Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a first circumferential groove extending in a circumferential direction of the pneumatic tire, a second circumferential groove extending in the circumferential direction of the pneumatic tire, a third circumferential groove extending in the circumferential direction of the pneumatic tire; and a fourth circumferential groove extending in the circumferential direction of the pneumatic tire, the first, second, third, and fourth circumferential grooves defining first, second, third, fourth, and fifth ribs. Each of the ribs includes lateral grooves and lateral sipes. The lateral grooves of the first rib each having chamfers on an upper side at an intersection with the first circumferential groove.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel tire having a symmetrical five rib tread construction with adjacent tread ribs comprising the tread separated by circumferential grooves. The intermediate tread grooves have an axial width wider than an axial width of the shoulder grooves and a center rib has an axial width wider than the axial widths of the intermediate ribs and the shoulder ribs. The axial width of the center rib, intermediate ribs, and shoulder ribs are within a prescribed preferred range of a total tread axial width and the axial width of each intermediate groove is within a prescribed preferred range of total tread axial width.

Abstract: The invention provides a tire tread, the tread having at least one circumferentially extending or laterally extending main groove, the maximum radial depth of the at least one main groove defining a non-skid tread depth, the at least one main groove partially forming at least one tread element, the at least one tread element having a sipe therein, wherein the sipe has a first portion having a first and second opposed side, and a third side joining said first and second side, and said sipe further including a continuous tubular pathway bordering said first, second and third side. The invention further includes a blade for molding a tire, the blade comprising a first portion having a first and second opposed side, and a third side joining said first and second side, and said blade further including a continuous tubular pathway extending along the third side and partially extending along at least one of the first and second side.

Abstract: A vehicle tire tread includes a circumferential spaced apart array of discrete tie-bar block elements within a circumferential tread groove, each tie-bar block element having a circumferentially oriented bisecting cut dividing the tie bar into opposed tie-bar components. The opposed tie-bar components operatively flex and converge axially when present within a rolling tire footprint to close the radially outward cut segment and resume a nominal separation dimension when outside a rolling tire footprint. The bisecting cut within each tie-bar block element further forms at a radially inward end a large diameter fluid conducting channel extending through the tie-bar block element to allow the passage of fluid along the circumferential groove, unobstructed by the array of tie-bar block elements.

Abstract: The invention provides a tire tread, the tread having at least one circumferentially extending or laterally extending main groove, the maximum radial depth of the at least one main groove defining a non-skid tread depth, the at least one main groove partially forming at least one tread element, the at least one tread element having a sipe therein, wherein the sipe has a first portion having a first and second opposed side, and a third side joining said first and second side, and said sipe further including a continuous tubular pathway bordering said first, second and third side. The invention further includes a blade for molding a tire, the blade comprising a first portion having a first and second opposed side, and a third side joining said first and second side, and said blade further including a continuous tubular pathway extending along the third side and partially extending along at least one of the first and second side.

Abstract: A pneumatic truck drive tire comprising a tread, the tread comprising a tread cap, a tread base, and a tread underlayer disposed between the tread cap and the tread base; the tread cap comprising a rubber composition comprising 100 part by weight, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr) of a rubber consisting of from 52 to 64 phr of polyisoprene rubber, from 22 to 27 phr of polybutadiene rubber, and from 13 to 21 phr of styrene-butadiene rubber; and 47 to 57 phr of carbon black; wherein the tread cap has a tan delta (100° C., 10% strain, 1 Hz) ranging from 0.13 to 0.16, a storage modulus (100° C., 1% strain, 1 Hz) ranging from 2 to 2.5 MPa, and a tear strength (100° C.) ranging from 19 to 23 N; the undertread comprising a rubber composition comprising 100 phr of a rubber consisting of from 71 to 86 phr of polyisoprene rubber and from 14 to 29 phr of polybutadiene rubber; from 19 to 23 phr of silica; and from 29 to 36 phr of carbon black wherein the undertread has a tan delta (100° C.

Abstract: A vehicle tire tread includes a circumferential spaced apart array of discrete tie-bar block elements within a circumferential tread groove, each tie-bar block element having a circumferentially oriented bisecting cut dividing the tie bar into opposed tie-bar components. The opposed tie-bar components operatively flex and converge axially when present within a rolling tire footprint to close the radially outward cut segment and resume a nominal separation dimension when outside a rolling tire footprint. The bisecting cut within each tie-bar block element further forms at a radially inward end a large diameter fluid conducting channel extending through the tie-bar block element to allow the passage of fluid along the circumferential groove, unobstructed by the array of tie-bar block elements.