Having Groove Or Sipe With Specified Dimension Or Structure Therewithin Patents (Class 152/209.18)
  • Patent number: 10875361
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with, in the tread surface, land portions that include a rib or a plurality of blocks. The land portions are provided with a plurality of narrow shallow grooves and a plurality of recessed portions in a contact patch. The opening area ratio Se of the recessed portions in the end portion regions in the tire lateral direction of one continuous contact patch and the opening area ratio Sc of the recessed portions in the central portion region in the tire lateral direction have the relationship Sc<Se, where the central portion region is defined as the region in the central portion in the tire lateral direction occupying 50% of the continuous contact patch of the land portions, and the end portion regions are defined as the regions in the left and right end portions in the tire lateral direction occupying 25%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventor: Hiroshi Furusawa
  • Patent number: 10871595
    Abstract: Provided are compositions comprising a block copolymer of the following formula: [A]-B-[Q], wherein [A] is a polymer that has an affinity for a substrate; B is a linking group comprising an optionally-substituted, polyvalent linking group having a molecular weight of no more than 1000 g/mole; and [Q] comprises a semi-crosslinked, ungelled polymer derived from copolymerization of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer with a poly-functional ethylenically unsaturated monomer. Such block copolymers are cross-linked via the [Q] segment, but not macroscopically gelled. The [Q] segment is hydrophilic and has a degree of polymerization in the range of about 10 to about 10,000. The [A] segment is located on at least one terminal end of said block copolymer, comprises between about 1 and about 200 repeating units. The block copolymer is associated, via the linear substrate associative segment with a surface comprising at least one hydrophobic site, such as a silicone hydrogel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles W. Scales, Kevin P. McCabe, Brent Matthew Healy
  • Patent number: 10864777
    Abstract: The device for monitoring the wear of a tread during running comprises at least one internal cavity intended to form a void opening on to a tread surface after predefined partial wearing of the tread, this tread comprising a wear limit corresponding to a maximum thickness of wearable material, this device comprising a measurement well opening on to the tread surface, this measurement well having a bottom formed of a first part and of a second part which are offset from one another in the depth, these two parts of the bottom being situated at different distances with respect to the tread surface when new.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Benjamin Quantinet, Damien Bardin, Stephanie Cambon, Jonathan Lejeune
  • Patent number: 10850565
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion, sidewall portions, bead portions, and has at least one carcass layer disposed between the pair of bead portions. The ratio SW/OD between the total tire width SW and the tire external diameter OD satisfies the relationship SW/OD?0.3. A first region A is defined between a pair of first boundary lines (L1, L1), second regions B are defined between a first boundary line (L1) and a second boundary line (L2), and third regions C are defined on the bead toe side of the second boundary lines (L2). 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 lengths (mm) of the first region A to third region C along the tire inner surface as a, b, and c, respectively, the relationship 7.5?SA/a?11.5 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Yuji Minami, Masatoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10836215
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion including at least one land portion having axially spaced first and second ends. The at least one land portion is provided with lateral grooves extending from the first end to terminal ends terminating within the at least one land portion, first sipes each extending along a tire circumferential direction to connect a pair of lateral grooves arranged adjacently in the tire circumferential direction, second sipes extending from the first end toward the first sipes, and third sipes extending from the second end toward the first sipes. The second sipes and the third sipes are arranged without intersecting the lateral grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eisuke Hirosue, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Tomohisa Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 10828939
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion; four main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction in a tread surface of the tread portion, each having a wave-like shape with periodic oscillation; a center land portion, middle land portions adjacent to the center land portion on either side in a tire lateral direction, and shoulder land portions outwardly adjacent to the middle land portions in the tire lateral direction formed by the main grooves; a plurality of lug grooves that intersect the tire circumferential direction disposed in a row in the tire circumferential direction in the land portions, the plurality of lug grooves each being disposed on a smooth, continuous curved line that crosses the land portions between the outer ends of the tread portion in the tire lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 10821781
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread part having main grooves and lands demarcated by the main grooves. A crown land between a pair of crown main grooves includes first crown lug grooves extending from one crown groove to tire axial direction inner side and terminated within the crown land, second crown lug grooves extending from the other crown groove to the tire axial inner side and terminated within the crown land, and first crown sipes formed at tire circumferential direction positions and connecting the crown grooves, each first crown sipe includes a first side crown sipe piece extending from one crown groove to the tire axial inner side, a second side crown sipe piece not positioned on an extension line of the first side piece and extending from the other crown groove to the tire axial inner side, and a connecting crown sipe piece connecting the first and second sipe pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Horiguchi, Hiroshi Yamaoka, Yoshiaki Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 10821780
    Abstract: A tire 1 includes shoulder regions 4 each provided with first lateral grooves 7 and second lateral grooves 8. Each of the first lateral grooves 7 includes an inner portion 11 that extends axially outwardly from an inner end (7i) arranged axially outside a crown main groove 3 with a space therebetween and obliquely at an angle ?1 with respect to the tire axial direction, and an outer portion 12 that extends obliquely at an angle ?2 smaller than the angle ?1 with respect to the tire axial direction so as to cross a tread edge (Te). Each of the second lateral grooves 8 is arranged between adjacent first lateral grooves and extends axially outwardly from an inner end (8i) thereof arranged axially outside the crown main groove and obliquely in the same direction as the first lateral grooves 7 so as to terminate without reaching the tread edge (Te).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Okada, Yoshifumi Kawagoe
  • Patent number: 10800210
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion being provided with a crown main groove extending continuously in a zigzag manner in a tire circumferential direction and a shoulder main groove extending continuously in a zigzag manner in the tire circumferential direction. The shoulder main groove is arranged outwardly of the crown main groove in a tire axial direction. The crown main groove has a number of zigzag pitches in a range of from 0.21 to 0.32 times a number of zigzag pitches of the shoulder main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 10780745
    Abstract: The tread has a total width W and is provided with circumferential cuts that have a mean depth at least equal to 70 mm and at most equal to the thickness of wearable material. The circumferential cuts divide the tread into a middle region with an axial width Wm of 50% to 80% of the total width W. The middle region has transverse or oblique sipes opening into the circumferential cuts and closing at least in part when they enter the contact patch. The sipes have a depth at least equal to 75% of the depth of the circumferential cuts and delimit elements of material of height equal to the mean depth H of the said sipes and of circumferential length B equal to the mean distance between two sipes. For all the elements of material, the ratio H/B is greater than 0.5 and at most equal to 2.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE, S.A.
    Inventors: Francois Barbarin, Guillaume Demaziere
  • Patent number: 10766311
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including an inboard shoulder land portion defined between an inboard tread edge and an inboard shoulder main groove. The inboard shoulder land portion is provided with inboard semi-open shoulder lateral grooves and inboard shoulder sipes extending axially inwardly from the inboard tread edge and terminate within the inboard shoulder land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Uno
  • Patent number: 10766312
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion 2 provided with a circumferential land region 6 provided with a plurality of combined sipes 35 (36, 37). The combined sipes 35 (36, 37) are each composed of a straight portion 34 extending from one edge toward the other edge of the circumferential land region 6, and an arc-shaped portion 33 extending from the straight portion 34 to the other edge of the circumferential land region 6. The combined sipes 35 include a first combined sipe 36 in which the maximum depth of its arc-shaped portion 33 is larger than the maximum depth of its straight portion 34, and a second combined sipe 37 in which the maximum depth of its straight portion 34 is larger than the maximum depth of its arc-shaped portion 33.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Aya Wakizono, Yoshiaki Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 10759228
    Abstract: To provide a pneumatic tire with improved performance and balance in terms of fuel efficiency, steering stability performance and wear life. The total width SW, outside diameter OD, tread groove depth Ga, center groove depth Gc and shoulder groove depth Gs satisfy the relationships SW/OD?0.3, Ga?0.02×SW+2.5 and Gc>Gs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Kubota, Yuji Minami
  • Patent number: 10744824
    Abstract: This disclosure aims to provide a pneumatic tire having improved noise reduction performance exhibited by a resonator. The pneumatic tire according to this disclosure has at least two circumferential grooves extending continuously on a tread surface, and has a resonator disposed on a land portion partitioned by two circumferential grooves among the circumferential grooves, the resonator having an air chamber opening toward a land portion surface at a position spaced from the circumferential grooves, one a more one-side narrow necks connecting the air chamber to one circumferential groove of the two circumferential grooves, and one or more other-side narrow necks connecting the air chamber to the other circumferential groove, the one-side narrow neck and the other-side narrow neck having cross section areas approximately identical to each other, and an extending length of the one-side narrow neck and an extending length of the other-side narrow neck being different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tokumasa Akashi
  • Patent number: 10744823
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion having an outboard tread edge To and an inboard tread edge Ti. The tread portion is provided with: an outboard shoulder main groove extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction; an outboard crown main groove extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction and disposed between the outboard shoulder main groove and a tire equator; and outboard lateral grooves extending from the outboard crown main groove to the outboard tread edge To. The groove width of each of the outboard lateral grooves is decreased toward the outboard crown main groove 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 10730351
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a center land portion, intermediate land portions, and shoulder land portions, the land portions being partitioned and formed by four main grooves, and a plurality of lug grooves and sipes disposed in the land portions. The lug grooves disposed in the shoulder land portions do not communicate with the second main grooves. The groove area ratio is greater in the center region than in the shoulder regions. The distance (L1) from the tire equator to the center in the tire width direction of the first main groove is 15 to 25% of the distance (L) from the tire equator to the ground contact edge. The distance (L2) from the tire equator to the center in the tire width direction of the second main groove is 50 to 65% of the distance (L) from the tire equator to the ground contact edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Fujii
  • Patent number: 10717327
    Abstract: Tire tread comprising elongate block (3) of rubbery material extending in a circumferential direction of the tire. Elongate block (3) comprises ground contact surface (5) delimited by first and second lateral walls (7, 9). Elongate block (3) comprises successive sets of cutouts (6) in the circumferential direction, each set extending in an oblique direction and opening onto the first and second lateral walls, and distributed over the ground contact surface such that, when a set of cutouts reaches second lateral wall (9), another set of cutouts starts out from first lateral wall (7) at the same circumferential level. Each set of cutouts comprises two cutouts, each one extending as far as a cutout end (13a, 13b) which does not open onto a lateral wall. Ends such two cutouts are disposed at the same circumferential level. Cutouts of the same set of cutouts do not overlap in a transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Olivier Muhlhoff, Benoit Durand-Gasselin
  • Patent number: 10710414
    Abstract: Tire having a predetermined direction of mounting on a vehicle. The tire tread (40) comprises a central rib (411-413) and two side ribs (421, 422), separated by circumferential grooves (141-144). The side ribs are made from a first rubber composition less than 50% filled with black. The central rib comprises a portion (4111, 4121) made from a second rubber composition more than 50% filled with black, the axial width (LP) of said portion being greater than or equal to 20% of the axial width LC of the central rib. The first rubber composition has a tan ?0 value which is greater than the tan ?0 value of the second rubber composition, where tan ?0 denotes the tan ? value measured at a temperature of 0° C. and under a stress of 0.7 mPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Frédéric Bourgeois, François-Xavier Bruneau, Patrice Fraysse, Emmanuel Igier
  • Patent number: 10688832
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire capable of facilitating heat dissipation of a tread portion thereof to lower temperature at the tread portion. Specifically, the present invention provides a pneumatic tire having in a tread surface at least one circumferential groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and plural lateral grooves, the lateral grooves each opening to the circumferential groove, having a wider groove width than the circumferential groove and extending to be inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction, comprising: a recessed portion formed in a groove wall, facing the corresponding lateral groove, of the circumferential groove; and at least one projecting portion formed at a groove bottom of the circumferential groove between the recessed portions adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutaka Matsuzawa, Shun Oogane, Yuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10668774
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction, a plurality of lug grooves extending in the tire width direction, and a plurality of blocks partitioned by the circumferential main grooves and the lug grooves. Also, the block has a bent groove having a bent shape that is convex in one direction and that extends in the tire circumferential direction dividing the block into two in the tire width direction. Also, the blocks that are adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction are disposed such that the bend directions of the bent grooves are alternately reversed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiraku Kouda
  • Patent number: 10661607
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire of this disclosure includes on a tread surface at least one circumferential main groove having a groove width cyclically varying, and a lib-like land portion, wherein: among the lib-like land portions, a lib-like land portion disposed on at least one side of the circumferential main groove is formed in a shape such that: an outline shape of the lib-like land portion has a shape forming a protrusion, a tire widthwise position of the apex being equal on a tire circumference; a widthwise end portion adjacent to the circumferential main groove of the lib-like land portion is located on a side 0.3 mm or more inner than a position of the apex; an area on a tire widthwise end side of the tread surface of the lib-like land portion has a descending area with a width of 3% or more of the width of the lib-like land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinpei Sugiyasu
  • Patent number: 10654320
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread having a crown main groove and shoulder main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction. The crown groove has crown long side portions and crown short side portions inclined in the opposite directions and alternately formed in a zigzag shape extending in the tire circumferential direction, the shoulder main grooves have shoulder long side portions and shoulder short side portions inclined in the opposite directions and alternately formed in a zigzag shape extending in the tire circumferential direction, the crown main groove and shoulder main grooves are formed such that a crown long-short ratio La/Lb is larger than a shoulder long-short ratio Lc/Ld, where La is a length of each crown long side portion, Lb is a length of each crown short side portion, Lc is a length of each shoulder long side portion, and Ld is a length of each shoulder short side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Maehara
  • Patent number: 10647160
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire can improve the heat dissipation effect in the tread portion while guaranteeing land portion rigidity and can also suppress degradation of the heat dissipation effect. The pneumatic tire includes a narrow groove (10) on a tread surface (1), extending at an inclination to the tire circumferential direction, the groove width (W1) being smaller than the groove depth (D1), an air inflow part (11) opening to the tread surface (1) and formed on at least one of the groove walls (10c) of the narrow groove (10) that face each other in the tire circumferential direction, and a wear prevention portion (12) formed by a protrusion or concavity on a groove wall (10c) that faces the other groove wall (10c) on which the air inflow part (11) is formed or on the tread surface (1) connecting to the groove wall (10c) that faces the other groove wall (10c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shun Ogane
  • Patent number: 10639937
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising circumferential main grooves, a land portion defined by the circumferential main grooves, and a plurality of lug grooves disposed in the land portion that open to the circumferential main grooves. The land portion comprises notch portions formed on opening portions of the lug grooves and chamfered portions formed on edge portions of the notch portions. The notch portions have an edge portion with a V-shape projecting in a tire circumferential direction. A maximum width W2 of the notch portions and a width W3 of the chamfered portions have the relationship 0.30?W3/W2?1.80.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohisa Nishino
  • Patent number: 10632793
    Abstract: A tire (10) includes, in a tread surface (11): at least two circumferential grooves (12, 13) extending in a tire circumferential direction; and a land portion (14) sandwiched between the circumferential grooves (12, 13). The land portion (14) has a resonator (15) including: an air chamber (16); a first branch groove (17); and a second branch groove (18). The two circumferential grooves consist of: a first circumferential groove (12) having a smaller cross-sectional area in a cross section along a plane perpendicular to extending direction of the circumferential grooves; and a second circumferential groove (13) having a larger cross-sectional area in a cross section along a plane perpendicular to extending direction of the circumferential grooves. A centroid (C) of the air chamber (16) is situated to a side closer to the first circumferential groove (12) with respect to a tire widthwise center (CL) of the land portion (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tokumasa Akashi
  • Patent number: 10618355
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion 2 having an outside tread edge Teo and an inside tread edge Tei to be positioned outside and inside, respectively, with respect to a vehicle. The tread portion 2 is axially divided into land regions 4 by four main grooves 3 including an outside shoulder main groove 5, an inside shoulder main groove 6 and two crown main grooves 7. The outside shoulder main groove 5 has a width smaller than the inside shoulder main groove 6 and the crown main grooves 7. The land portions 4 include an inside shoulder land region 10 provided with inside shoulder lateral grooves 17. Each of the land regions 4 is provided with sipes 20 each extending across the entire width of the land region and having a width less than 3 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryuhei Sanae
  • Patent number: 10611193
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire provided with, in a tread surface, at least two main circumferential grooves, and a first land portion defined by the two main grooves, wherein in the first land portion, the followings are disposed: a first inclined groove; inclining relative to a tire width direction, and having one end portion opening in the main groove on one side adjacent to the first land portion and the other end portion terminating within the first land portion, and a first notched portion; having one end in a tire width direction as a tip positioned at an endmost, in a tire width direction, of the other end portion of the first inclined groove and the other end in a tire width direction opening in the main groove on the other side adjacent to the first land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 10603960
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes: a zigzag circumferential direction groove that is formed in a tread portion by alternating and continuously formed first inclined portions and second inclined portions, the first inclined portions being inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction and the second inclined portions being inclined in the opposite direction to the first inclined portions with respect to the tire circumferential direction; first lug grooves that are inclined in the same direction as the first inclined portions with respect to the tire circumferential direction and that merge with the first inclined portions; and second lug grooves that are inclined in the opposite direction to the first inclined portions with respect to the tire circumferential direction and that intersect the first inclined portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shungo Fujita
  • Patent number: 10596855
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion provided with a first main groove disposed between the tire equator and a tread edge and extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction; outward transverse grooves extending axially outwardly from the first main groove; and inward transverse grooves extending axially inwardly from the first main groove. The first main groove is a zigzag groove including axially outer segments extending along the tire circumferential direction; axially inner segments extending along the tire circumferential direction and positioned axially inside the axially outer segments; and oblique segments linking therebetween. Each of the axially outer segments is connected with one of the outward transverse grooves and one of the inward transverse grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Iwata
  • Patent number: 10589575
    Abstract: A tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2, a tread edge Te provided in the tread portion 2, a shoulder main groove 3 extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction in the tread portion 2, and a shoulder land region 5 being defined between the tread edge Te and the shoulder main groove 3. The shoulder land region 5 is provided with a shoulder lateral groove 10 connecting between the shoulder main groove 3 and the tread edge Te and a first shoulder lug groove 11 extending axially inwardly from the tread edge Te and terminating within the shoulder land region 5. An angle ?1 of the shoulder lateral groove 10 with respect to the tire axial direction is larger by 10 to 40 degrees than an angle ?2 of the first shoulder lug groove 11 with respect to the tire axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takehiko Murata
  • Patent number: 10583694
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is disclosed having a tread portion including a tread groove having a groove bottom and groove sidewalls. The tread groove has a groove width defined as a shortest distance between the groove sidewalls. The groove has a groove length extending generally parallel to the groove sidewalls. A sequence of circumferentially spaced stone ejector ribs span between the opposed groove sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Aleksandr I. Shmagranoff, Stephen T. Miranda, David M. Severyn, Todd A. Buxton
  • Patent number: 10576790
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire including a tread block 10 having a sipe 100 formed therein. A three-dimensional inclined surface groove 110 is formed at an upper portion of the sipe 100 formed in the tread block 10, such that three-dimensional inclined surface protrusions 16 and inclined surface grooves 17 respectively formed on both sipe side wall surfaces 15 forming the sipe 100 so as to correspond to each other may minimize a movement of the tread blocks 10 due to a stress generated from the tire contacting with a ground during driving, so as to increase a traction force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Kumho Tire Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Jong Seo Lee, Hyung-Ju Seo
  • Patent number: 10576784
    Abstract: A tyre for motor vehicles, includes: a carcass structure; a belt structure applied in a position radially external to the carcass structure and a tread band; the tyre having a transverse curvature ratio of at least about 0.30, the carcass structure including at least one carcass layer including textile reinforcement elements obtained by means of cords having, in a load/elongation diagram, an elastic response of at least 55 N at an elongation of about 2%; and at least one tread portion comprising a cured elastomeric material obtained by curing an elastomeric compound including 100 phr of at least one elastomeric polymer, from 30 to 130 phr of at least one reinforcement filler including at least 60% of an inorganic material selected from among silica, alumina, silicates, hydrotalcite, calcium carbonate, kaolin, titanium dioxide and their mixtures, and from 1 to 35 phr of at least one resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luca Bruschelli, Francesco Gagliardi, Mario Mariani
  • Patent number: 10576791
    Abstract: A tire includes sipes, on a surface of a tread of the tire, extending towards the direction of tire rotation from the tread edge side to the tire equator side of the surface of the tread. The sipes are disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the tread. In each of the sipes disposed at the tread edge side, a plane that follows the shape of the opening of the sipe and extends in the tire radial direction from the opening is defined as a reference plane, and each of the sipes disposed at the tread edge side is formed to include an extending portion that extends along the reference plane in the tire radial direction from the opening and a protruding portion that protrudes from the reference plane towards the direction of tire rotation and returns to the reference plane via a bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiro Hiraishi
  • Patent number: 10549582
    Abstract: There is provided a pneumatic tire which exhibits excellent durability while improving driving comfort. A pneumatic tire includes: a buttress portion; and a plurality of circumferential grooves formed on the buttress portion and extending in a tire circumferential direction. A ridge extending in the tire circumferential direction is formed in each of the plurality of circumferential grooves. A length of the ridge is not smaller than 50% of a length of the circumferential groove in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 10543720
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire comprises a tread pattern that comprises: circumferential main grooves with a wave-like shape, shoulder lug grooves extending in the tire width direction to a ground contact edge and connecting to the circumferential main grooves at first groove turning portions that protrude outward; center lug grooves connecting to the circumferential main grooves at second groove turning portions that protrude inward; and center blocks defined by adjacent center lug grooves of the center lug grooves adjacent in the tire circumferential direction and the circumferential main grooves, forming a row in the tire circumferential direction. The center lug grooves and the circumferential main grooves have a narrower groove width than the shoulder lug grooves; and each region of the center blocks includes two first narrow grooves having a curved line shape with no bent portions and having a narrower groove width than the shoulder lug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Takamasa Motomitsu
  • Patent number: 10525772
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a pneumatic tire in which the ratio of the total width SW and the outer diameter OD satisfies SW/OD?0.3, and grooves are provided on the tread portion. In the ground contact region of the tread portion, when the groove area ratio in the ground contact area is GR, the ground contact width is W, the region having a width of 50% of the ground contact width W and the tire equatorial plane as center is the center region, the groove area ratio in the center region is GCR, the ground contact region on the outer side in the tire width direction of the center region is the shoulder region, and the groove area ratio in the shoulder region is GSR, the ground contact region of the tread portion is formed to satisfy 10%?GR?25% and GCR>GSR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Minami, Masataka Kubota
  • Patent number: 10518587
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a plurality of circumferential main grooves, and a land portion defined by a pair of the plurality of circumferential main grooves. The land portion comprises a plurality of first lug grooves, a plurality of second lug grooves that are wider than the first lug grooves, and a plurality of notch portions formed on only the opening portions of the first lug grooves. A groove width Wg1 of the first lug grooves and a groove width Wg2 of the second lug grooves have the relationship 1.0 mm?Wg2?Wg1?4.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohisa Nishino
  • Patent number: 10500904
    Abstract: A tire includes a plurality of land portions defined by a plurality of circumferential grooves, and each of the plurality of land portions has a plurality of lateral grooves crossing the land portion. Each of the plurality of lateral grooves is made up of a center region extending at an angle of inclination relative to a tread width direction and side regions extending at a smaller angle of inclination relative to the tread width direction than the center region, the side regions increasing in groove width toward the respective circumferential grooves. Each of the plurality of lateral grooves has a sipe having, only in the center region, a shallow portion with a smaller depth, the shallow portion being located at least near a boundary part between the center region and each of the side regions with a starting point of the shallow portion being apart from the boundary part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10493709
    Abstract: A tire molding element for vulcanization molding a tire tread is disclosed herein. The tire includes at least one thin plate including a protrusion which protrudes from the main body in the thickness direction of the thin plate and guides the cut covering layer in the depth direction of the green tire in such a way as to cover at least a portion of the transverse side surface of the ground contact element, and the at least one thin plate comprises at least two cutting means separated in the thickness direction of the at least one thin plate, at an end portion on the opposite side to the molding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventor: Shuichi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 10449807
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread having a shoulder main groove, a center main groove formed adjacent to the shoulder main groove, a shoulder land section on tire axially outer side of the shoulder main groove, and a middle land section bordered by the shoulder and center main grooves. The shoulder land section has a shoulder lug groove and a shoulder linked sipe connecting the end of the shoulder lug groove and the shoulder main groove, the middle land section has a middle lug groove and a middle linked sipe connecting the end of the middle lug groove and the center main groove, and the shoulder lug groove, the shoulder linked sipe and the middle lug groove are formed on an inclined curve extending smoothly from the tread edge in the axially inward direction, and the middle linked sipe is inclining in direction opposite with respect to the inclined curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Mukai
  • Patent number: 10442248
    Abstract: A tire 1 has a tread portion 2 provided with: pair of axially innermost circumferentially continuously extending crown main grooves 3; outward transverse grooves 8 extending axially outwardly therefrom; and inward transverse grooves 9 extends axially inwardly extending therefrom. The crown main groove 3 is a zigzag groove comprising axially outer segments 15 and axially inner segments 16 extending in the tire circumferential direction, and oblique segments 17 connecting between the segments 15 and 16. The inward transverse grooves 9 are connected to axially inner intersections 18 at which the axially inner segments 16 intersect with the oblique segments 17. The outward transverse grooves 8 are connected to axially outer intersections 19 at which the axially outer segments 15 intersect with the oblique segments 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Dai Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 10427463
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic tire comprising a carcass and a tread located radially outward of the carcass and extending between the tire sidewalls; the tread providing a radially outermost tread running surface; the tread comprising a first tread layer comprising a first rubber compound and a second tread layer comprising a second rubber compound; wherein the second tread layer is located radially adjacent to the first tread layer; wherein the first rubber compound is compositionally distinct from the second rubber compound; wherein the second tread layer comprises one or more integrally formed extensions of the second tread layer extending radially outwardly toward the tread running surface; wherein each of the integrally formed extensions of the second tread layer comprises a circumferentially continuous groove and a reinforcement zone disposed on a side of the groove; wherein the first rubber compound comprises 100 parts by weight of at least one diene based elastomer, and from 1 to 150 phr of sil
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Claude Schweitzer, Jean-Louis Marie Félicien Thomas, Bodo Ahrens, Giorgio Agostini, Laurent Carmelo Joseph Andre Pravata, Gabor Kaszas, Karen Karas Burke
  • Patent number: 10421321
    Abstract: This heavy duty pneumatic tire includes a block (6) on a tread surface (1). Shallow grooves are provided in the block. At least one of the shallow grooves (7, 9, 31, 32) is a raised bottom shallow groove that is in communication with at least one groove among circumferential grooves and transverse grooves adjacent to the block, extends in a direction intersecting the tire circumferential direction at least in a central portion of the block in the tire width direction, and has a groove depth that is shallower in the central portion of the block in the tire width direction than at an end of the raised bottom shallow groove in the tire width direction, thereby increasing block rigidity while achieving good mud drainage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akiko Uzawa
  • Patent number: 10414213
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with at least one block and a groove adjacent the at least one block. The at least one block includes a main portion with a ground contact surface for coming into contact with a ground and an auxiliary portion located radially inward of the ground contact surface of the main portion and protruding laterally from the main portion. The auxiliary portion includes a first portion extending along in a longitudinal direction of the groove and at least two second portions located radially outward of the first portion and arranged separately from one another in the longitudinal direction of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Arai
  • Patent number: 10406864
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion provided with at least one circumferentially and continuously extending shoulder main groove and at least one circumferentially and continuously extending crown main groove. The at least one crown main groove extends in a straight manner in a tire circumferential direction. The at least one shoulder main groove includes narrow segments inclined at angles with respect to the tire circumferential direction and wide segments each having widths greater than widths of the narrow segments. The narrow segments and the wide segments are arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction so as to form a zigzag groove shape, wherein the widths of the narrow segments are in a range of from 5% to 7% of a tread width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kouichirou Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10399390
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with an asymmetrical tread pattern. The width of an outboard shoulder main groove is less than the width of an outboard crown main groove. The angle of the axially inner groove-sidewall is less than that of the axially outer groove-sidewall. An outboard shoulder land region is provided with outboard shoulder blind grooves extending from the outboard tread edge and terminating within the outboard shoulder land region, and outboard shoulder lateral grooves extending from the outboard tread edge to the outboard shoulder main groove, which are arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction. An outboard middle land region is provided with outboard middle blind grooves extending axially inwardly from the outboard shoulder main groove, and outboard middle sipes extending from inner ends of the outboard middle blind grooves to the outboard crown main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Mukai
  • Patent number: 10377181
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a tread rubber includes a recessed portion extending along a tire-circumferential direction, the recessed portion being placed at a position of a tire-outer surface superposed on an end of the belt portion or at a position of a tire-outer surface on an outer side in a tire-width direction than the former position of the tire-outer surface, an outer wound-up portion is placed closer to a belt portion than an inner wound-up portion, the outer wound-up portion is separated from the belt portion to prevent the outer wound-up portion from being superposed on the belt portion, and the outer wound-up portion is superposed on the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuo Shimomura
  • Patent number: 10377184
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with main grooves and land potions. The main grooves include an outboard shoulder main groove, an inboard shoulder main groove and a central main groove disposed therebetween. The land portions include an outboard central land portion and an inboard central land portion. The outboard central land portion is provided with first central sipes with a width of less than 2 mm, and is not provided with any grooves with a width equal to or more than 2 mm. The inboard central land portion is provided with second central sipes with a width of less than 2 mm, and is not provided with any grooves with a width equal to or more than 2 mm. The inboard central land portion is greater than the outboard central land portion in axial width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Nagase
  • Patent number: 10363781
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion provided with a plurality of circumferentially and continuously extending main grooves including an outboard shoulder main groove, an outboard middle main groove, an inboard main groove and an inboard middle groove to define an outboard middle portion, an inboard middle portion and a central portion. The outboard middle portion is provided with a plurality of outboard middle lateral grooves, a plurality of outboard middle circumferential sipes each extending between adjacent outboard middle lateral grooves, and a plurality of outboard middle lateral sipes. The inboard middle portion is provided with a plurality of inboard middle lateral grooves, a plurality of inboard middle circumferential sipes, and a plurality of inboard middle lateral sipes. The number of inboard middle lateral sipes is greater than the number of the outboard middle lateral sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Eiki Osawa