Patents Examined by Robert Dye
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9254719
    Abstract: A motor car tire having a tread includes a central portion situated on either side of an equatorial plane and two shoulder portions. The central portion is separated from the shoulder portions of the tread by two circumferential grooves and has at least one circumferential rib situated between a first and a second circumferential groove. The tread has a solid/void ratio of less than 0.28. The circumferential rib includes transverse grooves which extend over at least 50% of its width. The transverse grooves include at least one curvilinear section, have a width less than that of the circumferential grooves and at least one of the circumferential grooves including the circumferential rib has at least one side wall defining an undulating profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Montesello, Gianfranco Colombo
  • Two-wheeled automotive vehicle tire
    Patent number: 9248702
    Abstract: Rolling resistance performance, high-speed-durability performance, and cornering performance are simultaneously realized at high levels. A two-wheeled automotive vehicle tire 1 includes a tread portion having an outer surface that extends so as to be curved such that the outer surface is convex outward in the tire radial direction, and is arc-shaped. A tread rubber 2G includes a center rubber CR, shoulder rubbers SH, and middle rubbers MD. The center rubber CR includes a center cap layer CRc and a center base layer CRb. A loss tangent tan ?1b of the center base layer CRb and a width L1b thereof in the tire axial direction are each limited so as to be set within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masafumi Otani, Narihiro Tahara, Kiyoshi Funahara
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9242513
    Abstract: A tread portion includes land portions partitioned by circumferential grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and lateral grooves extending in a tire width direction. At least one land portion comprises an annular sipe. A surface of a portion of the land portion surrounded by the annular sipe includes at least one inner side inclining face that inclines toward the annular sipe. A surface of a portion of the land portion along a periphery of the annular sipe includes at least one outer side inclining face that inclines toward the annular sipe. The inner side inclining face and the outer side inclining face are disposed so as not to be opposite each other. A step is formed between a first edge of the annular sipe of the inner side inclining face or the outer side inclining face and a second edge of the annular sipe opposing the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Harutaka Inoue
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9205705
    Abstract: Provision of a pneumatic tire with further enhanced low noise performance during running. Plural land portion rows are formed in a tread section (16) by forming circumferential direction main groove(s) extending along the tire circumferential direction. A fine-grooved-and-siped rib (34) configuring one of the land portion rows is configured with a fine groove (36) extending along the tire circumferential direction, a projecting sipe (38) projecting out from the fine groove (36) towards the side of a tire equatorial plane (CL) and open to a circumferential direction main groove (22E); and a plain rib portion (40) adjacent to the fine groove (36) on the vehicle mounting outside (SE), the plain rib portion (40) configured with a circular shaped peripheral face across the entire face on a ground contact side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Tread surface structures for mud evacuation
    Patent number: 9207150
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Patrick J Buresh
  • Run-flat tire
    Patent number: 9199515
    Abstract: A run-flat tire comprises a tread portion having a left-right asymmetry tread pattern including an inboard tread edge and an outboard tread edge defining a tread width therebetween, a circumferentially extending inner crown main groove disposed in an inner crown area being 20% width of the tread width from a tire equator toward the in-board tread edge, a plurality of inner lateral grooves extending from the inner crown main groove to the in-board tread edge, a plurality of inner blocks separated by the inner crown main groove, inner lateral grooves and the inboard tread edge, wherein each inner block is not provided with any circumferential grooves, or is provided with at least one narrow circumferential groove having a groove width of less than 2.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Susumu Tanaka
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9193218
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with a tread element provided with a pair of sipes. Each sipe comprises a radially outer constant width part and a widening part extending radially inwardly from the constant width part while gradually increasing the width of the sipe and then extending to the radially inner end of the sipe while gradually decreasing the width of the sipe. Each of the paired sipes has an inside sidewall surface positioned toward the other of the paired sipes and an outside sidewall surface positioned away from the other of the paired sipes. The inside sidewall surface includes an inside curved bottom surface having a radius of curvature Rib. The outside sidewall surface includes an outside curved bottom surface having a radius of curvature Rob more than the radius of curvature Rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Tanaka
  • Pneumatic tire, the belt of which is reinforced by a thermoplastic polymer film
    Patent number: 9186871
    Abstract: Pneumatic tire, the belt of which is reinforced by a multilayer laminate comprising at least one multiaxially drawn thermoplastic polymer film, such as for example a biaxially drawn PET film, placed between and in contact with two layers of rubber composition, such as natural rubber. Preferably, the thermoplastic polymer film has, irrespective of the tensile direction considered, a tensile modulus E which is greater than 500 MPa, a maximum tensile stress ?max which is greater than 80 MPa, and an elongation at break Ar greater than 40%. The above thermoplastic polymer film, placed between two layers of diene rubber compositions, can especially be used in the belt of pneumatic tires as a perforation-resistant protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Christophe Le Clerc
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9186937
    Abstract: On the surface of a tread portion (1), one central main groove (2) extends in a tire circumferential direction (C) at a pattern center, and a pair of outer main grooves (4a, 4b) extend in the tire circumferential direction (C) each at a position between the central main groove (2) and a respective one of two tread ends (3a, 3b). The central main groove (2) and the outer main grooves (4a, 4b) define central land portions (5a, 5b), and the outer main grooves (4a, 4b) and the tread ends (3a, 3b) define outer land portions (6a, 6b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Nakata
  • Tire
    Patent number: 9186936
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a tire possessing improved wear resistance by optimizing configurations of block land portions. The tire is configured such that, in at least two adjacent block land portion arrays 5 sandwiching a circumferential groove 2, adjacent block land portions 4 constituting the block land portion arrays 5 are arranged so as to be positionally displaced from each other in the tire circumferential direction; and a distance d2 between the block land portions adjacent in the tire width direction is shorter than a distance d1 between the block land portions adjacent in the tire circumferential direction. A groove portion 8 between the block land portions adjacent in the tire width direction extends obliquely with respect to the tire width direction and the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nagakazu Kuwahara, Akiyoshi Shimizu
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9180739
    Abstract: A plurality of blocks is provided in a tread portion and a plurality of sipes is provided in a tread surface of the blocks. In the sipes, protrusions are formed on a first sipe wall surface of mutually opposing sipe wall surfaces and recesses that engage with the protrusions are formed on a second sipe wall surface. Collapsing of the portions of the blocks sandwiched by the sipes is suppressed due to the engaging of the protrusions and the recesses. A height of the protrusions provided on the sipe wall surfaces of the sipes located at the edges in the tire circumferential direction is greater than a height of the protrusions provided on the sipe wall surfaces of the other sipes. Specifically, a force that works to suppress bending deformation increases and collapsing of the portions of the blocks located at the edges in the tire circumferential direction is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaaki Nagayasu
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9180741
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a belt layer 7, a band layer 9, and a noise damper 10 made of a sponge material and attached to a radially inner surface TS of a tread 2. The width WA of the noise damper 10 is of from 40%-70% of a ground contacting width TW of the tread. The band layer 9 has an overlapping portion 12 in which two band plies 9A, 9B are radially overlapped; and the overlapping portion 12 covers an axially outer region of the belt layer 7 with a cover width WB of from 10%-25% the ground contacting width TW. An axially inner end 12i of the overlapping portion 12 is spaced a distance LC of from 5%-20% the ground contacting width TW from an axially outer end E of the noise damper 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Oba
  • Bioabsorbable polymeric composition for a medical device
    Patent number: 9173973
    Abstract: A biodegradable and biocompatible nontoxic polymeric composition is provided which includes a base material such as a crystallizable polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer, and a copolymer or terpolymer additive. Medical devices manufactured from the composition are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventors: G. Lawrence Thatcher, Robert J. Cottone
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9174498
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire includes a belt layer that is formed by laminating a pair of cross belts and a circumferential reinforcing layer. Additionally, the pneumatic tire 1 includes a plurality of circumferential main grooves, and a plurality of land portions partitioned and formed by the circumferential main grooves in a tread portion. Also, the pneumatic tire includes a mark on a buttress portion in order to determine the time for renewal of the tire. Also, an outermost circumferential main groove is on an outer side in a tire width direction of the circumferential reinforcing layer. Also, a groove bottom gauge t of the outermost circumferential main groove and a distance D in a tire radial direction from a predetermined intersection point A to the mark have a relationship such that ?1.0?D/t?1.0, taking the outer side in the tire radial direction to be positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Okabe
  • Motorcycle tire
    Patent number: 9162531
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire comprises a tread portion provided with a plurality of inner inclined grooves and inclined narrow grooves in both sides of a tire equator, wherein each inner inclined groove extends from an axially inner end to the outer end with an angle of 0-20 degrees with respect to a tire circumferential direction, the inner end of the inner inclined groove is located in a developed length within 5% of a tread half developed-width from the tire equator, each inner inclined groove has a circumferential length of 70-85% of a first pitch, each inclined narrow groove with a groove width of 0.5-2.0 mm is provided between circumferentially adjacent inner inclined grooves and has an angle with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire larger than that of the inner inclined groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shohei Shibamoto
  • Tire
    Patent number: 9162532
    Abstract: The tire includes a tread portion to come into contact with a road surface. A lateral groove portion extending in a direction intersecting with a tire circumferential direction, and a land portion partitioned by the lateral groove portion are formed in the tread portion. The land portion includes: a ground-contact face to come into contact with the road surface; a side face formed on an outer side in a tread width direction of the land portion; a lateral groove face constituting a groove wall of the lateral groove portion formed on one end in the tire circumferential direction of the land portion; and a tapered face which meets the ground-contact face, the side face, and the lateral groove face in a corner portion formed by the ground-contact face, the side face, and the lateral groove face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kawakami
  • Hydroplaning performance for a tire
    Patent number: 9156313
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to an improved design that provides better hydroplaning performance for a tire, and, more specifically, to a tire that has a variable pressure shear band located below its tread that provides increased structural stiffness to the tire, helping the tire to resist deformation when the tire encounters water, thereby decreasing the tendency of the tire to hydroplane. Advantageously, the variable pressure shear band can improve the hydroplaning performance and rolling resistance simultaneously without degrading wear performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ESTABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE et TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Ronald Hobart Thompson
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9150056
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has: a circumferential groove on each side of the tire equator; oblique grooves extending from the circumferential groove while inclining to one circumferential direction; and lug grooves extending axially outwardly beyond the tread edges from positions axially outside the circumferential groove while inclining to the one circumferential direction. The lug grooves include: a first lug groove comprising an axially inner steeply-inclined part and an axially outer mildly-inclined part; and a second lug groove extending along the mildly-inclined part. The axially inner end of the first lug groove is at a distance La of 8 to 12% of the tread width from the circumferential groove. The steeply-inclined part inclines at an angle larger than an inclination angle of the oblique grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryuhei Sanae
  • Pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 9150053
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises buttress parts each provided with a row of protrusions arranged circumferentially of the tire. The protrusion has a radially outside wall surface rising from the surface of the buttress part, a radially inside wall surface rising from the surface of the buttress part, and a top surface extending between the radially inside wall surface and the radially outside wall surface. The radially outside wall surface starts to rise from the surface of the buttress part at a certain distance from the tread edge so that the minimum radial distance Kmin from the tread edge to the protrusions is in a range of from 5 to 15 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Seiji Nomura
  • Tire
    Patent number: 9145032
    Abstract: A land portion of a pneumatic tire 1 comprises a land portion 10 having groove wall 10a a second land portion 20 having a groove wall 20a. The groove walls 10a, 20a meander. A groove width of a main groove 50 changes at a predetermined repetition cycle. The main groove 50 includes: a wide groove portion 50A having a predetermined width; and a narrow groove portion 50B which is continuous with the wide groove portion and which is narrower than the predetermined width. A relationship of ?1>?2 is satisfied where ?1 refers to an angle formed between a tire normal line RL and the groove wall 10a or the groove wall 20a forming the wide groove portion 50A and ?2 refers to an angle formed between the tire normal line RL and the groove wall 10a or the groove wall 20a forming the narrow groove portion 50B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinpei Sugiyasu