Having Groove Or Sipe With Specified Dimension Or Structure Therewithin Patents (Class 152/209.18)
  • Patent number: 10350946
    Abstract: A vehicle tire may have a tread with a circumferential groove defined by side faces of two circumferential ribs. The side faces may have a number of radially extending paddles formed by a pair of walls. A ratio of the length of one wall to the other may be at least 1.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Richard S. Parr
  • Patent number: 10343465
    Abstract: Wear resistance is improved. To that end, a pneumatic tire of the disclosure herein includes, on a tread surface 1, a sipe 4 extending in a direction intersecting a tire circumferential direction. A sipe width of the sipe becomes maximum at a predetermined depth direction position P1 at predetermined extending direction position P2 of the sipe, and gradually increases at the predetermined depth direction position P1 from both ends in the sipe extending direction to the predetermined extending direction position P2, and also gradually increases at the predetermined extending direction position P2 from both ends in the sipe depth direction to the predetermined depth direction position P1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryunosuke Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 10343460
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of first shoulder blocks arranged in a tire circumference direction cn a main groove side in a shoulder land portion, and a plurality of second shoulder blocks arranged in the tire circumference direction on a tire ground contact end side in the shoulder land portion, in which the first shoulder blocks and the second shoulder blocks are arranged alternately in the tire circumference direction, the first shoulder blocks each include a protruding portion protruding into: a space between two of the second shoulder blocks arranged in the tire circumference direction, at least at the time of being grounded, the protruding portion overlaps in the tire circumference direction with the second shoulder blocks on both sides in the tire circumference direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 10328751
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a circumferentially and continuously extending zigzag shoulder main groove located adjacent to a tread edge, a shoulder lateral groove extending axially outwardly from the shoulder main groove and a central lateral groove extending axially inwardly from the shoulder main groove. The shoulder main groove includes an inner corner portion protruding axially inwardly. The central lateral groove includes a first groove portion, a second groove portion and a confluence portion at which the first groove portion and the second groove portion meet. The confluence portion of the central lateral groove is communicated with the inner corner portion of the shoulder main groove. The shoulder lateral groove is located so that an extended portion in which the shoulder lateral groove is extended axially inwardly overlaps with the confluence portion at least partially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Oji
  • Patent number: 10328648
    Abstract: Die (1) representing a tread pattern model for a tread of a tire to be molded. The die is made up of a plurality of blocks (2) separated by grooves (4), at least a part of the die having surfaces provided with textures (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Bernard Villeneuve
  • Patent number: 10322608
    Abstract: A tire is provided in a first half-tread portion with a first shoulder main groove and a first shoulder land region 4D and a first middle land region 4B on the axially outside and axially inside thereof, respectively. The first shoulder land region 4D is divided into first shoulder blocks 7D each provided with a first shoulder chamfer portion 10 at the corner portion 10 between the ground contacting surface and the groove side wall of the first shoulder main groove 3C. Both ends of the first shoulder chamfer portion 10 terminate without being connected to the first shoulder transverse grooves 6D. The first middle land region 4B is provided at the corner 14 between its ground contacting surface and the groove side wall of the first shoulder main groove with first middle chamfer portions 15 each positioned in a part of the range between the adjacent first middle rug grooves 6B. The first middle chamfer portions 15 are disposed so as face the first shoulder chamfer portions 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Kozo Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10308080
    Abstract: Tread for a civil engineering tire, provided with circumferential grooves and transverse grooves, having two edge rows provided with a plurality of blocks, which in pairs delimiting a groove of transverse overall orientation opening both onto a circumferential groove and to the outside of the tread, each block having a contact face to contact the ground, two lateral faces—an external lateral face and an internal lateral face, a front face and a rear face, intersecting the contact face along a front edge corner and a rear edge corner, the blocks formed such that their external lateral faces lie the same distance from an equatorial plane that divides the tread into two equal halves wherein the width of the transverse grooves increases progressively at least from a non-zero distance measured from a plane parallel to the equatorial plane through the axially outermost points of the external lateral faces of the blocks wherein the maximum increase in width of a transverse groove is at least equal to 20% and at most
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche Et Technique
    Inventor: Murielle De-Tullio
  • Patent number: 10293642
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with blocks divided by main grooves extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction, and axial grooves connecting between the main grooves. The blocks include a siped block. The siped block is provided with a first sipe extending in the tire axial direction across the block, and second sipes respectively disposed in regions subdivided by the first sipe. Each of the second sipes is a closed sipe whose both ends are closed, and the maximum depth of the second sipe is less than the maximum depth of the first sipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kae Ito
  • Patent number: 10286733
    Abstract: A tread pattern of a pneumatic tire includes two outer circumferential main grooves and two inner circumferential main grooves. Each of the two inner circumferential main grooves comprises a first groove wall and a second groove wall facing the first groove wall. The first groove walls include first oblique wall elements that extend obliquely outward in a tire width direction and second oblique wall elements that extend obliquely inward in the tire width direction and extend for a shorter length than the first oblique wall elements. The second groove walls include third oblique wall elements that extend obliquely inward in the tire width direction and fourth oblique wall elements that extend obliquely outward in the tire width direction and extend for a shorter length than the third oblique wall elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamakawa, Yasutaka Akashi
  • Patent number: 10279631
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 is provided in the tread portion 2 with a pair of center main grooves 3 arranged on both sides of the tire equator C, and a pair of shoulder main grooves 4 arranged on both sides thereof, and is provided on both sides of the equator C with middle land portions 6 defined between the center main grooves 3 and the shoulder main grooves 4. The middle land portions 6 are provided with a plurality of middle oblique grooves 10. Each middle oblique groove 10 extends toward the tire equator C from the outer end 10o in the tire axial direction communicating with the shoulder main groove 4, and the inner end 10i terminates without reaching to the center main groove 3. In an outer end 10o side of the middle oblique groove 10, an outer shallow bottom portion 12 having a depth less than the maximum depth of the middle tilted groove 10 is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hokuto Kubo
  • Patent number: 10279633
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a radially outer tread. The tread has a plurality of circumferential grooves, a plurality of lateral grooves, and a plurality of shoulder grooves. The tread includes bottoms and sides of each circumferential groove being textured for improving snow traction, each circumferential groove being textured with flat-topped pyramids, bottoms and sides of each lateral groove being textured for improving snow traction; and bottoms and sides of each shoulder groove being textured for improving snow traction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Richard Mark Wieland, Michael Stefan Skurich, Michael Geno Cicchiani, Dale Edward Umstot
  • Patent number: 10272726
    Abstract: A tire made of rubber material, comprising a tread (2), said tread (2) having a plurality of grooves (21), each groove (21, 23) having a groove bottom, walls flanking the groove bottom and transition regions between the walls and the groove bottom. The tire is characterized in that all or some of the grooves (21, 23) comprise a texture (3) extending only over the groove bottom and over at least a part of the transition regions associated with this groove bottom, said texture (3) contrasting with the rest of the tire (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Olivier Muhlhoff, Stéphanie Cambon, Hélène Emorine, Arnaud Larregain
  • Patent number: 10266013
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire in which a tread part is provided with a pair of central main grooves extending continuously around the circumference of the tire on both sides of a tire equator C, and central thin grooves extending continuously around the circumference of the tire on the tire-axially inner sides of the central main grooves and having less groove width than the central main grooves. The central thin grooves include a linear first central thin groove running along the tire circumference, and zigzagging second central thin grooves. The first central thin groove is provided on the tire-axially inner sides of the second central thin grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Ito
  • Patent number: 10259268
    Abstract: A tire includes annular beads, a body ply extending between the annular beads, and a circumferential belt disposed radially outward of the body ply. The tire further includes a circumferential tread disposed radially outward of the circumferential belt. At least three circumferential grooves divide the tread into two outer circumferential ribs and two inner circumferential ribs. A plurality of rib sipes are disposed on at least one circumferential rib. The tire includes a plurality of curvilinear spline sipes, wherein each curvilinear spline sipe has multiple inflection points. At least one curvilinear spline sipe is disposed on an outer circumferential rib and at least one curvilinear spline sipe is disposed on a different circumferential rib. A localized depth of the at least one curvilinear spline sipe disposed on the outer circumferential rib varies in proportion to the distance from the rib sipes that intersect the at least one curvilinear spline sipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Russell A. Moser, Richard S. Parr
  • Patent number: 10252579
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire includes, in a tread portion, circumferentially extending zigzag center main grooves, circumferentially extending linear shoulder main grooves, a center land portion, middle land portions, and shoulder land portions. The middle land portions have middle inclined grooves connecting an axially outer top portion of one of the center main grooves and its adjacent shoulder main groove. The shoulder land portions have shoulder inclined grooves connecting one of the shoulder main grooves and its adjacent tread grounding end. The center land portion has first center inclined sipes connecting an axially inner top portion of one of the center main grooves and its adjacent axially inner top portion of the other center main groove and second center inclined sipes connecting an axially outer top portion of one of the center main grooves and its adjacent axially outer top portion of the other center main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Numata
  • Patent number: 10245895
    Abstract: A sipe is formed in a land portion of a tread surface. The sipe has a 3D sipe portion formed into a three-dimensional shape which changes along a depth direction, and a 2D sipe portion formed into a two-dimensional shape which does not change along the depth direction. The 3D sipe portion extends in the depth direction from the tread surface and terminates at a position which does not reach a sipe bottom. The 2D sipe portion extends in the depth direction from a terminated position of the 3D sipe portion and reaches the sipe bottom. The three-dimensional shape of the 3D sipe portion is formed into a sideways V-shaped form which is bent at one position in the depth direction. Both ends of the sipe are closed within the land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 10245889
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (10), which has, in the surface of the tread (11), lug grooves (15) on one side extending from one axial edge towards the axial center of the tire in such a manner as to intersect with the circumferential direction of the tire and lug grooves (15) on the other side extending in a symmetrically opposite direction from the axial center towards the other axial edge of the tire, has at least one circumferential groove (12) extending circumferentially around the tire. Also, circumferential grooves (12, 13a, 13b) are so formed as to satisfy a relationship of “1?(S/L)?3” where L is the axial length of the central region, which is the region enclosed by two straight parallel lines each passing through the center between the contact width center (CL) and the contact edge with the shoulder regions being the regions axially outside of the parallel lines, and S is the total of the groove areas of the circumferential grooves (12, 13a, 13b) disposed in the central region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinsaku Katayama, Eisuke Seta, Yoshio Kaji, Masafumi Koide, Takayuki Kurata, Hiroyuki Katsuno, Masakazu Amano, Ataka Takei
  • Patent number: 10245890
    Abstract: A tire includes a tire carcass and a tread extending circumferentially about the tire carcass. The tread includes a plurality of tread elements disposed in a tread pattern. The plurality of tread elements have one of two different pitch lengths and are disposed in a noise-reducing pitch sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Akiko G. Neil, Jon I. Stuckey
  • Patent number: 10239358
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a first shoulder main groove, a second shoulder main groove and at least one main groove to separate a first crown portion and a second crown portion. The first crown portion is provided with first crown sipes with a width less than 2 mm, but is not provided with any grooves with a width equal to or more than 2 mm. The second crown portion is provided with second crown sipes having a width less than 2 mm, but is not provided with any grooves with a width equal to or more than 2 mm. Each first crown sipe extends from the crown main groove to the first shoulder main groove with a first inclination direction. Each second crown sipe extends from the crown main groove to the second shoulder main groove with the first inclination direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Nagase
  • Patent number: 10226968
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread having a first tread edge, main grooves in tire circumferential direction, lands bordered by the main grooves, and lateral grooves crossing through the lands. Each land includes a first section having the first tread edge, a second section adjacent to an inner side of the first section, and a third section adjacent to an inner side of the second section, each lateral groove includes first, second and third grooves in the sections, respectively, each lateral groove has an outer portion that extends from first tread-edge side land periphery and a sipe portion that is connected to the outer portion and extends to the other land periphery opposite a first tread-edge side, and the lateral grooves satisfy A1>A2>A3 and B1<B2<B3, where A1, A2 and A3 represent axial lengths of the outer portions, and B1, B2 and B3 represent axial lengths of the sipe portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Shinya Kimura
  • Patent number: 10214057
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with a tread having a shoulder portion isolated by a main groove, and a slit formed on the shoulder portion, wherein a first tapered portion is formed on a side wall of the slit which comes into contact with the ground first when the tire is rotating, and a second tapered portion is formed on the side wall of the slit which comes into contact with the ground later, an end of the first tapered portion on the main groove side is located at a position closer to the main groove than the end of the second tapered portion on the main groove side, and the second tapered portion is formed so that a width on an opening end of the slit opening at a contact surface is wider than the width of the portion where the second tapered portion is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kensuke Shibayama
  • Patent number: 10202004
    Abstract: In a tire in which thickness from a boundary B between a cap layer 22 and a base layer 21 to a tire reference contour line L is thicker in a center land section 30 than in a shoulder land section 40, the center land section 30 and the shoulder land section 40 project to an outer side further than the tire reference contour line L, a thickness of the cap layer 22 in a projecting state is thicker in the center land section 30 than in the shoulder land section 40, and the shoulder land section 40 projects the most in a region A between a central position of the shoulder land section 40 in a tire width direction and a position on a main groove side therefrom by ¼ of a length of the shoulder land section 40 in the tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10202006
    Abstract: Tire for vehicle wheels includes a tread pattern defined by modules arranged circumferentially along the tread, each of the modules including: a) a first slanted transverse groove extending from a first shoulder portion in the first half of the tread to a first end located in the second half of the tread; b) a second slanted transverse groove extending from a second shoulder portion in the second half of the tread to a second end located in the first half of the tread; c) a third slanted transverse groove extending from the first shoulder portion to a third end located in the first half of the tread; d) a fourth slanted transverse groove extending from the second shoulder portion to a fourth end located in the second half of the tread; wherein: e) the first end is substantially located at an intermediate portion of the second slanted transverse groove; and f) the second end is substantially located at an intermediate portion of the first slanted transverse groove of a circumferentially adjacent module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Montesello, Gianfranco Colombo, Roberto Bolzoni, Maurizio Boiocchi
  • Patent number: 10202005
    Abstract: The present technology provides a pneumatic tire that combines rolling resistance and wet grip performance while suppressing the occurrence of uneven wear. The pneumatic tire of the present technology has a cap rubber divided into a center portion that straddles a tire equator line and shoulder portions positioned on both sides thereof, a compound emphasizing wet grip performance and having a tan ? at 0° C. higher than that of the shoulder portions is disposed in the center portion and a compound emphasizing rolling resistance and having a tan ? at 60° C. lower than that of the center portion is disposed in both shoulder portions, and circumferential narrow grooves are formed on the respective shoulder sides of outermost main grooves in both the shoulder portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Shimizu, Masatoshi Kuriyama, Masaki Sato
  • Patent number: 10195904
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes on a tread surface at least two circumferential main grooves extending in a tread circumferential direction, and a rib-like land portion partitioned by the two circumferential main grooves extending in the tread circumferential direction, wherein: the rib-like land portion has one or more circumferential sipes extending in the tread circumferential direction; and the rib-like land portion has one or more one-end opening lateral grooves and one or more first one-end opening sipes, the one-end opening lateral grooves extending from one of the two circumferential main grooves in a tread widthwise direction until a position connecting to the circumferential sipes, and ending within the rib-like land portion; the first one-end opening sipes extending from the other of the two circumferential main grooves in a tread widthwise direction, and ending within the rib-like land portion without connecting to the circumferential sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Shimura
  • Patent number: 10195905
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes, in an inner land (4) portion, a first resonator (9) made up of a first sub-groove (9a), a first branch groove (9b) opening to one of two inner circumferential main grooves (2), and a first branch groove (9c) opening to the other one of the two inner circumferential main grooves (2), and also includes, in an external land portion (5), a second resonator (11) made up of a second sub-groove (11a) and a second branch groove (11b) that is opening to one of two external circumferential main grooves (3) and a third resonator (12) made up of a third sub-groove (12a) and a third branch groove (12b) that is opening to the other one of the two external circumferential main grooves (3). The second resonator (11) and the third resonator (12) have groove widths smaller than the groove width of the first resonator (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 10195907
    Abstract: A tread portion (2) has a pair of center main grooves (11) extending zigzag and continuously in a tire circumference direction, a pair of shoulder main grooves (12), a center land portion (13), a pair of middle land portions (14), and a pair of shoulder land portions (15). The center main groove (11) has a first groove edge (11a) on the tire equator side and a second groove edge (11b) on the tread edge side. The shoulder main groove (12) has a third groove edge (12a) on the tire equator side and a fourth groove edge (12b) on the tread edge side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masakazu Washizuka, Daisuke Todoroki, Atsushi Maehara
  • Patent number: 10173476
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided in the tread portion with a main groove and an axial groove. The groove-sidewall surface on each side of the main groove is formed by a circular-arc-like surface having a radius R1 of curvature and being convex to the groove center side. The groove-sidewall surface on each side of the axial groove is formed by a circular-arc-like surface having a radius R2 of curvature and being convex to the groove center side. The radius R2 of curvature of the groove-sidewall surface of the axial groove is more than the radius R1 of curvature of the groove-sidewall surface of the main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10173475
    Abstract: Each central land portion row (9) has at least one first narrow groove (21) that is open to the central main groove (5) and has a length a in a tire width direction and an angle ? to the tire width direction, and at least one second narrow groove (23) has a length b in the tire width direction and an angle ? to the tire width direction. Each outer land portion row (11) located on an outer side of a different one of the outer main grooves (7) in the tire width direction has at least one third narrow groove (25) that is open to the outer main groove (7) and has a length c in the tire width direction and an angle ? to the tire width direction. In the tire, a<b, and ?<?<?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naotoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 10166820
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a plurality of polygonal shallow grooves. The polygonal shallow grooves are formed on a surface of a land portion of a tread surface, for constructing closed loops. The plurality of polygonal shallow grooves formed on one of the land portions have internal regions which are independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Asayama
  • Patent number: 10166818
    Abstract: A snow tire tread having a plurality of blocks separated by grooves and provided with sipe incisions dividing into several parts from a certain depth onwards, (complex sipes each having, when viewed in cross section, a rectilinear first part extending radially from the tread surface of the tread, and a second part extending the first part and comprising at least two branches each having an end. The tread has cavities each extending between the branches of a complex sipe and having a bottom situated at the same level as the ends of the branches. The cavities and the grooves of the tread are configured so that this tread has a voids surface ratio at the end of wear greater than or equal to 35%. Furthermore, the distance (D) between two branches of two adjacent complex sipes is at least equal to 2 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche Et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Vincent Ledieu, Bertrand Fraenkel, Illyes Batnini, Marie-Helene Vantal
  • Patent number: 10150269
    Abstract: The present invention includes an improved tire tread having recessed lateral grooves, and a tire having the same. Particular embodiments of the tread include a tread thickness bounded depthwise by a top side configured to engage a ground surface during tire operation and a bottom side configured to attach to a tire carcass, the thickness extending laterally between a first side edge and a second side edge and longitudinally in a lengthwise direction of the tread. The tread further includes a longitudinal groove in fluid communication with the top side or the bottom side of the tread thickness and a lateral groove in fluid communication with the bottom side of the tread thickness extending from the first side edge intersecting the longitudinal groove forming a vent passageway extending from the longitudinal groove and to the first side edge. The invention includes methods of forming such treads and molds there for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: E. Bruce Colby, Dimitri G. Tsihlas, Cesar E. Zarak, Metodi L. Ikonomov
  • Patent number: 10144251
    Abstract: On a tread portion, a plurality of blocks defined by a plurality of main grooves and a plurality of transverse grooves. The main grooves annularly and continuously extend in a tire circumferential direction. The transverse grooves extend in a tire width direction so as to intersect the main grooves. The plurality of blocks include a center block located at a center in the tire width direction and having, on a surface thereof, a first groove with closed both ends and a second groove joining the first groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 10099441
    Abstract: A tire vulcanization mold comprises a ring shaped tread mold which comprises a plurality of segments, each segment with a radially inner face and a pair of end faces each of which extends from a circumferential end of the inner face toward radially outwardly of the tire, the segments arranged in a circumferential direction of the tire to have a substantially continuous tread molding face by connecting inner faces one another, each inner face of segments comprising a circumferentially extending rib, a laterally extending rib, and blades for molding sipes, the blades including three dimensional blades which comprises a first blade with a thickness not more than 0.3 mm and a second blade with a thickness of from 0.4 to 0.6 mm arranged in one of the circumferentially end regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shingo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10093132
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1) has a tread (2), the direction (R) of rotation of the tread (2) being specified. Crown main grooves (3) and shoulder main grooves (4) are provided in the tread (2) to thereby define middle lands (5B). Each of the middle lands (5B) is provided with middle lateral grooves (18) arranged in separating from each other so as to define middle blocks (20). Each of the middle blocks (20) is provided with: a middle narrow groove (21) which extends from a middle lateral groove (18) on the trailing landing side, in the direction (R) of rotation, toward the leading landing side and which terminates without reaching a middle lateral groove (18) on the leading landing side; an inner sipe (S2) disposed on the inside of the middle narrow groove (21) in the axial direction of the tire; and an outer sipe (S3) disposed on the outside in the axial direction of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yukishi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10086655
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion with a designated rotational direction. The tread portion is provided with a shoulder main groove arranged nearby a tread edge, a plurality of shoulder lateral grooves each extending from the shoulder main groove to the tread edge to form a plurality of shoulder blocks. Each of the shoulder blocks includes a zigzag leading edge including an external corner with a first vertex formed between a long inclined side and a short inclined side. One of the shoulder blocks is provided with a plurality of shoulder sipes extending at an angle of 0 to 20 degrees with respect to an axial direction of the tire. One of the shoulder sipes includes a deep portion and a shallow portion that is arranged so as to include a position in the axial direction of the first vertex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 10046607
    Abstract: A winter tire includes a tread portion provided with first inclined main grooves extending from a first tread edge near a tire equator, second inclined main grooves extending from a second tread edge near the tire equator, a first inner longitudinal groove connecting a pair of first inclined main grooves at the vicinity of the tire equator and a second inner longitudinal groove connecting a pair of second inclined main grooves at the vicinity of the tire equator. Each of the first inclined main grooves includes an axially first inner end portion extending along an axial direction of the tire to the second inner longitudinal groove, and each of the second inclined main grooves includes an axially second inner end portion extending along the axial direction of the tire to the first inner longitudinal groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shotaro Abe
  • Patent number: 10035900
    Abstract: Provided are: a rubber composition for treads which contains a diene rubber in the rubber component and can simultaneously achieve blowing resistance during dry running, wet grip performance and abrasion resistance; and a pneumatic tire including a tread formed from the rubber composition for treads. The rubber composition contains: a diene rubber including styrene-butadiene rubber; zinc dithiophosphate; an inorganic filler including at least one selected from the group consisting of: a compound of the formula: mM.xSiOy.zH2O wherein M represents at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Mg, Ti, Ca, and Zr, or an oxide or hydroxide of the metal, m represents an integer of 1-5, x represents an integer of 0-10, y represents an integer of 2-5, and z represents an integer of 0-10; magnesium sulfate; and silicon carbide, and having a BET value of 5-120 m2/g and a linseed oil absorption of 30-80 mL/100 g; and sulfur, wherein, per 100 parts by mass of the diene rubber, there are 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10017013
    Abstract: In order to suppress an excessive increase in the temperature of a tread section, a tire includes: a first land portion that is formed to a tread section by providing plural circumferential direction grooves extending around a tire circumferential direction at a spacing in a tire width direction, and that includes plural first recesses provided around the tire circumferential direction of a wall face of the first land portion; and a second land portion that has a wider width than the first land portion, and that includes a greater number of second recesses than the number of the first recesses provided around the tire circumferential direction of a wall face of the second land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomotaka Sakiyama, Yohei Okita
  • Patent number: 10000094
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire includes a tread surface having, on at least a section thereof, a plurality of circumferential-direction grooves extending along a tread circumferential line and land portions defined either by the circumferential-direction grooves or by the circumferential-direction grooves and tread ground contact edges. The land portions include at least one partitioned land portion in which a plurality of narrow width-direction grooves extending in a tread width direction are provided. A prescribed internal pressure is at least 750 kPa. A depth of the circumferential-direction grooves, represented by H, satisfies a relationship 7 mm?H?13 mm. A tread circumferential-direction spacing of the narrow width-direction grooves, represented by W, satisfies a relationship 5 mm?W?20 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Saeki, Nobuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10000092
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a first shallow groove extending in a zigzag manner at the shoulder rib and second shallow grooves extending in the tire width direction and arranged at regular intervals in the tire circumferential direction at inner mediate ribs and center rib or ribs. A wall of each section divided by the second shallow grooves includes a central wall surface extending from one end on an interior widthwise of a center main groove to an other end on an exterior widthwise of the center main groove, a first wall surface extending from the one end of the central wall surface, and a second wall surface extending from the other end of the central wall surface. The first wall surfaces of the inner mediate ribs and the first wall surfaces of the center rib or ribs are mutually opposed across the center main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 9994079
    Abstract: A winter tire tread band having: a number of longitudinal and transverse grooves defining a number of blocks, each projecting radially upwards from a base surface of the tread band; and a number of sipes formed in at least some of the blocks, and each of which extends radially inwards of a corresponding block, from a top surface forming the rolling surface of the tread band; each sipe has a wave pattern when the corresponding block is viewed in any one of three planes perpendicular to one another and defined by a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and a radial axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Emiliano Sabetti, Massimo Mangia
  • Patent number: 9981507
    Abstract: Particular embodiments of the present invention include a multi-stage tire tread having two or more wear layers comprising an outer wear layer and one or more inner wear layers arranged within the thickness of the tread below the outer wear layer and one or more outer grooves are arranged within the outer wear layer. The tread further includes a volumetric void ratio equal to approximately 0.25 to 0.40 in the unworn condition and approximately 0.25 to 0.40 in a worn condition where the outer, ground-engaging side is arranged along one of the inner wear layers in the worn condition, the tread further having a contact surface ratio equal to approximately 0.66-0.72 in the unworn condition and approximately 0.56-0.66 in the worn condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Compagnie Générale des établissements Michelin
    Inventors: Jeffrey Thomas Warfford, Damon Lee Christenbury, Robert Cecil Lawson, Timothy A. White
  • Patent number: 9981508
    Abstract: It is a pneumatic tire 1 which is provided with a pair of shoulder land portions 4A defined between shoulder main grooves 3A and tread edges 2t by having the grooves 3A. At least one of the shoulder land portions 4A is provided with a plurality of shoulder lug grooves 5 and a plurality of shoulder sipes 6. The shoulder lug grooves 5 include first shoulder lug grooves 5A extending axially inward from the tread edge 2t and terminating without reaching the shoulder main groove 3A. The shoulder sipes 6 include first shoulder sipes 6A extending axially inward from the axially inner ends 5Ai of the first shoulder lug grooves 5A and connected to the shoulder main groove 3A, and second shoulder sipes 6B intersecting the first shoulder sipes 6A and extending in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Takemoto
  • Patent number: 9969221
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire capable of preventing discoloration while exhibiting good TGC resistance even after the tire having a reduced sub-tread thickness at the base of the tread main groove is stored. The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire including a tread portion, the tread portion including a jointless band and at least two tire components selected from the group consisting of a cap tread, a base tread, and an undertread, the rubber composition for cap treads having an amount of phenylenediamine antioxidant of a specific value or less, the cap tread, the base tread, the undertread, and the upper layer of the jointless band having amounts of phenylenediamine antioxidant satisfying a specific relational expression, the rubber composition for undertreads containing a specific amount of sulfur, the pneumatic tire having a sub-tread thickness at the base of the tread main groove of 0.5 to 2.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9969223
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including a first tread pattern and a second tread pattern. The first tread pattern and the second pattern are formed as substantially symmetrical design to the tire equator and arranged such that pattern phases thereof are shifted one another in a circumferential direction of the tire. Each of the first tread pattern and the second tread pattern is provided with lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly with an inclination from a tread edge to an axially inner end located near the tire equator, an inner connecting groove connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, and an outer connecting groove connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves. A central connecting grooves is arranged to connect between a pair of axially adjacent lateral inclined grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Higashiura
  • Patent number: 9956830
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a motorcycle includes a tread having a tread surface which makes contact with ground, a pair of beads each positioned on a radially inner side of the tread, a carcass bridging one of the beads and the other one of the beads, and a reinforcement layer laminated on the carcass on the radially inner side of the tread. Each of the beads includes a core and an apex extending from the core in a radially outward direction, and the apex of each of the beads has an outer edge positioned on a radially outer side of an edge of the tread surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Masafumi Otani
  • Patent number: 9950571
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire comprises a tread portion provided with a block pattern. The block pattern comprises block groups each consisting of at least five blocks Bg arranged along an oblique zone X so that the centroids M of the treads of the blocks Bg are positioned within the oblique zone X. The oblique zone X has a width of not more than 4 mm. The oblique zone X is inclined at an angle ? of from 1 to 10 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Sueishi
  • Patent number: 9944128
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including: on a tread of the tire, inclined belt layer and circumferential belt layer; and on the tread surface, a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in the tread circumferential direction, and shoulder land portions partitioned between the circumferential grooves located outermost in the tire width direction and tread ground contact ends. Positions of the tread surface that correspond to the outermost ends of the circumferential belt layer in the tire width direction are within the shoulder land portions, and the distance in the tire width direction between the outermost ends in the tire width direction of the circumferential belt layer and tire equator side ends of the shoulder land portions is 12% or more and 22% or less of a half of the width of the circumferential belt layer in tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto Okazaki
  • Patent number: 9944129
    Abstract: A tread made of rubber material for a snow tire having a tread surface intended to be in contact with a road surface when the tire is being driven on, and provided with a plurality of cuts delimited by walls situated facing one another and forming lateral walls of raised elements of the tread. Each lateral wall intersects the tread surface to form an edge corner. At least one lateral wall of a raised element is formed partially or fully by a cover layer extending from the edge corner associated with this lateral wall, of a material having an elastic modulus higher than that of the rubber material of the tread. The raised element has a depression in its lateral wall, delimited by the cover layer. The raised element moreover has a width W and the depth P of the depression is at least equal to 10% of the width W of the element and less than or equal to 40% of this width W. Finally the volume of the depression is less than 10% of the volume of the raised element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventor: Shuichi Kaneko