Having Specified Tread Shoulder Structure Patents (Class 152/209.16)
  • Patent number: 11958317
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a plurality of lands include a first land, the first land comprises a plurality of circumferential grooves that extend in a tire circumferential direction and that are arrayed in a tire axial direction, the plurality of circumferential grooves are respectively arranged at portions in the tire circumferential direction of the first land, the plurality of circumferential grooves include a first circumferential groove which is arranged in inwardmost fashion in the tire axial direction, and a second circumferential groove which is arranged in outwardmost fashion in the tire axial direction, and as viewed in a tire meridional section, an inner space area of the first circumferential groove is greater than an inner space area of the second circumferential groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihiko Kanamura
  • Patent number: 11904639
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion including a row of blocks arranged in a tire circumferential direction divided by lateral grooves. Each block includes a block tread surface, a first block sidewall surface located on a leading side in a rotation direction of the block, and a leading-side corner portion between the block tread surface and the first block sidewall surface. The leading-side corner portion includes a first portion and a second portion extending in a tire axial direction. The first portion is formed sharper than the second portion. In a plan view of each block, an angle ?1 of the first portion to the tire circumferential direction is larger than an angle ?2 of the second portion to the tire circumferential direction. Each lateral groove has a groove width (A) at the first portion that is larger than a groove width (B) at the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yohei Sato
  • Patent number: 11772433
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire according to an embodiment, a spiral-shaped pattern is formed in a pattern forming area provided on a surface of a sidewall. The spiral-shaped pattern is formed by alternately providing ridges protruding from a reference surface in the pattern forming area and grooves recessed from the reference surface along a spiral while gradually changing the height and the depth with respect to the reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Toyo Tire Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kamada
  • Patent number: 11772427
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire includes a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions, a toroidal carcass extending between the pair of bead portions, and a belt layer and a band layer disposed outwardly in the tire radial direction of the carcass in the tread portion. The carcass includes a plurality of carcass cords. The band layer includes a jointless band ply having a band cord wound spirally at an angle equal to or less than 5 degrees with respect to a tire circumferential direction. The belt layer includes a plurality of belt cords arranged in a direction intersecting with the carcass cords. The belt cords intersect with the carcass cords at an intersection angle ?c in a tread crown region, and intersect with the carcass cords at an intersection angle ?s in tread shoulder regions, and the intersection angle ?c is greater than the intersection angle ?s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11654727
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a plurality of side blocks include a first side block which is contiguous with the exterior in a tire axial direction of a first tread block, and a second side block which is contiguous with the exterior in the tire axial direction of a second tread block; the first side block comprises a first apical surface which is arranged at an outer end of the first side block in the tire axial direction; the second side block comprises a second apical surface which is arranged at an outer end of the second side block in the tire axial direction, and area of the second apical surface is greater than area of the first apical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Toyo Tire Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 11584170
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion 16, a sidewall portion 14, a buttress portion 18, and a hollow portion 50. A cross-sectional shape of a bottom surface of the hollow portion 50 is a curved shape in which a plurality of arcs having different radii of curvature are disposed in a tire radial direction and adjacent arcs are connected at a contact point C where the adjacent arcs have a common tangent line, or is a shape in which a plurality of arcs having different radii of curvature are connected by a straight line connecting contact points where the adjacent arcs have a common tangent line. An outside end 32a, in the tire radial direction, of a sidewall rubber 32 provided on the sidewall portion 14 is located on an outside Ro in the tire radial direction from the groove bottom 36B1 of the shoulder main groove 36B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norihiko Kodama
  • Patent number: 11548320
    Abstract: Tire (1) for a heavy-duty vehicle of civil engineering type, and more particularly to the tread (2) thereof, and seeks to improve the grip thereof, while at the same time ensuring a satisfactory compromise with wearing and thermal endurance. The tread (2) comprises cuts (3, 4, 5) distributed, in a circumferential direction (XX?) of the tire, among circumferential grooves (3) and, in an axial direction (YY?) of the tire, transverse sipes (4) and transverse grooves (5), the cuts (3, 4, 5) delimiting elements in relief (6), each cut (3, 4, 5) being delimited by two faces facing one another and each face intersecting the tread surface (21) along an edge corner (311, 321; 411, 421; 511, 521).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: François Barbarin, Guillaume Demaziere
  • Patent number: 11541692
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasunori Kawauchi
  • Patent number: 11446961
    Abstract: A tire pattern structure including a tread pattern and a sidewall pattern is formed by uniformly distributed patterns in the circumferential direction of a tire. The tread pattern is formed by two long spoon-shaped pattern blocks symmetrical with respect to the center of the tire tread and the axial direction of the tire. A spoon-shaped pattern block group is across the center of the tire tread and each interlaced and mapped sideway along the center of the tire tread formed by upper and lower long spoon-shaped pattern block groups. The two spoon-shaped patterns are coupled from a head block to a handle block and bent at the tire shoulder to couple the sidewall pattern formed by the upper and lower sidewall pattern blocks which are formed by a quadrilateral block of two protrusions and three recessed blocks to overcome rough terrains and provide excellent mud and water removing performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Cheng Shin Rubber Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsai Jen Lo
  • Patent number: 11312186
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a lateral groove that includes a groove bottom surface extending in a direction crossing a tire circumferential direction, and a protrusion provided on the groove bottom surface and extending in an extension direction of the groove bottom surface. The protrusion includes a main body, and an end portion provided on at least one side in a longitudinal direction of the main body and shaped such that a height of the protrusion from the groove bottom surface decreases from an inside to an outside in the longitudinal direction of the main body. The end portion includes an upper surface that forms a circular arc recessed inward in a tire radial direction in a cross section crossing a width direction of the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiki Orii
  • Patent number: 11312180
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a lug grooves extending in a shoulder region of a tread portion in a width direction up to a sidewall portion, a shoulder block and a side block defined by the lug grooves, in which the side block located outward of the shoulder block in the width direction is ridged higher than the shoulder block, at least a part of the lug grooves being each a closed lug groove closed by a ridge portion provided therein, the ridge portion being continuous to the side block located on both sides of the closed lug groove in the circumferential direction, the ridge portion including a first narrow groove with a smaller groove width and a smaller groove depth than the lug groove, extending in the width direction, and at least one end of the first narrow groove penetrating toward the closed lug groove or the sidewall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Takahisa Murata
  • Patent number: 11305586
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions that are partitioned by the plurality of main grooves; the plurality of land portions include at least one shoulder land portion arranged in outwardmost fashion in a tire width direction; the at least one shoulder land portion comprises a plurality of width grooves of groove width not less than 2 mm; and at least one of the plurality of width grooves extends as far as an outside end in the tire width direction of the at least one shoulder land portion and comprises, at a location toward the exterior in the tire width direction from a contact patch end, a wide portion at which groove width increases toward a groove bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Kuwano
  • Patent number: 11179971
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire are defined: a first imaginary line VL1 passing through a ground contact surface in a meridian cross section of a tread, a second imaginary line VL2 passing through a bottom of a shoulder groove and parallel to VL1, an intersection point P between VL2 and a surface of a shoulder land outward of a ground contact edge T in a lateral direction, and an equatorial plane CL. Given A as a distance in the lateral direction between P and CL, B as a groove depth of the shoulder groove, and C as a distance in the lateral direction between T and CL, 0.80?(B+C)/A?1.15 is satisfied. Given Q as a distance in the lateral direction between CL and an end of a belt ply that has a shorter dimension in the lateral direction, 0.75?Q/C?0.95 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventor: Ryuji Yasuda
  • Patent number: 11173748
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes: a main groove extending in a tire circumferential direction disposed on a shoulder region of a tread portion; lug grooves extending from the main groove toward an outer side and reaching a side wall portion; and blocks demarcated by the main groove and lug grooves. An edge on an innermost side in a tire radial direction of the blocks is positioned more on an outer side in the tire radial direction than a tire maximum width position, and a ratio of an orthogonal distance from a ground contact end position to the edge on an innermost side in the tire radial direction of the blocks is 0.2 or more. Recessed portions each having a closed periphery are provided in a side region more on an outer side in a tire width direction than the ground contact end of the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Inventor: Takahiro Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11161373
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion with a designated install direction to a vehicle to have an inboard tread edge and an outboard tread edge. The tread portion is provided with a circumferentially extending inboard shoulder main groove to form an inboard shoulder land portion and a circumferentially extending outboard shoulder main groove with a width smaller than a width of the inboard shoulder main groove to form an outboard shoulder land portion. The inboard shoulder land portion is provided with inboard shoulder lug grooves extending inwardly in a tire axial direction from at least the inboard tread edge and terminated within the inboard shoulder land portion. The outboard shoulder land portion is provided with outboard shoulder lug grooves extending inwardly in the tire axial direction from at least the outboard tread edge to the outboard shoulder main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Isao Sawakami
  • Patent number: 11090981
    Abstract: A tyre for vehicle wheels comprises a tread band on which a radially external tread surface and a tread pattern are defined; the tread band comprising: a central region of the tread band, extending circumferentially about an equatorial plane of the tyre over at least 30% of an effective width of the tread band; a first and a second shoulder region extending, on opposite sides of the central region, each over at least 20% of the effective width of the tread band; the tread pattern, on the first and second shoulder regions and the central region, comprises transverse grooves comprising a bottom and a pair of opposed lateral walls. These lateral walls extending from the bottom towards the tread surface with a first inclination, and joining to the tread surface by chamfers having a second inclination greater than the first inclination relative to the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Diego Speziari, Carlo Ravizza, Gianfranco Colombo
  • Patent number: 11065915
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes cross belts and one or more protective belts provided in the tire radial direction. A width of a widest protective belt is greater than a width of any of the cross belts. In the tire profile, a maximum projection position of the widest protective belt is A, an end position of the widest protective belt is B, a position at which a straight line a passing through position A extending in the direction normal to a tread surface intersects with the tread surface is A?, and a position at which a straight line b passing through position B extending in the direction normal to the tread surface intersects with the tread surface is B?. An angle formed between a first straight line that links position A and position B and a second straight line that links position A? and position B? is from 0° to 15°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventor: Risa Tauchi
  • Patent number: 11014409
    Abstract: On a pneumatic tire are defined a first imaginary line VL1 passing through a ground contact surface in a meridian cross section of a tread portion, a second imaginary line VL2 passing through a bottom portion of a shoulder main groove and parallel to VL1, an intersection point P between VL2 and a surface of a shoulder land portion outward from a ground contact edge in a lateral direction, and an equatorial plane CL. 0.80?(B+C)/A?1.15 is satisfied, where A represents a distance in the lateral direction between P and CL, B represents a depth of the shoulder main groove, and C represents a distance in the lateral direction between the ground contact edge and CL. 0.75?S/A?0.95 is satisfied, where S represents a distance in the lateral direction between CL and an end portion of a longest belt ply in the lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 10967685
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a sidewall portion includes a plurality of projecting portions projecting in a tire width-direction. The projecting portions are placed such that at least portions of the projecting portions are superposed on a first block in a tire radial-direction as viewed in the tire width-direction. At least one of the projecting portions includes an opening which is separated from both end edges of the projecting portion in a tire circumferential-direction. A center position of the opening in the tire circumferential-direction is deviated from a center position of the projecting portion in the tire circumferential-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Kuwano
  • Patent number: 10953617
    Abstract: The invention includes methods for forming a retreaded tire and treads there for. Particular embodiments of such methods include providing a tire carcass configured to receive a tire tread along an annular tread-receiving area and a pre-formed tread comprising a tread body and a submerged void arranged along a bottom side of the tread and extending into the tread thickness to a top end located below the top side of the tread, the submerged void having a length and an opening arranged along the bottom side when the tread is in an uninstalled configuration, where the opening of the submerged void extends in a direction of the submerged groove length along an alternating, non-linear path. Further steps include assembling a retreaded tire by arranging the tire tread atop a bonding layer arranged between the tire tread and the tire carcass and comprising uncured bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: E. Bruce Colby, Metodi L. Ikonomov, Dimitri G. Tsihlas, Michael C. Chandler, Michael Widmyer
  • Patent number: 10899177
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided whereby superior driving performance on muddy ground, snowy roads, sandy land, and the like can be obtained. The pneumatic tire includes main grooves provided in shoulder regions of a tread portion and extending in a tire circumferential direction; a plurality of lug grooves extending outward in a tire width direction from the main grooves and reaching sidewall portions; and a plurality of blocks that is partitioned by the main grooves and the lug grooves. In this pneumatic tire, a raised portion protruding from the blocks is provided at an end portion on an outer side in the tire width direction of the blocks; and the raised portion extends in the tire circumferential direction so as to protrude into the lug grooves positioned on both sides of the raised portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Inventor: Ryohei Takemori
  • Patent number: 10870317
    Abstract: A rim protector 40 of a tire 2 projects from a reference surface 44 of each side piece 38. The rim protector 40 has a first inclined surface 50 and a second inclined surface 52. A profile of the reference surface 44 includes an outer circular arc and an inner circular arc which are tangent to each other at a reference position. A first circular arc of the first inclined surface 50 is tangent to the outer circular arc, and a second circular arc of the second inclined surface 52 is tangent to the inner circular arc. A ratio of a height H relative to a cross-sectional height SH is equal to or greater than 0.27 and equal to or less than 0.34. A projecting length W is equal to or greater than 12 mm and equal to or less than 18 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shintaro Tomita, Daisuke Kudo
  • Patent number: 10857840
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, at least one of plurality of projecting portions includes at least one opening. At least one of the projecting portions is divided into an inner region placed on the inner side in a tire radial-direction and an outer region placed on the outer side in the tire radial-direction with respect to a position of an outer end of a belt play in a tire width-direction, the belt play placed on the innermost side in the tire radial-direction. A depth of the opening in the inner region is different from a depth of the opening in the outer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukiko Ueda
  • Patent number: 10766309
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes main grooves disposed in shoulder regions of a tread portion and extending in a tire circumferential direction; a plurality of lug grooves extending outward in a tire width direction from the main grooves and reaching sidewall portions; and a plurality of blocks that is partitioned by the main grooves and the lug grooves. In such a pneumatic tire, a narrow-width bent portion, having a groove width that is less than a groove width of other portions of the lug groove and which is bent with respect to an extending direction of the lug groove, is provided at an end portion on an outer side in the tire width direction of at least a portion of lug grooves among the plurality of lug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Akashi
  • Patent number: 10744822
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises a tread portion 2 divided into two crown land regions 6, two middle land regions 7 and two shoulder land regions 8 by a center circumferential groove 3 having a width Wc, two middle circumferential grooves 4 having a width Wm and two shoulder circumferential grooves 5 having a width Ws. The distance LA from the shoulder circumferential groove 5 to the tire equator Co is more than the distance LB from the shoulder circumferential groove 5 to the tread edge TE. The width Wc and width Wm are more than 3.0 mm and less than 6.0 mm. The width Ws is more than 5.0 mm, and more than the width Wc and more than the width Wm. The crown and middle land regions 6 and 7 are each formed as a rib. The shoulder land regions 8 are each formed as a row of shoulder blocks 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shuji Kagimoto
  • Patent number: 10730354
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a projection formed on a surface of a tire tread portion. A thickness of the projection, which is a distance from the surface of the tread portion to a top surface of the projection, is smaller than a width of the projection, which is a size of the top surface in a tire circumferential direction. The width of the projection is equal to or more than 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nashio, Takeshi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 10632792
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a sidewall portion having an outer wall surface that is provided with a first protrusion extending to have an annular shape in a tire-circumferential direction, and a plurality of second protrusions disposed at intervals in the tire-circumferential direction. The first protrusion is provided, in a tire-radial direction, in a region having a range of 80% of a length H from a tire-maximum-width position to a tire-outermost-diameter point in the tire-radial direction with the tire-maximum-width position as the center. The second protrusion is provided with a connection portion that extends in the tire-circumferential direction and is connected to the first protrusion on the outer side in the tire-radial direction, and a pair of radial projection portions that projects outward in the tire-radial direction from both end portions of the connection portion in the tire-circumferential direction and is disposed at an interval in the tire-circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 10625541
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes first and second side blocks formed respectively on a side portion such that the first and second side blocks extend toward the inside in a tire radial direction from a tread shoulder portion. The first and second side blocks are arranged alternately in a tire circumferential direction. The first side block has a recessed portion formed so as to be indented with respect to a side surface. In a first region, the second side block projects outwardly in a tire width direction more than the first side block. In a second region disposed inner side than the first region, the first side block projects outwardly in the tire width direction more than the second side block. In a third region disposed inner side than the second region, the second side block projects outwardly in the tire width direction more than the first side block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Kuwano
  • Patent number: 10603961
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a plurality of blocks arranged on a tire ground contact edge. The plurality of blocks each comprise at least one main sipe that comprises: a two-dimensional sipe portion extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a three-dimensional sipe portion extending in a tire lateral direction that connects to the two-dimensional sipe portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Akashi
  • Patent number: 10589574
    Abstract: In this pneumatic tire, width direction sipes (9) on one side in the tread circumferential direction are shifted in position in a central land portion row (3a) and intermediate land portion rows (3b1, 3b2), first and second width direction grooves (4a, 4b) and the width direction sipes (9) on the one side are shifted in position in the tread circumferential direction in the central land portion row (3a), minute blocks (9a) in the central land portion row (3a) are aligned in position in the tread circumferential direction with minute blocks (9a) or third width direction grooves (4c1, 4c2) in the intermediate land portion rows (3b1, 3b2), and fifth width direction grooves (10a, 10b) and width direction shallow grooves (11a, 11b) are aligned in position in the tread circumferential direction with fourth width direction grooves (4d1, 4d2) or minute blocks (9a) in the intermediate land portion rows (3b1, 3b2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naohiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10493807
    Abstract: Plural inner face grooves 40 are formed to tire inner faces of a tire frame member 17 formed from a resin material. The inner face grooves 40 are formed to a region from an inner separation point corresponding to a separation point of a bead portion 12 from a rim 20 as far as an inner end portion 30 IN corresponding to a tread end 30A of a tread member 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kouno, Seiji Kon
  • Patent number: 10427476
    Abstract: A tire which is intended to bear heavy loads and the endurance of which is improved. The tire contains, in the bead region, at least one internal annular insert, the said insert having a rubber composition containing a polyisoprene elastomer, between 45 phr and 60 phr of a reinforcing filler containing from 43 to 55 phr of a reinforcing inorganic filler with a BET specific surface of between 155 and 185 m2/g, and a coupling agent for bonding the reinforcing inorganic filler to the elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Patricia Lagarde, David Lavialle
  • Patent number: 10358002
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a side protector 9 comprising first protect ribs 11 and second protect ribs 12 arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. The first protect ribs 11 each have a main part 13 extending radially inwardly in the form of an S shape. The second protect ribs 12 each have a main part 14 extending radially inwardly in the form of an L shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichi Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 10183531
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a belt layer is formed by laminating a pair of cross belts having a belt angle, as an absolute value, of not less than 10° and not greater than 45° and having belt angles of mutually opposite signs, and a circumferential reinforcing layer having a belt angle within a range of ±5° with respect to the tire circumferential direction. Moreover, 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Koichi Kotoku
  • Patent number: 9987886
    Abstract: A tire comprising a carcass reinforcement (2) surmounted radially on the outside by a crown reinforcement (3), itself radially on the inside of a tread (4) having two axially outermost ends. The crown reinforcement (3) has a layer of reinforcing elements. The tread is connected to two beads (5) by two sidewalls (6), each bead (5) comprising at least one circumferential reinforcing element. Sidewalls (6) comprise, on their exterior surface, a series of protuberances (8) alternating with voids (9). The tread (4) comprises, at least at one axially outermost end (4a), a circumferential groove (10), wherein each protuberance (8) is positioned at the surface of a sidewall, the different protuberances being arranged regularly or irregularly and continuously between a point A and a point E, and wherein at least one protuberance (8) partially or completely interrupts or does not interrupt the circumferential groove (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Hervé Ferigo, Hélène Emorine
  • Patent number: 9981506
    Abstract: Tire for a heavy goods vehicle, comprising a crown reinforcement, and, radially outside this crown reinforcement, a tread having a total thickness PMU of material intended to become worn during running, the crown reinforcement being formed by at least two working plies and a protection ply positioned radially outside the working plies and radially inside the tread, the narrowest working ply having a width in the range from 70% to 90% of the width W of the tread, the protection ply having a width at most equal to 70% of the width of the narrowest working ply, the tread comprising grooves only in the part radially outside the protection ply, each circumferentially orientated groove having a depth at least equal to 75% of the maximum thickness intended to become worn PMU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Fabien Marlier, Benjamin Quantinet, Eric Slachmuylders
  • Patent number: 9981505
    Abstract: A tire is provided having features in the tread elements that provide improved resistance to wear and, more particularly, irregular wear. More specifically, lamellae are provided along tread elements of the tire and between such tread elements to provide for improved wear patterns and particularly to provide resistance to irregular wear at the leading and trailing edges of the tread element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Robert C. Radulescu
  • Patent number: 9975203
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire made of rubbery material comprising a sidewall on which there is formed at least one pattern that contrasts with this sidewall. The pattern comprises a plurality of strands distributed through the pattern with a density of at least five strands per square millimeter (mm2), each strand having a mean cross section of between 0.003 mm2 and 0.06 mm2. The tire also comprises on the said sidewall at least two ribs that pass through the pattern and between which strands of the pattern are present, the said ribs being distant from one another by at most 10 mm, each rib having a height of at least 0.25 mm and a mean width of at least 0.20 mm, the said pattern following the relief formed by the ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Olivier Muhlhoff, Jean-Claude Desvignes
  • Patent number: 9809059
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire capable of exhibiting improved on-snow cornering performance on a snowy road and improved on-ice cornering performance on an icy road surface. Specifically, the pneumatic tire comprises: a tread portion (1) including a ground contact surface (5) to be brought into contact with a road surface when the tire is rotated; a pair of sidewall portions (3) forming side surfaces of the tire and extending from the tread portion (1) toward the inner side in the tire radial direction, respectively; and buttress portions each forming an outer surface region (7) ranging from an end portion in the width direction of the ground contact surface (5) to the corresponding sidewall portion (3), wherein polygonal blocks (11) are formed in the outer surface region (7) by demarcation by grooves (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Ochi
  • Patent number: 9764599
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, shoulder blocks are formed with one of two types of values for block width measured in the tire circumferential direction. A cross-sectional shape of a tread ground contact edge of the shoulder blocks with the smaller block width value when sectioned in a plan that includes a tire axial center is formed with a squared portion formed by a curved line having a radius of curvature of 10 mm or less, or is formed with a squared portion taper cut along a straight line having a length of 10 mm or less. A cross-sectional shape of a tread ground contact edge of the shoulder blocks with the larger block width value when sectioned in the plan that includes the tire axial center is formed with a rounded portion formed by a curved line having a radius of curvature of from 30 mm to 60 mm inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 9623707
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tire comprising a tread comprising: a plurality of circumferential grooves separating circumferential ribs, each groove comprising a bottom and two sidewalls; one or more groove reinforcements, each groove reinforcement laterally spaced from any other of said one or more groove reinforcements; wherein each groove reinforcement is arranged adjacent one circumferential groove; wherein at least one circumferential groove has no groove reinforcement adjacent to it; and wherein each groove reinforcement extends from the radially inner surface of the tread in a radially outward direction at least to the bottom of the adjacent circumferential groove to form at least part of the bottom of that groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Claude Schweitzer, Thomas Gesenhoff, Jean-Louis Marie Félicien Thomas, Hans Leo Bert Geluykens, Phaniraj Muthigi, Jacques Camille Marie Nevouet, Germain Dehez, Hubert Anna Johanes Cox
  • Patent number: 9604505
    Abstract: Tread for civil engineering tires, having blocks in the central part and edge ribs, each block having a width Ltb measured parallel to transverse edges and a width Lcb measured along the circumferential direction, wherein each edge rib has a plurality of recesses, forming housings, with a transverse width Lte and a circumferential length Lce, delimited over the whole of its height He by transversely orientated walls and a circumferentially orientated wall, having a suitable geometry to receive at least an end part of a block of the central region with a circumferential clearance Ac in the circumferential direction and a transverse clearance At in the transverse or axial direction, these clearances determined to ensure that, in the usual running conditions of the tire the end part of said block of the central region is at least partially in contact with at least one of the transversely orientated walls of each recess, thereby preventing each of the blocks, having its ends locked in said recesses, from coming i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ESTABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Dominique Chauvin
  • Patent number: 9566830
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire adapted to effectively suppress temperature rise of a tread portion during loaded rolling of the tire, and sufficiently suppress failure of the tread portion due to the temperature rise. The tread portion of the pneumatic tire extends between both tread ends and has a tread surface with lug grooves. Each lug groove extends in a tire width direction and has an opening at its one end to a buttress that extends from the tread end radially inwards of the tire. The buttress has a surface with a projection on one side, in a tire circumferential direction, of the buttress-side opening of the lug groove to protrude in the tire width direction. The projection has a radially outer end in a radially outer side than a radially inner end of the buttress-side opening of the lug groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Hironaka, Yuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9561630
    Abstract: Tire for a heavy goods vehicle comprising a tread of total thickness E and total volume V, having a tread surface intended to come into contact with a roadway, at least one cavity or groove that is continuous in a main direction, and delimited by side walls connected by a bottom, a cross section, the points furthest towards the inside of the bottom of each cavity defining a bottom line, wherein each cavity or groove comprises a plurality of open sections open onto the tread surface in the new state and a plurality of closed sections, connected to the open sections being arranged in alternation, each closed section being spaced away from the tread surface by a bridge of rubber, wherein the points on the bottom line of said cavity or groove lie at distances between a minimum distance Dm and a maximum distance DM with respect to the tread surface, the bottom line of each cavity or groove following a wavy geometry of positive amplitude equal to the difference (DM?Dm).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Richard Audigier, Stéphane Oraison, Christophe Bessac
  • Patent number: 9487053
    Abstract: A vehicle tire has a pattern visible in the side wall located in a groove thereof extending across the entire circumference of the tire and oriented in a circumferential direction (U). The groove is formed of first groove segments and second groove segments, which in the circumferential direction are arranged in alternating sequence one behind the other. Radially outwardly, the groove segments are each defined by a radially outward defining flank and radially inwardly, are defined by a radially inward defining flank defining the groove radially inward. The first groove segments are arranged radially outside the second groove segments and the transition between a first groove segment and the adjacent second groove segment is configured as a radial offset of the groove by the amount of displacement (a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Rittweger
  • Patent number: 9393843
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions, and a protrusion. The protrusion includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs and a low height part. Each rib has a protruding height of 0.5 to 7.0 mm from the normal outer surface of the sidewall. Each low height part has a protruding height from the normal outer surface of the sidewall that is lower than that of the longitudinal ribs. The sidewall portion with the protrusion has a ratio between a total area of the protrusion projected onto the normal outer surface of the sidewall portion and an area between an outer circumferential line on the sidewall portion passing through a radially outmost point of the protrusion and an inner circumferential line on the sidewall portion passing through a radially innermost point of the protrusion in a range of from 50 to 80%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yosuke Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9387730
    Abstract: In a tire, protrusions are disposed at intervals in the tire circumferential direction in at least one tire side portion, extending in an elongated manner from the inner side to the outer side in the tire radial direction including the maximum tire width position, the extension direction of each of the protrusions is inclined with respect to the tire radial direction, and the each of the protrusions adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction is disposed with the opposite orientation of the inclination with respect to the tire radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kodama, Masataka Koishi, Hiroshi Tokizaki
  • Patent number: 9272579
    Abstract: In a tire 2, a body 24 and side ends 26 are formed by side grooves 22 being formed in edge PT portions of a tread 4. A ratio of a width BW of a belt 12 to a width TW of the body 24 is 0.95-1.00. A width GW of each side groove 22 is greater than or equal to 2.0 mm. A width RW of each side end 26 is greater than or equal to 2.0 mm. A ratio of a depth D1 of each side groove 22 to a depth D of each main groove 30a is 0.6-1.0. A ratio of a distance H from a vertex PP of each side end 26 to the tread surface 28 relative to the depth D is greater than or equal to 0.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichiro Tanada
  • Patent number: 9266396
    Abstract: The pneumatic radial tire for passenger cars according to the present invention specifies the ratio W/L between the section width W and outside diameter L and includes a width direction groove located at an appropriate position on the tread surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Hatanaka, Isao Kuwayama
  • Patent number: 9205705
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki