Abstract: A vehicle tire includes tread blocks positioned on the tire. One or more rotating sipes are formed in each of the tread blocks. Each rotating sipe comprises first and second walls that are substantially parallel wherein the first wall includes three points that lie in an imaginary plane and a fourth point that lies outside of the imaginary plane.

Abstract: Tire having a tread pattern with superior performance characteristics. The tread pattern includes ribs and circumferential grooves which are at least one of tapered and/or generally V-shaped. The walls of each circumferential groove have a wavy and/or sinusoidal contour extending in a generally circumferential direction.

Abstract: A tire tread has a decoupling groove (32) with walls (20, 22) that have a wavy shape in the radial direction with respect to the tire geometry, i.e. at least one axial deviation (26, 28) along the depth of the decoupling groove (18). An axial cut through the tire tread (10) divulges a wavy course of the decoupling groove (18), where the two walls (20, 22) have contours that complement each other. During a road contact of a respective tread section, the decoupling groove (18) closes, and a radially interlocking connection between the shoulder rib (12) and the decoupler rib (14) is made. Under load, the decoupler rib (14) functions like a part of the tread (10), thus protecting the shoulder rib (12) from erosion wear.

Abstract: In a tire tread with a decoupling groove (38), the edge (36) of the tread rib (32) adjoining the decoupling groove (38) has a wavy contour. The wavy edge (36) provides protection from step-off wear because erosion at one location is confined to the affected wave. The adjacent edge (44) of the decoupler rib (34) may have a complementary wavy contour. In the area of the contact patch, where the vehicle load on the tire deforms the tread, these two edges (36,44) will interlock with each other, thus protecting the outer edge (36) of the tread rib. Instead, the outer edge of the decoupler rib (34) will be subjected to erosion wear. Toward the bottom of the decoupling groove (38), the wavy contour of the edges (36,44) may taper off. The bottom of the decoupling groove (38) can be arranged in a straight circumferential line.

Abstract: A tire tread (1) includes tie bars (13,14,15,16) in its secondary grooves (9,10,11,12). These tie bars (13,14,15,16) are rounded and taper off on their sides so that the contour of such a tie bar (13,14,15,16) in cross-section along a groove (9,10,11,12) constitutes a continuous curve without edges or straight lines. The profile of the tie bar (13) is essentially a circle segment with sides leveling off toward the bottom of the groove (12). This design allows a gradual change in block stiffness unlike conventional tie bars, which only provide a sudden drop-off in block stiffness.

Abstract: A tire tread has a decoupling groove (18) with an opening angle (?) of approximately 15°. Even if gravel is moved into the groove (18) by the decoupler rib (14), it will easily fall out once the tread section loses touch with the road surface and the groove (18) expands to its relaxed shape. Additionally, the ridge (24) of the decoupler rib (14) is rounded with a radius (R2) of about 2 mm. By this means, it has a much lower tendency to pick up rocks by scooping when bending toward the shoulder rib (16). A rounded bottom of the decoupling groove (18) with a radius (R1) of approximately 1.5 mm, will prevent any rocks from wedging into the bottom of the decoupling groove (18).