Having Asymmetric Tread Pattern Patents (Class 152/209.8)
  • Patent number: 11897290
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion including a first tread edge, a first shoulder circumferential groove, and a first shoulder land portion demarcated by the first shoulder circumferential groove to include the first tread edge. The first shoulder land portion is provided with first shoulder lateral grooves extending from the first shoulder circumferential groove to the first tread edge. One of the first shoulder lateral grooves includes first and second groove walls which face each other, and a tie-bar. The tie-bar includes an outer surface extending along a ground contact surface of the first shoulder land portion, the outer surface being connected to the first and second groove walls. The outer surface includes a first edge connected to the first groove wall, and a second edge connected to the second groove wall, the second edge having a length smaller than a length of the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuya Meguro
  • Patent number: 11878554
    Abstract: A tyre includes a crown land portion, an outboard middle land portion, an outboard shoulder land portion, an outboard crown circumferential groove, an outboard shoulder circumferential groove, an inboard middle land portion, an inboard shoulder land portion, an inboard crown circumferential groove, and an inboard shoulder circumferential groove. The outboard middle land portion is provided with full-opened outboard middle sipe that are inclined to a tyre axial direction. The outboard middle sipes each have two opposite sipe-edge portions provided with chamfer portions. In each chamfer portion of each outboard middle sipe, chamfer widths at both ends of the outboard middle sipe are larger than a chamfer width of a central portion of the outboard middle sipe. The outboard shoulder land portion is provided with outboard shoulder sipes that are inclined in the same direction as the outboard middle sipes to the tyre axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Okada, Saori Yoshida, Shunta Kokatsu
  • Patent number: 11827058
    Abstract: A tire is provided with a shoulder circumferential groove, a crown circumferential groove, and middle lateral grooves. The middle lateral groove comprises: an axially outer part and an axially inner part which are inclined to the same direction as first inclined portions of the shoulder circumferential groove; and an in-between part which is inclined to the opposite direction to the axially outer part and the axially inner part. The axially outer part is smoothly continuous with the first inclined portion. The groove width WA1 at the axially outer end of the axially outer part is larger than the groove width WA2 at the axially inner end of the axially outer part, and the groove width WB1 at the axially outer end of the axially inner part is larger than the groove width WB2 at the axially inner end of the axially inner part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunsuke Ito
  • Patent number: 11801715
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion including four circumferential grooves between outboard and inboard tread edges, and five land portions divided by the circumferential grooves. The circumferential grooves include an inboard shoulder circumferential groove located nearest to the inboard tread edge in the circumferential grooves. The land portions include an inboard shoulder land portion disposed axially outward of the inboard shoulder circumferential groove and having a ground contact surface with the smallest axial width in the land portions. The inboard shoulder land portion is provided with inboard shoulder lateral grooves and inboard shoulder sipes. The inboard shoulder lateral grooves include inner ends away from the inboard shoulder circumferential groove. The inboard shoulder lateral grooves extend axially outward from the inner ends to a location beyond the inboard tread edge. The inboard shoulder sipes extends from the inboard shoulder circumferential groove to a location beyond the inboard tread edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Higuchi, Ryota Ikeda, Takashi Hagihara, Takuya Osawa, Takuya Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11780269
    Abstract: Provided is a motorcycle pneumatic tire in which the wet grip performance is improved while the steering stability during turning is ensured. The motorcycle pneumatic tire includes, on its ground-contact surface: a first inclined groove (21) that extends on a tire width-direction outer side from the vicinity of a tire equator and is inclined in the same direction as a tire rotation direction; and a short groove (22) that is arranged on the extension of a tire width-direction outer end of the first inclined groove (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Takahashi, Mitsunori Uchida
  • Patent number: 11780271
    Abstract: A tread portion 2 can include an inner tread end, an outer tread end, circumferential grooves, and land portions. The circumferential grooves can include an inner shoulder circumferential groove and an outer shoulder circumferential groove. The land portions can include an inner shoulder land portion and an outer shoulder land portion. The inner shoulder land portion can include inner shoulder lateral grooves and inner shoulder sipes. The outer shoulder land portion can include outer shoulder lateral grooves and outer shoulder sipes. Each outer shoulder sipe can have a chamfered portion at each of sipe edges on both sides. The chamfered portion can have a chamfered width that increases from a terminating end side toward the outer shoulder circumferential groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuto Ohte, Ryota Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11772430
    Abstract: A tire 1 includes a tread portion 2, and how the tire is to be oriented when mounted to a vehicle is specified for the tire. The tread portion 2 has an outer tread edge T1, an inner tread edge T2, a first crown main groove 4, a second crown main groove 5, and three land portions demarcated by the first crown main groove 4 and the second crown main groove 5. The land portions include an outer shoulder land portion 7 demarcated between the outer tread edge T1 and the first crown main groove 4. The outer shoulder land portion 7 has a largest width in a tire axial direction among the three land portions. The outer shoulder land portion 7 has an outer shoulder lateral groove 20 and an outer shoulder sipe 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Koike, Masayuki Fujita
  • Patent number: 11724550
    Abstract: The tread pattern of the pneumatic tire includes an outer main groove, shoulder lug grooves, and vertical sipes. The outer main groove extends in the tire circumferential direction on an outer side of the tire centerline in the tire width direction. The shoulder lug grooves are spaced apart in the tire circumferential direction and provided in the shoulder land portion regions on an outer side of the outer main groove in the tire width direction, extend from the outer side in the tire width direction toward the outer main groove, are closed in a shoulder land portion region. Each of the vertical sipes has a narrower width than each of the shoulder lug grooves, crosses each of the shoulder lug grooves and extends in the tire circumferential direction. Each of the vertical sipes has a depth greater than a groove depth of each of the shoulder lug grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Iida
  • Patent number: 11685192
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire, in particular a commercial-vehicle tire, having a one- or multi-ply carcass, a multi-ply belt or breaker and having a profiled tread with grooves formed to a profile depth, wherein the profiled tread is provided at the tire shoulders either with a respective block row (2) or with a respective profile rib (7), wherein the blocks (1) of the shoulder-side block rows (2), or the shoulder-side profile ribs (7) each have a peripheral edge (1a, 7a) laterally delimiting the ground contact patch of the tire, or a shoulder rounding with a radius of up to 30.0 mm, wherein shoulder flank surfaces that extend in a radial direction adjoin the peripheral edges or the shoulder roundings, and wherein, in the case of shoulder roundings, an imaginary section line is defined between an envelope of the tread that is continued beyond the shoulder rounding and the shoulder flank surface that is continued beyond the shoulder rounding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Lippert, Florian Kristen, Christian Meiners, Paul Naglatzki
  • Patent number: 11654721
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion having outboard and inboard tread edges and provided with three main grooves to axially divide the tread portion into four land regions including a widest outboard middle land region, wherein first inclined grooves (16) extend across the entire width of the outboard middle land region; second inclined grooves (17) extend from a crown main groove and are terminated within the outboard middle land region; fourth inclined grooves (19) are connected to the second inclined grooves (17) and to the first inclined grooves on an outboard shoulder main groove side; and an angle of the first inclined groove (16) and an angle of the second inclined groove (17) with respect to the tire circumferential direction are gradually increases from the crown main groove toward the outboard tread edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Saki Arakawa, Hiroshi Yamaoka, Kotaro Tahara, Takafumi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11618284
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion. The tread portion has a main groove extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction, and a land portion adjacent to the main groove. The land portion has lateral grooves extending from the main groove in a tire axial direction. Each of the lateral grooves has a first portion communicating with the main groove, and a second portion connected to the first portion. The first portion has a larger groove width than the second portion and has a smaller groove depth than the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Hagihara
  • Patent number: 11524529
    Abstract: The tire has a tread portion axially divided into two shoulder land regions, two middle land regions and one crown land region by two shoulder circumferential grooves and two crown circumferential grooves. The middle land regions are each provided with a single longitudinal sipe, and first and second middle transverse grooves extending from the adjacent shoulder circumferential groove and crown circumferential groove, and terminated without being connected to the longitudinal sipe. The shoulder land regions are each provided with shoulder transverse grooves extending from tread edges and terminated within the respective shoulder land regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Osawa, Teppei Nakamichi, Kensuke Aizawa, Daichi Takatsuki
  • Patent number: 11420479
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire having a tread divided by circumferential grooves, which have a profile depth (T), into block rows running in encircling fashion in a circumferential direction and/or profile ribs which are structured in the manner of profile blocks. Block rows are divided by transverse grooves into blocks and, like the profile ribs structured in the manner of profile blocks, are equipped with blind grooves proceeding from the circumferential grooves. Transverse and/or blind grooves are provided which, owing to a connection of blocks adjacent in the circumferential direction and/or of the block-like structures, have a depth smaller than profile depth (T). The connection has at least two connection steps of different heights, the lowest is formed in each case at the region in which the transverse grooves and/or blind grooves open into the circumferential grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Herbst, Stefan Rittweger
  • Patent number: 11383556
    Abstract: A two-wheeled vehicle tyre includes a tread portion including a tread rubber. The tread rubber includes a cap rubber forming a tread surface and a base rubber disposed radially inwardly of the cap rubber. 300% modulus (M300c) of the cap rubber is greater than 300% modulus (M300b) of the base rubber. Loss tangent (tan ?c) of the cap rubber is smaller than loss tangent (tan ?b) of the base rubber. The tread surface includes a crown region centered on a tyre equator and a pair of shoulder regions located axially outwardly of the crown region, and a thickness of the cap rubber in the crown region is greater than a thickness of the cap rubber in each of the shoulder regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyosuke Kono
  • Patent number: 11370252
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire including a plurality of main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction in a tread portion and including a sipe extending in a tire width direction on a rib defined by a main groove, the sipe includes a leading side edge and a trailing side edge, a chamfered portion shorter than a sipe length of the sipe is formed in each of the leading side edge and the trailing side edge, a non-chamfered region including no other chamfered portion is present in a part facing each chamfered portion of the sipe, and the rib includes an intersecting groove intersecting with at least one out of the sipe and the chamfered portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiraku Kouda, Takayuki Shiraishi, Tatsuro Shinzawa, Takanori Uemura
  • Patent number: 11364747
    Abstract: A tire that can improve braking performance on a dry road surface and wet performance is provided. The tire includes a tread portion 2. The tread portion 2 includes a shoulder land portion 5 disposed at an endmost tread edge side. The shoulder land portion 5 has a plurality of shoulder lateral grooves 10 that fully traverse the shoulder land portion 5. Each shoulder lateral groove 10 includes, in a transverse cross-section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction thereof, a bottom portion 11, a groove wall main body 12 extending from the bottom portion 11 outward in a tire radial direction, and a chamfered portion 15 between a ground-contact surface of the shoulder land portion 5 and the groove wall main body 12. The chamfered portion 15 is titled at an angle of 5 to 30° relative to a tread profile 13 obtained by extending the ground-contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuzo Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11358413
    Abstract: A bias tire includes two or more carcass layers, at least one belt disposed outward from the carcass layers in a tire radial direction, a reinforcing rubber layer disposed between carcass plies included in a carcass layer of the carcass layers. A belt width of a widest belt with the widest width of the belts is 110% or more and 150% or less of a tread developed width, and a position of an upper end portion of the reinforcing rubber layer located outward in the tire radial direction is apart 3 mm or more from an end portion of the widest belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Takamasa Motomitsu
  • Patent number: 11331956
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a first main groove in a circumferential direction outward of an equatorial plane in a vehicle width direction, a second main groove in the circumferential direction at a position closer to the equatorial plane than the first main groove, a third main groove in the circumferential direction at a position inward of the equatorial plane in the vehicle width direction, and a fourth main groove in the circumferential direction at a position farther from the equatorial plane than the third main groove; relationships 1.05?G1/G3?1.25, 1.20?G2/G3?1.40, and 1.10?G4/G3?1.30 are satisfied; and relationships G3<G1<G2 and G3<G1<G4 are satisfied, where G1 is a first main groove width, G2 is a second main groove width, G3 is a third main groove width, and G4 is a fourth main groove width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayuki Nemoto
  • Patent number: 11298983
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire, in particular a commercial vehicle tire, includes a tread which has a profile and has at least one circumferential groove (1) which is encircling in the circumferential direction, is embodied to a profile depth (PT) and in the cross section, starting at the tread external face, is composed of three adjoining groove portions, one outer groove portion (2) that expands in a funnel-shaped manner toward the outside, one 1 mm to 3 mm wide contracted groove portion, and one inner groove portion (4) which lies radially inward, is expanded in relation to the contracted groove portion (3) and has the largest cross-sectional face of all portions, and which is delimited by two cover flanks (4a), lateral groove flanks (4?b, 4?b) that adjoin said cover flanks (4a), and a groove base (4c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Jesus Ocana Amezcua, Andre Lutz
  • Patent number: 11198330
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion being divided into four land portions by one circumferentially extending crown main groove and two circumferentially extending shoulder main grooves arranged one on each side of the crown main groove. The four land portions include two crown land portions disposed one on each side of the crown main groove. Each of the crown land portions is provided with first crown lateral grooves each extending from the crown main groove and terminating within the crown land portion and second crown lateral grooves each extending from the adjacent shoulder main groove and terminating within the crown land portion. In each of the crown land portion, the first crown lateral grooves and the second crown lateral grooves extend at least to an axial center location of the crown land portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Teppei Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 11179974
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes blocks (36 and 41) formed by main grooves (10 and 15) extending in a circumferential direction of the tire and lateral grooves (20 and 25) extending in a tire width direction, and notches (50, 60, and 70) in stepped side end portions of the blocks (36 and 41). The lateral grooves (20 and 25) extend obliquely such that a tire grounding end (E) side is grounded later. Portions adjacent to the notches (50, 60, and 70) on the tire grounding end (E) side of the notches (50, 60, and 70) are protrusions (51, 61, and 71) protruding while forming an acute angle toward a tire equator (C) side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 11135877
    Abstract: A tire includes an outboard tread edge and an inboard tread edge to be located on an outboard side and an inboard side of a vehicle, respectively, circumferentially and continuously extending main grooves, and land portions divided by the main grooves. The land portions include an outboard shoulder land portion, an outboard middle land portion, an inboard shoulder land portion, and an inboard middle land portion. Each of the outboard shoulder land portion, the inboard shoulder land portion, and the inboard middle land portion is provided with axially extending lateral grooves. The outboard middle land portion is provided with outboard middle lateral grooves extending from an edge of the outboard middle land portion on the outboard tread edge side toward the inboard tread edge. The outboard middle lateral grooves are inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction at angles smaller than those of the lateral grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kujime, Hiroshi Okagawa
  • Patent number: 11104184
    Abstract: A tire has three or more circumferential direction main grooves, a first land portion and a second land portion that are partitioned by the circumferential direction main grooves, first sipes that are provided in the first land portion, and that have a bend portion protruding in the tire circumferential direction, and whose two ends communicate respectively with the circumferential direction main grooves, second sipes that are provided in the second land portion on a virtual extension of the first sipes, and whose two ends communicate respectively with the circumferential direction main grooves, and first terminal grooves that are provided in the first land portion between first sipes, that are positioned on an outer side in a tire width direction of the first land portion and communicate with the circumferential direction main grooves, and that terminate at a position further to the outer side in the tire width direction than a position in the tire width direction of a distal end of the bend portion, wherein
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shintaro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11040574
    Abstract: A tyre that can be fitted to the front of a motorcycle. The tyre has a high void-to-rubber ratio and includes grooves located asymmetrically across the equatorial plane of the tyre, arranged substantially orthogonally to the equatorial plane of the tyre at the equatorial plane itself. According to one aspect, the grooves are close to one another in the circumferential direction of the tyre to increase their number in a footprint area of the tyre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Pierangelo Misani, Mario Mariani, Luca Bruschelli, Aline Ringis Pin
  • Patent number: 10981420
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire includes a tread portion provided with inclined main grooves arranged between the tire equator and a first tread edge and sub-grooves smaller than the inclined main grooves in groove width. The inclined main grooves include inner main grooves each extending from a first end located on the tire equator side to a second end located on the first tread edge side with an inclination with respect to a tire circumferential direction, wherein no other grooves are provided between the first end of each inner main groove and the tire equator. The sub-grooves include first sub-grooves extending from the inner main grooves toward the tire equator with an opposite inclination direction to the inner main grooves with respect to the tire circumferential direction and terminating on the tire equator side without being communicated with any other grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuji Kobori
  • Patent number: 10981418
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion. The tread portion comprises a first tread edge, a shoulder main groove extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction between the first tread edge and a tire equator, and a shoulder land region defined between the first tread edge and the shoulder main groove. The shoulder land region is provided with a shoulder sipe extending in a tire axial direction with a width less than 1.5 mm. The shoulder sipe includes a narrow sipe portion and a wide sipe portion having a width larger than that of the narrow sipe portion. The wide sipe portion is arranged on a side of the shoulder main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masashi Wakasugi
  • Patent number: 10974551
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a sidewall region extending in a tire radial direction, the sidewall region comprises a protruding region that protrudes in a tire width direction, and a recess that is recessed in the tire width direction, the protruding region extends in the tire radial direction, and the recess is contiguous with the protruding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Matsubara
  • Patent number: 10913313
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire in which a side reinforcement layer formed of a treated member is arranged, the treated member formed by coating with rubber organic fiber cords extending parallelly to ply cords of a carcass ply of the carcass main body, only on a sidewall portion of a half portion on one tire widthwise side; a tire radial inner end of the side reinforcement layer is located on a side inner in the tire radial direction than a tire radial outermost position of a rim flange, and a tire radial outer end of the side reinforcement layer overlaps the belt by 5 mm or more in a tire widthwise direction; and the tread portion has one or more circumferential main grooves, and a contact width of a tire widthwise outermost land portion is larger than a contact width of a tire widthwise outermost land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naotoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 10899180
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire is provided in a tread portion 2 with blocks including crown blocks 11 disposed in a tread crown region 3. The crown blocks 11 include first crown blocks 16 on the tire equator C, pairs of second crown blocks 17, and pairs of third crown blocks 18. The minimum axial distance L2 between the ground contacting top surfaces of the paired second crown blocks 17 is smaller than the maximum axial width L1 of the ground contacting top surface of the first crown block 16. The minimum axial distance L3 between the ground contacting top surfaces of the paired third crown blocks 18 is greater than the maximum axial width L1 of the first crown block 16.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yohei Maeda
  • Patent number: 10864775
    Abstract: A tire tread is provided with a crown main groove, and outboard and inboard shoulder main grooves to divide the tread portion into an outboard crown land portion, an inboard crown land portion, an outboard shoulder land portion and an inboard shoulder land portion. The inboard shoulder land portion is provided with inboard shoulder lateral grooves connecting an inboard tread edge and the inboard shoulder main groove. The outboard shoulder land portion is provided with outboard shoulder lateral grooves extending axially inwardly from an outboard tread edge and terminating within the outboard shoulder land portion. The inboard crown land portion is provided with inboard crown lateral grooves extending from the inboard shoulder main groove and terminating within the inboard crown land portion. The outboard crown land portion is provided with outboard crown lateral grooves extending from the crown main groove and terminating within the outboard crown land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryo Oba
  • Patent number: 10752057
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2 having an outboard tread edge Te1 to be positioned away from the center of a vehicle body and an inboard tread edge Te2 to be positioned close to the center of the vehicle body. The tread portion 2 is provided with an inboard shoulder main groove 12, and an inboard shoulder land region 15 between the inboard shoulder main groove 12 and the inboard tread edge Te2. The inboard shoulder land region 15 is provided with inboard shoulder rug grooves 21, connecting sipes 22, and inboard shoulder sipes 23. The inboard shoulder sipe 23 is made up of a straight outer part 24 extending from the inboard tread edge Te2 toward the axially inside, and a straight inner part 25 extending to the inboard shoulder main groove 12 at a flexion angle with respect to the outer part 24. The axial length of the inner part 25 is more than the axial length of the connecting sipe 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masashi Wakasugi
  • Patent number: 10710415
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion being provided with a circumferentially and continuously extending outboard shoulder main groove, a circumferentially and continuously extending outboard crown main groove disposed between the outboard shoulder main groove and a tire equator, and an outboard middle land portion disposed between the outboard shoulder main groove and the outboard crown main groove. The outboard middle land portion is provided with a plurality of first outboard middle lug grooves extending from the outboard crown main groove and terminating within the outboard middle land portion, and a plurality of second outboard middle lug grooves extending from the outboard shoulder main groove and terminating within the outboard middle land portion, wherein the second outboard middle lug grooves are larger than the first outboard middle lug grooves in length in a tire axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Mukai, Naoya Nagahara, Shingo Nobukuni, Eiki Osawa
  • Patent number: 10668775
    Abstract: A tire 1 comprises a tread portion 2 provided with an outer shoulder main groove 3 in a part closest to an outside tread edge (To) and an outer crown main groove 4 on a side of an inside tread edge (Ti) of the outer shoulder main groove 3 both extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction, and outer transverse grooves 9 connecting between the outside tread edge (To) and the outer crown main groove 4 so that an outer shoulder land region 7A is defined between the outside tread edge (To) and the outer shoulder main groove 3 and an outer middle land region 7B is defined between the outer shoulder main groove 3 and the outer crown main groove 4. A maximum axial width Ws of the outer shoulder land region 7A is larger than a maximum axial width Wm of the outer middle land region 7B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Sho Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10486472
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire whose position when mounted on a vehicle is specified so that the tread portion 2 has an outside tread edge Te1 and an inside tread edge Te2. The tread portion 2 comprises an outside land region 4A provided with first sipes 10 extending across the entire width of the outside land region. The first sipe 10 comprises a v-shaped portion 13 formed by a first oblique segment 11 and a second oblique segment 12. The v-shaped portion 13 has an apex 15 located on the outside-tread-edge side of a widthwise center of the outside land region 4A. The maximum depth d2 in the second oblique segment 12 is smaller than the maximum depth d1 in the first oblique segment 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Nagase
  • Patent number: 10245896
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with a pair of shoulder lands, and each of the shoulder lands has arranged therein shoulder lug grooves and first sipes. The opposite ends of each of the first sipes terminate within a shoulder land, and the outer end of the first sipe in the axial direction of the tire is located on the inside of a ground contact end of the tread in the width direction of the tire. The sum of the lengths of the first sipes provided in the shoulder land located facing the inside of a vehicle when the tire is mounted on the vehicle is greater than the sum of the lengths of the first sipes provided in the shoulder land located facing the outside of the vehicle. The shoulder land located facing the inside of the vehicle is provided with second sipes extending in the circumferential direction of the tire on the inside of the first sipes in the axial direction of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Seiji Inoue
  • Patent number: 10214054
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a block pitch length of an outer block row that is greater than a block pitch length of the inner block row. The dimensions in the tire width direction of the regions interposed between two circumferential grooves are smaller in the order of the rib, the outer block row, and the inner block row. The inclined grooves defining and forming the rib open only to the circumferential groove in the vehicle mounting inner side region defining and forming the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahisa Murata
  • Patent number: 10195908
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 is provided in a tread portion 2 with center blocks 22 divided by a center main groove 10, middle main grooves 11, and center lateral grooves 21; middle blocks 32 divided by the middle main grooves 11, shoulder main grooves 12, and middle lateral grooves 31; and shoulder blocks 42 divided by the shoulder main grooves 12, tread edges Te, and shoulder lateral grooves 41. The groove width WA of the center lateral grooves 21 is equal to the groove width WB of the middle lateral grooves 31. The ratio WC/WA of the groove width WC of the shoulder lateral grooves 41 and the groove width WA of the center lateral grooves 21 is 1.3 to 2.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Maehara, Kae Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10173474
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread pattern capable of improving wet performance and steering stability in a well balanced manner. An inboard middle land portion is provided with inboard middle axial grooves connecting between an inboard shoulder main groove and an inboard crown main groove and inclined at 20 to 30 degrees. An outboard middle land portion is provided with outboard middle semi-blind grooves extending axially inwardly from a outboard shoulder main groove, and outboard middle sipes extending from the axially inner ends of the outboard middle semi-blind grooves to the outboard crown main groove. The outboard middle semi-blind grooves and the outboard middle sipes are inclined at 20 to 30 degrees. A center land portion is provided with inboard crown semi-blind grooves extending from the inboard crown main groove, and outboard crown semi-blind grooves extending from the outboard crown main groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Junya Sueno
  • Patent number: 10131187
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire described herein is provided with, in a tread surface, at least two circumferential grooves continuously extending in a tread circumferential direction, and a resonator disposed in a land part defined between two circumferential grooves having different sectional areas of the at least two circumferential grooves, the resonator having an air chamber opened to a land part surface in a position separated away from the circumferential groove, one or more narrowed necks communicating the air chamber with one of the two circumferential grooves, and one or more narrowed necks communicating the air chamber with the other circumferential groove, wherein a sectional area S1 of the narrowed neck of the resonator, opened to a circumferential groove with a relatively large sectional area is larger than a sectional area S2 of the narrowed neck of the resonator, opened to a circumferential groove with a relatively small sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tokumasa Akashi
  • Patent number: 10059153
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire described herein is provided with, in a tread surface, at least two circumferential grooves continuously extending in a tread circumferential direction, and a resonator disposed in a land part defined between two circumferential grooves having different sectional areas of the at least two circumferential grooves, the resonator having an air chamber opened to a land part surface in a position separated away from the circumferential groove, one or more narrowed necks communicating the air chamber with one of the two circumferential grooves, and one or more narrowed necks communicating the air chamber with the other circumferential groove, wherein a sectional area S1 of the narrowed neck of the resonator, opened to a circumferential groove with a relatively large sectional area is smaller than a sectional area S2 of the narrowed neck of the resonator, opened to a circumferential groove with a relatively small sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tokumasa Akashi
  • Patent number: 10046606
    Abstract: In a side reinforced type run-flat tire, a relationship between a distance (Do) from a center position of a circumferential primary groove that is positioned outermost in the tire width direction in a vehicle outer side region to a tire equatorial plane and a rim width (Wr) is such that 0.20?Do/Wr?0.30, and a relationship between a distance (Di) from a center position of a circumferential primary groove that is positioned outermost in the tire width direction in a vehicle inner side region to the tire equatorial plane and the rim width (Wr) is such that 0.25?Di/Wr?0.35.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 9987885
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire with improved heat build-up resistance in a land portion in a tread center region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Risa Tauchi, Shoei Kakuta, Hideki Hamanaka, Yukihito Yamaguchi, Toshiyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 9969222
    Abstract: The invention relates to an asymmetric tread for a tire comprising a plurality of basic patterns, for each of which there is defined a sipes density corresponding to ? i ? li P * Wm where i is the number of sipes in the pattern, li is the length of the ith sipe on the tread surface, P is the pitch of the basic pattern and Wm is the width of the basic pattern, a sipes orientation level corresponding to ? i ? ? li * ? ? ? i ? P * Wm , where ?i is the positive or negative angle formed on the tread surface by the ith sipe with the transverse direction and |?i|?45 degrees and a steering pull criterion for the basic pattern corresponding to ? ? i ? li * ? ? ? i ? i ? ? li * ? ? ? i ? ? . The sipes density is greater than or equal to 60 ?m/mm2, the sipes orientation level is greater than or equal to 1.5 degrees/mm and the steering pull criterion for the pattern is less than or equal to 0.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Sébastien Fugier, Nicolas Jamot, Bertrand Fraenkel
  • Patent number: 9840115
    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: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: PIRELLI PNEUMATICI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Colombo, Vito Bello, Marco Verona
  • Patent number: 9827812
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes blocks arranged in the tread center region that is X % (30?X?70) of the tread contact width TW with the tire equator C as center are formed elongated in the tire circumferential direction so that the block ratio is not less than 1.5. At least one end in the longitudinal direction of the sipes provided in the blocks connects to a longitudinal groove. A protrusion and a recess that can engage with each other are provided on the sipe wall surfaces that face each other constituting the sipes, at the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the sipes that connect with the longitudinal groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaaki Nagayasu
  • Patent number: 9815335
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with circumferentially extending main grooves and lateral grooves. The main grooves include an inboard shoulder main groove, an outboard shoulder main groove, an inboard center main groove and an outboard center main groove. The lateral grooves includes a plurality of first outboard shoulder lateral grooves each having an axially inner end positioned between the outboard shoulder main groove and the outboard center main groove, and a plurality of first inboard shoulder lateral grooves each having an axially inner end positioned between the inboard shoulder main groove and the inboard center main groove, wherein the number of the first inboard shoulder lateral grooves is greater than the number of the first outboard shoulder lateral grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Naoya Nagahara
  • Patent number: 9573425
    Abstract: It is an object to reduce tire vibration during high-speed travel on paved roads without lowering traction performance in fields. An agricultural machine tire includes: lug blocks disposed in a tread portion and formed alternately on both sides of a tire equatorial plane in a tire circumferential direction; and a central rib extending in the tire circumferential direction and to which end portions of the lug blocks on the tire equatorial plane side are integrally connected, and when a tire width length of the central rib from connecting portions to the tire equatorial plane is taken as a first rib width and a tire width length of the central rib from end edges of the central rib from the connecting portions across the tire equatorial plane to the tire equatorial plane is a second rib width, the width of the first rib is greater than the second rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kodama, Adriano Tedesco, Massimiliano Alberelli
  • Patent number: 9370970
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises an overlay wherein the overlay is positioned above the belt plies but beneath the tread, and at least one overlay end is folded and extends inwards toward the center line of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Allan Lamontia, Derya Gulsen Onbilger, Brian R France
  • Patent number: 9358843
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire 10, inclined grooves 120, 170 are formed, the groove 120 with groove depth becoming larger and groove width in circumferential-direction becoming smaller as the groove 120 extends toward the inner side in width-direction, the groove 170 with groove depth becoming larger and groove width in the circumferential-direction becoming smaller as the groove 170 extends toward the outer side in the width-direction. An outer end portion of the groove 120 in the width-direction is continuous with a land portion 110 and an inner end portion of the groove 120 in the width-direction extends toward circumferential groove 22 along an end portion of a land portion 160 in the circumferential-direction. An inner end portion of the groove 170 in the width-direction is continuous with the land portion 160 and the groove 170 extends along an inner end portion of the land portion 110 in the width-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamitsu Nakamura, Shungo Fujita
  • Patent number: 9352619
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes two circumferential main grooves within a ground-contact width of a tread, and a group of polygonal blocks between the two circumferential main grooves. The group of polygonal blocks includes a plurality of polygonal blocks arranged in at least two longitudinal rows in a tire circumferential direction and a plurality of transverse rows in a tire width direction. Each polygonal block has not less than five sides, and is defined by narrow grooves. The polygonal blocks in the adjacent longitudinal rows are arranged so as to be staggered from each other in the tire circumferential direction. The group of polygonal blocks has a widthwise center that is positioned within a 50% width region of the ground-contact width of the tread across a tire equatorial plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Ochi