Patents by Inventor Kenji Horiuchi
Kenji Horiuchi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11926177Abstract: In a tire having a specified mounting direction, groove area ratios Rin and Rout in ground contact regions on the vehicle inner and outer sides, respectively, satisfy Rin>Rout, average land portion areas Ain and Aout of intermediate regions Min and Mout on the vehicle inner and outer sides, respectively satisfy Ain<Aout, the number of blocks Nin, Nout in the intermediate regions Min, Mout, respectively, satisfy Nin?1.5×Nout, total sipe lengths Sin, Sout in the intermediate regions Min, Mout, respectively, satisfy Sin<Sout, and sipes formed in the intermediate region Mout have a three-dimensional structure in a range of 70% or more of a sipe length.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Patent number: 11701924Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided. A tread portion includes shallow grooves formed in a road contact surface of each of shoulder blocks, intermediate blocks, and center blocks, defined by a plurality of longitudinal grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and a plurality of lateral grooves extending in a tire lateral direction, the shallow groove having a smaller groove depth than the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove. The shallow groove extends along the tire lateral direction, and at least one end thereof communicates with the longitudinal groove or the lateral groove. A contour line of the shallow groove is provided with at least one bend point. A sipe is provided in a flat bottom surface of the shallow groove extending along the shallow groove. Among the shallow grooves, center shallow grooves formed in the center block are each provided with a terminating end portion terminating in the center block.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2018Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Publication number: 20230128036Abstract: In a tire having a specified mounting direction, groove area ratios Rin and Rout in ground contact regions on the vehicle inner and outer sides, respectively, satisfy Rin>Rout, average land portion areas Ain and Aout of intermediate regions Min and Mout on the vehicle inner and outer sides, respectively satisfy Ain<Aout, the number of blocks Nin, Nout in the intermediate regions Min, Mout, respectively, satisfy Nin?1.5×Nout, total sipe lengths Sin, Sout in the intermediate regions Min, Mout, respectively, satisfy Sin<Sout, and sipes formed in the intermediate region Mout have a three-dimensional structure in a range of 70% or more of a sipe length.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2021Publication date: April 27, 2023Inventor: Kenji HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20230128093Abstract: In a tire with a specified mounting direction, groove area ratios Rin and Rout in ground contact regions on the vehicle inner and outer sides, respectively, satisfy Rin>Rout, average land portion areas Ain and Aout of intermediate regions Min and Mout on the vehicle inner and outer sides, respectively, satisfy Ain<Aout, the number of blocks Nin and Nout in the intermediate regions Min and Mout, respectively, satisfy Nin?1.5×Nout, total sipe lengths Sin and Sout in the intermediate regions Min and Mout, respectively, satisfy Sin>Sout, and sipes formed in the intermediate region Min have a three-dimensional structure in a range of 70% or more of a sipe length.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2021Publication date: April 27, 2023Inventor: Kenji HORIUCHI
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Patent number: 11613145Abstract: In a pneumatic tire having a point-symmetric structure block pattern, narrow and wide outer blocks having different outer end positions in the lateral direction are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction. Among side blocks provided in a side region, large and small blocks are disposed respectively on the outer sides of the narrow and wide outer blocks in the lateral direction. The lateral and side grooves are continuous such that the groove width of the side groove connected to the wide portion of the lateral groove where the outer block converges toward the inner side in the radial direction, and the groove width of the side portion connected to the narrow portion of the lateral groove where the outer block widens toward the inner side in the radial direction, and the side block is tapered with an inner portion block width in the radial direction converges toward the wide portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2018Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Publication number: 20220161603Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes side blocks in each of side regions adjacent to, on an outer side in a width direction, outermost side end portions of a tread portion in the width direction. For the number N1 and total area SS1 of the side blocks in a first side region located on a first side in the width direction, the number N2 and total area SS2 of the side blocks in a second side region located on a second side in the width direction, a land portion area TS1 in a first tread region of the tread portion on a side of the first side region, and a land portion area TS2 in a second tread region of the tread portion on a side of the second side region, relationships N1>N2, TS1>TS2, and 0.95?(SS1×TS1)/(SS2×TS2)?1.05 are satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2020Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventor: Kenji HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20220063342Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of side blocks rising from an outer surface of a sidewall portion and defined by a segmentation element in each of side regions adjacent to an outer side in a tire width direction of an outermost end portion in the tire width direction of a tread portion. The number Nout of the side blocks provided in an outer side region that is an outer side with respect to a vehicle when a tire is mounted on the vehicle is smaller than the number Nin of the side blocks provided in an inner side region that is an inner side with respect to the vehicle when the tire is mounted on the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2019Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventor: Kenji HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20220063349Abstract: To provide a pneumatic tire that provides improved noise performance and running performance on unpaved roads. A plurality of side blocks rising from an outer surface of a sidewall portion and defined by a segmentation element are provided in each of side regions adjacent to an outer side in a tire width direction of an outermost end portion in the tire width direction of a tread portion. The number Nin of the side blocks provided in an inner side region that is an inner side with respect to a vehicle when a tire is mounted on the vehicle is smaller than the number Nout of the side blocks provided in an outer side region that is an outer side with respect to the vehicle when the tire is mounted on the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2019Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventor: Kenji HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20210138843Abstract: In a pneumatic tire having a point-symmetric structure block pattern, narrow and wide outer blocks having different outer end positions in the lateral direction are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction. Among side blocks provided in a side region, large and small blocks are disposed respectively on the outer sides of the narrow and wide outer blocks in the lateral direction. The lateral and side grooves are continuous such that the groove width of the side groove connected to the wide portion of the lateral groove where the outer block converges toward the inner side in the radial direction, and the groove width of the side portion connected to the narrow portion of the lateral groove where the outer block widens toward the inner side in the radial direction, and the side block is tapered with an inner portion block width in the radial direction converges toward the wide portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2018Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Publication number: 20210138842Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided. A tread portion includes shallow grooves formed in a road contact surface of each of shoulder blocks, intermediate blocks, and center blocks, defined by a plurality of longitudinal grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and a plurality of lateral grooves extending in a tire lateral direction, the shallow groove having a smaller groove depth than the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove. The shallow groove extends along the tire lateral direction, and at least one end thereof communicates with the longitudinal groove or the lateral groove. A contour line of the shallow groove is provided with at least one bend point. A sipe is provided in a flat bottom surface of the shallow groove extending along the shallow groove. Among the shallow grooves, center shallow grooves formed in the center block are each provided with a terminating end portion terminating in the center block.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2018Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Publication number: 20210039441Abstract: A tread pattern of a pneumatic tire includes circumferential main grooves, lug grooves and first and second sipes connecting the circumferential main grooves, a block land portion defined by the circumferential main grooves and the lug grooves and including the sipes. The lug grooves and the first and second sipes have a shape that projects toward one direction in the circumferential direction. A shallow depth groove raised bottom is provided in a turning portion where the lug groove includes a projecting apex. The projecting apex of a sipe turning portion including the projecting apex of the first sipe is within the range of the shallow depth groove raised bottom, and is inward in the lateral direction compared with the position of the projecting apex of a sipe turning portion including the projecting apex of the second sipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Publication number: 20190172400Abstract: A display includes light sources, a light guide plate, a display panel, a light source controller, and a display controller. The light guide plate has a light input surface and a light output surface. The display panel overlaps the light output surface and is configured to display an image by using light from the light output surface. The light source controller is configured to switch between a first lighting mode and a second lighting mode. The first lighting mode allows the light sources to be turned on. The second lighting mode allows at least one of the light sources to be turned on and another one to be turned off. The display controller is configured to provide a black display in an end portion of a display area of the display panel adjacent to the light sources in the second lighting mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2018Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventors: HARUYOSHI KOBAYASHI, KENJI HORIUCHI
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Patent number: 10046606Abstract: In a side reinforced type run-flat tire, a relationship between a distance (Do) from a center position of a circumferential primary groove that is positioned outermost in the tire width direction in a vehicle outer side region to a tire equatorial plane and a rim width (Wr) is such that 0.20?Do/Wr?0.30, and a relationship between a distance (Di) from a center position of a circumferential primary groove that is positioned outermost in the tire width direction in a vehicle inner side region to the tire equatorial plane and the rim width (Wr) is such that 0.25?Di/Wr?0.35.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2014Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Patent number: 9889710Abstract: Each pneumatic tire disposed on the rear wheel side has a total groove surface area ratio of 20% or more and 27% or less in ground-contacting width. Each pneumatic tire disposed on the front wheel side and the rear wheel side has a smaller groove surface area ratio on the vehicle outer side than on the vehicle inner side in the ground-contacting width. The difference in the groove surface area ratio is 7% or more and 15% or less. The total groove surface area ratio is greater on the front wheel side than on the rear wheel side, the difference in the total groove surface area ratio being 3% or more and 10% or less.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2014Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Patent number: 9884521Abstract: In a side reinforcing type run flat tire, a minimum wall thickness portion is arranged between an end portion of each belt layer and a position at 70% of a tire cross-sectional height SH. A relationship between a thickness Gmin of the minimum wall thickness portion and a thickness Gmax of a maximum wall thickness portion 17 is 0.5×Gmax?Gmin?0.8×Gmax. A relationship between a length L min of a thin wall region and the tire cross-sectional height SH is 0.18×SH?Lmin?0.26×SH. A relationship among a weight Wr of a side reinforcing layer, a total weight Wt of the tire, and a tire flattening rate R is 0.08×Wt×(1?0.2×(1?R/50))?Wr?0.18×Wt×(1?0.2×(1?R/50)). A relationship between a thickness Ga at a rim check line position of an outer side rubber portion more to the outer side than a carcass layer and a maximum thickness Gb thereof is 0.8×Gb?Ga?1.0×Gb.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2013Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Publication number: 20160159159Abstract: Each pneumatic tire disposed on the rear wheel side has a total groove surface area ratio of 20% or more and 27% or less in ground-contacting width. Each pneumatic tire disposed on the front wheel side and the rear wheel side has a smaller groove surface area ratio on the vehicle outer side than on the vehicle inner side in the ground-contacting width. The difference in the groove surface area ratio is 7% or more and 15% or less. The total groove surface area ratio is greater on the front wheel side than on the rear wheel side, the difference in the total groove surface area ratio being 3% or more and 10% or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2014Publication date: June 9, 2016Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Patent number: 9340073Abstract: A pneumatic run flat tire includes an inner side reinforcing rubber layer having a falcated cross-section and an outer side reinforcing rubber layer having a center of gravity position in a meridian cross-section that is positioned inward in a tire radial direction of a tire maximum width position disposed in a side wall portion. Volumes of the inner side reinforcing rubber layer and the outer side reinforcing rubber layer are each different on a vehicle inner side and a vehicle outer side when mounted on a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Patent number: 9290064Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a height from a turned-up edge of a carcass layer is not more than 10 mm, a distance from a tire outer surface to the carcass layer is not less than 50% of the total gauge, a height of the bead filler is from 50% to 80% of a tire cross-section height, a cross-sectional area ratio VB/VR of the bead filler to a side reinforcing layer is not less than 0.4 and not more than 0.6, a hardness HsB of the bead filler is not less than 65 and not more than 80, and the hardness HsR of the side reinforcing layer is not less than 75 and not more than 85, a size relationship between the hardness HsB and the hardness HsR is HsB?HsR, a value TB of tan ? is not more than 0.06, and a value TR of tan ? is not more than 0.05.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Publication number: 20160031267Abstract: In a side reinforced type run-flat tire, a relationship between a distance (Do) from a center position of a circumferential primary groove that is positioned outermost in the tire width direction in a vehicle outer side region to a tire equatorial plane and a rim width (Wr) is such that 0.20?Do/Wr?0.30, and a relationship between a distance (Di) from a center position of a circumferential primary groove that is positioned outermost in the tire width direction in a vehicle inner side region to the tire equatorial plane and the rim width (Wr) is such that 0.25?Di/Wr?0.35.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
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Patent number: 9090129Abstract: In a pneumatic run flat tire in which an inner side reinforcing rubber layer having a falcated cross-section is disposed in a side wall portion, dynamic elastic moduli E?10A, E?10B, and E?10C and values T10A, T10B, and T10C of a tan ? at 60° C. of rubber compositions of each region of the inner side reinforcing rubber layer are configured so as to satisfy the relationships E?10A<E?10B<E?10C, E?10A?4.0 MPa, T10A<T10B<T10C, and T10A?0.06. Dynamic elastic moduli E?20A, E?20B, and E?20C at 60° C. of rubber compositions of each region of the outer side rubber layer are configured so as to satisfy the relationships E?20B<E?20A?E?20C and E?20C/E?20B?1.6. Furthermore, the dynamic elastic modulus ratios E?20A/E?10A and E?20C/E?10C are configured so as to satisfy the relationships 0.6?E?20A/E?10A?1.0 and 0.6?E?20C/E?10C?1.0.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi