Protrusion Bridging Between Walls (e.g., Tie Bar, Etc.) Patents (Class 152/209.22)
  • Patent number: 11958316
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion being provided with circumferential grooves extending continuously in a zigzag manner. One of the circumferential grooves includes first inclined elements inclined in a first direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction, second inclined elements inclined in a second direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and intersections where the first inclined elements and second inclined elements intersect. Each of the first inclined elements and the second inclined elements is provided with at least one first protrusion that projects outwardly in a tire radial direction from the groove bottom and connects the pair of groove walls. At least one of the intersections is provided with a second protrusion that projects outwardly in the tire radial direction from the groove bottom and is separated from the pair of groove walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoko Tsujibayashi
  • Patent number: 11872846
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes: a first main groove and a second main groove extending in a tire circumferential direction; and a first land defined by the first main groove and the second main groove, wherein the first land includes a plurality of slits extending across the first land in a tire width direction and open to the first main groove and the second main groove, the plurality of slits include first slits each having a first raised portion where a part of a groove bottom is raised and second slits each having a second raised portion where a part of a groove bottom is raised to be lower than the first raised portion, the first raised portion includes a first sipe extending along a direction where the first slits extend, and the first slits and the second slits are arranged alternately with each other in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsubasa Miyagaki
  • Patent number: 11807043
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread portion provided with shoulder blocks arranged along the tread edges and each having a side surface extending radially inwardly from the tread edge. The side surface includes a first surface section and a second surface section arranged in the tire circumferential direction and protruding outward of the tire than the groove bottom surfaces of the shoulder lateral grooves. In a tire meridian section including the first surface section, the profile line of the first surface section extends from the tread edge to a position corresponding to a position of the radial inner ends of the shoulder lateral grooves. In a tire meridian section including the second surface section, the profile line of the second surface section extends from the tread edge to a position corresponding to the above-said position of the radial inner ends through a path inward of the tire than that of the profile line of the first surface section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yohei Maeda
  • Patent number: 11597237
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread formed with: circumferential grooves extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction; lateral grooves connecting the circumferential grooves in a tire axial direction; and blocks divided by the circumferential grooves and the lateral grooves. In the lateral groove, a groove bottom is raised to form a tie bar connecting the blocks in the tire circumferential direction. The tie bar is formed with a groove portion penetrating the tie bar in the tire axial direction. In a state where the tire is assembled to a regular rim, filled with a regular internal pressure, loaded with a regular load, and contacting a flat surface at a camber angle 0°, a side wall formed on the tie bar by the groove portion on one side in the tire circumferential direction does not contact a side wall on the other side in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuya Meguro
  • Patent number: 11535062
    Abstract: A tyre comprises a tread portion comprising a shoulder main groove and a shoulder land region. The shoulder land region includes an outer region, a middle region, and an inner region. The shoulder land region is provided with a plurality of shoulder sipes having components in a tyre axial direction. A sipe ratio of the middle region is smaller than the sipe ratio of the outer region and the sipe ratio of the inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11511570
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion provided with at least one circumferentially extending zigzag main groove having a groove bottom, the at least one main groove including first inclined portions, second inclined portions each inclined in an opposite direction to the first direction, and first intersections where the first inclined portions and the second inclined portions are communicated with each other. The first inclined portions and the second inclined portions are arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction. The first inclined portions are longer than the second inclined portions. The groove bottom of the at least one main groove is provided with at least one protruding part extending in a width direction of the at least one main groove, and a distance between the at least one protruding part and one adjacent first intersection is equal to or less than 2 times groove widths of the first intersections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shoichi Wada
  • Patent number: 11420480
    Abstract: A tyre includes a tread portion being provided with two circumferential grooves extending in a tyre circumferential direction to form a crown land portion therebetween. The crown land portion is provided with two or more crown grooves extending inwardly of the crown land portion from the respective circumferential grooves. Each crown groove includes wide-width regions and narrow-width regions having a groove width smaller than that of the wide-width regions, and the wide-width regions and the narrow-width regions are alternated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryoji Notsu
  • Patent number: 11396209
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of main grooves each extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a shoulder rib formed by a shoulder main groove included in the main grooves. The shoulder rib is formed in an outer part of the pneumatic tire in a tire width direction. The shoulder rib includes a closed slit that communicates with the shoulder main groove and ends in the shoulder rib. The shoulder main groove includes a protrusion that extends into the closed slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11325426
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion comprising at least one circumferentially continuously extending main groove, and a land portion divided by the above-said at least one main groove, wherein the land portion is provided with straight sipes and curved sipes each extending in the tire axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kouichirou Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11298984
    Abstract: In the pneumatic tire, at least one main groove is formed in each tread portion on either side of the tire equator to form plural land portions, a microgroove that extends in the width direction and closes at a time of grounding, and a crossing microgroove that crosses the microgroove and closes at the time of grounding are formed in at least one of the land portions, such that block groups, each consisting of plural blocks aligned along the microgroove, are arranged in at least one of the land portions repeatedly in the circumferential direction, and widthwise sidewalls of blocks in a block group arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are displaced from each other along the microgroove by a distance L corresponding to from ? to ½ of the arrangement pitch P of the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11298982
    Abstract: A tread for a tire includes: a first tread zone extending circumferentially, continuously, and entirely around the tire, the first tread zone being formed of a first compound; a second tread zone extending circumferentially, continuously, and entirely around the tire, the second tread zone being formed of a second compound different from the first compound; and a boundary groove axially separating the first tread zone from the second tread zone, the first tread zone, the second tread zone, and the boundary groove entirely forming the tread, the boundary groove having an axial centerline disposed an axial distance from an equatorial plane of the tire. The first tread zone has a first circumferential groove and a sidewall portion defining an intermediate circumferential rib of the first tread zone and a shoulder circumferential rib of the first tread zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Michael Stefan Skurich, Zachary William Juergens, Michael Richard Crano, Jung Wan Cho, Kenneth William Smesko, Hans-Peter Guevara Leocadio, Richard Mark Wieland
  • Patent number: 11267292
    Abstract: Tread (2) of a radial tire for a heavy vehicle. The tire alternatingly rolls in laden and unladen states on ascent and descent, respectively. Tread (2) has total width WT and comprises first median portion (21) having median width Wc, where 0.2WT?Wc?0.5WT. Tread (2) axially delimited by second and third lateral portions (22, 23) that have respective lateral widths (WS2, WS3) at least equal to 25% and at most equal to 40% of total width WT. Angle A51 of leading face (51) of every element in relief (31) of first median portion (21) is strictly less than angle A61 of trailing face (61) of said element in relief (31). Angle (A52, A53) of leading face (52, 53) of every element in relief (32, 33) of each of second and third lateral portions (22, 23) is strictly greater than angle (A62, A63) of trailing face (62, 63) of said element in relief (32, 33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Philippe Mansuy
  • Patent number: 11247512
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion having at least one main groove extending in a zigzag manner in a tire circumferential direction. The main groove includes first inclined portions and second inclined portions arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction. The first inclined portions are inclined in a first direction and the second inclined portions are inclined in a second direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction. A length of each of the first inclined portions is larger than a length of each of the second inclined portions. The main groove is provided in a groove bottom thereof with projecting portions extending in a groove width direction of the main groove. The projecting portions includes first projecting portions arranged in the first inclined portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Hokazono
  • Patent number: 11241918
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises an inner circumferential groove and an outer circumferential groove in a tread portion and extending in a tire circumferential direction. A land portion between circumferential grooves is defined by the inner and outer circumferential grooves. The pneumatic tire includes first and second auxiliary grooves disposed in the tire circumferential direction that communicate with the inner and outer circumferential grooves, respectively, and terminate within the land portion between circumferential grooves. The first auxiliary grooves and the second auxiliary grooves have a non-intersecting, alternating arrangement. At least one narrow groove is disposed between adjacent first auxiliary grooves. At least two narrow grooves are disposed between adjacent second auxiliary grooves. The at least two narrow grooves between second auxiliary grooves are disposed in a greater number than the number of the at least one narrow groove between first auxiliary grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: Naoko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11235623
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes circumferential grooves aligned in a lateral direction and extending in a circumferential direction, lateral grooves aligned in the circumferential direction and extending to cross the circumferential direction, communicating at ends with the circumferential grooves and defining a block-shaped land portion between the circumferential grooves, two narrow grooves aligned in the lateral direction and extending in the circumferential direction, communicating at ends with a lateral groove and dividing the land portion defined by each of the circumferential grooves and each of the lateral grooves into small land portions, the narrow grooves having a smaller groove width than the circumferential grooves and being formed with a bent portion in an intermediate portion, the bent portion being disposed inward in the lateral direction, and bend points of the bent portions being disposed at positions offset from one another in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Mina Takata
  • Patent number: 11235621
    Abstract: A tread surface of a pneumatic tire is configured so that, given an inner region inward from shoulder circumferential main grooves in a tire lateral direction, and outer regions outward from the shoulder circumferential main grooves in the tire lateral direction, blocks positioned in the inner region are defined into three or more small blocks by narrow grooves, and blocks positioned in the outer regions are defined into a number of small blocks by the narrow grooves, the number being at least one less than the number of small blocks defined in the blocks positioned in the inner region. The small blocks including frontmost portions of the blocks in a tire rotation direction are leading-side blocks, and the small blocks including backmost portions of the blocks in the tire rotation direction are trailing-side blocks. The leading-side blocks have a surface area that is less than that of the trailing-side blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Tomohiro Asano
  • Patent number: 11207925
    Abstract: This disclosure aims to provide a tire having excellent braking performance on dry road surface and on wet road surface, and having excellent steering stability. This disclosure is a tire comprising a tread 10, wherein: the tread 10 has a plurality of circumferential grooves extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction C, the circumferential grooves including circumferential main grooves 21a, 21b, 22 with a cross-sectional area in a tire width direction W of 10 mm2 or more, and a groove width Lb at a 95% groove depth position with a groove depth of a groove bottom as 100% of at least the circumferential groove 21a located on an outermost side when mounted to a vehicle among the circumferential main grooves 21a, 21b, 22 being 25% to 60% with respect to a groove width Lt on a tread surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Tomida, Hideyuki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11192403
    Abstract: Tread (10) for a tire of an off-road vehicle. Total width Wt of the tread is greater than 600 mm and has at least three circumferential main grooves (1, 2, 3, 4) at least 60 mm deep that divide the tread into intermediate ribs (51, 52, 53) and edge ribs (8). The edge ribs have a width?0.25 Wt. At least one of the intermediate ribs (51, 52, 53) has fine grooves (61, 62, 63) of depth H1 delimiting blades of material (71, 72, 73) of mean width B1<2H1. Grooves (61, 62, 63) are oriented in the axial direction of the tire. Each intermediate rib (51, 52, 53) has a mean width?0.25 Wt and ?0.75 Ht (thickness of material to be worn away). Grooves, (61, 62, 63) have, over a height H12 at least equal to 65% of H1, a width? to the value obtained from 0.04?{square root over (B1·H1)}.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: François Barbarin, Guillaume Demaziere
  • Patent number: 11179975
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of blocks formed by being divided by a longitudinal groove in a tire width direction and divided by a lateral groove in a tire circumferential direction. The blocks include a first block on the inner side in the tire width direction, a second block on the outer side in the tire width direction, a third block adjacent to the first block in the tire circumferential direction, and a fourth block adjacent to the second block in the tire circumferential direction. The pneumatic tire includes a bridge formed in the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove and coupling the first block, the second block, and the third block, or the third block, the fourth block, and the second block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 11155122
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion being provided with blocks which are provided with sipes. When the tread portion is virtually divided into a crown area having a ¼ tread ground-contact width centered on a tire equator, a pair of middle areas each having a ? tread ground-contact width and being adjacent to axially each side of the crown area and a pair of inner shoulder areas each having a ? tread ground-contact width and being adjacent to axially outside the middle areas, the sipes comprise crown sipes having main portions included in the crown area, middle sipes having main portions included in the middle areas and shoulder sipes having main portions included in the inner shoulder areas. Depths of the crown sipes are smaller than depths of the middle sipes, and depths of the shoulder sipes are smaller than the depths of the middle sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Dai Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 11104183
    Abstract: Groove widths of center main grooves are larger than groove widths of inner and outer main grooves. Plurality of lateral grooves are formed at intervals in a tire circumferential direction so as to define inner shoulder blocks belonging to an inner shoulder row. A first raised portion connecting a pair of inner shoulder blocks to each other is formed in the lateral grooves every one other on an inner main groove side. A depth of the lateral groove in the first raised portion is smaller than the depth of the lateral groove in other portions. A second raised portion is formed on the outer main groove in a region defined by an imaginary line connecting an outer intermediate block and an outer shoulder block. A depth of the outer main groove in the second raised portion is smaller than that of the outer main groove in other portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jiro Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 11090983
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a land portion having a circumferential direction sipe extending in a direction inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction, a partial land portion positioned on at least one of the land portion partitioned with the circumferential direction sipe, and a plurality of cross sipes extending in a direction intersecting with the circumferential direction sipe in the partial land portion. The partial land portion includes a wide end portion and a narrow end portion. The plurality of cross sipes include a wide portion sipe located closest to a wide end of the partial land portion, and a narrow portion sipe located closest to a narrow end of the partial land portion. The wide portion sipe has a distal end positioned in a sipe projection portion, and the narrow portion sipe has a distal end positioned in a non-sipe projection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kamada
  • Patent number: 11077718
    Abstract: A heavy-duty pneumatic tire comprises a crown rib and a middle rib. The crown rib is provided with crown sipes crossing the crown rib. The middle rib is provided with middle sipes crossing the middle rib and a middle shallow groove having a smaller depth and a larger width than the middle sipes. The middle shallow groove comprises a circumferential middle shallow groove extending in a tire circumferential direction and lateral middle shallow grooves extending from an axially inner side edge (Ema) of the middle rib to the circumferential middle shallow groove so as to terminate at a position thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Qingmao Li
  • Patent number: 11027579
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes in a land portion (center land portion 4A) defined by a first circumferential groove (3A) and a second circumferential groove (3B), narrow grooves (third narrow grooves 6C) formed as one set of two grooves provided intersecting the tire circumferential direction and arranged side by side in the tire circumferential direction, communicating with the first circumferential groove (3A) and terminating in the center land portion (4A); and auxiliary grooves (fifth auxiliary grooves 5E) provided intersecting the tire circumferential direction communicating with the second circumferential groove (3B) and terminating within the center land portion (4A) with the positions of the terminating end portions disposed between the terminating end portions of the set of the third narrow grooves (6C) in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventors: Naoko Suzuki, Hiromitsu Takei
  • Patent number: 11001102
    Abstract: A tire includes a middle land portion between a crown main groove and a shoulder main groove. The middle land portion is provided with a first middle lug groove extending axially outwardly from the crown main groove, a second middle lug groove extending axially inwardly from the shoulder main grooves wherein the first and second middle lug grooves are arranged alternately in a tire circumferential direction, and a first middle sipe provided between the first and second middle lug grooves. The first middle sipe includes a crown-side middle sipe element extending axially outwardly from the crown main groove, a shoulder-side middle sipe element extending axially inwardly from the shoulder main groove at a location different from an extension line of the crown-side middle sipe element and a connecting middle sipe element connecting therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yamaoka
  • Patent number: 10960710
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including a pair of first main grooves, a pair of second main grooves, a first land portion between the first main grooves and a pair of second land portions each sectioned adjacent one of the pair of first main grooves and one of the pair of second main grooves. The first main grooves extend in a trapezoidal wave manner including inner elements, outer elements and inclined connecting elements. One of the second land portions is provided with a second lateral groove opened at one of the outer elements. The first land portion is provided with a recess having an opening at the one of the outer elements. In a tire circumferential direction, a center of the opening of the recess is located at a position different from a position of an extension line of a centerline of the second lateral groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuo Kimura
  • Patent number: 10933697
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread surface comprising main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction, at least two of the main grooves adjacent in the tire circumferential direction having a wave shape with periodic oscillation; adjacent land portions in a tire lateral direction formed by the main grooves; lug grooves disposed in a row in the tire circumferential direction in the land portion formed between the wave-shaped main grooves, the lug grooves intersecting the tire circumferential direction and communicating with the wave-shaped main grooves at both ends; and narrow grooves disposed between pairs of the lug grooves adjacent in the tire circumferential direction in a row in the tire circumferential direction, the narrow grooves intersecting the tire circumferential direction, communicating with one of the main grooves at a first end, terminating within the land portion at a second end, and having a narrower groove width than the lug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kuriyama, Noboru Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 10926585
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion provided with a first middle main groove, a second middle main groove, a crown longitudinal groove disposed between the first middle main groove and the second middle main groove, first crown lateral grooves connecting between the crown longitudinal groove and second middle main groove, and second crown lateral grooves connecting between the crown longitudinal groove and the second middle main groove. The first crown lateral grooves and the second crown lateral grooves are arranged so as to be misaligned with each other in the tire circumferential direction. The crown longitudinal groove is provided with at least one crown tie bar formed by raising a groove bottom of the crown longitudinal groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Hibino
  • Patent number: 10906359
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with sipes, at least some of which have an open top end to the surface of the tread block. An intersection of the sipe with a surface that is geometrically congruent and parallel with the surface of the tread block and arranged a depth apart from the surface of the tread block into the tread block forms a curved line. A first sipe is shaped in such a way, that at all depths (d) within a range from the open top of the first sipe to a first transition depth, the curved line includes at least one deflection point having an inner corner that has a radius of curvature under 0.3 mm. A lamella plate for manufacturing the pneumatic tire, the tread band, or the tread block. Use of the lamella plate for manufacturing a tread block, a tread band, or a pneumatic tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: NOKIAN RENKAAT OYJ
    Inventors: Tomi Korkama, Niko Haanketo
  • Patent number: 10906356
    Abstract: Tire tread comprising elongate block (3) of rubbery material and extending in a circumferential direction of the tire. Elongate block (3) comprises a ground contact surface (5) delimited first and second lateral walls (7,9). Elongate block (3) comprises a plurality of oblique cutouts (11a, 11b) that open onto either the first or second lateral wall s and extend as far as cutout ends (13a, 13b) which do not open onto said lateral walls (7, 9). The cutouts of the plurality of cutouts (11a, 11b) are distributed over the contact surface (5) of the block such that when a cutout (11a) reaches its cutout end (13a), another cutout (11b) starts out from a lateral wall (9), at a same circumferential level (N) on the elongate block (3). The cutouts (11a, 11b) are sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Olivier Muhlhoff, Benoit Durand-Gasselin
  • Patent number: 10899178
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion which is asymmetric about a tire equatorial plane. The tread portion comprises a first land portion on a vehicle outer side, and a second land portion on a vehicle inner side. The first land portion comprises a circumferential narrow groove extending in a circumferential direction, a plurality of first auxiliary grooves that pass through the circumferential narrow groove and are disposed at periodic intervals in the circumferential direction, first blocks defined by the plurality of first auxiliary grooves, and first narrow grooves that pass through the circumferential narrow groove and are disposed in the first blocks. The second land portion comprises a plurality of second auxiliary grooves disposed at periodic intervals in the circumferential direction, second blocks defined by the plurality of second auxiliary grooves, and second narrow grooves disposed in the second blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Inventors: Naoko Suzuki, Hiromitsu Takei
  • Patent number: 10875362
    Abstract: Tire tread comprising elongate block (3) of rubbery material extending in a circumferential direction (X) when the tread (1) is mounted on the tire. The elongate block (3) comprises a ground contact surface (5) delimited by first and second lateral walls (7,9), with a plurality of cutouts (11a, 11b) that open onto it. The cutouts (11a, 11b) extend in an oblique direction from the first lateral wall (7) in the direction of the second lateral wall (9) as far as cutout ends (13a, 13b). For at least one cutout (11a) that opens onto the first lateral wall (7), its end (13a) does not open onto the second lateral wall (9), and when this cutout (11a) reaches its cutout end (13a), another cutout (11b) starts out from the first lateral wall (7), at a same circumferential level (N) on the elongate block (3). The cutouts (11a, 11b) are sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Olivier Muhlhoff, Benoit Durand-Gasselin
  • Patent number: 10800211
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a first block formed by first lug grooves defining a first land portion that is defined by a first main groove and a second main groove. The first block includes: a first circumferential narrow groove extending in the tire circumferential direction with at least one end communicating with one of the first lug grooves, a set of two lateral narrow grooves extending in the tire width direction with one end communicating with the first main groove, a first lateral auxiliary groove extending in the tire width direction with a first end communicating with the second main groove and a second end communicating with the first circumferential narrow groove, the second end of the first lateral auxiliary groove being disposed at a position in the tire circumferential direction between end portions of the set of first lateral narrow grooves proximal to the first circumferential narrow groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Takumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10792957
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 is provided in a tread portion 2 with a circumferential land region 6 provided with transverse sipes 15 extending across the entire width of the circumferential land region. Each of the transverse sipes 15 comprises an arc-shaped first portion 18 convexed toward one side in the tire circumferential direction and an arc-shaped second portion 19 convexed toward the other side in the tire circumferential direction and connected with the first portion 18 so as to have a wavy configuration. The transverse sipes 15 include a first transverse sipe 16 of which first portion 18 is deeper than the second portion 19 thereof, and a second transverse sipe 17 of which second portion 19 is deeper than the first portion 18 thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 10780743
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion 2. The tread portion 2 comprises two crown land regions 6 and two shoulder land regions 7 divided by a crown main groove 3 and a pair of shoulder main grooves 4 and 5 arranged one by one on each side of the crown main groove 3. Each of the two crown land regions 6 is provided with a plurality of sipes 15 each having a width less than 1.5 mm. The sipes 15 of each of the two crown land regions 6 include only semi-open sipes 18 each having one end connected with one of the main grooves and the other end terminating within the land region. The sipes 15 of the two crown land regions 6 are inclined in a same direction with respect to a tire axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Rena Onitsuka, Isao Sawakami, Mahito Arai
  • Patent number: 10723179
    Abstract: A tire has a tread portion including a groove extending in the tire-circumferential direction, a first land portion positioned to the inner-side in the tire-width direction and having a first groove wall of the groove, and a second land portion having a second groove wall. Protrusions extend from the first groove wall to the second groove wall on bottom of the groove. In a tread-surface view, the protrusion has a linear portion and a curved portion that is contiguous with the linear shaped portion. A slit crossing the protrusion is formed in at least one of the end parts of the protrusions. The first land portion includes shallow grooves having shallower depth than the groove and extending at an angle with respect to the tire-width direction. The linear portion of the protrusion extends at an angle in the same direction, with respect to the tire-circumferential direction, as the shallow grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Midori Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 10682888
    Abstract: A block segment sections and outer rib-shaped sections are arranged in an outer shoulder land section. An end portion of one of vertical groove sections in one of L-shaped groove sections, which is at the other side in the tire circumferential direction communicates with one of the horizontal groove sections in another L-shaped groove section of the L-shaped groove sections, which is adjacent to the L-shaped groove section in the tire circumferential direction, via one of second communicating sections. In addition, positions of first communicating sections and the second communicating section in the tire width direction are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 10639941
    Abstract: A tread for a tire includes a first circumferential main groove, a second circumferential main groove, and a third circumferential main groove. The first, second, and third circumferential main grooves together define a first shoulder rib, a first intermediate rib, a second intermediate rib, and a second shoulder rib. The third circumferential main groove includes a plurality of connecting bridges spaced circumferentially within the third circumferential main groove and axially joining the second intermediate rib and second shoulder rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Matthias Bode, Helmut Wolfgang Fehl, Sebastien Willy Fontaine, Umit Bilmez, Heinrich Jens Stein, Armand Rene Gabriel Leconte
  • Patent number: 10632797
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire according to one embodiment, at least one land portion provided on a tread portion includes a first lateral groove traversing the land portion, and a second lateral groove ending inside the land portion, these lateral grooves being arranged at intervals along a tire circumferential direction. A land portion section located between the first lateral groove and the second lateral groove includes a first inclined surface portion in a chamfered shape at an edge portion extending along the first lateral groove, a second inclined surface portion in a chamfered shape at an edge portion extending along the second lateral groove, and, at one edge portion in a tire width direction, a third inclined surface portion in a chamfered shape intervening between the first inclined surface portion and the second inclined surface portion to connect the two and extending along the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Kubo
  • Patent number: 10611192
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire in which circumferential narrow grooves are disposed at a tire width direction disposal density of from 0.06 grooves/mm to 0.2 grooves/mm. Width direction narrow grooves include at least one bent portion. The bent portion has a bend angle of not less than 40° and not more than 160°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuru Hirama
  • Patent number: 10513151
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with a shoulder main groove and shoulder blind grooves. The shoulder blind grooves extend axially inwardly from one of the tread edges and each having an axially inner blind end. The shoulder main groove extends circumferentially of the tire on the axially inside of the axially inner blind ends of the shoulder blind grooves. Each shoulder blind groove is provided with an axially inner shallow part, an axially outer deep part, and a sloped part therebetween having a depth gradually increasing from the shallow part towards the deep part, and having an axially outer end positioned at a distance from the tire equator which is 42.5% to 45% of the tread width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kamigori
  • Patent number: 10507696
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire, having a plurality of sipes formed in land portions of a tread thereof so as to each extend in the tire width direction, characterized in that: in a cross section of the land portion orthogonal to the sipe extending direction, provided that an imaginary sipe main line links two ends in the tire radial direction of each sipe, at least two of the sipes are “inclined sipes” each having the sipe main line inclined with respect to the tire radial direction; each inclined sipe has inner bent portions each protruding with respect to the sipe main line with peaks positioned deeper than 20% of the sipe depth; and the sipe main line(s) of at least one of the inclined sipes are inclined in a direction opposite, with respect to the tire radial direction, to the sipe main line of any of the other inclined sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Kaji, Shinsaku Katayama, Eisuke Seta, Takayuki Kurata
  • Patent number: 10486473
    Abstract: When a tire is attached to a rim and set to an internal pressure of 250 kPa or more, a ratio SW/OD of the tire is 0.26 or less in the case where SW of the tire is less than 165 (mm), and SW and OD satisfy a relationship 2.135×SW+282.3?OD in the case where SW is 165 (mm) or more. The tread rubber has dynamic storage modulus E? of 6.0 MPa to 12.0 MPa, and loss tangent tan ? of 0.05 to 0.15. In at least one land portion, sipes are arranged with a predetermined pitch length L, and a land portion width W, a tire widthwise sipe component total length Ws of the sipes, the pitch length L, and a tire circumferential sipe component total length Ls of the sipes satisfy relationships 0.4W?Ws?1.2W and 0.6L?Ls?3L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Hatanaka, Isao Kuwayama
  • Patent number: 10391819
    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 to define a shoulder portion axially outward of the shoulder main groove and a central lateral groove extending axially inwardly from the shoulder main groove. The shoulder portion includes a top surface having an axially inner edge facing the shoulder main groove and a sidewall extending radially inwardly from the inner edge. The sidewall of the shoulder portion is provided with a shoulder dent portion dented axially outwardly from the shoulder main groove. The central lateral groove is located so that an extended portion in which the central lateral groove is extended axially outwardly overlaps with the shoulder dent portion at least partially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Kageyama
  • Patent number: 10369847
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises a tread portion provided with annular land zones divided by circumferentially extending main grooves. At least one of the land zones is provided with first recesses disposed at one edge of the first land zone, second recesses disposed at the other edge of the first land zone, sipes extending from the first recesses to the second recesses, and shallow grooves extending from non-recessed portions of one edge of the first land zone to non-recessed portions of the other edge. The depth of the shallow grooves is less than the depth of the sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Qingmao Li
  • Patent number: 10286732
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion provided with a first crown main groove continuous in the tire circumferential direction, a second crown main groove continuous in the tire circumferential direction, and a center land zone defined therebetween. The center land zone is provided with first center lug grooves extending from the first crown main groove and terminating within the center land zone. Between the adjacent first center lug grooves, a first corner portion, which is formed between a ground contacting surface of the center land zone and a groove wall of the inboard first crown main groove, is provided with a first part and a second part which are arranged in the tire circumferential direction, wherein the first portion is chamfered, and the second part is not chamfered or less chamfered than the first part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 10124628
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2 provided with a crown land portion 6 formed between a center main groove 3 and a middle main groove 4 and having an axial width varying periodically in the tire circumferential direction. The center main groove 3 comprises first oblique groove segments 3A inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction to one axial direction at an angle, and second oblique groove segments 3B inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction to the other axial direction at an angle less than the angle of the first oblique groove segments. The crown land portion 6 is divided into hexagonal crown blocks 11 by crown lateral grooves 9 extending between axially inwardly protruding zigzag vertex portions of the center main groove 3 and axially outwardly protruding zigzag vertex portions of the middle main groove 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naofumi Kitani, Atsushi Maehara
  • Patent number: 10059151
    Abstract: A heavy-duty pneumatic tire having block land portions in a tread surface can reduce the tire circumferential shearing strain and heat generation in the tread portion to prevent the separation failure between the tread rubber and the belt more effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Araki
  • Patent number: 9969224
    Abstract: A vehicle tire has outer shoulders and two tread halves. The tire includes a tread having six block rows and a plurality of circumferential grooves. Mutually adjacent ones of the block rows are separated from each other by a corresponding one of the plurality of circumferential grooves. Each of the block rows has individual blocks separated from each other by mutually parallel essentially straight transverse grooves running at an angle to the axial direction of the tire. The circumferential grooves include first circumferential grooves having a maximum profile depth and second circumferential grooves having a second profile depth less than the maximum profile depth. The transverse grooves have a depth approximately corresponding to a maximum profile depth at first outlet locations. The transverse grooves have a depth corresponding to the second profile depth at second outlet locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Anastassia Pokutta-Paskaleva, Amelia Olga Goncalves Ankiewicz, Jens Hoffmann, Alexander Wuest, Klaus Wiese, Ulrich Vermehr, Yeo Chun Yi, Moh Wahi Mohd Wahinuddin, Franz-Josef Dopheide
  • Patent number: 9884519
    Abstract: A middle land portion is divided into multiple middle blocks by first middle transverse grooves and second middle transverse grooves arranged alternately in the tire circumference direction. The first middle transverse grooves include a first groove portion which communicates with a crown main groove, and a second groove portion which communicates with a shoulder main groove and is less wide than the first groove portion; the second middle transverse grooves include a third groove portion) which communicates with the shoulder main groove, and a fourth groove portion which communicates with a crown main groove and is less wide than the third groove portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Iwasaki