Patents by Inventor Yukihiro Kiwaki

Yukihiro Kiwaki 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).

  • Publication number: 20120211135
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1) comprises a tread (50), side walls (60), and buttress portions (70). In a cross-section of the pneumatic tire (1) in the tread width direction (TW), if the point at which a first curved line (R1) which follows the curvature of the surface of the tread (50) and a second curved line (R2) which follows the curvature of the surface of a buttress portion (70) intersect is defined as an imaginary point (IP) and also if the point at which a straight line (L) passing through the imaginary point (IP) and substantially perpendicular to the carcass (20) intersects the surface of the pneumatic tire (1) is defined as an intersection point (NP), the pneumatic tire (1) has a recessed shoulder region (US) including the intersection point (NP) and having a predetermined width. The recessed shoulder region (US) is provided with recesses (80) recessed from the surface of the pneumatic tire (1) and also with a surface portion (90) in which no recess (80) is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Kojima, Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Publication number: 20120186711
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (10) provided with: a rib-like land portion (110), a rib-like land portion (210), and a rib-like land portion (240) which are divided by circumferential grooves (11, 12, 21, 22) extending in the circumferential direction of the tire; and resonators which are recessed inward in the radial direction of the tire, which each form a predetermined space when the rib-like land portion (110) makes contact with the road surface, and which communicate with circumferential grooves. The resonators include first resonators which are provided in the circumferential direction of the tire, and also include second resonators which are, when the tire is mounted on a vehicle, located further toward the inboard side than the first resonators and are arranged in the circumferential direction of the tire. The number of the second resonators is greater than the number of the first resonators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Kojima, Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: 8210221
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire according to the present invention includes blocks on its tread which are segmented by plural circumferential grooves 3 extending along a tire circumferential direction and plural lateral grooves 5 extending along a tread width direction. Circumferential sipes extending along the tire circumferential direction are provided in the blocks. Inside circumferential sipes extend straight along a tire radial direction and outside circumferential sipes extend along the tire radial direction in zigzag patterns. According to the present invention, a handling performance, especially, a cornering performance can be improved regardless of road surface conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Kiwaki, Ryoichi Watabe
  • Publication number: 20120132336
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (10) provided in a rib-like land section (110) thereof with: an air chamber (130A) in which recessed portions (131) are repeated in the circumferential direction of the tire at predetermined pitches; and constriction groove (121) which communicate with the recessed portions (131). A height (H) changes in the circumferential direction of the tire. A bottom surface (132) has substantially the same height as the ground contact surface at a position which is the highest point of the bottom surface (132) which is maximally raised toward the ground contact surface. The volume of the space formed between each constriction groove section (121) and the road surface is less than the volume of the space formed between each recessed portion (131) and the road surface. One end (121a) of each constriction groove section (121) communicates with the corresponding recessed portion (131), and the other end (121b) of the constriction groove section (121) communicates with a circumferential groove (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Publication number: 20120125500
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (10) is provided with air chambers which have recessed portions (221), and also with constriction grooves which communicate with the air chambers and a circumferential groove (21), and the air chambers and the constriction grooves are formed in a rib-shaped land portion of the tire. The depth (DP1) of a recessed portion (221) measured from a land portion (211) malting contact with the road surface is deeper at one end of the air chamber in the tire circumference direction than the other end of the air chamber. The height of the recessed portion (221) from the bottom surface (222) thereof to the ground contact surface varies in the circumferential direction of the tire. The volume of the space formed by a constriction groove and the road surface is less than the volume of the space of the air chamber formed by the recessed portion (221) and the road surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Publication number: 20120118460
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (10) provided with a rib-like land portion (110) having first resonators formed therein, and also with a rib-like land portion (210) located, when the tire is mounted on a vehicle, on the side of the tire closer to the vehicle than the rib-like land portion (110) and having second resonators formed therein. Each of the first and second resonators includes an air chamber recessed inward in the radial direction of the tire, and also includes a narrow groove communicating with the air chamber and a circumferential groove. The volume of the air chamber of the first resonator is greater than the volume of the air chamber of the second resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihiro Kiwaki, Takaaki Kojima
  • Publication number: 20120018068
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire which comprises a land portion (10) and a land portion (20). A main groove (50) extending along the tire circumferential direction is formed between the land portion (10) and the land portion (20). The land portion (10) comprises a groove wall (10a) that forms the main groove (50). The land portion (20) comprises a groove wall (20a) that forms the main groove (50). The groove wall (10a) and the groove wall (20a) are serpentine along the tire circumferential direction (R) when seen from a plane of the tread surface, and the groove width of the main groove (50) in the tread width direction (WTR) varies in a predetermined repetition interval (?) along the tire circumferential direction. The ratio of the minimum width (WMIN) of the groove to the maximum width (WMAX) of the groove satisfies a relation of 35%?WMIN/WMAX?85%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Kiwaki, Shungo Fujita, Takaaki Kojima, Kenjiro Yamaya
  • Publication number: 20110290391
    Abstract: Provision of a pneumatic tire with further enhanced low noise performance during running. Plural land portion rows are formed in a tread section (16) by forming circumferential direction main groove(s) extending along the tire circumferential direction. A fine-grooved-and-siped rib (34) configuring one of the land portion rows is configured with a fine groove (36) extending along the tire circumferential direction, a projecting sipe (38) projecting out from the fine groove (36) towards the side of a tire equatorial plane (CL) and open to a circumferential direction main groove (22E); and a plain rib portion (40) adjacent to the fine groove (36) on the vehicle mounting outside (SE), the plain rib portion (40) configured with a circular shaped peripheral face across the entire face on a ground contact side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: 8020595
    Abstract: A plurality of shallow grooves which are shallower than a sipe are formed on land sections formed on treads of a pneumatic tire. The shallow grooves are configured so that a total sectional area of the shallow grooves per unit area in a cross section in a tire width direction in at least one of tread end areas arranged at end sides of the tread surface in the tire width direction or land end areas arranged at portions adjacent to a drain main groove on the land sections becomes larger than a total sectional area of the shallow grooves per unit on the other areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Kiwaki, Ryoichi Watabe, Kenichi Shibata, Kazuyoshi Tagawa
  • Patent number: D640182
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D641683
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D642510
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D645393
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D645398
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D645399
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D646221
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D648675
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D656893
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D665728
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: D669022
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki