Having Directional Two Dimensional Pattern (e.g., "v" Shaped, Etc.) Patents (Class 152/209.28)
  • Patent number: 11872847
    Abstract: A tire includes a circumferential direction groove and plural protrusions. The circumferential direction groove is formed in a tread face so as to open toward an outer side in a tire radial direction. The plural protrusions are formed so as to project to a projection height of from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm from a groove bottom face or a groove side face of the circumferential direction groove, and are spaced apart by a spacing of from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. A center line MA, MB linking a center point of a leading end side with a center point of a base end side of each of the plural protrusions leans with respect to a perpendicular line HA, HB such that the leading end side of the protrusion is positioned further toward a tire rotation direction upstream side than the base end side of the protrusion when viewed along a tire width direction or the tire radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sotaro Iwabuchi, Yusaku Ishiguro, Hikaru Inagaki, Keiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 11560019
    Abstract: A tire has a tread portion including a first land portion including first and second circumferential edges and and a tread surface. On the first land portion, curved grooves are provided in a tire circumferential direction. Each curved groove extends from a first end on the first circumferential edge side, terminates at a second end within the first land portion, and includes first and second curved portions and on the first end and second end sides, respectively. The first curved portion is an arc curve with a radius of curvature having a center on the first circumferential edge side of the curved groove. The second curved portion is an arc curve with a radius of curvature having a center on the second circumferential edge side of the curved groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Koike, Yoshifumi Kawagoe
  • Patent number: 11358417
    Abstract: A tire includes knob sets having leading edge bevels connected by a ramp. The leading edge bevels may be offset in their positions or angles. Each knob set includes a first knob attached to a second knob. The knobs in each set may differ in lengths or in the angles of the leading edge bevels. Each knob set shares a common base and includes a pair of elongate outermost surfaces divided by an optional axial channel. Each knob set includes a lateral edge, medial edge and a trailing edge. Transverse rows of two or more knob sets may vary in lateral spacing between knob sets to provide narrow and wide rows in an alternating pattern. Knob sets may also be included on sidewalls of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Inventor: Shinji Marui
  • Patent number: 11241915
    Abstract: To provide a pneumatic tire capable of improving rut performance. A pneumatic tire according to an embodiment is a tire having a specified rotation direction. A shoulder region of a tread portion is provided with a shoulder block and a raised portion is provided in an outer extension portion of the shoulder block in a tire width direction in relation to a tire ground contact end. The raised portion includes a corner portion which protrudes from an edge portion of the shoulder block on a front side in the rotation direction toward the front side in the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 10730350
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire being improved in heat dissipation effect in the tread portion while being ensured in rigidity of the land portion. A narrow groove (10) is formed on a tread surface (1), the narrow groove extending in a direction inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction and having a groove width (W1) and a groove depth (D1), the groove width (W1) being smaller than the groove depth (D1). The narrow groove (10) terminates at least one end thereof within the land portion. An air inflow part (11) is formed on at least one of the groove walls (10c) of the narrow groove (10), the groove walls facing each other in the tire circumferential direction, where the narrow groove (10) has a maximum depth (D1) and the air inflow part (11) has a maximum depth (D2), the D1 and the D2 satisfying 1?D1/D2?15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10688831
    Abstract: Particular embodiments of the invention include a tire tread having a plurality of tread elements including one or more shoulder elements arranged along a first lateral side edge of the tread. The one or more shoulder elements include a recessed terminal side spaced apart from the first lateral side edge, where the recessed terminal side is offset in a direction of the tread width towards the second lateral side edge from a pair of adjacent terminal sides of the one or more shoulder elements. A sipe is arranged in connection with a submerged void within the tread thickness, where the sipe and submerged void extend in a direction of the tread width towards a second lateral side edge from the recessed terminal side such that the sipe and submerged void are recessed from the pair of adjacent terminal sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Robert Cecil Lawson, Sadi Kose, Phillip Check
  • Patent number: 10391820
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire being improved in heat dissipation effect in the tread portion while being ensured in rigidity of the land portion. A narrow groove (9) is formed on a tread surface (1), the narrow groove extending in a direction inclined relative to the tire circumferential direction and having a groove width (W1) and a groove depth (D1), the groove width (W1) being smaller than the groove depth (D1). The narrow groove (9) opens at both ends thereof to the outside of the land portion. An air inflow part (10) is formed on at least one of the groove walls (9c) of the narrow groove (9), the groove walls facing each other in the tire circumferential direction, where the narrow groove (9) has a maximum depth (D1) and the air inflow part (10) has a maximum depth (D2), the D1 and the D2 satisfying 5<D1/D2?15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10155420
    Abstract: A vehicle tire (1), comprising a tread (2) which is intended for rolling contact against a surface, said tread (2) being formed with a tread pattern (20) which comprises circumferential grooves (25) and transverse grooves (26) for removing water from a contact patch between the surface and the tire (1). The transverse groove (26) increases in width when progressing in a longitudinal direction of the transverse groove (26) from a sidewall (41, 42) of the tire (1) towards a center line (CL) of the tire and when progressing in a radial direction (R) outward from a base (263) of the transverse groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: NOKIAN RENKAAT OYJ
    Inventors: Samu Lepisto, Jorma Tikka
  • Patent number: 9994076
    Abstract: The invention provides a cured tread and a tire capable of controlling irregular wear of the tread. A base tire which is to be the base for the tire and a cured tread which is to be bonded to the base tire are molded separately, and they are integrated with each other to produce the tire. The tread is provided in its width (axial) direction with a plurality of grooves extending in its length (circumferential) direction. The thickness of the tread in a width cross section gradually decreases from the equator to the equator-side edge of the outermost groove located at an axially outermost position and gradually increases from the outer edge of the outermost groove outward in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeo Nagahara
  • Patent number: 9987884
    Abstract: Tire tread having a central part (I) made from at least one first rubber compound and having at least one circumferential rib (121-123) formed of a plurality of blocks (1210) separated by sipes; a first and a second lateral part (II and III) made of at least a second and third rubber compound, and having a circumferential rib (131,141) formed by a plurality of blocks (1310,1410), separated by sipes, wherein the at least one second and third rubber compounds have a value of tan ? at 23° C.—at a frequency of 10 Hz and an elongation of 10% —of less than 0.25, wherein the complex modulus G*(T) of the at least one first rubber compound is greater than the complex moduli G*(T) of at least one second and third rubber compounds for all temperatures T greater than or equal to 0° and less than or equal to 60° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Bernard Guerinon, Eric Berger, Melaine Guillou, Bertrand Boisdon, Christine Nourry
  • Patent number: 9937754
    Abstract: A tire for a motorized two-wheeled vehicle comprising a reinforcing structure of the carcass type, made up of reinforcing elements, anchored on each side of the tire to a bead the base of which is intended to be mounted on a rim seat, each bead being extended radially outward by a sidewall, the sidewalls radially toward the outside joining to a tread. At least the central part of the tread comprises at least one circumferentially continuous cut, the cut being made up, for at least 80% of its length of at least one incision and at most 20% of at least one part having a width greater than that of an incision and the apparent area of the at least one incision is greater than the apparent area of the at least one part having a width greater than that of an incision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Luc Bestgen
  • Patent number: 9862233
    Abstract: A tire having a carcass reinforcement surmounted radially by a crown reinforcement having at least two working plies, the width Lt of which is equal to the width of the axially narrowest working ply, and surmounted radially by a tread (or “cap”) and interposed radially between the cap and the crown reinforcement by a sublayer (or “base”), this base extending axially and radially under all of the cap and radially on the outside of the crown reinforcement over a total width at least equal to the width Lt of the crown reinforcement, an equatorial plane dividing the cap axially into an outer half cap (TE) and an inner half cap (TI) of the same axial width, the outer half cap (TE) positioned axially towards the outside of a vehicle and the inner half cap (TI) positioned axially towards the inside of the vehicle, the base comprising an additional volume radially under the inner half cap (TI), such that the volume occupied by the base radially under the inner half cap (TI) is greater than the volume occupied by the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Hervé Bechon, Benoit Foucher
  • Patent number: 9789737
    Abstract: Tread having a plurality of generally circumferentially orientated grooves delimiting a plurality of relief elements, this tread further comprising a plurality of cut-outs in the form of transversely orientated grooves and/or slits, each relief element comprising a contact face intended to come into contact with the road and lateral faces cutting this contact face along edges intended to come into contact with a road during running, this tread having chamfers on at least a plurality of transverse edges of the relief elements, this tread having, in straight-line running, a total contact surface S comprising a part Sc in which all the transverse edges have chamfers and a part Snc in which all the transverse edges are free of chamfers, this tread having, in a cornering maneuver corresponding to a transverse acceleration of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Frédéric Bourgeois, François-Xavier Bruneau
  • Patent number: 9764601
    Abstract: A vehicle tire (1), including a tread (2) which intended for rolling contact with a foundation, the tread 82) being formed with a tread pattern (20) which includes circumferential grooves (25) and transverse grooves (26) for removing water from a contact patch between the foundation and the tire (1). The circumferential groove (25) has its wall (251) formed with a flow deflector (259) reducing a width of the circumferential groove (25), commencing from the wall (251) of the circumferential groove (25), bypassing a reduced-width portion (250) of the circumferential groove (25), and continuing arcuately into the transverse groove (26) so as to turn into a wall (261) of the transverse groove (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: NOKIAN RENKAAT OYJ
    Inventors: Tomi Korkama, Samu Lepisto, Niko Haanketo, Jorma Tikka
  • Patent number: 9744810
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread having a center main groove and a pair of shoulder main grooves. A pair of middle land sections in the tread is positioned between the shoulder and center grooves. Each of the shoulder and center grooves has a groove width set in range of 7 to 9% of width of the tread footprint. An outer middle land portion is divided into first and second middle land portions by a middle narrow groove. The first land portion forms rib. The second land portion has outer middle lateral grooves connected to the center groove and the narrow groove. Each lateral groove includes first portion, second portion having the opposite inclination to the first portion and connection portion between the first and second portions. The connection portion is positioned on the center groove side from the center of the outer land portion in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Junya Sueno
  • Patent number: 9511630
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to adequately control relationship between a cross sectional width SW and an outer diameter OD of a pneumatic radial tire for a passenger vehicle. Specifically, a ground contact surface 1 of the tread of the pneumatic radial tire for a passenger car of the present invention is provided with either, as a groove, only at least one main groove 2a extending in the tread circumferential direction or, as grooves, only the main groove 2a and at least one auxiliary groove 2b other than the main groove, wherein the auxiliary groove has a groove width?2 mm in a tread widthwise region and a negative ratio of the main groove 2a is in the range of 12% to 20% (inclusive of 12% and 20%).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Hatanaka, Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Isao Kuwayama
  • Patent number: 9505270
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire according to the present invention has a tread pattern specifying a tire rotation direction and an optimized shape of a groove wall on a kicking-out side of a lateral groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 9452643
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire which comprises a land portion (10) and a land portion (20). A main groove (50) extending along the tire circumferential direction is formed between the land portion (10) and the land portion (20). The land portion (10) comprises a groove wall (10a) that forms the main groove (50). The land portion (20) comprises a groove wall (20a) that forms the main groove (50). The groove wall (10a) and the groove wall (20a) are serpentine along the tire circumferential direction (R) when seen from a plane of the tread surface, and the groove width of the main groove (50) in the tread width direction (WTR) varies in a predetermined repetition interval (?) along the tire circumferential direction. The ratio of the minimum width (WMIN) of the groove to the maximum width (WMAX) of the groove satisfies a relation of 35%?WMIN/WMAX?85%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihiro Kiwaki, Shungo Fujita, Takaaki Kojima, Kenjiro Yamaya
  • Patent number: 9221303
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided in the tread portion with major oblique grooves disposed staggeredly on both sides of the tread pattern's center line, and plural minor oblique grooves disposed between the circumferentially adjacent major oblique grooves. The major and minor oblique grooves extend toward the counter-tire-rotational direction while increasing the angle with respect to the circumferential direction. When the axial width between the tread pattern's center line and a tread edge is evenly partitioned into 1st to 5th zones in this order from the center line, the angle ? of the major oblique groove satisfies: ?1<?2=<?3=<?4=<?5 and ?5??1=50 to 110 degrees, wherein ?1 to ?5 are mean values of the angle ? in the 1st to 5th zones. Each major oblique groove is provided in the 1st or 2nd zone with a bent point at which the angle ? changes at least 30 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shigetaka Ikeki
  • Patent number: 9199515
    Abstract: A run-flat tire comprises a tread portion having a left-right asymmetry tread pattern including an inboard tread edge and an outboard tread edge defining a tread width therebetween, a circumferentially extending inner crown main groove disposed in an inner crown area being 20% width of the tread width from a tire equator toward the in-board tread edge, a plurality of inner lateral grooves extending from the inner crown main groove to the in-board tread edge, a plurality of inner blocks separated by the inner crown main groove, inner lateral grooves and the inboard tread edge, wherein each inner block is not provided with any circumferential grooves, or is provided with at least one narrow circumferential groove having a groove width of less than 2.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Susumu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9085199
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has tread blocks (5) each defined by an equator-side longitudinal groove (3A), a tread-edge-side longitudinal groove (3B), a heel-side transverse groove (4A) and a toe-side transverse groove (4B). The block (5) has an equator-side longitudinal wall surface (8a) having a first radially outer edge (9a) and a first radially inner edge (10a), and a tread-edge-side longitudinal wall surface (8b) having a second radially outer edge (9b) and a second radially inner edge (10b). The angle ?1U of the first radially outer edge (9a), the angle ?1L of the first radially inner edge (10a), the angle ?2U of the second radially outer edge (9b) and the angle ?2L of the second radially inner edge (10b), each with respect to the tire circumferential direction, satisfy the following four conditional expressions: (0??1L<?1U?45); (0<?2L<?2U?45); (?1L<?2L) and (?1U<?2U).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Imakita, Kenji Ueda
  • Patent number: 9027613
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises a tread portion provided with tread blocks each provided in the ground contact surface thereof with a single zigzag sipe. A ratio A/B of a block length (A) which is the circumferential length of the block measured along a straight line passing through the centroid of the ground contact surface to a maximum block width (B) which is the axial distance between the axial extreme ends of the ground contact surface is 0.8 to 1.7. The zigzag sipe is disposed within a central region which is defined as extending from the centroid of the ground contact surface towards each side in the tire circumferential direction by 25% of the block length (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Hamada
  • Patent number: 9010389
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire comprises a tread portion grooved so that twenty narrow annular zones thereof each have a land ratio of 70 to 90%, wherein the twenty narrow annular zones are defined by equally dividing the developed tread width along the tread face by twenty. On each side of the tire equator, main oblique grooves and auxiliary oblique grooves are arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction and inclined to one tire circumferential direction. The main oblique grooves on each side of the tire equator extend beyond the tire equator to have axially inner ends located on the other side of the tire equator. The auxiliary oblique grooves on each side of the tire equator do not extend beyond the tire equator to have axially inner ends located on the same side of the tire equator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Matsunami
  • Patent number: 8997807
    Abstract: A tyre for motor vehicles, in particular for rear wheels of motor vehicles, has a tread band including an annular central portion, two first annular side portions and two second annular side portions, each arranged between the annular central portion and a respective first annular side portion and being narrower than the first annular side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Pierangelo Misani, Mario Mariani, Andrea Schiavolin
  • Patent number: 8997808
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire has a unidirectional tread pattern having an intended rotational direction. The tread portion is provided on each side of the tire equator with main oblique grooves, each comprising a main portion extending from the tire equator toward a tread edge while inclining toward the direction opposite to the intended rotational direction. The main portion includes a part overlapping the tire equator which part has an inclination angle of not more than 20 degrees with respect to the tire equator. The main portion has such a dimension that the circumferential ends thereof are positioned outside a ground contacting area of the tire in its normally inflated loaded state at the camber angle of 0 degree. The land ratio of a tread center region between the ground contact edges is in a rage of from 75 to 95%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masafumi Otani
  • Patent number: 8985167
    Abstract: A tire for motorcycles, having a tread band includes a central annular portion, two lateral annular portions and two shoulder annular portions. The axial extension of these portions is not greater than 25%, 35%, and 20% of the axial development of the tread band, respectively. The tread band includes a module repeated along the circumference of the tire in which at least two substantially longitudinal grooves, mainly extending in the lateral annular portions, include, moving axially away from the equatorial plane of the tire, at least three substantially straight and substantially consecutive segments, wherein the first segment forms an angle with respect to the equatorial plane greater than 150°; and the second segment has a length measured along its extension smaller than the length of the first segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mario Mariani, Luca Bruschelli, Silvio Montanari, Francesco Gagliardi, Misani Pierangelo
  • Patent number: 8985170
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided which includes a plurality of drainage grooves positioned on each side of a tire equator line that extend at an angle in a direction opposite a rotating direction while curving outward in a tire width direction in a tread portion, with an end of a leading edge closed and an end of a trailing edge open to a tire side. A plurality of sub grooves extending from the drainage grooves in the rotating direction is provided, where an end of the leading edge is closed. The drainage grooves and the sub grooves are arranged so that spacings W1, W2, and W3gradually increase outward in the tire width direction, groove area ratios RA to RE satisfy the relationships |RB?RA|?9%, RA>RC>RD, and RB>RE, and a groove depth of the drainage grooves in the center region is greater than that in the shoulder portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoto Kaba
  • Patent number: 8950452
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain comprises a tread portion having a unidirectional tread pattern and provided with T-sided blocks having a top surface, a heel-side sidewall surface extending from a heel-side edge of the top surface, and a toe-side sidewall surface extending from a toe-side edge of the top surface. The heel-side sidewall surface has an inclination angle ? of from 0 to 15 degrees. The toe-side sidewall surface has a radially outer region having a height of from 20 to 55% of the block height and inclined at an angle ? of from 20 to 45 degrees. A radially inner region of the toe-side sidewall surface has: a central part inclined at the same angle ? as the radially outer region; a pair of lateral parts located one on each side of the central part and having an inclination angle ? of from 0 to 15 degrees; and a pair of stepped parts extending between the lateral parts and the central part in a direction crosswise to the toe-side edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadahiko Matsumura
  • Patent number: 8931532
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread band provided with a tread pattern including a first and a second portion of tread pattern, repeated just the same along the circumferential extent of the tire, forming respectively a short pitch module and a long pitch module of the tread pattern, wherein the modules include a respective first transverse groove in which, starting from an axially outer first end thereof toward an opposed axially inner second end thereof, an initial section and a section of enlarged cross-section are formed, the latter being blind, at least on its axially inner side, when in the footprint area. The initial section and the section of enlarged cross-section have, respectively, a first width and a second width, and the ratio between the second width and the first width of a first transverse groove belonging to a short pitch module is greater than the ratio between the second width and the first width of a first transverse groove belonging to a long pitch module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre, S.p.A.
    Inventors: Maurizio Boiocchi, Giuseppe Matrascia, Vito Bello
  • Patent number: 8881778
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire 1 comprising tread portion 2 having inclined main grooves 11 including main part 13 extending to cross tire equator C from a tire equator side toward a tread edge side while inclining to a former grounding side in a tire rotation direction wherein an inclination angle of main part 13 at the tire equator is from 0 to 15°, and a plurality of inclined sub-grooves 12 extending between the main grooves 11, 11 from axially outward of the tire equator while inclining in the same direction as the main part 13, and the tread portion 2 satisfying a relationship of: Lc<Lm<Ls, or Lc>Lm>Ls wherein Lc is a land ratio of crown region Cr, Ls is a land ratio of a pair of shoulder regions Sh, and Lm is a land ratio of a pair of middle regions Md.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masafumi Otani
  • Patent number: 8881777
    Abstract: A tire for motorcycles, has a tread band and includes an annular central portion and two annular shoulder portions. The tread band includes at least one first groove extending from one annular shoulder portion to the other annular shoulder portion and having a first vertex at the annular central portion, and at least one pair of second grooves arranged on opposite sides with respect to the equatorial plane, each groove of said at least one pair of second grooves being inclined with respect to the equatorial plane and extending from a respective annular shoulder portion up the annular central portion without intersecting the equatorial plane. The distance in the circumferential direction between an axially inner end of each groove of said at least one pair of second grooves and the first vertex is no greater than 3.5% of the circumferential extension of the tread band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Pierangelo Misani, Mario Mariani, Andrea Schiavolin
  • 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: 8844589
    Abstract: Motorcycle tire suitable for mounting on the rear wheel of a motorcycle, including a tread band having a tread pattern includes a module which is repeated in a direction of circumferential extension of the tire, the module having: at least two substantially longitudinal first grooves which are inclined opposite to each other with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire; and at least two substantially longitudinal second grooves which are inclined opposite to each other with respect to the equatorial plane. Each substantially longitudinal first groove alternates with a second longitudinal groove. The substantially longitudinal first grooves have, in a direction axially away from the equatorial plane of the tire, two substantially consecutive curvilinear sections, the first section of which has a convexity and the second section of which has a concavity directed in the rolling direction of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mario Mariani, Luca Bruschelli, Andrea Schiavolin, Sandro Gallo
  • Publication number: 20140261937
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a tread pattern with a designated rotational direction. The tread pattern includes a plurality of V-shaped main inclined grooves that protrude toward the rotational direction and extend from one tread edge to the other tread edge, a pair of connecting grooves disposed both sides of a tire equator between the circumferentially adjacent main inclined grooves, and a center block divided among the circumferentially adjacent main inclined grooves and the one pair of connecting grooves. The center block has a trapezoidal-like shape that comprises a laterally extending leading edge and a laterally extending trailing edge having an axial length larger than that of the leading edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masayuki FUJITA
  • Patent number: 8783313
    Abstract: A tread for a tire provided with a pattern comprising a plurality of main grooves formed on each half of the tread on each side of a median plane X-X?, each of these main grooves, of mean width L, opening axially to the outside and extending axially inward as far as a distance from the median plane X-X? that is comprised between 2.5 and 10% of the width TW of the tread, these main grooves giving this tread a preferred direction of running, this tread further comprising a plurality of additional grooves comprising a first and a second end, the mean direction connecting the first and second ends forming, with the circumferential direction, a small angle A greater than zero degrees and at most equal to 20 degrees, this tread being characterized in that opening onto each main groove is at least one additional groove and in that the axially innermost end of each additional groove comes into contact with the road surface before the axially outermost end of the same additional groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Jacky Pineau, Matthieu Bonnamour, Sébastien Fugier
  • 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: 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: 20140116591
    Abstract: A motorcycle pneumatic tire including a ring-shaped tread portion 10. A steeply-inclined groove 1a having an inclination angle ?c of larger than 0° and not larger than 35° with respect to the circumferential direction is provided on, when the width of the tread portion 10 is set to Tw, the whole or a part of regions from a tire equator CL to lengths of ¼ Tw in the width direction in a V shape centering on the tire equator; and a mildly-inclined groove 1b having an inclination angle ?s of 45° to 90° with respect to the circumferential direction is provided on the whole or a part of regions from the outside end portion of the steeply-inclined groove 1a in the tire width direction to a tread end portion discontinuously with the steeply-inclined groove 1a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Kurashina
  • Patent number: 8701725
    Abstract: A tire for a motor vehicle includes a tread and two shoulders. The tread includes a first circumferential row of blocks disposed between first and second circumferential grooves. Each of the blocks is delimited by a section of the first circumferential groove and by first and second transverse grooves that extend from the first circumferential groove and terminate at a first common vertex spaced from the second circumferential groove. The tread further includes a second circumferential row of blocks disposed between the second circumferential groove and a third circumferential groove. Each of the blocks of the second circumferential row of blocks is delimited by a section of the second circumferential groove and by third and fourth transverse grooves that extend from the second circumferential groove and converge and terminate at a second common vertex. The first common vertex is separated from the second circumferential groove by a circumferential tread rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Colombo, Giancarlo Cucco, Vito Bello
  • Patent number: 8701724
    Abstract: A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a tread band. The tread band includes a pattern, including at least two circumferential portions, an elongated ridge, and at least two shoulder blocks. The at least two circumferential portions are disposed in axial side-by-side relationship. At least one of the circumferential portions includes a first geometric module repeated along a circumferential extension direction of the tire. The elongated ridge is bounded by two grooves oblique to the circumferential extension direction and is divided into a plurality of intermediate blocks with respect to an axial extension direction of the tread band. The intermediate blocks are bounded by a plurality of cuts substantially transverse to the elongated ridge. The at least two shoulder blocks are associated with the elongated ridge, are circumferentially aligned along a side edge of the tread band, and are bounded by grooves oriented substantially transversely to the circumferential extension direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Colombo, Vito Bello, Marco Verona
  • Patent number: 8656970
    Abstract: There is provided a pneumatic radial tire for a motorcycle enabling safe running the motorcycle in conformity to various road conditions by achieving both performances of wet performance, i.e., hydroplaning and traction performances in particular, and linearity in handling at high level. In the pneumatic radial tire for a motorcycle, (a) tilt lug grooves are disposed at a tilt angle of 5 to 85° relative to a tire circumferential direction, (b) a ratio of the minimum length Lmin thereof to the surface length W thereof along one side of a tread is 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Hidemitsu Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20140041777
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a tire tread is disclosed, wherein the tread comprises one or more tread elements and one or more grooves, the tread having a radially outer surface and a non-skid tread depth as measured from the radially outer surface of the tread and a radially innermost surface of the grooves. The tread has a radially innermost layer comprised of a base tread compound, a radially outer tread cap layer and a middle tread caplayer located between the base layer and the outer tread cap layer. Wherein the radially outer tread cap layer has a defined depth D, except that there is at least one notched areas wherein the tread cap layer extends radially inward of the defined depth D.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Malik Djelloul-Mazouz, Michel Jean Yves Windeshausen, Ralf Reinardt, Thomas Gesenhoff
  • 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: 8640750
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises: an axially inner circumferential row of crown blocks disposed on each side of the tire equator; and an axially outermost circumferential row of shoulder blocks disposed axially outside thereof. The crown blocks are circumferentially divided by alternate first and second crown axial grooves. The shoulder blocks are circumferentially divided by alternate first and second shoulder axial grooves. The first shoulder axial groove has a groove width of not less than 3.5 mm. The first crown axial groove has a groove width of not less than 2.0 mm. The second shoulder axial groove comprises an axially innermost sipe-like part having a groove width of 0.5 to 2.0 mm, and an axially outer main part having a groove width of not less than 3.5 mm. The second crown axial groove comprises an axially innermost sipe-like part having a groove width of 0.5 to 2.0 mm, and an axially outer main part having a groove width of not less than 2.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Kageyama
  • Patent number: 8627864
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising: a pair of center circumferential direction grooves, first lug grooves that connect to the center circumferential direction grooves and the directions of inclination of which is alternately in opposite directions in the tire circumferential direction, second lug grooves that extend from the center circumferential direction grooves to the edges of the tread and the directions of inclination are in opposite directions on one side and the other side across the equator in the tire width direction, a pair of shoulder circumferential direction grooves that delineate second blocks with the center circumferential direction grooves and the second lug grooves, and sub-grooves that traverse the second blocks in the tire circumferential direction to connect the second lug grooves, and extend in a direction that is orthogonal to the direction of inclination of the second lug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Naoya Ochi, Tomoaki Nemoto
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8474497
    Abstract: To improve the steering stability on a wet road surface. A land ratio of a shoulder portion Sh of a tread portion 2 is 57 to 72%, and a land ratio of a center portion Ce is 40 to 55%. In the center portion Ce, one row block made up of center blocks 6 is formed. Each of the center blocks 6 has its width gradually reduced from a position establishing an axial maximum width BW toward both a leading end and a trailing end relative to the tire rotating direction, each of the center blocks being provided with, at the leading end thereof, a tip portion 6a that sharpens toward the leading end, and being provided with, at the trailing end thereof, a concave portion 6b that smoothly concaves toward the leading end. In each of the center blocks 6, a ratio (BL/BW) between the axial maximum width BW and a maximum length BL in the circumferential direction is 1.00 to 1.20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Otsuji
  • Patent number: 8474498
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1) provided in the tread portion (2) with a row (5R) of crown blocks (5b) divided by crown axial grooves (8), two rows (6R) of middle blocks (6b) divided by middle axial grooves (9), and two rows (7R) of shoulder blocks (7b) divided by shoulder axial grooves (10), Each of the crown axial grooves (8) is circumferentially aligned with one of the middle axial grooves (9) such that the crown axial groove (8) is positioned within a middle-axial-groove range (Mc) defined between 1st and 2nd axial straight lines (Za and Zb) which are drawn passing through 1st and 2nd extreme circumferential end points (9a and 9b) of the middle axial groove (9), respectively. The circumferential length of the middle-axial-groove range (Mc) is not less than 25% but not more than 50% of a pitch length (P) defined between the two 1st extreme circumferential end points (9a and 9a). The middle-axial-groove range (Mc) does not overlap with any of the shoulder axial grooves (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuki Numata
  • Patent number: 8474496
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a pair of first circumferential main grooves formed in the center region of a tread, a pair of second circumferential main grooves formed respectively outward of the corresponding first main grooves, a plurality of first lug grooves which each extend from one of the two shoulder ends of the tread inward in the tire-width direction and communicate with the corresponding first main groove, a plurality of second lug grooves alternately arranged in the tire circumferential direction which each extend from one of the two shoulder ends of the tread inward in the tire-width direction but do not communicate with the corresponding first main groove, a center rib defined between the pair of first main grooves and extends continuously in the tire circumferential direction, a shoulder block row defined between each of the second main grooves and a corresponding one of the shoulder ends and includes a plurality of blocks, and an intermediate block row defined between each of the first main groove
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8443855
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic tire including a straight main groove and two wave-shaped main grooves arranged in the center area of a tread, and diagonal grooves arranged in each shoulder area ranging from each wave-shaped main groove to the outer side of the tire, and extending obliquely outward from the wave-shaped main groove to a direction reverse to the tire rotational direction, the rotational direction being specified for the tire. Each diagonal groove is formed to have a convex protruding toward the outer side of the tire, and the extending end portion of the diagonal groove terminates in the shoulder area. Thus, each shoulder area is provided with a non-block pattern in which a land section continues in the tire circumferential direction. Thereby, the pneumatic tire has increased driving stability and uneven wear resistance while substantially maintaining good drainage performance and noise performance against columnar resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Yamane