Having Tire Tread Profile Defined By Diverse Radii Of Curvature Patents (Class 152/209.14)
  • Patent number: 11465448
    Abstract: A tread pattern of a pneumatic tire includes an inner circumferential main groove and an outer circumferential main groove that have groove walls extending in a tire circumferential direction while the angle of the groove walls relative to a contact surface varies with a predetermined amplitude, an inner lug groove extending from the inner circumferential main groove toward the outer circumferential main groove, an outer lug groove extending from the outer circumferential main groove toward the inner circumferential main groove, and a sipe configured to communicate the inner lug groove with the outer lug groove. A pair of chamfered surfaces are provided on walls of the sipe along an extension direction of the sipe on the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaya Mita
  • Patent number: 11400757
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes an annular tread portion extending in a tire circumferential direction, a pair of sidewall portions disposed on both sides of the tread portion, and a pair of bead portions disposed inward of the sidewall portions in a tire radial direction, and the sidewall portions have an average thickness set to range from 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm at a deflection region of each sidewall portion including a tire maximum width position. The bead portions have a bead base width set to range from 115% to 130% of a tread development width of the tread portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventor: Hitomi Chaya
  • Patent number: 11390121
    Abstract: Provided is a tire in which a tread half portion has a circumferential groove and land portions, an outline of a tread surface of the tread half portion includes circular arcs, the circular arc having a minimum radius of curvature is present within the outline of the land portion adjacent to a tread edge, the tread half portion has a base rubber layer, and a cap rubber layer, the base rubber layer has a lower storage modulus than the cap rubber layer, and an end of the layer in a tire width direction on a tread edge side is located in a region extending as much as 0.06 times a ground contact width of the tread half portion on each of both tire widthwise sides of a center of a tire widthwise length of an outline portion occupied by the circular arc having the minimum radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Hiraishi
  • Patent number: 11364742
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided where a profile line in a tire meridian cross section of a center land portion defined by circumferential grooves and located on a tire equator is curved projecting outward in a tire radial direction. A carcass layer and a reinforcing layer include a recess portion curved projecting inward in the tire radial direction in a bottom region of the center land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Mizuki Kuninaka
  • Patent number: 11305590
    Abstract: A tyre includes a tread portion including a land portion having a ground contact surface and at least one sidewall. The land portion is provided with a radial channel extending from a radially outer end opened at the ground contact surface to a radially inner end, an internal lateral channel extending under the ground contact surface within the land portion and having one end opened at the at least one sidewall and communicating with the radially inner end of the radial channel, and a sipe opened at the ground contact surface and communicating with the radial channel and the internal lateral channel. The radially outer end of the radial channel has an axial opening width in a range of from 5% to 20% of an axial width of the land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichi Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 11274410
    Abstract: An impact compactor including a first part including at least one non-round compactor drum rotatably mounted; and a second part connected, and movable relative, to the first part. The impact compactor includes a damping arrangement connected between the first and second parts and configured to provide a damping function for movement between the first and second parts. The damping arrangement includes an outer tubular member defining a non-circular inner channel/passage; a non-circular inner shaft member defining a first axis of rotation and is positioned, at least partially, in the channel/passage; and at least one wedge formation between the shaft member and the tubular member. The wedge formation is at least partially resiliently deformable and configured to resist/oppose rotation between the shaft member and the tubular member about the first axis of rotation. One member is connected to the first part, while the other member is connected to the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Inventor: Roger Arnold Stromsoe
  • Patent number: 11254167
    Abstract: A pneumatic tyre includes a tread portion, two axially spaced sidewall portions extending radially inwardly from the tread portion, at least one of the sidewall portions being provided with a side protector that protrudes axially outwardly and having an inner end located radially outwardly of a tyre-maximum-width position, and two axially spaced bead portions connected to radially inward of the respective sidewall portions. Each bead portion includes a bead apex rubber having an outer end in the tyre radial direction being located radially inwardly of the tyre-maximum-width position. A radial length of a tyre inner region from a bead baseline to the outer end of each bead apex rubber is in a range of from 0.8 to 1.2 times a radial length of a tyre outer region from a radially outermost position of the tread portion to the inner end of the side protector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Dai Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 11207920
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire according to the disclosure includes a resin-coated belt comprising a wire coated with a coating resin. A base ring is formed at a tire radial inside of the resin-coated belt, while being in contact with a tire widthwise outer end of the resin-coated belt. A concavo-convex portion is formed on at least one of surfaces of the base ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hasegawa, Masahiro Katayama
  • Patent number: 11077717
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread; sidewalls; beads inward of the sidewalls; lug grooves formed in the tread and inclined symmetrically about the equator, an inclination angle ? of the lug grooves with respect to the lateral direction being 15°???45°; and shoulder grooves connecting the lug grooves and inclined in an opposite direction to the lug grooves, a center line of the shoulder grooves at both sides meeting with two of the lug grooves at intersection points. A difference between distances L1, L2 from the equator to the intersection points and a tread width TW satisfy TW×0.03?|L1?L2|?TW×0.2. An average value of the distances and the tread width TW satisfy TW×0.15?(L1+L2)/2?TW×0.35. A groove area ratio of the tread is from 0.4 to 0.7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Kato
  • Patent number: 11014406
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion provided with a tread profile. The axial distance L3 from the tire equator to a contact point P3 between the tread profile and a tangential line thereto at which the angle ? of the tangential line becomes 3 degrees with respect to the tire-axial-direction line, is smaller than 65% of a half tread width Tw. The difference (?90??60) of an angle ?90 of the tangential line at an axial position P90 apart from the tire equator by 90% of the half tread width Tw, from an angle ?60 of the tangential line at an axial position P60 apart from the tire equator by 60% of the half tread width Tw, is in a range from 7 to 12 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yamamoto, Takashi Okada
  • Patent number: 11001104
    Abstract: A tire includes a carcass, side-reinforcing rubber, a belt layer, and a tread. The belt layer includes at least two layers and is provided at a tire radial direction outer side of the carcass, each layer including a cord inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction such that the cords of the belt layers intersect each other. The tread is provided at the tire radial direction outer side of the belt layer. A tire cross-section height SH satisfies SH?145 mm, and a ground contact width TW of the tread and a maximum tire width direction width of the belt layer satisfies TW<B. Moreover, an angle ? formed between a tire outer face and the tire width direction at a position at 0.8SH toward the tire radial direction outer side of a bead base portion of either of the bead portions is no less than 60°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gaku Ogawa, Souto Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10974549
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2 provided with main grooves 3 extending zigzag continuously in the tire circumferential direction, and lateral grooves 4 extending in the tire axial direction. The main grooves 3 include a pair of shoulder main grooves 6. The lateral grooves 4 include shoulder lateral grooves 17 extending from the shoulder main grooves 6 to tread edges Te. The maximum groove width W8 of the shoulder lateral grooves 17 is 0.2 to 0.6 times the maximum groove width W1 of the shoulder main grooves 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takehiko Murata
  • Patent number: 10967680
    Abstract: Provided is a tire, comprising a tread surface divided into a plurality of land portions by at least one circumferential groove extending along a tire equator and tread edges, wherein at least an outline on one side of the tire equator of the tread surface comprises a plurality of arcs each having a different radius of curvature in a width direction cross-sectional view of the tire; an arc having a minimum radius of curvature among the plurality of arcs lies in a land portion having a maximum tread width direction length among the plurality of land portions; and an arc having a larger radius of curvature is disposed on a tread edge side of the arc having the minimum radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiro Hiraishi
  • Patent number: 10889149
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including a contact patch which occurs when the tire is mounted on a standard wheel rim with a standard pressure and loaded with a certain tire load at zero camber angle. The contact patch, on a respective tire load, defines a ratio Lc/Ls of a crown contact circumferential length Lc at an axial center of the contact patch to a shoulder contact circumferential length Ls at an axial location of 80% of an axial maximum width of the contact patch. The ratio Lc/Ls upon being loaded with 40%, of a standard tire load is equal to or less than 125% of the ratio Lc/Ls upon being loaded with 70% of the standard tire load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Tatsuta, Kozo Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10864776
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes first and second tread patterns which are formed as substantially line symmetrical shape with respect to a tire equator and are shifted with respect to one another in a tire circumferential direction. Each of the first and second tread patterns is provided with lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly from each tread edge to an axially inner end without reaching the tire equator. The tire is further provided with central connecting grooves each extend across the tire equator to connect lateral inclined grooves arranged on the first and second tread patterns. The central connecting grooves each include a first end and a second end such that the first end is located nearer to the tire equator than the second end and that a depth thereof decreases gradually from the first end to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Higashiura
  • Patent number: 10857836
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire where a profile line (PL1) of a center land portion (X) defined by the center main grooves protrudes outward in a tire radial direction further than a standard profile line, the standard profile line (PL0) being a curved line including all both end points (A1), (A2), (A3), (A4) of center main grooves (14a), (14b) in a tire width direction. Profile lines (PL2), (PL3) of sub-center land portions (Y1), (Y2) and shoulder land portions (Z1), (Z2) defined outward of the center main grooves in the tire width direction protrude outward in the tire radial direction further than the standard profile line, the shoulder land portions (Z1), (Z2) being defined even further outward than the sub-center land portions (Y1), (Y2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Yuichi Suga
  • Patent number: 10828938
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a ratio SW/OD between the total tire width SW and the tire external diameter OD satisfying SW/OD?0.3. A first region A is defined between a pair of first boundary lines, second regions B are defined between a first boundary line and a second boundary line, and third regions C are defined on the bead toe side of the second boundary lines. Defining SA, SB, and SC as the cross-sectional area (mm2) of the first region A to the third region C, and defining the peripheral length (mm) of the first region A to third region C along the tire inner surface as a, b, and c, SA/a and SB/b satisfy 7.5?SA/a?11.5 and 2.0?SB/b?6.0, and the ratio TDW/SW between the developed tread width TDW and the total tire width SW satisfies 0.7?TDW/SW?0.95.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Shimizu, Yuji Minami
  • Patent number: 10821779
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a carcass layer, a belt layer disposed on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the carcass layer, and tread rubber disposed on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the belt layer. The belt layer is formed by laminating a pair of cross belts having belt angles with an absolute value from 10° to 45° both inclusive and mutually opposite signs, and a circumferential reinforcing layer having a belt angle within a range of ±5° relative to the tire circumferential direction. The distance (Gcc) from the tread profile to the tire inner circumferential surface along the tire equatorial plane and the distance (Gsh) from the tread edge to the tire inner circumferential surface have a relationship satisfying 1.10?Gsh/Gcc. The groove depth (Dsh) and under-groove gauge (UDsh) of the outermost circumferential main groove have a relationship satisfying 0.20?UDsh/Dsh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukihito Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10814674
    Abstract: A heavy-duty tire is described herein. The heavy duty tire includes a carcass, a tread located radially outward of the carcass, and a tread having a plurality of lugs. The lugs extend radially outward from an inner tread and are located between the first and second lateral tread edges. The tread further includes a first row of lugs extending from the tread lateral edge axially inwards toward the centerplane, and a second row of lugs extending from the opposite tread lateral edge and axially inwards toward the centerplane. The lugs of the first and second rows are separated by a plurality of shoulder grooves, wherein the first row of lugs are aligned with the second row of lugs, a center row of lugs located between a first and second offset lug, wherein all of the lugs in each row are aligned circumferentially. wherein said tire has a molded base width in the range of 44-50 mm. The heavy-duty tire wherein the shoulder drop ranges from 64 mm to 120.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: John David Wilson, Gregory Alan Schessler, Todd James Spencer, David Ray Hubbell
  • Patent number: 10773555
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a kerf of a winter tire capable of easily discharging snow therefrom and further improving braking performance and drainage performance on a wet road. The kerf includes a kerf inlet portion formed in the shape of a sawtooth-type zigzag wave in a block of one of a tread and a shoulder of the tire in the circumferential direction of the tire, a pipe-shaped flow passage portion formed in a lower portion of the block and having a width that is greater than or equal to the width of the kerf inlet portion, and a connection channel for connecting the kerf inlet portion and the flow passage portion to each other. The sawtooth-type zigzag wave has an amplitude that gradually decreases in the depth direction of the block, and the connection channel has a width that gradually decreases from the kerf inlet portion to the flow passage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HANKOOK TIRE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sang Tak Joo
  • Patent number: 10766310
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a crown land region and middle land regions provided with only sipes, and shoulder land regions provided with shoulder rug grooves and connecting sipes. The tread portion is provided with a crown tread profile having a radius of curvature, a middle tread profile having a radius of curvature, and a shoulder tread profile having a radius of curvature which satisfy a magnitude relation Rc>Rm>Rs. First interconnecting positions at which the crown tread profile connects with the middle tread profiles are positioned in the respective middle land regions. Second interconnecting positions at which the middle tread profiles connect with the shoulder tread profiles are positioned in the respective shoulder land regions and axially inside the inner ends of the shoulder rug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kujime, Hiroshi Okagawa
  • Patent number: 10730348
    Abstract: The present technology pertains to a pneumatic tire (1) comprising: a pair of bead portions (2); sidewall portions (3) connected to the pair of bead portions; and a tread portion (10) connected to the sidewall portions. A ratio between a total width (SW) and an outer diameter (OD) of the pneumatic tire satisfies the relationship SW/OD?0.3. Moreover, if the length along a tread profile (12) from a first side second reference point (Q1) to a second side second reference point (Q2) is the developed tread width (TDW), and an angle formed between a straight line that connects the second reference points and the profile center (cc), and a straight line parallel to the tire width direction is an amount of depression (?), the following relationships are satisfied: 0.8?TDW/SW<1, and 1.5°???4.5°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Minami, Masataka Kubota
  • Patent number: 10639940
    Abstract: A shoulder land portion is sectioned into a main land portion and a sacrificed land portion by a narrow groove extending in a tire circumferential direction. A groove bottom portion of the narrow groove is formed by depressing a groove wall in the tread center side. A contour of the main land portion is formed by a first circular arc in a tread center side and a second circular arc in a tread end side. A radius of curvature R1 of the first circular arc is less than a radius of curvature R2 of the second circular arc. A ratio W/d satisfies a relationship 2?W/d?6. The d is a depression width of a groove bottom portion. The W is a distance from a tread end side edge of the main land portion to a boundary between the first circular arc and the second circular arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Miyake
  • Patent number: 10486474
    Abstract: A car tire having a tread that extends in axial direction for a width the tread including a central portion arranged across an equatorial plane, and two lateral portions opposed with respect to the central portion. The central portion is separated from the lateral portions of the tread by two circumferential grooves. The circumferential grooves have a width greater than about 6 mm. The central portion extends in axial direction for a width less than 20% of the width of the tread and includes a plurality of first sipes. Each lateral portion has a width greater than 30% of the width of the tread, and each lateral portion includes, furthermore, a plurality of transversal grooves. The transversal grooves of a lateral portion include at least a first inclined length that extends from a zone proximal to the respective circumferential grooves, moving away from the equatorial plane. The first inclined length has an inclination ??60° with respect to equatorial plane. Each lateral portion includes a plurality of sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Ascanelli, Roberto Bolzoni, Anna Paola Fioravanti, Stefano Montesello
  • Patent number: 10414211
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion being provided with at least one circumferentially and continuously extending main groove and at least one land portion adjacent to the main groove. The land portion includes a corner portion formed between a ground contact surface and a sidewall of the land portion on the side of the main groove. The land portion is provided with a lug groove extending from the main groove and terminating within the land portion. The corner portion includes a chamfered portion and a non-chamfered portion. The chamfered portion includes a first end in communication with the lug groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yamaoka
  • Patent number: 10384491
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire whose position when mounted on a vehicle is specified has a tread portion 2 having an outside tread edge Teo, an inside tread edge Tei, an outside crown land region 6, and an inside crown land region 7. In a meridian cross-section of the tire including the rotational axis of the tire in its regular state mounted on a regular rim, inflated to a regular pressure and loaded with no tire load, the outside crown land region 6 and the inside crown land region 7 each have a tread convexed outwardly in the tire radial direction, and the radius of curvature R1 of the tread of the outside crown land region 6 is greater than the radius of curvature R2 of the tread of the inside crown land region 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSIRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Takemoto
  • Patent number: 10336139
    Abstract: A tire is provided having a body ply that is displaced from the conventional equilibrium curve along the shoulder and upper side wall region of the tire in a manner that provides more uniform inflation growth along the crown region so as to reduce differences in rigidity between the center and shoulders of the tire, reduce load sensitivity, and/or decrease the propensity for cracking. A method for designing or constructing such a tire is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: William B. Clayton, Daniel McEachern Hicks
  • Patent number: 10308075
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a cylindrical annular structure disposed around a rotational axis; a carcass portion including a rubber covered cord, at least a portion of the carcass portion being disposed to the outer side of the annular structure in a direction parallel to the rotational axis; and a rubber layer including a tread portion, at least a portion of the rubber layer being disposed to an outer side of the annular structure in a radiation direction with respect to the rotational axis. In such a pneumatic tire, SW/OD?0.30 is satisfied, where SW is a total tire width and OD is a tire outer diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kubota, Atsushi Tanno, Yuji Minami
  • Patent number: 10239356
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with improved braking performance and turning performance on ice. Circumferential narrow grooves are disposed at a density in the tire width direction of not less than 0.06 grooves/mm and not more than 0.2 grooves/mm. Width direction narrow grooves extend at an angle with respect to the tire width direction of not less than ?45° and not more than +45°. The circumferential narrow grooves have at least one bent portion. The bend angle of the bent portion is not less than 40° and not more than 160°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keisuke Kagaya
  • Patent number: 10239354
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire (1) comprises at least three circumferential grooves (22) extending in a tire circumferential direction in a tread portion (2), and at least four ribs (23) defined by the circumferential grooves (22), the at least four ribs (23) extending in the tire circumferential direction. At least two of the ribs (23) protrude outward in a tire radial direction beyond the profile line (L) of the tread surface when viewed in the meridian cross section. The protruding amount (G) of the at least two ribs (23) decreases in order from a first side in a tire width direction to a second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Uchida
  • Patent number: 10086656
    Abstract: A heavy-duty tire includes a tread having a main groove continuously extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a first land portion and a second land portion formed adjacent to each other such that the main groove is formed between the first land portion and the second land portion. The first land portion has first lateral grooves such that each first second lateral groove is curved in an S shape, the second land portion has second lateral grooves such that each second lateral groove is curved in an S shape, the first and second lateral grooves are connected such that the first lateral grooves and the second lateral grooves make smooth transition through the main groove, and each of the first and second lateral grooves has a widened portion at position connected to the main groove such that the widened portion increases a groove width gradually toward the main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Shuji Kagimoto
  • Patent number: 10076934
    Abstract: The invention provides a cured tread and a tire capable of controlling irregular wear of the tread. A base tire which is to be the base for the tire and a cured tread which is to be bonded to the base tire are molded separately, and they are integrated with each other to produce the tire. The tread is provided in its width (axial) direction with a plurality of grooves extending in its length (circumferential) direction. The thickness of the tread in a width cross section gradually decreases from the equator to the equator-side edge of the outermost groove located at an axially outermost position and gradually increases from the outer edge of the outermost groove outward in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeo Nagahara
  • Patent number: 10065456
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire. A profile line (PL1) of a center land portion (X) protrudes further outward in the tire radial direction than a standard profile line (PL0). Profile lines (PL2, PL3) of sub-center land portions (Y1, Y2) and shoulder land portions (Z1, Z2) defined outward of center main grooves (14a, 14b) in the tire width direction protrude outward in the tire radial direction further than the standard profile line (PL0). The shoulder land portions (Z1, Z2) are defined further outward than the sub-center land portions (Y1, Y2). Further, the profile lines (PL2, PL3) of the sub-center land portions (Y1, Y2) and the shoulder land portions (Z1, Z2) each include an outermost point (A2, A4) of the corresponding center main groove (14a, 14b) in the tire width direction and both end points (A5, A6, A7, A8) of the corresponding shoulder main groove (14c, 14d) in the tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichi Suga
  • Patent number: 9878582
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 includes: a tread 2; sidewalls 3; a carcass 5; and a belt 6. A distribution of a thickness Tg(y) of the tread in a region extending in an axially outward direction of the tire, is represented by equation Tg(y)=A?a×Ct(y). A represents a thickness of the tread at a crown center 17. Ct(y) represents a distribution of a displacement of the tread surface in a radially inward direction of the tire , in a region from the crown center to an end portion of the belt. a represents a coefficient selected from a range of values that are greater than or equal to 0.10, and are not greater than 0.35. A displacement Cc(y) of the carcass 5 in the radially inward direction of the tire, in a region extending in the axially outward direction of the tire from the crown center, is represented by equation Cc(y)=(1?a)×Ct(y).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuo Asano
  • Patent number: 9802442
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire has a carcass extending from a tread portion to a bead core in a bead portion through a sidewall portion, and a belt layer disposed on the outside of the carcass in the tire radial direction and on the inside of the tread portion. In a state in which a distance between a pair of bead heels is kept at 110% of a wheel rim width of a standard wheel rim and no inner pressure is applied, the contour shape of the tread portion is formed by a 1st circular arc having a center on the tire equatorial plane, and a pair of 2nd circular arcs, disposed on both outsides of the 1st circular arc in the tire axial direction. The radius of the 2nd circular arc is more than the radius R1 of the 1st circular arc. One 2nd circular arc has the center on the other 2nd circular arc side of the tire equator in the tire axial direction, and the other 2nd circular arc has the center on the one 2nd circular arc side of the tire equator in the tire axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanaka, Daisuke Todoroki
  • Patent number: 9770950
    Abstract: Shoulder drop wear and triangular wear are prevented. A heavy duty tire which includes a shoulder block includes a first arc portion having a radius of curvature, in which a tread contour includes an arc center at a tire equatorial surface at a 5% internal pressure state; and a second arc portion having a radius of curvature of which intersects with the first arc portion at an intersection. An arc center of the second arc portion is located on a radial line passing through the intersection. A ratio of the radii of curvature is between 0.2 and 0.5. A ratio between a tire radial direction distance from an equatorial point to a tread edge and a radial direction distance from the equatorial point to a virtual tread edge on a line extending from the first arc portion is equal to or higher than 0.5 or lower than 1.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Ikuo Atake
  • Patent number: 9757989
    Abstract: The invention relates to pneumatic tires with ribbed rubber treads which may be, for example pneumatic tires such as bus tires and truck tires. The rubber treads are comprised of a blend of specialized cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber and cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber containing reinforcing filler comprised of a combination of rubber reinforcing carbon black and precipitated silica together with silica coupler, wherein the tread rubber contains a cure package comprised of sulfur together with two sulfenamide primary sulfur cure accelerators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Roberto Cerrato Meza, Warren James Busch, Paul Harry Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 9738120
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a circumferentially extending zigzag shoulder main groove arranged proximate to a tread edge, and a plurality of shoulder lateral grooves each extending axially outwardly from the shoulder main groove. Each of the shoulder lateral grooves includes a first portion and second portion. The first portion includes a first groove wall and an axially inner end connected to the shoulder main groove. The second portion is arranged axially outward of the first portion and includes a second groove wall. The second portion has a groove width and a groove depth greater than those of the first portion. The first groove wall of the first portion and the second groove wall of the second portion are smoothly continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Arai
  • Patent number: 9527348
    Abstract: A tire tread band having a center, two shoulders on either side of the center, and two edges on either side of the shoulders and forming a transition with the sidewalls. The profile of the tread band has at least a first arc forming part of the center, two second arcs forming part of the shoulders, and two third arcs forming part of the edges; and, at one junction, each second arc is connected discontinuously to the first arc by a step, wherein the second arc is not tangent to, and is radially lower than, the first arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Emiliano Sabetti
  • Patent number: 9505269
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with center blocks defined by a central main groove, shoulder main grooves and central axial grooves, and shoulder blocks defined by the shoulder main grooves, shoulder axial grooves and the tread edges. The tread profile comprises a center arc of a radius of 250 to 550 mm and a shoulder arc of a smaller radius and has a camber quantity of 5.5 to 9.0 mm. The center blocks and shoulder blocks are provided with sipes each having an axially outer open end and an axially inner closed end disposed at specific positions in relation to the axially inwardly adjacent main grooves. The total sipe number on the shoulder blocks is more than the total sipe number on the center blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Daisuke Kudo
  • Patent number: 9499011
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire, the aspect ratio H/S of which is strictly greater than 0.55, having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, crossed from one ply to the other forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls and the crown reinforcement comprising at least one layer of circumferential reinforcement elements. According to the invention, the ratio of the thickness of the crown block at one shoulder end to the thickness of the crown block in the circumferential median plane is less than 1.20 and the ratio of the axial width of at least one layer of circumferential reinforcement elements to the axial width of the tread is greater than 0.5 and preferably greater than 0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Radulescu, Guy Cluzel
  • Patent number: 9493037
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire having a carcass as a skeleton extending in a toroidal shape over a pair of bead portions, a belt including at least one slant layer, and a tread, the belt and the tread being disposed on the outer side in the tire radial direction of a crown portion of the carcass in this order, characterized in that: a ratio BD/BW of radius difference BD between radius at the center portion and radius at an end portion in the tire widthwise direction of the outermost layer of the slant belt layer(s), to a width BW of the outermost layer, is in the range of 0.01 to 0.04 in a section of the tire in the widthwise direction in a state where the tire is assembled with an application rim. A pneumatic tire being excellent in wear resistance performance and having relatively low rolling resistance can be obtained accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumio Takahashi, Souto Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9352618
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and a plurality of ribs partitioned by the circumferential main grooves in a tread portion. When viewing a cross-section from a tire meridian direction a contact patch of the center ribs is formed from a smooth curved line forming a convex on an outer side in a tire radial direction and a contact patch of the shoulder rib is formed from a smooth curved line forming a convex on an inner side in the tire radial direction. The curved line of the center ribs and the curved line of the shoulder rib have a point of intersection. A distance between an extended line of the curved line of the center ribs and the curved line of the shoulder rib increases from the point of intersection towards an outer side in a tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Suzuki, Hiroshi Iizuka, Yoshihisa Inoue
  • Patent number: 9216614
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a rim for a pneumatic tire that can suppress local deformation of the sidewall portion of a mounted tire and thus suppress the occurrence of damage to the sidewall portion. The rim for a pneumatic tire according to the present invention is provided with a pair of bead seat portions separated from each other in a rim width direction and a flange portion extending outwards in a rim radial direction from a rim width direction outer end of each bead seat portion. A rim radial direction outer end of the flange portion is recurved outwards in the rim width direction. A radius of curvature of a surface of the flange portion at a rim width direction outer end portion of the flange portion is at least 0.4 times and at most 1.0 times a radius of curvature of the surface of the flange portion at a rim width direction central portion of the flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Souto Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9187122
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an adjustable steering assistance. The adjustable steering assistance includes an evaluation unit for evaluating the grip of a road travelled, in which the extent of the steering assistance is variable as a function of the result of the road grip evaluation. The effectiveness of the steering assistance adjustment is due to the fact that the driver is accustom to the hand moment exerted on the steering wheel during steering, conventionally as a fixed relationship to the torque, which for steering the wheels of the motor vehicle has to be exerted thereon. Consequently, the lower the steering resistance the less road grip as a general rule. In that the extent of the steering assistance is varied, a road with less grip can thus be suggested to the driver in order to prompt him to a correspondingly careful driving style.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Degenstein
  • Patent number: 9174498
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire includes a belt layer that is formed by laminating a pair of cross belts and a circumferential reinforcing layer. Additionally, the pneumatic tire 1 includes a plurality of circumferential main grooves, and a plurality of land portions partitioned and formed by the circumferential main grooves in a tread portion. Also, the pneumatic tire includes a mark on a buttress portion in order to determine the time for renewal of the tire. Also, an outermost circumferential main groove is on an outer side in a tire width direction of the circumferential reinforcing layer. Also, a groove bottom gauge t of the outermost circumferential main groove and a distance D in a tire radial direction from a predetermined intersection point A to the mark have a relationship such that ?1.0?D/t?1.0, taking the outer side in the tire radial direction to be positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Okabe
  • Patent number: 9120354
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire includes a tread portion with a pair of circumferentially extending crown main grooves and a pair of circumferentially extending shoulder main grooves to form a crown land portion, a pair of middle land portions and a pair of shoulder land portions, wherein crown main grooves have groove widths of 2-5% of a tread half width, shoulder main grooves have groove widths of 6-9% of the tread half width, crown lateral grooves are provided on the crown land portion to form a plurality of crown blocks, middle lateral grooves are provided on middle land portions, shoulder lateral grooves are provided on shoulder land portions, crown and middle lateral grooves have groove widths of 0.4-2.0 mm, and shoulder lateral grooves have groove widths of 6-9% of the tread half width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Maehara
  • Patent number: 9102202
    Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement includes a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming with the circumferential direction angles of between 10° and 45°. The crown reinforcement is topped radially by a tread, which is joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls. The ratio of the thickness of the crown block at one shoulder end to the thickness of the crown block in the circumferential median plane is less than 1.20. The ratio of the axial width of the tread to the maximum axial width of the tire is strictly greater than or equal to 0.89.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Radulescu, Guy Cluzel
  • Patent number: 9045004
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire includes a belt layer having a circumferential reinforcing layer. Additionally, the pneumatic tire includes a plurality of circumferential main grooves, and a plurality of land portions partitioned by the circumferential main grooves in a tread portion. The width W1 of the land portion on a tire equatorial plane, and the width W2 of the second land portion at an end portion of the circumferential reinforcing layer have a relationship such that 1.05?W1/W2?1.30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Nagayoshi
  • Patent number: 9045007
    Abstract: A heavy-load radial tire comprises a tread portion, wherein in a tire meridian section including a tire axis under a normally inflated unloaded condition in which the tire is mounted on a standard wheel rim and inflate to a standard pressure but loaded with no tire load, the tread portion comprises a crown portion and a pair of shoulder portions each disposed axially outside the crown portion and including a tread edge, the crown portion has a crown profile being a circular arc of a radius of curvature TR1 of which the center is on a tire equatorial plane, the shoulder portion has a shoulder profile being a circular arc of a radius of curvature TR2 which crosses the crown profile at an intersection point P so that a tangent line on the shoulder profile at the intersection point P inclines at angle of not more than 7 degrees with respect to a tire axial direction, wherein the radius of curvature TR2 is 0.60 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamahira, Reika Noguchi, Kenichiro Tanada, Masahiro Tamura