Having Angle Of Inclination Of One Wall Different From That Of Opposite Wall Patents (Class 152/209.24)
  • Patent number: 11919335
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire of the present disclosure includes, on a tread surface, a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions defined between circumferential main grooves adjacent in the tire width direction among the plurality of circumferential main grooves or by the circumferential main grooves and tread edges. The land portions include at least one circumferential sipe extending in the tire circumferential direction. The circumferential sipe includes a plurality of widened portions arranged in the tire circumferential direction. In a reference state, each widened portion is formed only from a portion that, from one side towards the other side in the tire circumferential direction, extends from the tread surface inward in the tire radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11827060
    Abstract: A heavy load tire includes: a plurality of circumferential grooves extending along a tire circumferential direction; a plurality of lateral grooves extending along a tire width direction and formed in a direction crossing the circumferential grooves; and a plurality of blocks partitioned by the circumferential grooves and the lateral grooves. On a whole surface of one end portion in the tire circumferential direction of a center block formed in a center area among the plurality of blocks, an inclined portion inclined inward in a tire radial direction toward the end portion is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Sakamoto, Tomoo Hasegawa, Hiroaki Ebata
  • Patent number: 11760133
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes shoulder lands and a center land, defined by main grooves on both sides of an equator in a zigzag pattern along a circumferential direction, are defined in a tread. Shoulder lug grooves extending in a width direction are formed in each of the shoulder lands. First and second center lug grooves, which extend from the shoulder lug grooves across each of the main grooves and are inclined at an angle of 45°-70° with respect to the width direction, are disposed in the center land. The first center lug groove terminates at the equator, and the second center lug groove terminates without reaching the equator. The first and second center lug grooves are alternately disposed in the circumferential direction. Connecting grooves inclined in an opposite direction to an inclination direction of the center lug grooves to connect the center lug grooves are formed in the center land.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yousuke Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11505007
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion provided with zigzag circumferential grooves and lateral grooves so that hexagonal blocks are formed between the zigzag circumferential grooves. Corners of the hexagonal blocks adjacent to each other through the lateral grooves are partially chamfered to have chamfered parts, with respect to each of the lateral grooves, the chamfered part of the corner of the hexagonal block abutting on the lateral groove on one side in the tire circumferential direction is located in a different position in the longitudinal direction of the lateral groove than the chamfered part of the corner of the hexagonal block abutting on the lateral groove on the other side in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuji Kagimoto
  • Patent number: 11453243
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion for which an intended tire rotational direction is specified. The tread portion comprises rows composed of blocks circumferentially divided by lateral grooves. Each block has a ground contacting top surface, and a first side wall surface and a second side wall surface located on a heel-side and a toe-side, respectively, in the intended tire rotational direction. In a cross section of each block which is parallel with the tire circumferential direction, the first and second block-side wall surfaces are both inclined, and the angle ?2 of the second side wall surface is larger than the angle ?1 of the first side wall surface with respect to the tire radial direction. The difference ?2??1 between the angles ?2 and ?1 increases toward one side in the tire axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11185204
    Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Ziegler, Christopher John Morse, Duane L. Gilbert, Jr., Andrew Jones, Scott Pratt, Paul E. Sandin, Nancy Dussault-Smith
  • Patent number: 11186125
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of circumferential main grooves, a plurality of lug grooves, and a plurality of blocks. Raised bottom portions are formed on groove bottoms of shoulder circumferential main grooves that are the circumferential main grooves, among the plurality of circumferential main grooves, positioned most outward in a tire lateral direction, and shoulder lug grooves that are the lug grooves, among the plurality of lug grooves, positioned outward from the shoulder circumferential main grooves in the tire lateral direction and connected to the shoulder circumferential main grooves from outer sides in the tire lateral direction. The raised bottom portions are formed so as to exclude at least intersection portions where the shoulder circumferential main grooves and the shoulder lug grooves intersect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Koshi Iga
  • Patent number: 11052709
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes land portions defined by grooves, and sipes that are formed in the land portions and intersect the grooves. The sipes form acute angle portions and obtuse angle portions with the grooves. Notches are formed in the obtuse angle portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 10960711
    Abstract: Taking a groove side-wall to a position at ½ a groove depth from a tread face of lug groove as a tread-in side first inclined portion, and taking a groove side-wall from the position at ½ groove depth to a groove bottom as a tread-in side second inclined portion, then the following A1 is set less than the following B1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Kurata
  • Patent number: 10894445
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including an inboard tread region between a tire equator and an inboard tread edge, and an outboard tread region between the tire equator and an outboard tread edge. The inboard tread region is provided with a first main groove extending and a second main groove each extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction. The outboard tread region is provided with a plurality of recesses that are not in communication with other grooves. The recesses include a plurality of deep bottom recesses having depths equal to or more than 5 mm. A total of opening areas of the deep bottom recesses on a ground contact surface of the tread portion is equal to or less than 5% of a surface area of the outboard tread region that is obtained by filling up all grooves and recesses provided thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuma Kodaka
  • Patent number: 10814677
    Abstract: A sipe of a pneumatic tire includes an edge on a leading side and an edge on a trailing side, chamfered portions shorter than a sipe length of the sipe formed on respective leading and trailing side edges, and non-chamfered regions on which no other chamfered portion exists on portions opposing respective chamfered portions in the sipe. One end portion of the sipe opens into a main groove and another end portion terminates within a rib. A maximum depth x (mm) of the sipe and a maximum depth y (mm) of the chamfered portion satisfy x×0.1?y?x×0.3+1.0. A sipe width of the sipe is constant in a range from a sipe portion positioned inside in a tire radial direction of the chamfered portion to a groove bottom of the sipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Uemura, Hiraku Kouda, Tatsuro Shinzawa
  • Patent number: 10214056
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire according to an embodiment includes blocks formed by a main groove and a lateral groove on a tread portion. At least one block includes at least two sipes which divide the block into three or more sections in the tire circumferential direction. A pair of reinforcing projections which projects in the main groove is formed on both end portions of the block in the tire circumferential direction ranging from a side wall of the block to a groove bottom of the main groove. A connecting rib which connects distal end portions of the pair of reinforcing projections to each other is formed on the groove bottom of the main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shingo Kuwano
  • Patent number: 10105994
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread surface which is sectioned into a center area, a mediate area arranged in an outer side of the center area, and a shoulder area arranged in an outer side of the mediate area, wherein inclined grooves are formed spaced apart in a tire circumferential direction, the inclined grooves continuously extending from the mediate area to the shoulder area, in blocks in the mediate area and the shoulder area sectioned by the inclined grooves, an angle of inclination of a side wall on a leading side with respect to a normal direction of the tread surface is greater than an angle of inclination of a side wall on a trailing side with respect to a normal direction of the tread surface, and a plurality of dimples are formed in the side wall on the leading side of the block in the mediate area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 9776456
    Abstract: A racing tire comprising a tread having a new tread thickness of no greater than about 0.375 inch. The tread defines a running surface that includes a first circumferential portion of a first rubber compound and a second circumferential portion of a second rubber compound situated adjacent one another. The first rubber compound has a greater stiffness than the second rubber compound so as to provide the tread with greater wear resistance along the first circumferential portion, and the second rubber compound provides the tread with greater traction along the second circumferential portion. The tread may be substantially free of a tread pattern. The second rubber compound may have a greater DIN abrasion value than the first rubber compound. The second rubber compound may have a higher tan delta at 100° C. and/or a higher J? traction value than the first rubber compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Paul Harry Sandstrom, Andrew Frederick Weimer, Richard Barkley Campbell, Thomas Charles Lippello, III, Mark Alan Keto, Larry Alan Kraus, Steven Wayne Cronin
  • Patent number: 9688106
    Abstract: Noise-reducing device intended to be added to a groove of the tread of a tire comprising an elastic sole preferably extending in a given longitudinal direction, wherein the said sole on one of its faces comprises one or several flexible walls the planes of which run substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Frédéric Pialot
  • Patent number: 9469160
    Abstract: Provision of a tire with enhanced wet weather performance while maintaining resistance to uneven wear performance without entailing an increase in the tread rubber volume. A center block row (30) is formed extending along the tire circumferential direction U in a tread section (18). Blocks (33) configuring the center block row (30) when viewed from the tread face side are formed with long sides (34H) adjacent to respective main grooves (20L), (20R) and short sides (34S1), (34S2). Cutout portions (21) are formed in the blocks (33) on the sides of the long sides (34H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Makoto Koshio
  • Patent number: 9211767
    Abstract: A tread for passenger-vehicle tire having radially on the outside a running surface and comprising a plurality of elements, at least certain of these elements being provided with at least one incision delimited by two opposite faces, this incision consisting of a succession of thin sections and of thick sections placed in an alternating manner, the thin sections being inclined at an angle A equal to no more than 40 degrees, this angle being measured relative to a direction perpendicular to the running surface of the tread and passing through the points of the incision on the running surface of the tread, the thick sections forming an angle B of between 60 degrees and 120 degrees with a direction perpendicular to the running surface of the tread, and the thin sections having a width e less than the width E of the thick sections, the width of the thin sections being such that, when they go through the contact patch, the walls delimiting said thin sections are in contact, and the width of the thick sections bein
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Patrice Fraysse
  • Patent number: 9150057
    Abstract: Tires in use wear in a host of ways. One negative manner in which tires, especially truck tires, may wear is in an irregular fashion. When this phenomenon happens, the tread of the tire may become unusable, forcing the user to replace the tire, which is undesirable. This patent application poses a new and useful way of preventing irregular wear involving the use of hidden sipes or tread blocks. In some embodiments, these hidden sipes or tread blocks are found in tread blocks or ribs adjacent other tread blocks or ribs that have been determined to be susceptible to irregular wear. In other embodiments, the hidden sipes or tread blocks are formed by a sipe blade that has a connecting member to which two y-branched members are attached, and further comprising dividing members that connect between the y-branched members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ESTABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE et TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Stefan Voss, Eric Arthur DeBenedittis
  • Patent number: 9038683
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion, at least two circumferentially and continuously extending longitudinal grooves being provided with the tread portion, a land portion divided between the longitudinal grooves, a plurality of lateral grooves being provided with the land portion, each lateral grooves with one end communicating with one of the longitudinal grooves and the other end extending toward a tire equator, the longitudinal groove with a groove wall to which lateral grooves are connected, in each section between lateral grooves adjacent to a circumferential direction of the tire, the groove wall having a protruded portion and a dent portion being formed the nearest side of the tire equator, the protruded portion inclined with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire so as to gradually reduce a width of the longitudinal groove toward at least one lateral groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Sawai
  • Patent number: 9033011
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises an annular tread portion including a plurality of circumferentially extending main grooves comprising an innermost groove, an outermost groove, and at least one middle groove arranged between the innermost groove and the outermost groove. The outermost groove comprises an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall, a groove bottom, and a groove opening opposite to the groove bottom, wherein the outermost groove has an asymmetric cross section with respect to any straight line perpendicular to the groove opening, and wherein the outer sidewall of the outermost groove is tilted by more than 20° with respect to a straight line perpendicular to the groove opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Phaniraj Muthigi, Jean-Louis Marie Felicien Thomas, Francois Philippe Depouhon, Julien Alexandre Fursthos, Michael Howard Curtis
  • Publication number: 20150041034
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, land portions have a plurality of sipes and at least one row of land portions in an inner side region is provided with sipes having a 3D structure. Also, the snow traction index (STI) with respect to the tire circumferential direction throughout the entire tread portion is in the range of 100?STI. Also, the sipe component (STI_s_out) of the snow traction index (STI) in an outer side region and the sipe component (STI_s_in) of the snow traction index (STI) in the inner side region have the relationship of 1.1?STI_s_in/STI_s_out. Also, the peripheral length ratio PLR_out of the three-dimensional structure portion in the outer side region and the peripheral length ratio PLR_in of the three-dimensional structure portion in the inner side region have the relationship of 1.1?PLR_in/PLR_out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Kohtaro Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20150020940
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread surface which is sectioned into a center area, a mediate area arranged in an outer side of the center area, and a shoulder area arranged in an outer side of the mediate area, wherein inclined grooves are formed spaced apart in a tire circumferential direction, the inclined grooves continuously extending from the mediate area to the shoulder area, in blocks in the mediate area and the shoulder area sectioned by the inclined grooves, an angle of inclination of a side wall on a leading side with respect to a normal direction of the tread surface is greater than an angle of inclination of a side wall on a trailing side with respect to a normal direction of the tread surface, and a plurality of dimples are formed in the side wall on the leading side of the block in the mediate area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 8936055
    Abstract: Tire tread (1) comprising a plurality of blocks (6), each block (6) comprising a leading face (61), a trailing face (62) and a contact face (60), the leading face (61) making a mean angle ?A greater than 0 degrees, the trailing edge (62) making a mean angle ?F greater than 0 degrees, the angle ?A of the leading face (61) being greater than the angle ?F of the trailing face, each block (6) comprises an incision (7) extending into the thickness of the block, this incision (7) being delimited by opposing faces provided with blocking means (71) for blocking the relative movements of one of the said faces with respect to the other face in at least one direction, this incision (7) dividing the contact face (60) of the block into two parts with substantially equal surface areas, this tread being characterized in that the incision (7) is inclined by a mean angle ?, measured with respect to the perpendicular to the contact face (60) in the same direction as the angle ?A of the leading face and in that the volume of ma
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Techniques S.A., Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Jean-Denis Hidrot, Benjamin Quantinet
  • Patent number: 8925598
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes, in a tread portion, a pair of circumferential main grooves extending and a land portion provided between the pair of circumferential main grooves and extending in the tire circumferential direction. The land portion includes a bulging portion bulging in a second arc shape in a tire radial direction as a sectional outline of a tread surface of the land portion and chamfered portions connected to the bulging portion and extending straight toward respective groove walls of the circumferential main grooves. A portion of the bulging portion bulges in the tire radial direction with respect to a virtual tread profile line which is determined by a first arc shape in a sectional shape of the tread portion. A maximum bulging amount is 0.1 to 0.8 mm. The virtual tread profile line extends across the chamfered portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Ebiko
  • Patent number: 8919398
    Abstract: A center block and a second block that satisfy h1/H=0.05 to 0.4 and w1/W=0.05 to 0.4 are formed on a tread, where H is the block height, h1 is the drop in height of a chamfered part, w1 is the breadth of the chamfered part and W is the length of the block tread in a circumferential direction. When traveling on hard pavement, the chamfered part of the block contacts the hard pavement first and, compared to a case in which an edge that does not have a chamfered part contacts a hard pavement, the ground-contact surface area can be increased and steering stability on hard pavement can be improved. Further, in rough terrain, resistance received from a road surface at the time of ground contact is reduced, travel resistance is suppressed and steering stability is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Ichizou Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8915273
    Abstract: There is provided a pneumatic tire capable of reducing rolling resistance and suppressing river wear of uneven wear. A pneumatic tire according to the present invention comprises a tread portion provided with one or more circumferential grooves extending in parallel with a tire equator to define a plurality of land portions, wherein at least surface rubber of the tread portion has tan ? of not less than 0.02 and not more than 0.2, a wall angle of a widthwise outer wall of the circumferential groove is larger than a wall angle of a widthwise inner wall of the circumferential groove, a plurality of sipes extending in a direction across the tire equator are provided in the land portions, and a length of the sipe formed in an end portion of the land portion arranged adjacent to the circumferential groove in the widthwise outer side is longer than a length of the sipe formed in an end portion of the land portion arranged adjacent to the circumferential groove in the widthwise inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8910682
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an enhanced cracking resistance at groove bottom, including at least one circumferential main groove 9 having such a sectional profile shape as including an axially inner wall portion 13, an inner arc portion 14 continuous with the inner wall portion 13, an axially outer wall portion 15 having a smaller length than the inner wall portion 13, an outer arc portion 16 continuous with outer wall portion 15, and a groove bottom portion 17 extending straight between the outer and inner arc portions while being inclined in a radially inward direction, in which the groove 9 has a maximum depth portion 18 on the tire equator side with respect to center position G1 of its width, and radius of curvature R1 of inner arc portion 14 and radius of curvature R2 of outer arc portion 16 satisfy the following relationships: R1?0.6 mm and R2?2×R1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Ueda
  • Patent number: 8875757
    Abstract: In the invention, a tread surface is provided with a groove portion including a main groove continuously extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a land portion including a rib or a block separated by the main groove, wherein the land portion includes a first edge portion having a depression row formed by arranging long hole shaped depressions extending along the groove portion in the tire circumferential direction and a second edge portion extending along the main groove while being different in position in a tire width direction from the first edge portion, and not having the depression row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuji Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20140311642
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire includes a belt layer having a circumferential reinforcing layer. Additionally, the pneumatic tire includes a plurality of circumferential main grooves, and a plurality of land portions partitioned by the circumferential main grooves in a tread portion. The width W1 of the land portion on a tire equatorial plane, and the width W2 of the second land portion at an end portion of the circumferential reinforcing layer have a relationship such that 1.05?W1/W2?1.30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Nagayoshi
  • Patent number: 8820373
    Abstract: Tire having a tread pattern with superior performance characteristics. The tread pattern includes ribs and circumferential grooves which are at least one of tapered and/or generally V-shaped. The walls of each circumferential groove have a wavy and/or sinusoidal contour extending in a generally circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Daniel S. Mathews
  • Patent number: 8820374
    Abstract: A tire, wherein, a lateral groove (7) is disposed between a predetermined land block (5) and a land block (6) adjacent to the land block (5) in the tire circumference direction, among land blocks (4, 5, 6), and is formed of an inner lateral groove (Q) and an outer lateral groove (P), the inside lateral groove (Q) being disposed at an inside of a boundary of a bent portion (12) in a tire width direction, the outside lateral groove (P) being disposed at an outside of the bent portion (12), the bent portion (12) being formed at intermediate portion in the tire width direction. The angle ?1 of the inner lateral groove (Q) relative to the tire circumference direction is smaller than the angle ?2 of the outer lateral groove (P) relative to the circumference direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Tomida
  • 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: 8800619
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tire in which generation of partial wear and groove cracks are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Suguru Yamaguchi, Michiharu Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8770241
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of circumferential grooves and a first land portion. The circumferential grooves extend continuously in a tire circumferential direction. The first land portion extends in the tire circumferential direction between a pattern end and one of the circumferential grooves in a shoulder region located outside the circumferential grooves in a tire width direction. The first land portion has first lug grooves extending from the pattern end in the tire width direction and closed without communicating with the circumferential grooves are arranged in the tire circumferential direction. At least one circumferential groove is wave-shaped with a constant groove width in the tire width direction at a tread surface and formed in a wave shape in the circumferential direction at the tread surface and groove bottom. The wave-shaped circumferential groove has a shorter cycle length of waves at the groove bottom than at the tread surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ebiko, Kenichiro Endo, Takumi Morito, Hiroshi Tokizaki, Hiroyuki Kojima, Kensuke Saitou
  • Publication number: 20140166172
    Abstract: Tyre comprising a tread, this tread including a rolling surface (12) intended to come into contact with the ground, at least one circumferential row of upstanding elements (11), these upstanding elements (11) being separated from one another in the circumferential direction by incisions (20) of transverse or substantially transverse orientation, each incision (20) of transverse or substantially transverse orientation leading onto the rolling surface (12) and having a depth P, each incision (20) forming, on the rolling surface of the tyre when new, two facing edges (21, 22), these edges (21, 22) delimiting at least one narrow portion (30) of the incision, i.e. a portion having a mean width LE less than or equal to 2 mm, and at least one wide portion (40) of the incision, i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Eric Berger, Julien Flament, Olivier Muhlhoff
  • Publication number: 20140130952
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion 2 provided with shoulder axial grooves 10 extending from a shoulder main groove 3 to a tread edge Te while inclining to a first-side in the tire circumferential direction. The shoulder axial groove 10 has a first-side groove edge, a second-side groove edge, a first-side groove-sidewall 14 extending radially inward from the first-side groove edge 12, and a second-side groove-sidewall 15 extending radially inward from the second-side groove edge 13. The shoulder axial groove 10 has a part where the inclination angle ? of the first-side groove-sidewall 14 with respect to a normal line passing through the first-side groove edge 12 perpendicularly to the tread surface 2s is more than the inclination angle ? of the second-side groove-sidewall 15 with respect to a normal line passing through the second-side groove edge 13 perpendicularly to the tread surface 2s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Susumu TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8708011
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a pneumatic tire having a sipe, which can increase ice braking performance without reducing anti-wear performance. The pneumatic tire includes: a plurality of land portions 4 partitioned by grooves 2 and 3 and formed in a tread surface 1a; and at least one sipe 5 formed in each of the land portions 4, wherein the sipe 5 is formed so that sipe inner wall surfaces 6 and 6 are formed perpendicularly to the tread surface 1a, one or more recesses 7 exposed on the tread surface 1a are formed in at least one of the sipe inner wall surfaces 6 and 6 opposed to each other, the recess 7 has a sectional area gradually decreasing from an opening end of the sipe 5 toward a sipe bottom 8 and converges on the sipe inner wall surface 6 before reaching the sipe bottom 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8695657
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion; three or more circumferential direction grooves; width direction grooves; and lines of land portions. When a tread center area and tread shoulder areas are sectioned at centerlines of the circumferential direction grooves in outermost sides in the tire width direction, a ratio G=(A+B)/X of a sum A+B of a groove area A of the circumferential direction grooves and a groove area B of the width direction grooves to a contact area X of the tread portion is in a range of G?0.25, a ratio S=B/(A+B) of the groove area B to the sum A+B is in a range of 0.25<S<0.45, a ratio Gs=C/Y of a groove area C of the tread shoulder areas to a contact area Y of the tread shoulder areas is in a range of Gs<0.20, and the ratio G and the ratio Gs have a relation of Gs<G.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20140048191
    Abstract: A tread band having at least one longitudinal groove bounded by a bottom wall, and by two sidewalls; each sidewall of the longitudinal groove has a continuous sequence of alternating projections and recesses, which extend crosswise so that, in plan view, the first longitudinal groove is zigzag shaped; each projection of one sidewall of the longitudinal groove always faces a recess in the other sidewall of the longitudinal groove; and, at all the projections, an outer portion of each sidewall slopes at a first obtuse angle to the bottom wall, and, at all the recesses, an outer portion of each sidewall slopes at a second obtuse angle, different from the first obtuse angle, to the bottom wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Davide Renis, Andrea Scatamacchia
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20140020804
    Abstract: A block 100 includes a pair of extending portions 40 that respectively extend in the tire circumferential direction from a lateral surface 25A and a lateral surface 25B, and a pair of protruding portions 60 that respectively protrude from the pair of extending portions 40 in the tire circumferential direction. The extending portion includes an acute corner 45 formed by the inclined groove and the circumferential groove intersecting with each other. An extending portion 40A is positioned at one end side in the tread width direction, and an extending portion 40B is positioned at the other end side in the tread width direction. An outer surface of the protruding portion 60 in the tire radial direction is inclined relative to the tire radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Okada
  • Publication number: 20140000775
    Abstract: The invention controls irregular wear in the shoulder land portions and reduces the occurrence of cracking in the shoulder grooves of a pneumatic tire. To that end, the groove wall surface (17a) on the shoulder land portion (19) side of the shoulder groove (17) has an inclined surface consisting of a first inclined part (171) inclined toward the equatorial plane of the tire at an inclination angle ?1, which is constant along the circumference of the tire, and a second inclined part (172) further inclined from the first inclined part (171) toward the equatorial plane of the tire and reaching the groove bottom (17b) of the shoulder groove (17) at an angle ? with respect to the first inclined part (171), which varies along the circumference of the tire. Also, the inclination angles of the first and second inclined parts (171, 172) are set such that the maximum value ?max and the minimum value ?min of the angle ? satisfy (D?d) (tan ?max?tan ?min)?2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Tamura
  • Patent number: 8555940
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having on-snow performance improved by increasing traction performance on snow-covered road with maintaining dry grip performance high, and comprising tread surface 2 having at least one circumferential main groove 3 in an outer region 2o facing outward of a vehicle, the circumferential main groove 3 being a straight groove wherein ridge lines 21 at which groove wall surfaces 20 intersect with the tread surface 2 extend straight, each groove wall surface 20 comprising a gently-inclined upper wall surface 20U extending from the ridge line 21 at an angle ?1 of 40 to 60° with respect to a normal line to tread surface 2 and a steeply-inclined lower wall surface 20L extending to groove bottom 22 at an angle ?2 smaller than the angle ?1, and the lower wall surface 20L including projections 23 which are disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction and have a triangular cross section with slope surface 23S extending from lower end Ue of the upper wall surface 20U to groove bottom 22 at an a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehiko Murata
  • Patent number: 8517069
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire having snow performances which are capable of being enhanced without sacrificing its running performance on dry road surfaces. A pneumatic tire of the invention includes two first main grooves, a plurality lateral grooves and a plurality of sipes in a tread part. In the pneumatic tire, a groove wall surface, of each first main groove, closer to a tire equatorial line is formed so as to cyclically repeat, in the tire circumferential direction, a change in an inclination angle of the groove wall surface to a direction normal to a tread, the change being a gradual increase from a minimum value of 0° to 15° to a maximum value of 15° to 45°. In places where the inclination angel of the groove wall surface, of the first main groove, closer to the tire equatorial line, is at its maximum, no lateral grooves communicate with the first main groove, and in the places, the other groove wall surface, of the first main groove, closer to a corresponding contact end extends uninterruptedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoya Oizumi
  • Patent number: 8511357
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread surface is provided with a groove portion, and a land portion sectioned by the groove portion. In wall surfaces facing the groove portion in the land portion, an inside wall surface facing an inner side at a time of being installed to a vehicle is formed by a zigzag surface, and an outside wall surface facing an outer side at a time of being installed to the vehicle is formed by a flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8511358
    Abstract: To enhance uneven wear resistance with achieving higher levels of dry grip performance and wet performance, a tread surface 2 is provided with one circumferential main groove 3 in an outer region 2o thereof directed outward of a vehicle and with first and second circumferential main grooves 4 and 5 in an inner region 2i thereof directed inward of the vehicle, a central region Rc between the circumferential main grooves 3 and 4 is formed into a rib 10 extending continuously in the circumferential direction, an outer shoulder region Ro between the circumferential main groove 3 and TEo is formed into a row of outer blocks 12 defined by inclined main grooves 6, and the outer blocks 12 are provided with inclined sub-grooves 13 having an inclination direction different from that of the inclined main grooves 6, thereby dividing each of the outer blocks 12 into a first block portion 12A on a tire equator side and a second block portion 12B on a ground contact edge side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehiko Murata
  • Patent number: 8490664
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire includes a tread rubber that is divided into tread elements, such as tread bars or circumferential ribs, by circumferential grooves and transverse grooves. A groove flank of a circumferential groove facing away from an outer shoulder runs at a first angle of inclination relative to the radial direction, and a groove flank opposite the groove flank facing away from the outer shoulder includes two flank portions respectively running at a second angle of inclination and a third angle of inclination relative to the radial direction. The radially inner flank portion has elevations that form a ribbed structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Behr, Oliver Woidtke, Claudia Bauer
  • Publication number: 20130139939
    Abstract: Method of designing a tire for the steered axle of a heavy goods vehicle, having a nominal sidewall height F, having a tread in the new state having a maximum total width Lo for maximum contact with the ground and provided with at least four circumferential grooves each extending between the tread surface and a groove bottom, these grooves delimiting three intermediate ribs and two edge ribs axially bounding the tread, each edge rib having two lateral walls, one of which, known as the internal lateral wall, having a height PREp measured with respect to the bottom of the groove delimiting the edge rib, this internal lateral wall having, when viewed in section on a plane containing the axis of rotation, an inclination DEp, each edge rib having a width LEp greater than the width of each of the intermediate ribs, by iteratively determining values for the dimensions LEp, PREp and DEp that satisfy the following relationship: P(LEp, DEp, PREp)<1.105769231×F, with P(LEp, DEp, PREp)=?303.528?2.00675×LEp+10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIWUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Sylvie Lhospitalier
  • Patent number: 8434535
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 10 in which a plurality of circumferential main grooves 11 that extend in the tire circumferential direction are formed in a tread surface portion, and a plurality of land portion rows 14 are partitioned by the circumferential main grooves 11, in which in at least one of the plurality of the land portion rows 14 a circumferential auxiliary groove 15 extending in the tire circumferential direction and having a narrower width and shallower depth than those of the circumferential main grooves 11 is formed in a position avoiding the tire centerline CL, and among both side faces 15a and 15b defining the circumferential auxiliary groove 15, one side face on the tire centerline side extends along the normal direction of the tread surface portion or is inclined to the tire centerline side by 5° or less with respect to the normal direction, and the other side face on the side opposite to the tire centerline side is inclined to the side opposite to the tire centerline side by 10° to 30° with respect to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Nagai
  • Patent number: 8365783
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread band having a tread pattern defined by a plurality of grooves of substantially circumferential orientation and by a plurality of grooves of substantially transverse orientation, which grooves delimit a plurality of rubber blocks arranged in a plurality of rows of substantially circumferential orientation, each of the blocks being delimited by a contact face and at least three side faces, wherein at least some of the blocks include at least one side face of substantially transverse orientation provided with at least one irregularly shaped step having an upper face and a front face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Claudio Minoli, Fabio Montanaro