Abstract: A tyre includes a tread portion including a shoulder land portion which has a tread edge and an axial outer surface extending radially inwardly from the tread edge. The shoulder land portion is provided with shoulder lateral grooves extending inwardly in the tyre axial direction from the tread edge to define shoulder blocks therebetween, and protrusions protruding outwardly in the tyre axial direction from the outer surface. The protrusion includes first protrusions each provided on the respective shoulder blocks and extending in the tyre radial direction, and second protrusions connecting radially inner ends of adjacent two first protrusions such that first bent portions are formed between the second protrusions and the first protrusions. The first protrusions have widths smaller than maximum length in the tyre circumferential direction of the respective shoulder blocks, and the second protrusions have widths smaller than the width of the first protrusions.

Abstract: A tyre comprises a tread portion having a main groove extending continuously in a tyre circumferential direction and a pair of land regions adjacent to the main groove on both sides thereof. At least one of the pair of the land regions has, on an edge thereof facing the main groove, a plurality of main groove side step-like portions each having a height decreasing stepwise in two or more steps from a ground contacting surface of the at least one of the pair of the land regions to a bottom surface of the main groove. The main groove side step-like portions include at least a first main groove side step-like portion and a second main groove side step-like portion having different numbers of the steps from each other.

Abstract: A tyre includes a tread portion including a shoulder land portion which has a tread edge and an axial outer surface extending radially inwardly from the tread edge. The shoulder land portion is provided with shoulder lateral grooves extending inwardly in the tyre axial direction from the tread edge to define shoulder blocks therebetween, and protrusions protruding outwardly in the tyre axial direction from the outer surface. The protrusion includes first protrusions each provided on the respective shoulder blocks and extending in the tyre radial direction, and second protrusions connecting radially inner ends of adjacent two first protrusions such that first bent portions are formed between the second protrusions and the first protrusions. The first protrusions have widths smaller than maximum length in the tyre circumferential direction of the respective shoulder blocks, and the second protrusions have widths smaller than the width of the first protrusions.

Abstract: A tyre comprises a tread portion having a main groove extending continuously in a tyre circumferential direction and a pair of land regions adjacent to the main groove on both sides thereof. At least one of the pair of the land regions has, on an edge thereof facing the main groove, a plurality of main groove side step-like portions each having a height decreasing stepwise in two or more steps from a ground contacting surface of the at least one of the pair of the land regions to a bottom surface of the main groove. The main groove side step-like portions include at least a first main groove side step-like portion and a second main groove side step-like portion having different numbers of the steps from each other.

Abstract: A tire shaping drum has a central axle, a drum part which is capable of expansion and contraction, and a expanding/contracting means for changing the drum part. In the drum part, first segments having first end faces at both ends in the circumferential direction, and second segments having second end faces at both ends in the circumferential direction, are alternately seriated. There is provided with a backlash prevention means for preventing backlash between the contacting first end faces and second end faces when the drum part is in a diameter expanded state. Consequently, the first end faces and the second end faces closely contact with each other, and changes in the circularity of the drum part and the outer diameter of the drum part can be prevented.

Abstract: To provide a tire shaping drum in which a tire member can be improved in quality by preventing backlash between two adjacent segments, and tire manufacturing productivity can be improved by decreasing a cause of facility stopping. The tire shaping drum (1) has a central axle (2), a drum part (3) which is capable of expansion and contraction, and a expanding/contracting means 4 for changing the drum part (3). In the drum part (3), first segments (20) having first end faces (22) at both ends in the circumferential direction, and second segments (21) having second end faces (24) at both ends in the circumferential direction, are alternately seriated. There is provided with a backlash prevention means for preventing backlash between the contacting first end faces (22) and second end faces (24) when the drum part (3) is in a diameter expanded state Ye.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided along each tread edge with shoulder blocks defined by a circumferentially extending shoulder main groove and shoulder lateral grooves extending from the shoulder main groove to the tread edge. The shoulder main groove is made up of groove segments curved convexly toward the tire equator so that each groove segment comprises a first inclined part and a second inclined part. The shoulder lateral grooves extend at 45 to 90 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and are coupled with the first inclined parts of the groove segments. The shoulder blocks are each subdivided by a shoulder sub groove extending at an angle of from 15 to 45 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction. The shoulder sub groove has an axially outer end connected with the shoulder lateral groove and an axially inner end coupled with the second inclined part.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided along each tread edge with shoulder blocks defined by a circumferentially extending shoulder main groove and shoulder lateral grooves extending from the shoulder main groove to the tread edge. The shoulder main groove is made up of groove segments curved convexly toward the tire equator so that each groove segment comprises a first inclined part and a second inclined part. The shoulder lateral grooves extend at 45 to 90 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and are coupled with the first inclined parts of the groove segments. The shoulder blocks are each subdivided by a shoulder sub groove extending at an angle of from 15 to 45 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction. The shoulder sub groove has an axially outer end connected with the shoulder lateral groove and an axially inner end coupled with the second inclined part.

Abstract: The speed of an input speech is changed without any change of the pitch of the input speech. Raw data of a speech are stored so that the speed of the speech can be modulated continuously on the basis of the raw data of the speech. In the speech speed conversion method, a speech speed conversion process for the input speech is carried out in a period designated when speech speed conversion is needed, which the speech speed conversion is not carried out in the other period.