Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire capable of yielding excellent water-draining performance, while reducing air column resonance. This pneumatic tire (1) has a tread (3) and at least one ply (2) arranged toward the interior of the tread in the radial direction. The tread has at least one main channel (4) and a flexible fence (5) formed inside the main channel. The main channel has a bottom (413) and opposing first and second wall surfaces (411, 412). The flexible fence extends along the width of the main channel so as to block at least 70% of a cross sectional area of the main channel, and is arranged at intervals so that at least one is present in the main channel in the tread footprint when the tire rolls. A plurality of recesses having an opening that opens in the main channel are formed on the bottom, first wall surface and/or second wall surface of the main channel, the flexible fence being connected to the recess and extending into the main channel via the opening of the recess.

Abstract: A tread for a tire, this tread having a tread surface intended to come into contact with a road surface and comprising at least one groove of width W and of depth P delimited by two walls facing one another, these walls being joined together by a groove bottom, at least one groove comprising at least one flexible device for at least partially closing this groove as it passes through the contact patch, each flexible device comprising at least one blade of a suitable thickness that allows it to flex under the effect of a circulation of liquid, this blade being borne by a wall delimiting the groove, each blade of thickness E being bounded by a bottom wall facing the bottom of the groove, an end wall facing the other wall of the groove and a contact wall intended to come into contact with the road surface and lateral walls spaced apart by a distance equal to the thickness E of the blade, this tread being such that the bottom wall of the blade comprises a first part referred to as connection part and a second part

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for molding and vulcanizing a tire, comprising a molding surface extending circumferentially in the mold, and comprising two end strips of patterns arranged respectively close to two edges of the molding surface and at least one intermediate strip of patterns positioned between the two end strips of patterns. At least one end strip comprises patterns belonging to a first pattern type and the patterns of the first pattern type have a width which is less than the width of the patterns belonging to the other pattern types of the end strip, and the patterns of the first pattern type are grouped at least in twos on first segments of the mold. The patterns of the end strip not belonging to the first pattern type belong to second segments, each second segment comprising just one pattern of the said end strip.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire tread that maintains a good level of water drainage performance up to the final stage of wear of a tread part formed with a plurality of flexible fences which are disposed inside at least one main groove extending from the bottom surface of the main groove and obstructing at least 70% of the cross-sectional area of the main groove, the flexible fences comprising an inside portion having a connecting part which is connected to the main groove, and an outside portion which is radially outside a predetermined height D1 from the bottom surface of the main groove, and the average angle of inclination of the inside portion with respect to a line perpendicular to the surface of the tread part in contact with the road surface is greater than the average angle of inclination of the outside portion.

Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing a tire tread comprising a molding surface able to mold a tread surface of the tread of the tire and at least one bar of length L and of width W able to mold a groove in the tread. The bar comprises two lateral faces extending along the length of the bar and projecting from the molding surface and an upper face connecting the said lateral faces. The mold comprises in the bar at least two cavities respectively opening onto the two lateral faces of the bar without opening onto the upper face of this bar. These cavities overlap in the width of the bar. The mold further comprises a first element added into the bar beforehand, this first element separating the two cavities in the length of the bar.

Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing a tire tread comprising a molding surface able to mold a tread surface of the tread of the tire and at least one bar of length L and of width W able to mold a groove in the tread. The bar comprises two lateral faces extending along the length of the bar and projecting from the molding surface and an upper face connecting the said lateral faces. The mold comprises in the bar at least two cavities respectively opening onto the two lateral faces of the bar without opening onto the upper face of this bar. These cavities overlap in the width of the bar. The mold further comprises a first element added into the bar beforehand, this first element separating the two cavities in the length of the bar.

Abstract: Tread having a tread surface intended to come into contact with a road surface and comprising at least one groove of width W and of depth P delimited by two walls facing one another, these walls being joined together by a groove bottom, at least one groove comprising at least one closure device for at least partially closing this groove as it passes through the contact patch, each closure device comprising at least one flexible blade of suitable thickness that allows it to flex under the effect of a circulation of liquid, this at least one flexible blade projecting from the bottom of the groove, each flexible blade being delimited by a contact wall intended to come into contact with the road surface and by end walls each facing a wall delimiting the groove and lateral walls, this tread further comprising at least one passage between the bottom of the groove and each blade of the device, this passage being intended to ensure a minimal flow of water when driving on a water-covered road surface.

Abstract: A molding element for a mold for vulcanizing a tread of a tire, comprising a base able to mold part of the tread surface of the tread and a bar able to mold a groove in the tread, the bar comprising two lateral faces extending along its length and projecting from the base and an upper face connecting the lateral faces. The molding element comprises a contact edge formed by the base and the bar, intended to come into contact with another molding element to form all or part of the vulcanizing mold, and further comprising at least one recess in the bar, which opens onto one of the lateral faces and onto the contact edge, but does not open onto the upper face of the bar.

Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire with which grip performance on a road surface having a low coefficient of friction can be improved and tread pattern durability can be further improved. A pneumatic tire tread 1 according to the present invention has a ground-contacting element 5 demarcated by grooves 4 (4a, 4b) formed in the tread, micro-incisions 3a being formed in the ground-contacting element, the micro-incisions, at least when the tire is new, having one arcuate portion 33 and two end portions 31, 32 formed in a ground-contacting surface of the tread, opening to a width E in the ground-contacting surface of the tread and extending such that they do not open in the grooves, an incision length L being at most equal to 3.0 mm.

Abstract: A tread for a tire, this tread having a tread surface intended to come into contact with a road surface and comprising at least one groove of width W and of depth P delimited by two walls facing one another, these walls being joined together by a groove bottom, at least one groove comprising at least one flexible device for at least partially closing this groove as it passes through the contact patch, each flexible device comprising at least one blade of a suitable thickness that allows it to flex under the effect of a circulation of liquid, this blade being borne by a wall delimiting the groove, each blade of thickness E being bounded by a bottom wall facing the bottom of the groove, an end wall facing the other wall of the groove and a contact wall intended to come into contact with the road surface and lateral walls spaced apart by a distance equal to the thickness E of the blade, this tread being such that the bottom wall of the blade comprises a first part referred to as connection part and a second part

Abstract: A tread for a pneumatic tire in which air column resonance sound is reduced and wear of the groove fences and tread portion are caused to be approximately the same, while drainage performance is maintained, wherein a plurality of groove fences are formed and are installed within at least one circumferential groove, extending from the bottom of the circumferential groove, and block at least 70% of the cross-sectional area of the circumferential groove, and the bending parameter of the groove fences, defined as E·I/(h3l) (where E is the modulus at 10% elongation of the material used for the groove fences, I is the second moment of area of the groove fence, h is the height of the groove fence, and l is the width of the groove fence) is at least equal to 250 Pa and at most equal to 350 Pa.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mould for moulding and vulcanizing a tire, comprising a moulding surface extending circumferentially in the mould, and comprising two end strips of patterns arranged respectively close to two edges of the moulding surface and at least one intermediate strip of patterns positioned between the two end strips of patterns. At least one end strip comprises patterns belonging to a first pattern type and the patterns of the first pattern type have a width which is less than the width of the patterns belonging to the other pattern types of the end strip, and the patterns of the first pattern type are grouped at least in twos on first segments of the mould. The patterns of the end strip not belonging to the first pattern type belong to second segments, each second segment comprising just one pattern of the said end strip.