Patents Examined by Robert Dye
  • Patent number: 9358842
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 which includes a plurality of rib-shaped land portions extending in a tire-circumferential-direction and in which a circumferential groove is formed extending in the tire-circumferential-direction between the land portions. The circumferential groove is provided with an intra-groove groove formed to recess inwardly in a tire-radial-direction from the circumferential groove while having its upper ends at a groove bottom of the circumferential groove. Paired inner wall surface and outer wall surface forming the intra-groove groove each continuously extend in tire-circumferential-direction while meandering in tread-width-direction. The intra-groove groove includes a wide groove portion in which a groove width of the intra-groove groove in tread-width-direction is a predetermined width; and a narrow groove portion which is continuous with the wide groove portion and which has a narrower width than the predetermined width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 9346326
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire where a plurality of main grooves extending along the tire circumferential direction, lateral grooves extending in the direction inclined with respect to the tire width direction, and land portions partitioned by the main grooves and the lateral grooves are formed in a tread portion. The land portion includes an obtuse angle portion defined at an obtuse angle by the main groove and the lateral groove, and an acute angle portion defined at an acute angle by the main groove and the lateral groove. A plurality of holes are formed in a side wall of the land portion facing the main groove at intervals in the tire circumferential direction. The holes formed on an obtuse angle portion side are arranged at positions closer to a ground contact surface of the land portion than the holes formed on an acute angle portion side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 9340072
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire comprises a tread portion provided with first T-grooves and second T-grooves arranged and oriented alternately along the tire equator. The angles of the main portion and branch portion of the T-groove, with respect to the tire circumferential direction, are gradually increased toward the tread edges. The axial distances of the branching point and an inside end of the main portion are not more than 25% of the axial distance of the tread edge, each measured from the tire equator along the tread surface. The circumferential distance from the inside end of the main portion to the circumferentially adjacent T-groove is 5 to 15% of the circumferential pitch length of the first T-grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takao Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 9340071
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire with a designated installing direction to a vehicle, includes a tread portion with an inboard and an outboard tread edges, the tread portion provided with a pair of inboard and outboard center main grooves and a pair of inboard and outboard shoulder main grooves to form a center portion, a pair of middle portions, and a pair of shoulder portions, each of the inboard center main groove, the outboard center main groove and the inboard shoulder main groove having a groove width of from 10 to 20 mm, the outboard shoulder main groove having a groove width of from 2 to 5 mm, the outboard shoulder portion provided with outboard shoulder lateral grooves each extending from the outboard tread edge without reaching the outboard shoulder main groove, and the outboard middle portion provided with outboard middle lateral grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kujime
  • Patent number: 9333806
    Abstract: A high performance rain tire includes a tread band, having an inner portion and an outer portion as well as a central zone. There are formed in the tread band: two circumferential grooves in the inner portion, a central circumferential groove and a plurality of inner transverse grooves and a plurality of outer transverse grooves, wherein the inner transverse grooves include a central inner section which defines an angle with respect to the equatorial plane of between approximately ?95° and approximately ?135° and the outer transverse grooves include a central outer section which defines an angle, relative to the equatorial plane, of between approximately +125° and approximately +165°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Piero Losi, Alfredo Balini, Maurizio Boiocchi
  • Patent number: 9333810
    Abstract: Vulcanizing device with radially mobile segments comprising: a bottom plate supporting a bottom shell for molding a tire sidewall, an axially mobile top plate supporting a top shell for molding a tire sidewall, an axially mobile closure ring comprising an inclined interior face, a plurality of circumferentially arranged adjacent segments of which the interior radial faces comprise linings for molding the tread of the tire and of which the inclined exterior radial faces are able to collaborate with: first means of coupling with the closure ring which are produced in such a way that the axial movements of the closure ring involve a radial movement of the segments, and second means of coupling the segments to the top plate which are able to connect the segments to the top plate and to allow their radial movement, the said second means of coupling being adjustable on the circumference of the top plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Hélène Emorine, Sylvain Petitjean, William License
  • Patent number: 9333805
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire including a carcass composed of at least one carcass layer extending toroidally between a left-and-right pair of bead cores; a tread portion which is arranged on the outside in the tire radial direction of a crown region of the carcass to form a ground contacting portion; and a belt composed of two belt layers which is arranged between the tread portion and the crown region of the carcass to form a reinforcing portion. A reinforcing material constituting the belt layer is a bundle formed by arranging two cords in pairs; and, letting the diameter of a filament constituting the cord a (mm), the interval between the adjacent bundles as an expected value is increased by a/4 (mm) or larger compared to the interval represented by using the circumcircle of the cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9327555
    Abstract: Provided is a steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article, which has an improved durability against so-called cuts, such as notches and perforations, which are generated in the case of treading on an obtusely or sharply pointed projection, without decreasing the strength in the axial direction of the cord, and without increasing the thickness in the radial direction, namely without increasing the weight of a tire, as well as a tire using the steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article as a reinforcing material, especially a construction vehicle tire. Also provided is a steel cord for reinforcing rubber articles with a multi-twisted structure formed by twisting a plurality of sheath strands formed by twisting a plurality of wires around a core strand formed by twisting a plurality of wires, and the core strand being constituted of an at least three-layer-twisted structure formed by twisting core filaments and sheath filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Masubuchi, Keisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9308780
    Abstract: A tread for a tire with raised elements delimited by cuts, at least one of these raised elements having a sipe of a maximum depth at most equal to the thickness of the tread, and running in a main direction determined by the ends of the sipe on the tread surface in the as-new condition and a secondary direction running into the thickness of the tread, having a first part, running in the secondary direction between the contact face in the as-new condition and a depth at least equal to 40% of the maximum depth and a second part extending the first part into the thickness of the tread, and extending over a depth. The second part has, in the main direction of the sipe, at least one first portion and at least one second portion, each having a length less than the length (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Marie-Claude Palgen
  • Patent number: 9302549
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with a crown main groove and a middle axial groove. The middle axial groove extends axially outwardly from its axially inner end axially outwardly spaced apart from the crown main groove and inclines with respect to the tire circumferential direction at an angle of from 45 to 75 degrees. In a cross section along the widthwise center line of the middle axial groove, an end wall of the axially inner end is inclined at an angle 0 to 50 degrees with respect to the normal direction to the tread from the radially outer edge of the end wall toward the groove bottom, and a corner between the end wall and the groove bottom is chamfered by an arc having a radius of curvature of 1 to 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ikuo Atake
  • Patent number: 9302547
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion divided by three circumferentially continuously extending main grooves into two crown land portions and two shoulder land portions. The axial width W2 of the shoulder land portion is 1.15 to 2.0 times the axial width W1 of the crown land portion. Crown axial grooves disposed in the crown land portions have a groove width of at most 2 mm and are inclined to the opposite direction to the inclining direction of the radially outermost belt ply cords. Shoulder axial grooves disposed in the shoulder land portions are inclined to the same direction as the inclining direction of the radially outermost belt ply cords. Each of the shoulder axial grooves is not connected to the main groove or alternatively connected to the main groove through a narrow part having a width of 1.2 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9302553
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a pair of center main grooves and a pair of shoulder main grooves to define a center portion, a pair of middle portions, and a pair of shoulder portions. The shoulder main grooves extend in a trapezoid wave manner that includes a circumferentially extending axially outer part, an axially inner part arranged axially inwardly of the axially outer part, and an inclined part connecting between the axially outer and inner parts. The shoulder portion is provided with shoulder lateral grooves extending from the shoulder main groove to a tread edge to define a plurality of shoulder blocks. Each shoulder lateral groove has its axially inner end connected to the axially outer part of the shoulder main groove so as to include an outer corner point between the axially outer part and the inclined part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ninomiya, Satoshi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9290055
    Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement, having at least one layer of reinforcing elements, said tire comprising a crown reinforcement, which is itself covered radially with a tread, said tread being joined to two beads via two sidewalls, wherein at least 90% of the reinforcing elements of at least one layer of the carcass reinforcement are non-wrapped metal cords having in what is called the permeability test a flow rate of less than 20 cm3/min, wherein at least 1% of the reinforcing elements of said at least one layer of the carcass reinforcement are capillary tubes and wherein, in a plane of section perpendicular to the axis of the capillary tube, the ratio of the open area to the area of material is greater than 0.4%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Alain Domingo
  • Patent number: 9290061
    Abstract: An object is to provide a pneumatic tire with enhanced on-snow performance. On-snow performance is enhanced due to a tire 10 having a tread 12 provided with a shoulder circumferential direction main groove 16 formed with alternating narrow groove-width portions 16A and wide groove-width portions 16B having a wider groove-width than the narrow groove-width portions 16A extending in the tire circumferential direction. The tread 12 is further provided with an intermediate lug groove 32, extending in a direction so as to intersect the shoulder circumferential direction main groove 16 and having a first end portion connected to the shoulder circumferential direction main groove 16. The intermediate lug groove 32 is provided such that one of the wide groove-width portions 16B is positioned on an extension line of the intermediate lug groove 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sotaro Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 9290057
    Abstract: A vehicle tire includes a selectively actuated stud deployment system for increased traction. The studs are contained in cells in the surface of the tire and forced to deploy by pneumatic or fluid pressure. When the pressure is released, the studs retract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond B. Bushnell, Bradley K. S. Larson
  • Patent number: 9278584
    Abstract: An all-weather tire includes features that enhance safety and usability in a variety of driving conditions as well as some manufacturing processes that may be used during the production and provides an all-weather tire having selectively deployable and retractable studs for greater traction when needed. The tire includes a toroidal shell enclosing an air-filled chamber and a plurality of stud actuation chambers contained within the shell for selectively deploying studs to extend past the tire's outer radial surface for engaging a roadway or surface. The studs may be retracted when no longer needed. A mechanical pump assembly or plurality of such assemblies powered by compression of the tire engaging the roadway may be used as a power source for generating pneumatic pressure and an internal valve assembly or assemblies may be used to route the pneumatic pressure appropriately. The pump and valve assemblies may be controlled either mechanically or electrically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond B. Bushnell, Bradley K. S. Larson
  • Patent number: 9272582
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has bead cores provided in bead portions. The bead cores include a first bead wire, and a second bead wire having an elongation ?, where ?(%)=?L/L×100, L is a length of each of the bead wires under no load, and ?L is an elongation amount obtained when a unit load is applied. The elongation ? of the second bead wire is greater than an elongation of the first bead wire. The number of the second bead wire provided in an innermost side portion in a tire radial direction is at least one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LIMITED
    Inventor: Chieko Aoki
  • Patent number: 9272583
    Abstract: A tire 2 includes beads 10, a carcass 12, and an insert 18. The carcass 12 includes a carcass ply 36. An inner part 34a of each bead 10 includes an inner core 46a and an inner apex 48a that extends almost outward of the inner core 46a in the radial direction. An outer part 34b of each bead 10 includes an outer core 46b and an outer apex 48b that extends almost outward of the outer core 46b in the radial direction. A ratio of a complex elastic modulus Ea of the inner apex 48a to a complex elastic modulus Eb of the outer apex 48b is less than or equal to 0.3. A ratio of the complex elastic modulus Ea to a complex elastic modulus Ec of the insert 18 is greater than or equal to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ito
  • Patent number: 9272577
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial aircraft tire is described having a B/A ranging between 60-70%. The tire may further optionally include a tire bead portion having a Ra/Fr1 relationship which ranges from about 1 to about 2.1. The tire may further optionally include a SW/TS ratio which ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.5, wherein SW is the chafer gauge at area A, TS is the total sidewall rubber gauge at area A, wherein A is defined as the region in the sidewall that has a lower radial endpoint defined by the point of contact between the flange and the tire at inflated, unloaded condition, and an upper radial endpoint AH defined by the tire wheel flange point of contact when the tire is at inflated, and at 200% rated load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • Patent number: 9266397
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire improved in on-ice friction properties of the tire, which is excellent in on-ice performance, in particular, on-ice braking performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Oodaira