Abstract: A pneumatic tire provided with a tread pattern, wherein a tread half which is one half of the tread pattern on each side of the tire equator is made up of repeat design units arranged circumferentially of the tire. The repeat design units have at least two different circumferential pitch lengths, and the repeat design units are each provided with at least one stud hole.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire including, on a tread surface, rib-like land portions partitioned by a plurality of main grooves and/or a plurality of block-like land portions partitioned by lug grooves extending in a tire width direction, wherein sipes or small holes are provided in the land portions, multiple protrusions are disposed having a height that is less than a depth of the sipes or small holes, and the multiple protrusions are disposed so as to form a shape wherein a flow path width increases at a flow path convergence point where flow paths formed in a mesh-like shape between the protrusions converge from at least three directions, and a ratio of an area of the multiple protrusions to an area of a block-like land portion is 0.5 or greater and 0.9 or less.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire for motorcycle includes a tread portion; a pair of sidewall portions; and bead portions, wherein a ground contact region of the tread portion has five regions including a center region including the tire equatorial plane; a pair of shoulder regions including ground contact ends of the tread; and a pair of intermediate regions located between the center region and the respective shoulder regions. At a room temperature of 25° C., 100% modulus of intermediate tread rubber provided across the entire part of each intermediate region is set larger than each of 100% modulus of center tread rubber and 100% modulus of shoulder tread rubber, and a negative ratio in the ground contact region of the tread is set so as to gradually increase from the respective shoulder regions toward the center region.

Abstract: A rubber tread of a tire includes cavities spaced radially inwardly from a running surface of the tread when new. Each cavity includes an incision, and a groove communicating with a radially inner end of the incision when the tread is new. The incision has a radially outer generatrix following an undulating profile having an amplitude of at least 20% of a maximum height of the cavity. A width of the incision is not greater than 2.5 mm, and the groove width is greater than 2.5 mm.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having improved wear resistance, especially improved uneven wear resistance (such as river wear), is offered. The tire that is a rib-pattern tire has five ribs extending circumferentially of the tire. The ribs include a center rib and intermediate ribs located on the opposite sides of the center rib that is located on the equator line of the tire. Closed sipes are formed at least in the center rib and in the intermediate ribs. Each sipe is located in the lateral center of the corresponding rib. Both ends of each sipe terminate within the corresponding rib. The closed sipes are successively offset circumferentially among the ribs and arranged in a periodic pattern on the outer surface of the tire. The closed sipes in the ribs are so arranged that when they are optically projected onto the equator line of the tire, the sipes do not overlap circumferentially of the tire among the ribs.

Abstract: To significantly improve performances on ice by optimizing a tread pattern. This pneumatic tire has, in at least a part of a tread portion 1, a block group GB formed by arranging blocks 3 close to each other, the blocks being defined by grooves 2 and being independent of each other, and when a symbol P (mm) stands for a reference pitch length of the blocks in the block group GB, a symbol W (mm) stands for a width of the block group GB, a symbol a (pieces) stands for the number of the blocks 3 existing in a reference zone Z of the block group GB, the reference zone being comparted by the reference pitch length P and the width W, and a symbol N (%) stands for a negative ratio in the reference zone Z, a block number density S, which is the number of the blocks per unit of an actual ground contact area of the block group GB and given by a formula of S=a/{P×W×(1?N/100)}, is set within a range of not less than 0.003 (pieces/mm2) but not more than 0.04 (pieces/mm2).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire provided with a tread pattern on which a plurality of blocks are formed with circumferential grooves which extend along a circumferential direction of the tire and lateral grooves which traverse the circumferential grooves, wherein the lateral groove disposed between the blocks on the endmost tread edge region has a depth from 10 to 50% of a depth of the circumferential groove to be traversed and has a groove bottom concave portion whose both ends in a longitudinal direction are disposed inside the groove bottom, and a width of the groove bottom concave portion, which is determined on the basis of the bottom plane of the groove bottom, is from 25 to 45% of a groove width of the lateral groove.

Abstract: A tire comprising a circumferential tread including at least one tread block having at least one edge. The tread block includes at least one void provided therein not more than about 4 millimeters from the edge of the tread block. Exemplary voids include sipes, such as one-end open sipes, two-end open sipes, and internal sipes, and cutouts, such as internal cut-outs and edge cut-outs.

Abstract: The present invention provides structures on the tread of a tire that improve the evacuation of mud, soil and the like. In particular, different tread features are provided that may improve the evacuation of mud, soil and the like by themselves or by strategically combining them. These different tread features may be tested to see how they affect mud evacuation at different rotational speeds by a test apparatus that mimics the performance of a tire. For example, a tread that has offset shoulder tread blocks, which shows good mud evacuation at lower speeds, may be combined with shoulder grooves with pockets that show good mud evacuation at intermediate speeds to see if this combination provides a solution that has the lowest change of speed necessary to evacuate 50-87% of the mud found in the grooves.

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

Abstract: A tire is provided having a plurality of shoulder blocks separated by axial grooves and located along at least one side of the tire. Apertures extend through the shoulder blocks to connect with a circumferential groove. The apertures are located within a certain radial position relative to the axial grooves. Each aperture has a bottom positioned at a radial depth HB relative to the shoulder block and extends completely through the shoulder block along the axial direction. Each aperture has a radial overlap HL with the axial grooves. The ratio HL/Ho is about 0.15 or less and the ratio of HB/Ho is in the range of about 1.0 to about 1.1.

Abstract: A heavy-duty tire comprises a tread portion provided with at least three circumferentially continuously extending ribs divided by at least two circumferential grooves extending straight in the tire circumferential direction, wherein the ribs have side edges adjacent to the circumferential grooves; each of the side edges is provided with edge sipes at intervals in the tire circumferential direction; each of the edge sipes extends parallel with the tire axial direction from the adjacent circumferential groove and terminates in the rib; each of the edge sipe has an axial length in a range of not less than 5% but not more than 15% of the axial width of the rib, a thickness in a range of not less than 0.3 mm but not more than 1.0 mm and a depth in a range of not less than 50% but not more than 100% of the depth of the circumferential groove; and the total number of the edge sipes per tire is in a range of from 4 to 8 times the value of the tire diameter in millimeter.

Abstract: A tire tread comprising a rolling surface and at least one wear indicator formed by at least one cavity which opens onto the rolling surface, wherein the geometrical shape of the trace of the cavity on the rolling surface changes as a function of the wear level of the tread and wherein the geometrical shape of said trace is an analogical expression of the tread's wear level.

Abstract: Tires for vehicles comprising at least one scented rubber compound and/or at least one scented non-rubber component. Additionally disclosed is where one or more pheromones are used, in addition to or in place of, the scent or fragrance of the pertinent rubber compound(s) or non-rubber component(s), and where scent is used as a wear warning in place of, or in addition to, the novelty scented rubber compound and/or novelty scented non-rubber component. Wear warning mechanisms other than scent are presented. Also disclosed is a plug or insert comprising varied attributes including, or in place of, scent that enables customization, where at least one plug or insert may be installed in the above-mentioned vehicle tires, and in other vehicle tires as well.

Abstract: A tread band having a primary groove opening onto a front face of the tread band, a secondary feature molded into the tread band, and a wear indicator molded into a section of an undertread portion of the tread band. The wear indicator is useful for providing an end-of-useable tread indication when the front face of the tread band wears even with a top portion of the wear indicator. Furthermore, the secondary feature may be characterized as opening onto a back face of the tread band, a side face of the tread band or combinations thereof. The section of the undertread portion may extend less than about 4 mm or less than about 3 mm from the back face of the tread band. In other embodiments, the section of the undertread portion may extend less than about 1.5 mm from the back face of the tread band.

Abstract: The tread of a tire designed particularly to run on snowy, icy or wet surfaces. The tread comprises elements in relief (e.g., blocks or ribs), each having a running face and lateral faces. At least one element in relief is provided with an incision defined along a mean plane. The tread comprises at least two holes passing through the element in relief substantially parallel to the mean plane of the incision. Each hole opens onto two lateral faces of the element in relief, and the holes are situated on one and the same side of the mean plane of the incision in spaced relationship to the incision.

Abstract: A tire having a tire tread, the tread having a groove void radially inward of a wearable tread portion; and a degradable tread filler disposed in and substantially filling the groove void, the void being exposed upon wear of the wearable tread portion and dislocation of the degradable tread filler.

Abstract: There is provided a precure tread and a retreaded tire using same capable of enhancing the stiffness of the land portion and significantly reducing likelihood of peeling off from the base tire during traveling by optimizing the cross-section shape of the rear surface groove of the precure tread, while maintaining the wet performance from the beginning to the end of wear life. A precure tread 1 has a circumferential groove 2 extending in a circumferential direction of a tire on a front surface which is to be a ground contact surface of the tire and a rear surface groove 4 extending in the circumferential direction of the tire on a rear surface which is to be attached to a base tire 3, the rear surface groove appearing from a tread surface as wear of the tread surface is progressed.

Abstract: A degradable sipe blade for forming sipes in a tire tread, where the degradable material may be removed by exposure to water. A tire curing apparatus is also provided having a plurality of degradable sipe blades affixed to the mold surface within the tread pattern. In addition, a cured tire is provided having the degradable sipe blades embedded in the tread elements of the tire tread after removal of the cured tire from a curing mold. Further provided is a method for forming sipes in a tire tread using degradable blading.

Abstract: The present invention aims to improve the wet performance while securing steering stability and holding down degradations in noise performance to minimum, and for this purpose, a pneumatic tire in which blocks are disposed at intervals at a tread portion thereof is arranged in that concave blocks with stepped concave portions that extend along block side edges, which face circumferential main grooves, and having a depth from a block top surface that corresponds to 20 to 70% of a block height are provided. The concave portions have a length in a tire circumferential direction of 40 to 95% of a length of the block side edges in the tire circumferential direction and a width in a tire axial direction of 2 to 20 mm.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with blocks, the blocks are axially divided by at least one circumferential groove and circumferentially divided by oblique grooves inclined with respect to the tire axial direction towards one direction, and each of the blocks is subdivided into at least two parallelogrammic block elements by at least one open sipe extending across the block and inclined with respect to the tire axial direction towards the same direction as the oblique grooves, the parallelogrammic block elements include two block-end elements located on the circumferential ends of the block, and each of the block-end elements is provided with at least one closed sipe extending at an angle of less than 45 degrees with respect to the tire axial direction and terminating within the block to have closed ends.

Abstract: A tread of rubber mix provided with a tread pattern formed by a plurality of elements in relief (1) defining grooves or incisions, this tread furthermore comprising at least one inserted element (3) arranged in a groove between two neighboring elements in relief, this inserted element having a contact face (31) intended to be in contact with the roadway and offset towards the inside of the tread relative to the contact faces of the neighboring elements, this inserted element (3) having lateral faces, some of said faces being provided with a plurality of connecting reliefs (6) of rubber mix making the inserted element (3) and at least one neighboring element (1) integral.

Abstract: An elastic tire according to the invention comprises a tread (1) which comprises at least one unit (3) for measuring the grip of the tire on the ground, the measuring unit (3) being intended to come into contact with the ground on each revolution of the tire, and comprising, viewed at a radially outer face (5) of the tread (1), a central zone (10) and an encircling zone (20) surrounding the central zone (10), a sensor (40) sensitive to at least a tangential force exerted on the radially outer top (11) of the central zone (10) being provided opposite the top (11), the central zone (10) and the encircling zone (20) satisfying the two conditions: a) Rzzc<Rzze, and b) (i) Rxzc/Rzzc>Rxze/Rzze or (ii) Ryzc/Rzzc>Ryze/Rzze, where: x, y and z represent the circumferential, axial and radial directions for the tire, Rzzc and Rzze represent the rigidities of the central zone (10) and of the encircling zone (20) under a force oriented perpendicularly to the radially outer face (5), Rxzc and Rxze represent the

Abstract: A tire tread includes a running surface intended to be in contact with the roadway during travel. The running surface has a plurality of first cut-outs of a depth less than the thickness of the tread and defining tread pattern elements of a height less than the total thickness of the tread. The tread has a plurality of cavities located subjacent the running surface when the tread is new. Each of these cavities eventually forms at least one new groove or incision in the running surface after partial wearing of the tread. Each cavity is delimited by the rubber of the tread and has an upper generatrix beneath the running surface when the tread is new. The upper generatrix of each cavity follows an undulating profile having a series of recesses and elevations, the amplitude of these recesses and elevations being at least 10% of the depth of the new grooves or incisions that are eventually created.

Abstract: A rubber composition is provided with a large friction force even on a body having, for example, an ice face of a low friction coefficient. The composition is constituted by a foamed rubber having a rationalized foaming state. The composition is applied to an upper-layer rubber part of a tread rubber constituting at least a ground contact face to enhance a gripping force on a frozen road surface or a snow covered road surface. The foamed rubber has continuous cells 6 each continuously extending substantially along a particular direction 4 and sealed with a resin protection membrane 5. Also, a method is provided for producing such a tire.

Abstract: A tire having an outer surface and plurality of circumferential and lateral grooves formed into the outer surface. The circumferential and lateral grooves extend to at least one groove depth to define a groove bottom surface. The circumferential and lateral grooves also define a plurality of tread blocks disposed around the circumference of the tire. The tire further includes at least one tie bar extending between at least two of the tread blocks and across at least one of the circumferential and lateral grooves. The tie bar is spaced from the groove bottom surface. In one aspect of the invention, the tire is manufactured in a mold and the tie bar is formed by a supplemental molding member that is removed from the molded tire after the main molding member has been removed from the tire.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heavy load pneumatic tire capable of effectively preventing a river wear from generating while preventing a crack or a stone-biting from generating in a sipeing end. In a heavy load pneumatic tire in which a tread portion has a rib pattern formed with ribs divided by main grooves which are continuous in a circumferential direction of the tire, at least one of the main grooves that is located on the outermost side in a widthwise direction of the tire is provided at its groove bottom with a projecting stripe which is continuous in the circumferential direction of the tire, and the ribs adjacent to an inner side of the main groove are provided with closed sipeings arranged at substantially constant distances from each other.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire including sipes that have at least one ends positioned within blocks. The sipes are arranged such that each of the sipes meanders from the one end to the other end thereof to form a meandrous shape, and as the depth of the sipes increases, the meander width of the sipes gradually increases from their openings to at least the 80%-worn position of the blocks. The sipes each have a sipe length L, which is defined as a center line length between an intersection of a center line passing the center of the meander width of the meandrous shape with a first straight line and an intersection of the center line with a second straight line, the first straight line being orthogonally drawn to the center line from the one end of the sipe and the second straight line being orthogonally drawn to the center line from the other end of the sipe at the same depth position of the sipe, the sipe length L gradually decreasing as the sipe depth increases.

Abstract: A tire includes, among the conventional tread pattern elements, at least one measuring element having a central zone and an encircling zone. In normal operation, the central zone 10 of a measuring element slides over the ground while, conversely, the tread as a whole does not slide over the ground. Measurements are carried out of the maximum adherence potential with the ground, at any moment, due to the central zone of a measuring element. In an alternative embodiment, the measuring element may comprise a circumferentially extending rib(s) or tread block(s) whose ground contact surface(s) is spaced at a lesser radial distance from the wheel axle than the spacing of the ground contact surfaces of the conventional tread blocks.

Abstract: A tire with a changing tread pattern is formed by first forming a tire having a tread, the tread having at least one circumferential or lateral groove. Formed separately is a wearable filler, the wearable filler having a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove formed in the tire. After both the tire and the wearable filler have been cured, the wearable filler is located in the radially outer portion of the circumferential or lateral groove or a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove, and secured within the grooves so as to create a groove void radially inward of the wearable filler, the void being exposed upon wear of the tire tread.

Abstract: Bicycle wheels have integral reflective areas to increase visibility of the bicycle. These areas show through portions of the wheel tread, so that the tread protects the reflector material from wear. The reflecting areas are scattered over the wheel and situated at a variety of angles with respect to the plane of the wheel so that reflectors are always situated to reflect light from the sun, a street lamp, or car headlights. A bicycle tire of the conventional sort having a tube and removable outer tire having tread is used. The outer tire has holes formed in it interspersed among the raised areas of tread. Reflecting material in sheets is placed between the outer wheel and the tube. Preferably, the reflecting material is affixed to the outer tire, and is coated with a protective coating.

Abstract: A tire with a changing tread pattern is formed by first forming a tire having a tread, the tread having at least one circumferential or lateral groove. A wearable filler, having a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove formed in the tire, is located in the radially outer portion of the circumferential or lateral groove or a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove, and secured within the grooves so as to create a groove void radially inward of the wearable filler, the void being exposed upon wear of the tire tread.

Abstract: A tire tread including a tread pattern formed by a plurality of motifs in relief defined by grooves oriented in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction of the tread, each of these motifs including a contact face and lateral faces, a plurality of these motifs in relief being connected two by two by at least two rubber connecting elements molded during the molding of the tread. These connecting elements define, with the opposing walls of the motifs in relief to which they are connected, a cavity which closes in contact with the roadway to trap and compress a volume of air once the wear of the tread reaches an appropriate level of wear. For each cavity thus formed at least one rubber element defining the cavity includes at least one orifice which passes completely through said rubber element to cause the volume of the cavity to communicate with a groove.

Abstract: A tread of thickness E, intended to be used in a tire having a carcass reinforcement surmounted by a crown reinforcement and including on its outer surface a plurality of grooves of depth h, including at least circumferential grooves separated axially by ribs, is provided with at least one internal, circumferential anti-rubber-on-rubber connection element, the outer wall of which, viewed in meridian section, has in part a contour identical to the contour of the wall of the regrooving groove to be created, the point(s) of said wall which are farthest from the axis of rotation being radially distant from the tread surface by a quantity h1 less than the depth h of the grooves, and the point(s) of said wall closest to the axis of rotation being radially distant from the tread surface by the maximum regrooving height H.

Abstract: A solid rubber tire for use on vehicles such as heavy construction equipment is provided with a plurality of layers of different hardness. One of the layers is relatively softer than the other layers and holes are formed at least partially into the tire to provide added flexibility and smoothness of ride to the solid rubber tire.

Abstract: An improved truck racing tire includes three belts and reduced tread and undertread thickness for weight reduction. An asymmetric shoulder design is provided and circumferential grooves having wear indicia therein at a preselected depth are incorporated into the tread to divide the tread into plural ribs. Notches are formed within the tread ribs in circumferential patterns of distribution at a depth equivalent to the depth of groove tread wear indicators. The tread is constructed of a relatively softer compound in the cap and a relatively harder compound in the base. The boundary between the cap and the base is at a depth corresponding to the notch depth and the wear indicators within the grooves to provide a further indication and confirmation of wear pattern and magnitude.

Abstract: A tire for a wheel of a vehicle includes a casing structure, a belt structure, and a tread band. A tread band pattern includes a central zone, two intermediate zones, and two shoulder zones. Each of the zones extends between planes that are substantially parallel to an equatorial plane of the tire. Each intermediate zone includes first and second sequences of pairs of transversal grooves. The first sequence pairs are alternated with the second sequence pairs. The grooves of the two sequences are inclined relative to each other. The first sequence grooves extend from first ends, at respective axially intermediate planes, to second ends, at predetermined first distances from selected second sequence grooves. The second sequence grooves extend from third ends, at respective axially inner planes, to fourth ends, at predetermined second distances from selected first sequence grooves. Intermediate zones include a zigzag rib. Shoulder zones include additional transversal grooves.

Abstract: A bicycle tire 10 is described having a tread that comprises transverse channels defining a block tread pattern for improving grip when the tire is used in off-road conditions. Two axially spaced circumferentially continuous parallel ribs 14 straddle the tire centreline and project radially beyond the block tread pattern to improve ride quality on a smooth road surface.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire for use on iced and snowed road surfaces has a tread surface. The tread surface has a plurality of main grooves extending in a circumferential direction of the tire and a plurality of lateral grooves extending in a width direction of the tire. Blocks are defined by the main grooves and the lateral grooves. The blocks have a ground contact face which has a plurality of pairs of sipes comprising a left sipe and a right sipe extending in the tire width direction. The plurality of pairs of sipes are placed in a predetermined interval in the tire circumferential direction. Each of the left and right sipes of each pair extends from a width-directional center portion of the ground contact face of the block toward each way of the tire width direction so as to open its outer end to each side face of the block.

Abstract: A tire tread has at least one cavern formed in the sidewall of the traction elements of the tire. The cavern has a base with information therein to indicate the state of wear of the tire and a ceiling that is progressively worn away as the tread wears. Multiple caverns may be formed in the traction elements. If arranged in a series at progressively increasing or decreasing radial heights, the remaining tread life is communicated to an operator. If the caverns are located in different locations of the tread, relative wear patterns of the tire can also be indicated.

Abstract: An end of a block 18 formed on a tread surface of a tire is chamfered in such a manner that a curvature of a chamfer increases toward the end of the block. Accordingly, a ground contact pressure which usually increases locally at the end of the block 18 is equalized and handling stability of the tire improves. Particularly, since the curvature changes, the ground contact pressure can be controlled corresponding to an actual distribution of ground contact pressure. As a result, the ground contact pressure can be equalized still further and an improvement in handling stability of the tire is achieved.

Abstract: The invention provides a measuring method of a tread wear amount by using a pneumatic tire in which a mark portion is formed on a part of a tread surface, the mark portion changing its surface shape as wear progresses. Image data of the mark portion is detected, the detected data is inputted in processor means, and then the tread wear amount is determined by use of either ratio referential data of the mark portion inputted in advance and corresponding to the wear amounts of the tread surface, or a formula inputted in advance for computing the wear amount, thereby facilitating automatic measurement of the tread wear amount.

Abstract: A tire tread comprising grooves defining motifs in relief, at least one of these motifs being provided with first and second incisions, said incisions each being defined by two main lateral surfaces connected by an end surface, each of the first incisions opening on to the running surface of the tread when new and extending at most as far as the depth, and each of the second incisions extends at least as far as the depth. The tread is characterized in that the bottom surfaces of the first incisions and the apex surfaces of the second incisions are functionally arranged such that, whatever the level of wear the length of the ridges on the running surface is at least equal to 75% of the length of the ridges when new.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a block pattern of a tread defined by a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in a circumferential direction of the tread and a plurality of lateral grooves each extending across the circumferential grooves and tread ends, wherein specified chamfered face, sipe or fine groove is formed in each block of all block rows to improve a self-aligning torque in the high-speed running of a vehicle.

Abstract: A tire 10 for a bicycle is described having a tread that comprises transverse channels defining a block tread pattern for improving grip when the tire is used in off-road conditions. Two axially spaced circumferentially continuous parallel ribs 14 straddle the tire centreline and project radially beyond the block tread pattern to improve ride quality on a smooth road surface.

Abstract: The thread of a tire designed more particularly to run on snowy, icy or wet surfaces. The tread comprises elements in relief, comprising at least one lateral face, at least one element in relief being provided with at least one incision defined along a mean plane, said tread comprising at least two lateral holes, oriented in a mean direction, passing through said element in relief and substantially parallel to the mean plane of incision. The holes open onto at least one lateral face of said element in relief and at least two lateral holes are situated on one and the same side of the mean plane of the incision.

Abstract: A tire for vehicle wheels includes a tread band having a tread pattern defined between two shoulder ends of the tire. The tread pattern includes two lateral rows of grooves and at least one third row of grooves arranged between the lateral rows. All of the grooves are separate from one another so as to produce a pattern with no intercommunicating paths between the grooves. End portions of the grooves of the at least one third row extend outside a footprint of the tire. A dimension of each of the grooves of the at least one third row relative to a length of the tire footprint causes water drainage from underneath the tire footprint. A tire including the ability for acoustically signalling low air pressure, a method for checking tire air pressure using an acoustic signal, and an acoustic signalling device for vehicle wheels are also disclosed.

Abstract: An auxiliary groove is formed in tire circumferential direction on a tire central plane of an pneumatic tire according to the present invention. This auxiliary groove is formed, whereby a negative ratio of a center region other than the lug groove is set to 10% to 25%. Thus, a tread heat radiation quantity can be decreased, and a surface area of a tire can be increased. As a result, heat radiation properties can be improved. In addition, as long as the negative ratio is within the above set range, the wear of the tread can be reduced to the minimum. Namely, according to the present invention, there can be provided an pneumatic tire capable of both reducing the wear of the tread to the minimum and improving a heat radiation effect.

Abstract: In a pneumatic tire comprising a tread which comprises a row of a plurality of blocks divided in the circumferential direction of the tire, a closed sipe is disposed at an approximately central portion of the block and is inclined in a direction opposite to a direction of transverse grooves with respect to an axial direction of the tire. Improved performance in driving on wet roads can be exhibited due to the transverse grooves and the closed sipes. Because the closed sipe is disposed at an approximately central portion of the block, pressure from the road surface can be dispersed to both sides of the closed sipe, and high pressure from the road surface at the central portion of the block can be reduced.

Abstract: The present invention is a vehicle tire to support a nominal load, where the tire comprises a tread including apertures inclined with respect to the normal to the surface of the tread at an angle alpha, where alpha is between five degrees and thirty degrees. In one embodiment of the invention, the tread does not include tread blocks. In another embodiment of the invention, the tread only includes wide ribs. In another embodiment of the invention, the tread does not include sipes. In a further embodiment of the invention, the tread comprises styrene-butadiene rubber in a further embodiment of the invention, the apertures are in echelon formation. In one embodiment of the invention, each aperture is an ellipse.