Protrusion Bridging Between Walls (e.g., Tie Bar, Etc.) Patents (Class 152/209.22)
  • Patent number: 9873290
    Abstract: A tire for a motor vehicle, in particular a high-performance, tire is provided with a tread having an overall width. The tread includes first and second circumferential grooves which separate a central region from first and second shoulder regions. The tread includes a circumferential cut in the first shoulder region at a distance from the first circumferential groove; and a plurality of circumferentially repeated transverse groove modules. A first shoulder portion of each transverse groove module includes at least one main transverse groove which includes a first substantially rectilinear portion inclined by a first angle with respect to a radial plane, a second substantially rectilinear portion inclined by a second angle with respect to the radial plane and arranged between the circumferential cut and the first circumferential groove, and a first curve portion connecting the first and the second substantially rectilinear portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Matrascia, Vito Bello, Mauirizio Boiocchi
  • Patent number: 9809061
    Abstract: A tire is provided with multiple projection parts in a groove bottom of a groove portion. The projection parts extend from one side wall to the other side wall opposed to the one side wall, the side walls forming the groove portion. The projection parts are arranged at predetermined intervals in the groove portion. A relationship of 0.75L?P?10L is satisfied where L denotes a length of the projection parts and P denotes the predetermined intervals. In addition, a relationship of TWf/cos ?f?0.9W is satisfied where W denotes a groove width of the groove, TWf denotes a width of the projection parts, and ?f denotes an angle formed by an extending direction of the projection parts and a groove center line in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the tire in a tread face view of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9764598
    Abstract: Tread having a maximum thickness PMU of material to be worn away during running, having: at least two grooves of circumferential overall orientation delimiting at least one intermediate row and two edge rows, a plurality of cuts of transverse overall orientation on each intermediate and edge row, representing, in the new state, a void of total volume Vco open onto the tread surface, at most equal to 13% of the total volume of the tread, channels or cavities extending under the tread surface in the new state, adapted to form new grooves after the tread has partially worn away, and having, in the initial state, a total volume Vcc at least equal to 30% of the total void volume Vco in the new state, intermediate rows of suffix (i) and edge rows of suffix (e) each provided with a plurality of cuts of transverse or oblique orientation distributed over each row evenly or near-evenly with a mean pitch of Pi and Pe respectively, having mean depths, Di and De respectively, which are at least equal to 20% of the thickne
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ESTABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE, S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Ciprian Radulescu, Fabien Marlier, Benjamin Quantinet, Maxime Rolland
  • Patent number: 9701162
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire includes a tread portion provided with a pair of circumferential main grooves including at least one zigzag groove, lateral grooves extending between the main grooves to form center blocks therebetween, and lug grooves. Each lug groove includes an axially inner portion connecting to the zigzag groove while curving toward a first circumferential direction of the tire. The lug groove has a first groove edge disposed on a side of the first circumferential direction and a second groove edge facing against the first groove edge. The first groove edge is connected to an axially outer groove edge of the zigzag groove. The second groove edge is connected to an axially inner groove edge of the zigzag groove. The lug groove includes a constant groove width, and a groove-bottom width smoothly decreasing axially inward from the tread edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kaori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9623710
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having enhanced on-ice braking performance achieved by further increasing the amount of water that can be sucked up into sipes. In the pneumatic tire, blocks (26) partitioned by circumferential grooves and lateral grooves are formed in the tread. A sipe (28) is formed in a block (26), and a fine structure (32) having a height in the range of from 1/50 of the sipe width t to less than 1/10 of the sipe width t is formed on a sipe wall surface. This reduces fluid friction coefficient of water relative to the sipe wall surface to a lower level than conventional products. As a result, when water staying on ice comes into contact with the sipe wall surface, the water is more easily sucked up into the sipe. The construction increases the amount of water that can be sucked up into the sipe (28) or the removal amount of water that stays on ice etc., and this enhances braking performance (friction characteristics) on ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Kaji, Ryoichi Watabe, Kentaro Saeki, Makoto Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9579859
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a molding element of a mold for molding and vulcanizing a tire tread, this tread comprising a tread surface intended to come into contact with the ground when the said tire is running. The molding element includes a rib for molding a groove in the tire tread, the rib being a rounded end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Shuichi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9539863
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a single block includes a first sipe and a second sipe each extending in a tire width direction and disposed at a predetermined pitch in a tire circumferential direction. The first sipe and the second sipe include a first sipe portion that has a linear form when the block is viewed planarly, and a second sipe portion that has a zigzag shape when the block is viewed planarly and that connects to the first sipe portion. The first sipe portion includes a pair of sipe wall faces that face each other and have a linear form when viewed as a cross-section from a direction perpendicular to a sipe length direction, and includes a protrusion disposed on a first face of the sipe wall faces and a recess disposed on a second face of the sipe wall faces so as to mate with the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Furusawa, Masaaki Nagayasu
  • Patent number: 9539862
    Abstract: Tire for heavy goods vehicle having a tread comprising a plurality of circumferential grooves delimiting intermediate ribs and two edge ribs each circumferential groove comprising a plurality of protuberances formed as a protrusion on at least one lateral wall delimiting this groove, wherein: facing each protuberance, a half-closed notch has an axial length La at most equal to 60% of the minimum width Ln of this rib, and a width Le at most equal to the width Lr of the groove oriented so as to make an average angle B at least equal to 10 degrees with the main direction of the protuberance, each protuberance closes the section of the groove in which it is formed over at least 35% and at most 75% of the surface of the said section, a functional clearance (J1, J2) is arranged between the protuberance and the walls delimiting the half-closed notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Inventors: Alexis Bournat, Benoit Foucher, Didier Michel Martin, Benjamin Quantinet
  • Patent number: 9505272
    Abstract: A tire for an aeroplane and, in particular, to the crown of a tire for an aeroplane, having reduced dimensions and mass of the pieces of tread in the event of accidental tire tread separation, without the use of additional devices external to the tire and therefore without penalizing the payload of the aeroplane, having a tread intended to come into contact with the ground via a tread surface, and extending radially between a bottom surface and the tread surface, the tread comprising at least two circumferential ribs adjacent to at least one circumferential groove, each circumferential rib extending radially between the bottom surface and the tread surface, axially between two lateral faces and circumferentially around the entire periphery of the tire, wherein the tread comprises rows of cavities formed in at least one circumferential rib and opening onto the tread surface, the rows of cavities, which are parallel to one another, are inclined with respect to the circumferential direction (XX?) of the tire at
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: François Chambriard, Gilles Roche
  • Patent number: 9440500
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire in which a cavity resonance sound is reduced while punctures are easily repaired with a puncture sealant. The pneumatic tire has a fibrous region where short fibers are bonded onto an inner surface of the tire. A circumferential fiberless region where short fibers are not bonded onto the inner surface of the tire extends circumferentially between both ends of a tread ground contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Watanabe, Yoshiyuki Waki, Taiga Ishihara, Hidetoshi Yokota, Seiji Ishikawa, Kento Hirohata, Akio Kusano
  • Patent number: 9381775
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having improved performance on ice and wet road surfaces without degradation of steering stability on dry road surfaces. The pneumatic tire includes a tread portion, side wall portions, bead portions, a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction and a plurality of lateral grooves extending in the tire width direction provided in the tread portion, a plurality of blocks partitioned by the circumferential and lateral grooves, and a plurality of sipes extending in the tire width direction in each block. At least some sipes include a main body part located centrally in the block width direction, and a deep-bottomed communicating portion that communicates with the circumferential groove adjacent to the block and has a depth not less than 50% the depth of the circumferential groove, and mutually mating convex and concave portions are formed locally in opposing surfaces in the deep-bottomed communicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaaki Nagayasu
  • Patent number: 9302549
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with a crown main groove and a middle axial groove. The middle axial groove extends axially outwardly from its axially inner end axially outwardly spaced apart from the crown main groove and inclines with respect to the tire circumferential direction at an angle of from 45 to 75 degrees. In a cross section along the widthwise center line of the middle axial groove, an end wall of the axially inner end is inclined at an angle 0 to 50 degrees with respect to the normal direction to the tread from the radially outer edge of the end wall toward the groove bottom, and a corner between the end wall and the groove bottom is chamfered by an arc having a radius of curvature of 1 to 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ikuo Atake
  • Patent number: 9233579
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1010) has a circumferential groove (1020) that extends in the tire circumferential direction (Tc), and a land part (1040) that is adjacent to the circumferential groove (1020) and extends in the tire circumferential direction (Tc). Formed in the circumferential groove (1020) is an inner groove (1110) on the bottom (1020b) of the circumferential groove (1020) and recessed more in the tire radial inward direction than the bottom (1020b). The inner groove (1110) includes an inclined part (1120) that extends so as to be inclined in the tire circumferential direction (Tc). The land part (1040) has a hook-like groove portion (1210) formed along the direction (A11) in which the inclined part (1120) extends. The extension direction ends (1210a, 1210b) of the hook-like groove portion (1210) end within the land part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Kato, Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: 9139048
    Abstract: A tire tread includes at least one longitudinal rib limited by grooves. Each rib includes a plurality of incisions each opening into the grooves. Each incision has at least three parts at least two at least of these parts being of essentially transverse orientation and opening into the grooves. At least one other part is oriented essentially in the longitudinal direction. All parts of the incision of essentially longitudinal orientation are devoid any structure for blocking relative movement between the opposing faces of the incision. The parts of essentially transverse orientation include structure for limiting the amplitude of the relative movements of these faces at least in the direction of the thickness of the tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Philippe Thiebaud
  • Patent number: 9085200
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire with further improved tire performance on snow and ice. A center block row 30 is formed to a tread portion 16, with second block rows 32A, 32B formed adjacent at each side on the tire width direction outside of the center block row 30. Central lug grooves 24P, 24Q are formed in the center block row 30 so as to have mutually different inclination directions with respect to the tire width direction. End portions 25P at the ground contact rear end side of the central lug grooves 24Q during tire forward rotation are positioned in blocks 33B of the second block row 32B, and end portions 25Q of the ground contact rear end side of the central lug grooves 24P are positioned in blocks 33A of the second block row 32A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoya Ochi, Tomoaki Nemoto
  • Patent number: 9033012
    Abstract: A tire 1 comprises rib-shaped land portions 20 extending in a tire circumferential direction TC and has a circumferential groove 30 adjacent to the land portions 20 and extending in the tire circumferential direction TC. Tread contact surfaces 10 of the land portions 20 form smooth surfaces with no gap when a normal load is applied and the tread contact surfaces are in contact with a road surface. The circumferential groove 30 includes a shallow groove portion 40 extending in the tread-width direction TW, and a deep groove portion 50 adjacent to the shallow groove portion 40 in the tire circumferential direction and extending in the tread-width direction. A deep groove portion 50 is recessed more inwardly in a tire radial direction TR than the shallow groove portion 40 with a groove bottom 40c of the shallow groove portion 40 being an upper end of the deep groove portion 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihiro Kiwaki, Takaaki Kojima
  • Patent number: 9010392
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire in which a plurality of land portion rows 2 are formed by a plurality of main grooves that extend in the circumferential direction on a tread portion of a tire, and a thin groove 3 that extends in the tire circumferential direction is formed in at least one shoulder land portion row 2A that is positioned on the tread end among the plurality of land portion rows. A land portion 5 that is positioned between, the thin groove 3 and the tread end 4 is partitioned into a plurality of blocks 5a by a lug groove 6 that extends in the tire width direction and whose maximum groove depth is set deeper than the groove depth of the thin groove, and the groove depth of the lug groove continuously changes so as to become a maximum at an intermediate position between the thin groove and the tread end. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pneumatic radial tire that can achieve improved drainage performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: 9004124
    Abstract: Tire provided with a tread surface and lateral faces intersecting at two corner edges to determine a total width of tread between the said two corner edges, provided with grooves of depth H opening onto the tread surface and delimited by faces of material which are distant by at least a width equal to 2 mm, a plurality of grooves on at least one of the opposing faces that delimit them with at least one profiled protrusion delimited by a radially external surface and by a radially internal surface, the radially external surface being closer to the tread surface than the radially internal surface, meeting at those points of the protrusion that are furthest away in the direction of the groove, each of these radially internal and external surfaces of each protrusion has, in a plane of section parallel to the faces delimiting the groove, a profile of length greater than the length of the profile of the radially internal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissement Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventor: François Le-Hen
  • Publication number: 20150083306
    Abstract: The invention comprises a tire tread, and tire, and a method of forming a tire having the tire tread. Particular embodiments of the tire tread have a tread thickness bounded by a top side and a bottom side, and a groove extending into the tread thickness from the top side and terminating within the tread thickness at a groove bottom. A thickness of the tread extends from the groove bottom to a protruding portion of the bottom side of the tread below the groove bottom such that portions of the bottom side adjacent the protruding portion are recessed within the tread thickness. Such tire tread further includes a plurality of strengthening members forming protrusions extending into the groove from the groove bottom and from at least one side of the pair of opposing groove sides, the plurality of strengthening members being arranged along a length of the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: E. Bruce Colby, Dimitri G. Tsihlas, Metodi L. Ikonomov, Michael C. Chandler, Michael Widmyer, Cesar E. Zarak
  • Patent number: 8985166
    Abstract: Bare can be prevented from occurring in a wear indicator. A pneumatic tire has a wear indicator 5 at the groove bottom of a main groove 2 formed in a tread surface 1 and extending in the circumferential direction. The wear indicator 5 is formed in the surface thereof with at least one recess 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 8973631
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire in which the sipe extending in a direction crossing a tire circumferential direction is provided on a land portion (block) of a tread portion, a wide part having a wide groove width is provided at three or more places in a length direction of the sipe, and the wide part and a narrow part are formed alternately on a tread surface along the sipe length direction. A plurality of the wide parts are extended in a sipe depth direction from the tread surface, and are provided by changing extended lengths in the sipe depth direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8925601
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided along each tread edge with shoulder blocks defined by a circumferentially extending shoulder main groove and shoulder lateral grooves extending from the shoulder main groove to the tread edge. The shoulder main groove is made up of groove segments curved convexly toward the tire equator so that each groove segment comprises a first inclined part and a second inclined part. The shoulder lateral grooves extend at 45 to 90 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and are coupled with the first inclined parts of the groove segments. The shoulder blocks are each subdivided by a shoulder sub groove extending at an angle of from 15 to 45 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction. The shoulder sub groove has an axially outer end connected with the shoulder lateral groove and an axially inner end coupled with the second inclined part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasunori Kawauchi
  • Publication number: 20140345767
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with blocks each provided with a first variable depth sipe and a second variable depth sipe each having both axial ends opened at edges of the block on both sides thereof in the tire axial direction. In each block, a shallow portion of the first variable depth sipe overlaps, in the tire axial direction, with a deep main portion of the second variable depth sipe. an axial groove dividing the blocks is provided with a tie bar overlapping, in the tire axial direction, with the deep main portion of the adjacent variable depth sipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi TANAKA, Tadashi ITO
  • Patent number: 8881781
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire capable of reducing air column resonance arising from circumferential grooves without changing the shape of unilaterally open-ended lug grooves. Lug grooves 20 are formed in land portions 15, which are defined by the circumferential grooves, and each of the lug grooves 20 consists of a lateral groove portion 21, which extends axially to open at one end into the circumferential groove and communicate at the other end with a sub-groove 12 provided in the land portion 15, and an oblique groove portion 22, which extends in a direction intersecting with the tire axial and circumferential directions to communicate at one end with the sub-groove 12 and terminate at the other end within the land portion 15. Also, the lateral groove portion 21 of the lug groove 20 is provided with a projection 23 protruding toward the tread surface from the bottom of the lug groove 20 and having a height smaller than the height H of the land portion 15 as measured from the bottom of the lug groove 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Bridgestone
    Inventors: Takashi Ookawara, Kenichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 8863797
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel tire includes a tire tread having a circumferential center tread region in which block elements are arranged in a symmetric pattern on opposite sides of a tire circumferential equatorial centerplane. Symmetrically disposed block elements on opposite sides of the centerplane have a plurality of spaced apart and laterally extending wavy sipes extending across the block element. Selective pairs of adjacent sipes are interconnected by one or more circumferentially oriented notches. The wavy sipes have regions of varying depth and include one or more recessed region(s) and one or more non-recessed region(s). A circumferentially disposed notch interconnecting a pair of adjacent wavy sipes at opposite notch ends intersects the wavy sipes at non-recessed sipe regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Oliver Knispel
  • Patent number: 8857483
    Abstract: A studless tire improved in on-ice performance as well as on-snow performance is disclosed. The tread portion is provided with tread grooves to have a land ratio in a range of from 0.65 to 0.75. The tread grooves including an axially inner circumferential groove, an axially outer circumferential groove and a plurality of sipes disposed on each side of the tire equator. The land ratio of a crown region and the land ratio of a shoulder region are each larger than the land ratio of a middle region, wherein the crown region is defined between the widthwise center lines of the inner circumferential grooves, the middle region is defined between the widthwise center line of the axially inner circumferential groove and the widthwise center line of the axially outer circumferential groove, and the shoulder region is defined between the widthwise center line of the outer circumferential groove and a tread edge of the tread portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8844590
    Abstract: In a tire 1, a central land portion row 20C and intermediate land portion rows 20M are formed by center-side main grooves 10C. A projecting portion 50 projecting outwardly in a tire radial direction TR from a groove bottom surface 11 of the center-side main groove 10C is provided in the central groove 10C. The projecting portion 50 is located on an extension line L1 extending in an extending direction of lug grooves 30M, and extends outwardly in the tread width direction TW from a sidewall 21 of the central land portion row 20C. An inner end height H1 of the projecting portion 50 located on an innermost side thereof in the tread width direction TW and continuous to the central land portion row 20C is greater than an outer end height H2 of the projecting portion 50 located on an outermost side thereof in the tread width direction TW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: 8833410
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread strip configured in such a way that, beyond a predetermined radial wear threshold, at least one pair of first and second sounding cavities is exposed. Each first and second sounding cavity is arranged respectively in a first and second circumferential groove of the tread strip. Each sounding cavity of the pair is connected to the other sounding cavity of the pair by a sounding channel formed in the tread strip. Each cavity of the pair and the associated channel: open radially to the outside of the tyre, and are configured so that they are closed by a ground surface in a substantially airtight manner as they pass through a contact patch where the tyre makes contact with the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Antoine Paturle
  • Patent number: 8820371
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain comprises a tread portion having a developed tread width and provided with a plurality of tread blocks. The tread blocks include a plurality of crown blocks defined as having a ground contacting top surface whose centroid is located within a crown region defined as having a developed width of ? of the developed tread width and centered on the tire equator. The crown blocks include a plurality of central crown blocks whose axial distance from the tire equatorial plane to the centroid is not more than 2% of the developed tread width, and a plurality of off-center crown blocks whose axial distance from the tire equatorial plane to the centroid is more than 2% and not more than 6% of the developed tread width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20140230982
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a pair of center main grooves and a pair of shoulder main grooves to define a center portion, a pair of middle portions, and a pair of shoulder portions. The shoulder main grooves extend in a trapezoid wave manner that includes a circumferentially extending axially outer part, an axially inner part arranged axially inwardly of the axially outer part, and an inclined part connecting between the axially outer and inner parts. The shoulder portion is provided with shoulder lateral grooves extending from the shoulder main groove to a tread edge to define a plurality of shoulder blocks. Each shoulder lateral groove has its axially inner end connected to the axially outer part of the shoulder main groove so as to include an outer corner point between the axially outer part and the inclined part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki NINOMIYA, Satoshi IWASAKI
  • Patent number: 8800616
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a difference Gs?Ge falls in a range of Gs?Ge?0.10, where Gs is a groove area ratio for a wear rate 0% and Ge is a groove area ratio for a wear rate 100%. Further, a groove area ratio G for a wear rate 20% falls in a range of (Gs?G)/(Gs?Ge)?0.30, and a groove area ratio G for a wear rate 35% falls in a range of (Gs?G)/(Gs?Ge)?0.50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouichi Koutoku
  • Patent number: 8794277
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire for motorcycle in which the abrasion resistance and the steering stability of the tire at the time when the motorcycle is travelling while leaning sideways are combined by resolving the above-mentioned problems and improving the tread pattern. Provided is a pneumatic tire for motorcycle including a tread portion 11, a pair of sidewall portions 12connected to both sides of the tread portion and a pair of bead portions 13individually connected to the sidewall portions. The tire tread portion has a tread pattern having a plurality of transverse grooves 1to 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Takaki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20140209227
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire having a block pattern suitable for running on rough terrain is disclosed. Each middle block overlaps with one of crown blocks at least partially in the tire circumferential direction. The top face of each crown block has an axially long rectangular shape. The top face of each middle block has a substantially pentagonal shape having five sides which are an axially inner side extending in the tire circumferential direction, a pair of transverse sides inclined so that the circumferential distance therebetween is gradually increased, and a pair of axially outer sides inclined so that the circumferential distance therebetween is gradually decreased. In a ground contacting patch of the tire in its normally inflated loaded condition and at the camber angle of zero, only an axially inner part of the top face of each middle block contacts with the ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yohei MAEDA
  • Patent number: 8783312
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion divided into a crown land region, two middle land regions and two shoulder land regions. The crown land region and middle land regions are each divided into triangular blocks by axial grooves arranged in a zigzag fashion. The shoulder land regions are each divided into shoulder blocks by axial grooves extending at an angle of not less than 70 degrees. The shoulder block is subdivided into an axially inner part and an axially outer part by a secondary groove extending at an angle of not more than 10 degrees. The outer part is provided with sipes extending at an angle of not less than 70 degrees, each angle with respect the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8763659
    Abstract: Five land portions on tread surface are demarcated by four main grooves that extend in a tire circumferential direction TC. The five land portions include a center land portion between the first main grooves, two middle land portions between the first main grooves and the second main grooves, and two shoulder land portions located toward the outside of the second main grooves in the tire width direction, and sub-grooves and sipes are formed on the land portions. The total groove surface area ratios of the sub-grooves and the sipes in the land portions are different in the center land portion and the shoulder land portion as compared to the middle land portion, with the total groove surface area ratio being lower in the center land portion and the shoulder land portion and being higher in the middle land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Ishiguro, Yoshifumi Koishikawa
  • Patent number: 8757229
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel tire center tread region has a repeating circumferential array of first substantially V-shaped grooves positioned on the centerplane, each first V-shaped groove having divergent first groove side arms extending in a first circumferential direction, and a repeating circumferential array of second substantially V-shaped grooves positioned on the centerplane and having divergent second groove side arms extending in a second circumferential direction opposite to the first circumferential direction. Each first V-shaped groove is overlapped by multiple oppositely directed second V-shaped grooves. The first V-shaped groove arms have a varying lengthwise depth that varies between about 2 and 7 millimeters from a shallower depth proximate to a vertex arm region to an increased depth at a medial arm region to a decreased depth at a terminal arm region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Oliver Knispel
  • Patent number: 8739848
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a first wall surface faces one side of a circumferential groove, and a second wall surface faces another side of that. The first wall surface alternately has a first inclined surface portion and a first concave portion. The second wall surface alternately has a second inclined surface portion and a second concave portion. A first land portion has a first connection portion connected to a second land portion and a first bottom surface portion constitutes the bottom of the circumferential groove. The second land portion has a second connection portion connected to the first land portion and a second bottom surface portion constitutes the bottom of the circumferential groove. The first inclined surface portion and the second inclined surface portion are alternately arranged along a tire circumferential direction overlapping with each other and a see-through region of the circumferential groove is formed between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8739847
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises a tread portion provided with a central circumferential groove, a crown circumferential groove on each side thereof and crown axial grooves extending therebetween so as to for crown blocks. The crown block is circumferentially subdivides into two block pieces by a crown narrow groove. The crown axial groove is provided in the groove bottom with a tie bar rising therefrom and connecting the circumferentially adjacent two crown blocks each other. The crown axial grooves are inclined at an angle ? of from 10 to 30 degrees with respect to the tire axial direction. The central circumferential groove and an axially inner part of the crown axial groove which part is axially inside the tie bar, are shallower than the crown circumferential groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Keizo Shibano
  • Patent number: 8733411
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a unidirectional tread pattern comprising right-hand and left-hand crown circumferential grooves and a crown rib formed therebetween. The crown rib is provided with first and second V-shaped grooves arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction. The first V-shaped grooves extend from the left-hand crown circumferential groove. The second V-shaped grooves extend from the right-hand crown circumferential groove. The first and second V-shaped grooves are terminated within the rib, and their V-shape configurations have bending points substantially positioned at the tire equator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Mukai
  • Publication number: 20140116590
    Abstract: An off the road tire comprising a carcass, a tread located radially outward of the carcass, the tread having a plurality of lugs, the lugs extending radially outward from an inner tread and being located between first and second lateral tread edges, a first row of lugs extending from the tread lateral edge axially inwards toward the centerplane, a second row of lugs extending from the opposite tread lateral edge and axially inwards toward the centerplane and wherein the lugs of the first and second rows are separated by a plurality of shoulder grooves, a third row of lugs located between the first and second row of lugs, wherein all of the lugs in each row are aligned circumferentially, wherein the lugs in the third row have two or more ends formed by nonlinear grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Max Harold Dixon, Robert Anthony Neubauer
  • Patent number: 8695656
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (10) provided with: a rib-like land portion (110), a rib-like land portion (210), and a rib-like land portion (240) which are divided by circumferential grooves (11, 12, 21, 22) extending in the circumferential direction of the tire; and resonators which are recessed inward in the radial direction of the tire, which each form a predetermined space when the rib-like land portion (110) makes contact with the road surface, and which communicate with circumferential grooves. The resonators include first resonators which are provided in the circumferential direction of the tire, and also include second resonators which are, when the tire is mounted on a vehicle, located further toward the inboard side than the first resonators and are arranged in the circumferential direction of the tire. The number of the second resonators is greater than the number of the first resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Kojima, Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: 8672339
    Abstract: An unmotorized sand-rideable bicycle utilizes oversized balloon tires that have an enlarged footprint to permit the bicycle to ride up over even loose sand to provide ease of pedaling as well as enhanced steering and stability over that associated with standard bicycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: All Terrian Bike, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Raike, III, Gene Langmesser
  • Patent number: 8646498
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having improved braking performance includes sides and a tread section between the sides. In each of two regions on opposite sides of a tire centerline in the tread section, two circumferential main grooves extend along a tire circumferential direction in a zigzag shape, first lug grooves extend from an inner circumferential main groove to a pattern end, and second lug grooves extend toward the pattern end from the outer circumferential main groove. A wall of the inside circumferential main groove includes wall surfaces with a wall angle varying along the circumferential direction. An outside land section between the main grooves includes a notched lug groove extending in a tire widthwise direction from either the inside or outside main groove and closes within the outside land section. A groove depth of the notched lug groove is shallower than that of the first and second lug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaaki Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 8627863
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (10) provided in a rib-like land section (110) thereof with: an air chamber (130A) in which recessed portions (131) are repeated in the circumferential direction of the tire at predetermined pitches; and constriction groove (121) which communicate with the recessed portions (131). A height (H) changes in the circumferential direction of the tire. A bottom surface (132) has substantially the same height as the ground contact surface at a position which is the highest point of the bottom surface (132) which is maximally raised toward the ground contact surface. The volume of the space formed between each constriction groove section (121) and the road surface is less than the volume of the space formed between each recessed portion (131) and the road surface. One end (121a) of each constriction groove section (121) communicates with the corresponding recessed portion (131), and the other end (121b) of the constriction groove section (121) communicates with a circumferential groove (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kiwaki
  • Patent number: 8622104
    Abstract: A tire for a motor vehicle, in particular a high-performance, tire is provided with a tread having an overall width. The tread includes first and second circumferential grooves which separate a central region from first and second shoulder regions. The tread includes a circumferential cut in the first shoulder region at a distance from the first circumferential groove; and a plurality of circumferentially repeated transverse groove modules. A first shoulder portion of each transverse groove module includes at least one main transverse groove which includes a first substantially rectilinear portion inclined by a first angle with respect to a radial plane, a second substantially rectilinear portion inclined by a second angle with respect to the radial plane and arranged between the circumferential cut and the first circumferential groove, and a first curve portion connecting the first and the second substantially rectilinear portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Matrascia, Vito Bello, Maurizio Boiocchi
  • Publication number: 20130306210
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire capable of facilitating heat dissipation of a tread portion thereof to lower temperature at the tread portion. Specifically, the present invention provides a pneumatic tire having in a tread surface at least one circumferential groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and plural lateral grooves, the lateral grooves each opening to the circumferential groove, having a wider groove width than the circumferential groove and extending to be inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction, comprising: a recessed portion formed in a groove wall, facing the corresponding lateral groove, of the circumferential groove; and at least one projecting portion formed at a groove bottom of the circumferential groove between the recessed portions adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutaka MATSUZAWA, Shun OOGANE, Yuki KAWAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20130292021
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with a radially outermost breaker ply and three main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction. Crown axial grooves disposed between the main grooves are inclined oppositely to cords of the radially outermost breaker ply, at angles in a range of from 10 to 60 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction. The crown axial groove comprises a narrow portion and a resultant wide portion on the axially outside thereof. The crown axial groove is provided in its axially outer end portion with a tie bar provided with a sipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Susumu TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8550133
    Abstract: A tire having an asymmetric tread pattern that land proportion of outer side area 2o is larger than inner side area 2i, but having a reduced difference in drainage performance between tires on right and left wheels, the tire having tread surface 2 divided by four circumferential grooves 3 and 4 into center land 5, middle lands 6, 6 and shoulder lands 7, 7, wherein middle land 6o and shoulder land 7o in the outer side area 2o are divided respectively by outer middle lateral grooves 8o and outer shoulder lateral grooves 10o into blocks 9o and blocks 11o, inclination direction of the middle lateral grooves 8o is opposite to that of the shoulder lateral grooves 10o with respect to tire axial direction, and the lateral grooves 8o and 10o are inclined at an angle ?mo between 5° and 45° and at an angle ?so between more than 0° and not more than 40°, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadao Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8544513
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread pattern including a plurality of main grooves extending along a tire circumferential direction, and a shoulder land portion constructed by a rib or a block row formed in an outer side in a tire width direction of the main groove positioned in an outermost side. A circumferential sipe is provided in each of the shoulder land portions in both sides in the tire width direction. The number of the circumferential sipes provided in the shoulder land portion in a vehicle inner side is larger than the number of the circumferential sipes provided in the shoulder land portion in a vehicle outer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Company Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuji Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8522845
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire which is capable of securing a driving stability on dry road surfaces and concurrently of improving snow performance without worsening its pattern noise. The pneumatic tire includes four main grooves each extending in its tread part in a tire circumferential direction, and the four main grooves partition the tread part into: a center land part; paired intermediate land parts located with the center land part being interposed in between; and paired shoulder land parts located with the center land part and the paired intermediate land parts being interposed in between. Each of the intermediate land parts and the shoulder land parts includes multiple V-shaped grooves each configured of: a thick groove part extending in a tire width direction; and a thin groove part extending in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuo Ikegami