Patents Examined by Philip N Schwartz
  • Patent number: 10150337
    Abstract: There is provided a pneumatic tire with a tread portion having a plurality of main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions partitioned by the main grooves. The tread portion is formed in such a manner that a see-through void area on a first side relative to an equatorial plane of the tire in a tire width direction is greater than a see-through void area on a second side in the tire width direction. Ground contact surfaces of the plurality of land portions formed between the main grooves swell outward from a datum contour line of the tread portion in a tire radial direction, and the amount of swelling of a land portion, positioned on the first side on which the see-through void area is large, relative to the datum contour line is smaller than that of a land portion positioned on the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Tada
  • Patent number: 10137739
    Abstract: An object is to enhance traction performance on snowy road surfaces while suppressing a drop in braking performance and handling stability performance on dry road surfaces and icy road surfaces. A tread (12) includes first auxiliary grooves (21) formed on one groove width direction side of lug grooves (18, the first auxiliary grooves (21) opening onto the lug grooves (18) and terminating inside central land portion rows (16) (land portions), and second auxiliary grooves (22) formed on the other groove width direction side of the lug grooves (18), the second auxiliary grooves (22) opening onto the lug grooves (18) so as to face opening portions (21A) of the first auxiliary grooves (21) that open onto the lug grooves (18), and terminating inside the central land portion rows (16) (land portions).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shungo Fujita
  • Patent number: 10099515
    Abstract: The invention provides a pneumatic radial tire which improves durability by lowering breakdowns in both of a ply end and a wind-up portion without an increase of weight and manufacturing cost. The pneumatic radial tire has a carcass layer which is provided between a pair of bead portions and is locked in a state in which end portions are wound up to the bead cores. The carcass layer is constituted by a first ply, a second ply and a third ply which are laminated one by one from an inner side to an outer side in a tire radial direction in a tire equator. The first ply and the third ply are wound up to the bead cores. The second ply terminates in a state in which the second ply is interposed between the first ply and the third ply, without reaching the bead cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10076932
    Abstract: A multilayered structure having a layer A constituted with a resin composition containing a gas barrier resin, and a layer B being adjacent to the layer A and being constituted with a resin composition containing an elastomer. The total number of the layer A and the layer B is at least 7. The average thickness of the layer A in terms of a single layer is no less than 0.001 ?m and no greater than 10 ?m, and the average thickness of the layer B in terms of a single layer is no less than 0.001 ?m and no greater than 40 ?m. The multilayered structure is formed by irradiating with an active energy ray. Furthermore, an inner liner having the multilayered structure, and a pneumatic tire provided with the inner liner are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignees: Kuraray Co., Ltd., BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuwa Takahashi, Shinji Tai, Masao Hikasa, Hideki Kitano, Tetsuo Amamoto, Takatsugu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10076934
    Abstract: The invention provides a cured tread and a tire capable of controlling irregular wear of the tread. A base tire which is to be the base for the tire and a cured tread which is to be bonded to the base tire are molded separately, and they are integrated with each other to produce the tire. The tread is provided in its width (axial) direction with a plurality of grooves extending in its length (circumferential) direction. The thickness of the tread in a width cross section gradually decreases from the equator to the equator-side edge of the outermost groove located at an axially outermost position and gradually increases from the outer edge of the outermost groove outward in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeo Nagahara
  • Patent number: 10040319
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire is provided with a tread pattern made up of circumferentially alternately arranged first and second pattern units. The first pattern unit is substantially mirror symmetrical with the second pattern unit. Each pattern unit comprises a main oblique groove and first and second auxiliary oblique grooves, each of which is a bent groove having a bent position and composed of a steeply-inclined part and a mildly-inclined part, in the main oblique groove, the steeply-inclined part extends from a start position on one side of the tire equator to the bent position on the other side of the tire equator, while inclining to one tire circumferential direction; and the mildly-inclined part extends from the bent position to the adjacent tread edge, while inclining to the above-mentioned one tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBEER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kimiaki Shimoyama, Yoshimasa Ueda
  • Patent number: 10040320
    Abstract: The present technology provides a heavy duty pneumatic tire with a tread portion having a tread pattern including: a pair of circumferential primary grooves defined in a wave-like shape and extending in the tire circumferential direction; center lug grooves; center blocks; and circumferential secondary grooves extending in regions of the center blocks and open to the center lug grooves. The center lug grooves have two groove turning portions turned in a bend shape or a curved shape. The circumferential secondary grooves extend in an inclined manner relative to the tire circumferential direction. An inclination angle (?4) of the circumferential secondary grooves relative to the tire circumferential direction is different from an inclination angle (?1) of portions of the circumferential primary grooves relative to the tire circumferential direction, the portions extending toward the same side as a side in the tire width direction, toward which the circumferential secondary grooves are inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Hamanaka, Shoei Kakuta, Yukihito Yamaguchi, Risa Tauchi, Toshiyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 9994076
    Abstract: The invention provides a cured tread and a tire capable of controlling irregular wear of the tread. A base tire which is to be the base for the tire and a cured tread which is to be bonded to the base tire are molded separately, and they are integrated with each other to produce the tire. The tread is provided in its width (axial) direction with a plurality of grooves extending in its length (circumferential) direction. The thickness of the tread in a width cross section gradually decreases from the equator to the equator-side edge of the outermost groove located at an axially outermost position and gradually increases from the outer edge of the outermost groove outward in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeo Nagahara
  • Patent number: 9987885
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire with improved heat build-up resistance in a land portion in a tread center region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Risa Tauchi, Shoei Kakuta, Hideki Hamanaka, Yukihito Yamaguchi, Toshiyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 9981505
    Abstract: A tire is provided having features in the tread elements that provide improved resistance to wear and, more particularly, irregular wear. More specifically, lamellae are provided along tread elements of the tire and between such tread elements to provide for improved wear patterns and particularly to provide resistance to irregular wear at the leading and trailing edges of the tread element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Robert C. Radulescu
  • Patent number: 9975385
    Abstract: Tire including: a tread; a pair of sidewalls extending substantially inward radially from ends of the tread; a pair of beads positioned substantially radially inwardly of the sidewalls; and a clinch portion extending from the sidewalls to the beads. A concave curved surface extends on an outer surface of the clinch portion in a circumferential direction. A convex curved surface formed on a radially outer side end of a rim flange is engageable with the concave curved surface. A ratio R1/R of curvature radius R1 of the concave curved surface to a curvature radius R of the convex curved surface of the rim flange satisfies 1.7?R1/R?2.5. The curvature radii R1 and R of the concave and convex curved surfaces, respectively, are each a radius of curvature of an arc on a cross-section taken along a plane including a tire center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Sugiyama, Makoto Ohkoshi, Hiroki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9956828
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire includes a clinch portion extending from the sidewalls to the beads. A concave curved surface extends on an outer surface of the clinch portion in a circumferential direction. A convex curved surface is engageable with the concave curved surface. A ratio R1/R2 of a radius of curvature of the concave curved surface to a radius of curvature of the convex curved surface, satisfies 1.7?R1/R2?3.9, a ratio D1/R2 of a depth of the concave curved surface to the radius of curvature of the convex curved surface satisfies 0.05?D1/R2?0.09, and the radius of curvature R1 of the concave curved surface and the radius of curvature R2 of the convex curved surface are each a radius of curvature of an arc on a cross section as taken along a plane including a center axis of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yukihide Oya
  • Patent number: 9919562
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an air impermeable layer. A film formed of a thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a blend of a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer is used for the air impermeable layer. Separation of the film is prevented and an inner appearance of the tire is improved. The air impermeable layer 10, which is disposed on the inner side of the tire, is formed from a laminated body 14 comprising a ribbon-shaped film 11 and ribbon-shaped elastomer plies 12 and 13 laminated on opposite sides thereof. The laminated body 14 is wound in the circumferential direction of the tire in such a partially overlapping manner that it is displaced at prescribed intervals. Each pair of adjacent wound portions 14A and 14B of the laminated body 14 are spliced to each other in a partially overlapping manner in a state where the ribbon-shaped film 11 is disengaged from itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hashimura, Takahiko Sawada, Tomohiko Kogure
  • Patent number: 9902207
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire for commercial vehicles is provided wherein the wet traction properties are improved with simultaneously good rolling resistance properties. At least 120 transverse grooves are arranged in each of the central profile ribs over the entire circumference of the tire. The width (B1) of the transverse grooves in the central profile ribs is maximally 1.5 mm at a distance of 3.5 mm from the profile surface, and the width of each inner circumferential groove is maximally 4 mm at a distance of 3.5 mm from the profile surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Kleffmann, Joerg Bartke, Anastassia Pokutta-Paskaleva
  • Patent number: 9878582
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 includes: a tread 2; sidewalls 3; a carcass 5; and a belt 6. A distribution of a thickness Tg(y) of the tread in a region extending in an axially outward direction of the tire, is represented by equation Tg(y)=A?a×Ct(y). A represents a thickness of the tread at a crown center 17. Ct(y) represents a distribution of a displacement of the tread surface in a radially inward direction of the tire , in a region from the crown center to an end portion of the belt. a represents a coefficient selected from a range of values that are greater than or equal to 0.10, and are not greater than 0.35. A displacement Cc(y) of the carcass 5 in the radially inward direction of the tire, in a region extending in the axially outward direction of the tire from the crown center, is represented by equation Cc(y)=(1?a)×Ct(y).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuo Asano
  • Patent number: 9809059
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire capable of exhibiting improved on-snow cornering performance on a snowy road and improved on-ice cornering performance on an icy road surface. Specifically, the pneumatic tire comprises: a tread portion (1) including a ground contact surface (5) to be brought into contact with a road surface when the tire is rotated; a pair of sidewall portions (3) forming side surfaces of the tire and extending from the tread portion (1) toward the inner side in the tire radial direction, respectively; and buttress portions each forming an outer surface region (7) ranging from an end portion in the width direction of the ground contact surface (5) to the corresponding sidewall portion (3), wherein polygonal blocks (11) are formed in the outer surface region (7) by demarcation by grooves (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Ochi
  • Patent number: 9809060
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a tread portion provided with a middle land portion 6 which is arranged between a central main groove 3 and a shoulder main groove 4. The middle land portion 6 is provided with an inner middle lateral groove 8 and an outer middle lateral groove 9. The inner middle lateral groove 8 comprises a first inclined portion 10 that extends axially outwardly from the central main groove 3 at an angle ?1 of from 10 to 40 degrees with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire, and a second inclined portion 12 that is inclined at an opposite direction to the first inclined portion 10 so as to extend axially inwardly, and a bent portion 11 connecting the first inclined portion 10 and the second inclined portion 12. The outer middle lateral groove 9 is communicated with the second inclined portion 12 of the axially inner middle lateral groove 8 without including an axially outermost groove edge 8e of the inner middle lateral groove 8, and is communicated with the shoulder main groove 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Iwata
  • Patent number: 9789737
    Abstract: Tread having a plurality of generally circumferentially orientated grooves delimiting a plurality of relief elements, this tread further comprising a plurality of cut-outs in the form of transversely orientated grooves and/or slits, each relief element comprising a contact face intended to come into contact with the road and lateral faces cutting this contact face along edges intended to come into contact with a road during running, this tread having chamfers on at least a plurality of transverse edges of the relief elements, this tread having, in straight-line running, a total contact surface S comprising a part Sc in which all the transverse edges have chamfers and a part Snc in which all the transverse edges are free of chamfers, this tread having, in a cornering maneuver corresponding to a transverse acceleration of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Frédéric Bourgeois, François-Xavier Bruneau
  • Patent number: 9789734
    Abstract: An object is to enhance traction performance and handling stability performance, these being related to braking performance and acceleration performance on snowy road surfaces. A tread (12) of a pneumatic tire (10) includes: two circumferential direction main grooves (14) that are formed further to the tire width direction inside from the tread (12) ground contact edge T than positions at ? of the ground contact width W and that extend along the tire circumferential direction; a central land portion row (16) formed between the two circumferential direction main grooves (14); edge land portion rows (18) respectively formed at tire width direction outsides of the two circumferential direction main grooves (14; and main lug grooves (20) extending in the edge land portion rows (18) from the circumferential direction main grooves (14) towards the ground contact edges T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shungo Fujita
  • Patent number: 9783004
    Abstract: A tire tread is provided having a layered design that includes bridged and unbridged circumferential grooves during earlier stages of tread life while transverse and unbridged circumferential grooves are provided at later stages of tread life. Together, the combination of grooves can provide desired wet adherence performance without unacceptable compromises of tread wear and/or rolling resistance. Pockets can also be provided at the end of the transverse grooves to increase the volume available for receipt of water during wet traction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Maxime Rolland