Abstract: A tire including a decoupling groove is provided, the tire comprising: a body, a shoulder, a tread surface including at least one decoupling groove extending radially inwardly into the body from the tread surface, and a plurality of parallel sipes, wherein the decoupling groove is oriented adjacent to the shoulder, wherein the decoupling groove is defined by an axially outer groove sidewall and an axially inner groove sidewall, has a width W1, and has a centerline, wherein the plurality of parallel sipes extend axially into the inner groove sidewall, wherein the decoupling groove has a radially inner groove base defined by a curvilinear base surface, has a width W2, and has a center, wherein the width W2 is greater than the width W1, and wherein a centerline of the decoupling groove intersects the center of the groove base.

Abstract: A method of automatically focusing a microscope in which a beam of light is directed from a light source through an objective of the microscope system to an object whereby light is reflected from the surface thereof; reflected light is collected and directed to an imaging system. The incident beam of light is limited in spatial extent by imaging an aperture to form an illumination pupil, the centroid of illumination of the illumination pupil is aligned with the incident optical axis of the instrument. The reflected light is split in the imaging system into at least one pair of images from eccentric sections of an imaging pupil displaced from the optical axis in opposite directions. The separation of the images thereby produced is determined to provide an indication of the object distance. A focusing system implementing the method and a microscope fitted with such a system are also described.