Patents Examined by Justin R Fischer
  • Patent number: 12281196
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyester tire cord made of polyester yarn and having a 5% LASE of 1.2 g/d or more as measured according to ASTM D885 at 80° C., a 5% LASE of 1.0 g/d or more as measured according to ASTM D885 at 120° C., and a toughness retention rate of 65% or more at 80° C. and 120° C. The tire cord of the present invention has a modulus comparable to that of rayon even in a high-temperature environment at 120° C. or higher, and has excellent dimensional stability and heat resistance, and thus it can be advantageously applied to a high-performance tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: HS Hyosung Advanced Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Si-Hwan Joo, Cheol Kim, Jin-Kyeong Park
  • Patent number: 12280617
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes sipes disposed in a land portion formed in a tread portion, and pin holes for stud pins disposed in the land portion. The sipes are disposed at positions where a distance Ds from the pin hole and a diameter Dp of the pin hole satisfy (Ds/Dp)?4.0. A sipe in which the distance Ds from the pin hole and the diameter Dp of the pin hole satisfy (Ds/Dp)?5.0 is defined as a pin hole neighboring sipe. A sipe of which the distance Ds from the pin hole is the smallest, among the sipes in which the distance Ds from the pin hole and the diameter Dp of the pin hole satisfy (Ds/Dp)>5.0, is defined as a normal sipe. The pin hole neighboring sipe is formed in a high rigidity shape having higher rigidity than the normal sipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Kidesaki
  • Patent number: 12275277
    Abstract: A Tire tread with blocks for a heavy construction-plant vehicle, to improve the compromise between traction on muddy ground and lifetime in terms of wear on rough ground. A tread (1) has blocks (4), which are separated by cuts (3) and raised with respect to a bottom surface (5). Any block (4) have a contact face (41) having a polygonal shape of surface area SC, which is contained in a tread surface (2), lateral faces (42), and a base section (43), which has a polygonal shape of surface area SB. The contact face (41) of any block (4) has a polygonal shape that is at least partially concave, wat least two consecutive sides (411, 412) that form between them an interior angle A1 of the polygonal shape that is greater than 180° and the surface area SC of the contact face (41) is at most equal to 0.9 times the surface area SB of the base section (43).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Franck Nugier, Cécile Roussel, Olivier Ropars
  • Patent number: 12263702
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a heavy truck tire tread having a shoulder edge, shoulder groove, and shoulder rib therebetween. A plurality of sipes are in the shoulder rib and are oriented less than 20 degrees to the lateral direction. The sipes are spaced from one another between 5 to 18 millimeters in the longitudinal direction. Additionally or alternatively, the sipes are arranged so that a reference plane extends through a sipe bottom point and a sipe top point at the average sipe line. A sipe inclination line extends from the sipe bottom point to the sipe top point, and a reference line extends through the sipe bottom point. A sipe inclination angle is defined by the reference line and the sipe inclination line and is greater than 0 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Stefan Voss, Robert Ciprian Radulescu
  • Patent number: 12257861
    Abstract: Machines that plant crop seed generally compact the seed rows with their tires. The solution to this problem is to cut or mold notches into the tire lugs in the area that would pass directly above the planted seeds and adjacent to the planted seeds. Tires could also be molded with the notches in place during the tire manufacturing process. If lateral beaming strength is needed in the tire, ribs can be formed on the inside of the tire either intermittent or continuous across the width of the tire. Notching also could be done selectively on tires after molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Tribine Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Ben N. Dillon
  • Patent number: 12251970
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1) includes: a tread portion (2) including a land portion (24) divided by a plurality of main grooves (22) formed on a tread surface (21); an inner liner (7) constituting a tire inner surface (7A) on an inner side of the tread portion (2); and a mount member (10) which is provided on the tire inner surface (7A), and to which electric equipment can be attached. In the pneumatic tire (1), Complex elastic modulus E*1 of a rubber composition constituting the mount member (10) is larger than complex elastic modulus E*2 of a rubber composition constituting the inner liner (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Daichi Aoki
  • Patent number: 12251969
    Abstract: A tread for a heavy goods vehicle tire, the tread having a surface when new suitable for coming into contact with a road surface, this tread having a plurality of optimized incisions opening onto its tread surface when new, each incision made of at least two narrow portions and wide portions, each narrow portion surrounded by wide portions, the sum of the areas of narrow portions representing at least 40% of the total surface of the incision (and the width being less than 0.4 mm, each portion having a width at least equal to 0.4 mm, this tread being such that for each optimized incision each of the wide portions extending between two narrow portions includes at least one section inclined in a plane parallel to the mid-plane of the optimized incision, and forming an angle at least 15 degrees with the direction of the tread thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Frédéric Domprobst, Etienne Collet, Arnaud Larregain
  • Patent number: 12251968
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire can suppress uneven wear of the tire and can improve traction performance on snow. Land portions (12A, 12B, 12C), between a pair of outermost side circumferential grooves (11d, 11d) on the outermost sides in the tire widthwise direction among a plurality of circumferential grooves (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) extending in the tire circumferential direction, are divided into a plurality of blocks (14A, 14B, 14C) by widthwise grooves (13a, 13b, 13c). A pair of groove side faces (13ap, 13aq; 13bp, 13bq; 13cp, 13cq) opposed to each other in the widthwise grooves (13a, 13b, 13c) are bent at bent portions (Kp, Kq) thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Ishihara
  • Patent number: 12240275
    Abstract: A self-sealing pneumatic tire having at least one cohesive sandwich radially inward of the pneumatic tire is provided. The at least cohesive sandwich may include a cohesive material under pressure, facilitating a recovery capacity upon being pierced by a sharp object, whereby the molecules of the cohesive material cohesively reattach, self-sealing any passageway or space created by the sharp object. The self-sealing pneumatic tire may also provide a loculated-diamond-section layer located radially inward of the outer cohesive sandwich, further supporting the self-sealing pneumatic tire. The external rubber tread are disposed along the circumference of the tire in some embodiments can be separate from the surface of the tire yet secured in place by attachments. Once fully utilized, this external rubber tread can be replaced by a new version without having to replace the entire tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Inventor: Daniel Shane Sheibani Davidson
  • Patent number: 12240279
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire includes a tread portion, sidewall portions, bead portions each with a bead core therein, a carcass, and a tread reinforcing layer arranged radially outwardly of the carcass and includes a belt layer and a band layer. The belt layer includes an inner belt ply and an outer belt ply. The band layer includes a band ply arranged between the inner and outer belt plies. The inner belt ply includes belt cords oriented at an angle greater than 5 degrees to the tire circumferential direction and a first development width. The outer belt ply includes belt cords oriented at an angle greater than 5 degrees to the tire circumferential direction and a second development width. The band ply includes band cords oriented at an angle not more than 5 degrees to the tire circumferential direction. The second development width is greater than the first development width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Mamoru Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 12233668
    Abstract: A heavy truck tire tread is provided that has a rolling direction that is in a longitudinal direction of the tread. A circumferential sipe (20) is present and extends in the longitudinal direction completely around the tread. The circumferential sipe does not bound a sacrificial rib. A plurality of micro sipes (22) engage the circumferential sipe and are located on opposite sides of the circumferential sipe in the lateral direction. The micro sipes extend from the circumferential sipe so as to terminate within rubber of the tread at a terminal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Stefan Voss, Robert Ciprian Radulescu
  • Patent number: 12227030
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a pair of sidewalls, a pair of bead portions, and a circumferential tread having a plurality of circumferential ribs and a plurality of circumferential grooves. A reinforcing layer is disposed in at least one of the plurality of circumferential ribs. No part of the reinforcing layer extends directly below a bottom surface of any of the plurality of circumferential grooves. The reinforcing layer has a consistent gauge along its entire lateral width. A top surface of the reinforcing layer is located radially higher than the bottom surface of each of the plurality of circumferential grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Robert W. Asper
  • Patent number: 12227031
    Abstract: A tire includes a first middle land portion having circumferentially extending first and second longitudinal edges. The first middle land portion is provided with middle lateral grooves. At least one of the middle lateral grooves includes a first groove portion extending in the tire axial direction from the first longitudinal edge, and a second groove portion extending in the tire axial direction from the second longitudinal edge. The first groove portion and the second groove portion are offset in the tire circumferential direction to form a pair of circumferential groove edges between a pair of groove edges of the first groove portion and a pair of groove edges of the second groove portion. A maximum groove depth of the first groove portion is different from a maximum groove depth of the second groove portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Horiguchi, Yoshifumi Kawagoe
  • Patent number: 12220947
    Abstract: A tire includes a pair of sidewall portions. An outer surface of at least one of the sidewall portions includes at least one concave mark recessed from a reference surface. The or each concave mark includes a bottom surface and an inner wall surface. The bottom surface includes a peripheral region and a main region. The peripheral region includes a shadow region and a non-shadow region. The shadow region and the non-shadow region are each formed with an uneven surface provided with minute protuberances. A width of the uneven surface of the non-shadow region measured in a direction perpendicular to a contour of the or each concave mark is smaller than a width of the uneven surface of the shadow region measured in a direction perpendicular to the contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Kawagoe, Koichi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 12220953
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring having an axis of rotation and an outer ring coaxial with the inner ring. The non-pneumatic tire further includes support structure extending from the inner ring to the outer ring and a circumferential tread extending about the outer ring. The circumferential tread includes a shear element. The shear element includes a lower shim layer of solid material, an upper shim layer of solid material, and an elastic layer disposed between the lower shim layer and the upper shim layer. The elastic layer has a higher elasticity than the lower shim layer and the upper shim layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Nihar N. Raje, Bradley S. Plotner, Benjamin E. Rimai
  • Patent number: 12214623
    Abstract: A tread portion includes a crown land portion including first and second longitudinal edges extending in the tire circumferential direction. The crown land portion is provided with first, second and third crown sipes. The first, second and third crown sipes open at the ground contact surface via respective chamfer portions. The first and third crown sipes extend from the first longitudinal edge and have closed ends in the ground contact surface. The second crown sipes extend from the second longitudinal edge and have closed ends in the ground contact surface. Each first crown sipe has a constant opening width in a longitudinal direction of the sipe. Each second crown sipe has a constant opening width in a longitudinal direction of the sipe. Each third crown sipe has an opening width which decreases continuously from the first longitudinal edge toward the closed end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kotaro Tahara, Yoshifumi Kawagoe, Mari Mishima
  • Patent number: 12214621
    Abstract: A tread pattern of a pneumatic tire includes a pair of circumferential grooves and a plurality of siped lug grooves extending in a tire width direction between the pair of circumferential grooves and disposed at intervals in the tire circumferential direction. Each of the siped lug grooves includes a lug groove extending from a first circumferential groove of the pair of circumferential grooves and closed, and a sipe extending from a closed end of the lug groove toward a second circumferential groove and connected to the second circumferential groove. The plurality of siped lug grooves include at least one first siped lug groove extending while bending with an extension direction of the lug groove differing from an extension direction of the sipe, and at least one second siped lug groove extending linearly with the extension direction of the lug groove aligning with the extension direction of the sipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 12214622
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a land portion defined by two circumferential main grooves extending in the circumferential direction, lug grooves in the land portion, and a sipe between adjacent lug grooves. An outer side edge of the land portion in the width direction has a zigzag shape, and an inner side edge of the land portion in the width direction has a straight shape. The sipe extends continuously from the outer side edge to the inner side edge, and the sipe has a Z-shape with two bent portions, and a ratio of a distance in the width direction between a bent portion closer to a center line passing through a midpoint position of the land portion in the width direction and the center line to a width of the land portion in the width direction being 0 to 0.40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Toyoaki Endo
  • Patent number: 12208651
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tire, a forming system for the tire, and the tire are provided. A preceding carcass cord from one feeding unit is used to form a carcass layer while being fed to a forming drum, and a leading edge portion of a next carcass cord is paid out from another feeding unit in advance. At a time when a predetermined length of the preceding carcass cord is fed, a splice mechanism is used to join the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord to the preceding carcass cord to make the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord continuous with the preceding carcass cord. Then, with the next carcass cord fed to the forming drum, formation of the carcass layer is continued to complete the carcass layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoru Nishio
  • Patent number: 12202298
    Abstract: In a tread pattern of a tire, a main groove side of a shoulder lug groove in a side of a first circumferential main groove inclines with respect to the width direction. In each of first intermediate lug grooves and inner lug grooves, a direction from one side toward the other side in the width direction is inclined to a side identical to a side to which the main groove side is inclined. The first intermediate lug grooves overlap with extension lines of each of the shoulder lug grooves extending from a closed end of each of the shoulder lug grooves along an inclination direction of the main groove side toward each of closed ends of the inner lug grooves. A second intermediate lug groove extends between two of the extension lines adjacent in the circumferential direction, in a direction along the extension lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Matsumoto