of additional devices external to the tire, which includes a tread intended to come into contact with the ground via a tread surface, and extending radially between a bottom surface and the tread surface, the tread comprising independent cavities. According to the invention, each cavity has, in the tread surface, an opening surface inscribed inside a circle, the centers (O) of the circles, circumscribed at the opening surfaces of the cavities, are distributed axially, over at least part of the axial width (l) of the tread surface, with an axial spacing (pY) at least equal to 0.02 times and at most equal to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: François Chambriard, Gilles Roche
  • Patent number: 9446628
    Abstract: A tire for a motorized two-wheeled vehicle comprising a reinforcing structure of the carcass type, made up of reinforcing elements, anchored on each side of the tire to a bead the base of which is intended to be mounted on a rim seat, each bead being extended radially outwards by a sidewall, the sidewalls radially towards the outside joining to a tread comprising incisions. The length of the incisions is less than 1.2 times the width of the area of the contact patch and at least one incision has at least one end which ends in a cut in the tread the width of which is greater than 2.5 mm and the length of which is between 2.5 and 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Luc Bestgen
  • Patent number: 9428012
    Abstract: Two open sipes are formed at a tire circumferential direction central side of a block, and closed sipes are formed in the block at both tire circumferential direction sides of the two open sipes. The depth of the open sipes is set in a range of 50 to 70% times the depth of a first circumferential direction main groove, and the depth dimension of the closed sipe is set in a range of 105 to 140% times the depth dimension of the open sipes. Accordingly high performance on ice is obtained while securing block rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shuhei Muto
  • Patent number: 9242513
    Abstract: A tread portion includes land portions partitioned by circumferential grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and lateral grooves extending in a tire width direction. At least one land portion comprises an annular sipe. A surface of a portion of the land portion surrounded by the annular sipe includes at least one inner side inclining face that inclines toward the annular sipe. A surface of a portion of the land portion along a periphery of the annular sipe includes at least one outer side inclining face that inclines toward the annular sipe. The inner side inclining face and the outer side inclining face are disposed so as not to be opposite each other. A step is formed between a first edge of the annular sipe of the inner side inclining face or the outer side inclining face and a second edge of the annular sipe opposing the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Harutaka Inoue
  • Patent number: 9145032
    Abstract: A land portion of a pneumatic tire 1 comprises a land portion 10 having groove wall 10a a second land portion 20 having a groove wall 20a. The groove walls 10a, 20a meander. A groove width of a main groove 50 changes at a predetermined repetition cycle. The main groove 50 includes: a wide groove portion 50A having a predetermined width; and a narrow groove portion 50B which is continuous with the wide groove portion and which is narrower than the predetermined width. A relationship of ?1>?2 is satisfied where ?1 refers to an angle formed between a tire normal line RL and the groove wall 10a or the groove wall 20a forming the wide groove portion 50A and ?2 refers to an angle formed between the tire normal line RL and the groove wall 10a or the groove wall 20a forming the narrow groove portion 50B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinpei Sugiyasu
  • Patent number: 9132702
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a pair of shoulder main grooves disposed axially outermost side, and at a center main groove between the shoulder main grooves to form a pair of middle portions. Each middle portion is provided with a middle sub groove, axially outer middle lateral grooves, and inner middle lateral grooves. The respective number of outer and inner middle lateral grooves are of from 40 to 50 in each middle portion. Each of the outer and inner middle lateral grooves includes a shallow bottom part having a depth smaller than that of the shoulder and center main grooves. The shallow bottom part is provided with a groove bottom sipe that extends along a longitudinal direction of each lateral grooves and includes a first portion, and a second portion having a depth smaller than the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Okabe, Satoshi Tanaka, Ikuo Atake
  • Publication number: 20150114535
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a closed sipe in a land portion 3 formed in a tread surface, provided with at least three cuts extending in a radiation direction from an imaginary axis that extends in a depth direction of the land portion, and that terminate in the land portion. The cuts are provided with a spiral-like twist in the depth direction, centered on the imaginary axis, and a twist angle thereof is not less than 10° and not more than 135° . Additionally, a length in the radiation direction of the cuts or a width of the cuts is formed larger at a tread surface side than at a bottom surface side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kuwajima
  • Publication number: 20150090382
    Abstract: A tire tread having features that improve thermal wear performance is provided. A tread block is provided with an aperture. The aperture is positioned and sized in a manner that reduces stresses and/or strains in the tread block so as to reduce thermal wear. Certain variations in the depth and shape of the aperture are provided. Such tread feature can provide for a tire capable of operating at higher speeds for a given load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Mayni, Daniel McEachern Hicks
  • Patent number: 8991450
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including rib-like land portions partitioned by a plurality of main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and/or block-like land portions partitioned by the plurality of main grooves and a plurality of lug grooves intersecting the main grooves in a tread surface. A plurality of protrusions are provided on a surface of the land portions, and at least two types of the protrusions, having different surface areas, are provided. Moreover, at least a majority of the protrusions adjacent to a small protrusion having a relatively small surface area are large protrusions having a relatively large surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Furusawa
  • Publication number: 20150059943
    Abstract: Tread having a maximum thickness PMU of material to be worn away during running, having: at least two grooves of circumferential overall orientation delimiting at least one intermediate row and two edge rows, a plurality of cuts of transverse overall orientation on each intermediate and edge row, representing, in the new state, a void of total volume Vco open onto the tread surface, at most equal to 13% of the total volume of the tread, channels or cavities extending under the tread surface in the new state, adapted to form new grooves after the tread has partially worn away, and having, in the initial state, a total volume Vcc at least equal to 30% of the total void volume Vco in the new state, intermediate rows of suffix (i) and edge rows of suffix (e) each provided with a plurality of cuts of transverse or oblique orientation distributed over each row evenly or near-evenly with a mean pitch of Pi and Pe respectively, having mean depths, Di and De respectively, which are at least equal to 20% of the thickne
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE, S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Robert Ciprian Radulescu, Fabien Marlier, Benjamin Quantinet, Maxime Rolland
  • Patent number: 8960246
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a plurality of main grooves extending along a tire circumferential direction, and shoulder lateral grooves extending to an outer side in a tire width direction from a shoulder main groove positioned in an outermost side in the tire width direction among the main grooves, the main grooves and the shoulder lateral grooves being arranged on a tread surface, wherein a depression is formed on a wall surface of a land portion facing to the shoulder lateral groove, in a state in which it is not exposed to a surface of the land portion, and wherein the depression is formed in such a manner that a height of the depression in a depth direction of the shoulder lateral groove is reduced toward an inner side in the tire width direction, and an exposure length of the depression becomes longer in accordance with a progress of an abrasion of the land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Shimomura, Toshiyuki Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8950454
    Abstract: Tire tread for civil engineering works vehicle, this tread having a tread surface (10) intended to come into contact with the ground, this tread comprising a central part (21) delimited by grooves (3) of circumferential overall orientation, these grooves delimiting lateral parts (22) axially towards the outside of the central part (21), each lateral part (22) being provided with a plurality of transverse grooves (6) delimiting a plurality of blocks (7), the transverse grooves (6) having a cross section of minimum area (ST) and being distributed substantially uniformly in the circumferential direction, this tread being characterized in that the central part (21) is provided with a plurality of channels (51) extending transversely under the tread surface (10) and passing right through the said central part (21), each channel (51) comprising a first and a second end (52, 51), these first and second ends opening into the grooves (3) of circumferential overall orientation, at least one end of each channel opening
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Establissements, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Stephane Callamand, Denis Bijaoui
  • Patent number: 8950453
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with a large number of holes that are arranged in the tire's circumferential direction. These holes are provided in land portions that are provided in both shoulder sections of a tread. The land portions can have different pitch lengths. Each of the holes has formed there inside a projection having an upper end with a flat surface or a convex surface. The distance between the outer wall of the projection at the upper end thereof and the inner wall of the hole is set in the range from 1 to 5 mm. The upper end of the projection is located at a position below the opening of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanno, Hiroshi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8944123
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a closed sipe in a land portion 3 formed in a tread surface, provided with at least three cuts extending in a radiation direction from an imaginary axis that extends in a depth direction of the land portion, and that terminate in the land portion. The cuts are provided with a spiral-like twist in the depth direction, centered on the imaginary axis, and a twist angle thereof is not less than 10° and not more than 135°. Additionally, a length in the radiation direction of the cuts or a width of the cuts is formed larger at a tread surface side than at a bottom surface side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 8939183
    Abstract: Tire tread band having a tread surface having at least two wearing layers, a first wearing layer formed by raised elements each having a contact surface, having at least grooves of circumferential orientation, and intended to contact the road surface when new, and at least one wearing layer in contact with the road surface after the first layer has entirely worn away, and containing at least one channel extending in the circumferential direction, and opening onto the tread surface when the wearing layer that precedes it has completely worn away, each wearing layer distinct from the first wearing layer, having transverse incisions distributed in the circumferential direction, extending from a channel of the layer in a direction which is not circumferential, opening fully or partially into at least one other circumferentially oriented channel or groove, irrespective of the level of wear of the other wearing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Techniques S.A.
    Inventors: Jacques Barraud, Agnès Poulbot
  • Patent number: 8936055
    Abstract: Tire tread (1) comprising a plurality of blocks (6), each block (6) comprising a leading face (61), a trailing face (62) and a contact face (60), the leading face (61) making a mean angle ?A greater than 0 degrees, the trailing edge (62) making a mean angle ?F greater than 0 degrees, the angle ?A of the leading face (61) being greater than the angle ?F of the trailing face, each block (6) comprises an incision (7) extending into the thickness of the block, this incision (7) being delimited by opposing faces provided with blocking means (71) for blocking the relative movements of one of the said faces with respect to the other face in at least one direction, this incision (7) dividing the contact face (60) of the block into two parts with substantially equal surface areas, this tread being characterized in that the incision (7) is inclined by a mean angle ?, measured with respect to the perpendicular to the contact face (60) in the same direction as the angle ?A of the leading face and in that the volume of ma
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Techniques S.A., Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Jean-Denis Hidrot, Benjamin Quantinet
  • Patent number: 8925602
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has an asymmetric tread pattern and an outboard tread edge and an inboard tread edge to be located outside and inside of a vehicle respectively. Inboard shoulder blocks have an axial width and outboard shoulder blocks have an axial width more than the axial width of the inboard shoulder blocks. The inboard and outboard shoulder blocks are each provided with a plurality of sipes. The sipes of each outboard shoulder block include a circumferential sipe as the axially outermost sipe. The circumferential sipe extends at an angle of not more than 10 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction. The outboard shoulder block has an axially outer sidewall of which surface is provided with a plurality of narrow buttress grooves extending radially inwardly from the outboard tread edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Kageyama