Abstract: An improved truck racing tire includes three belts and reduced tread and undertread thickness for weight reduction. An asymmetric shoulder design is provided and circumferential grooves having wear indicia therein at a preselected depth are incorporated into the tread to divide the tread into plural ribs. Notches are formed within the tread ribs in circumferential patterns of distribution at a depth equivalent to the depth of groove tread wear indicators. The tread is constructed of a relatively softer compound in the cap and a relatively harder compound in the base. The boundary between the cap and the base is at a depth corresponding to the notch depth and the wear indicators within the grooves to provide a further indication and confirmation of wear pattern and magnitude.

Abstract: A tread rubber G has a short-fiber-mixed rubber portion 10 forming a grounding surface. In a region Y1 between an outer grounding end Eo and a tire equator C located outside of a vehicle when a tire is mounted to the vehicle, the short fibers f are inclined and oriented at an angle ? outward of the vehicle radially outward of the tire, and an angle ?1 of the short fibers f in the outer grounding end Eo is greater than an angle ?2 of the short fibers f in the tire equator C.

Abstract: The tread of a multipurpose tire includes a central region and first and second shoulder regions. Circumferential grooves separate the central and shoulder regions. The central region includes first and second rows of blocks. The first and second rows are arranged between an equatorial plane of the tire and either of the circumferential grooves. The first row is separated from the second row by first and second grooves extending in first and second oblique directions relative to the equatorial plane. The first oblique direction is substantially perpendicular to the second oblique direction. Each first groove is connected to two second grooves at essentially T-shaped junctions. At least two blocks of the first row are separated from each other by a third groove substantially parallel to the second oblique direction. The third groove is connected to a first groove at an end of the first groove nearest the equatorial plane.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a non-symmetric pattern in which a land ratio Lo of an outer tread surface portion To facing towards the outside of a vehicle from a tire equator C is set to be larger than a Land ratio Li of an inner tread surface pattern Ti facing towards the inside of the vehicle from the tire equator C; and concave grooves 9 extending substantially in a circumferential direction of the tire, formed in an outer tire side region Yo that is located between a grounding end Eo of the outer tread surface portion To and the maximum width position M of the tire facing towards the outside of the vehicle.

Abstract: A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, a belt structure, and a tread band. The tread band pattern includes a central zone and two axially-opposite shoulder zones. The central zone is delimited between axially-inner circumferential grooves and includes at least two intermediate circumferential grooves and a plurality of first transverse recesses inclined relative to a circumferential direction of the tire. The first transverse recesses are connected to at least one of the intermediate circumferential grooves. The shoulder zones are each delimited between axially-inner and axially-outer circumferential grooves. The shoulder zones include a plurality of second transverse recesses inclined relative to the circumferential direction. The at least one of the intermediate circumferential grooves includes a substantially V-shaped cross-section.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with at least one wide circumferential groove, the wide circumferential groove extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction and having a groove width GW of not less than 5% of the ground contacting width TW, the wide circumferential groove provided in the groove bottom with a groove bottom rib, the groove bottom rib extending continuously along the overall length of the wide circumferential groove, the groove bottom rib having a height Hr in a range of from 0.5 to 3.0 mm and a base width Wr in a range of from 10 to 30% of the groove width GW, and the groove bottom rib provided in the top face with a small groove having a depth Dr of less than the height Hr.

Abstract: A tire comprising a carcass extending through sidewall regions and a ground contacting tread region and a tread reinforcing breaker disposed radially outward of the carcass in the tread region, inboard and outboard tread regions each extending between the tread circumferential centerline (X) and axially spaced-apart inboard and outboard tread edges (IE,OE), the inboard tread edge (IE) for mounting nearest to the vehicle longitudinal centerline, characterised in that in the condition that the tire is mounted on its scheduled wheelrim and inflated to its scheduled pressure, the axial width (LR) of the tread between its tread edges (OE, IE) is not less than 75% of the maximum tire width (G), the axial width (LC) of the breaker is not less than 97% of the tread width (LR) and the difference in the breaker width (LC) and the tread width (LR) is not more than 25% of the difference between the maximum tire width (G) and the tread width (LR).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises: a tread portion provided with an asymmetric block pattern and having an inside tread edge and an outside tread edge to be placed on the inside and outside of a vehicle, respectively; outside lateral grooves extending from the outside tread edge to a tread center region, each having a groove center line X0 inclined towards one direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction at an angle &thgr;0 of from 40 to 60 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction; inside lateral grooves extending from the inside tread edge to the tread center region, each having a groove center line X5 inclined at an angle &thgr;5 of from 70 to 100 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction; each portion between the circumferentially adjacent outside lateral grooves being divided into outside blocks by first to fourth outside connecting grooves extending thereacross; the first outside connecting groove having a first groove center line X1, the second outside connect

Abstract: Auxiliary grooves 28 are formed in land portions 26 so that the wet performance is improved by the increase in the edge factors of the auxiliary grooves 28 and by the water absorbing actions of the auxiliary grooves 28. Since the auxiliary grooves 28 are arranged on the shorter diagonal lines of the land portions 26, the land portions 26 are divided into two triangles approximating equilateral triangles so that the reduction, as caused by providing the auxiliary grooves 28, of the rigidity of the land portions 26 can be suppressed to the minimum. As a result, the deformation of the land portions 26 is suppressed to maintain the dry performance.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with at least one longitudinal groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and blocks adjacent to one side of the at least one longitudinal groove, each of the blocks being provided with a cut-slope on a corner between the block's top surface and a lateral face facing the longitudinal groove, the cut-slope inclining towards the bottom of the longitudinal groove, and the axial width of the cut-slope gradually decreasing from a middle point of the cut-slope towards each side thereof in the circumferential direction, whereby the vehicle overturn marginal during high speed running is improved.

Abstract: A tire for vehicle wheels includes a tread band having a tread pattern defined between two shoulder ends of the tire. The tread pattern includes two lateral rows of grooves and at least one third row of grooves arranged between the lateral rows. All of the grooves are separate from one another so as to produce a pattern with no intercommunicating paths between the grooves. End portions of the grooves of the at least one third row extend outside a footprint of the tire. A dimension of each of the grooves of the at least one third row relative to a length of the tire footprint causes water drainage from underneath the tire footprint. A tire including the ability for acoustically signalling low air pressure, a method for checking tire air pressure using an acoustic signal, and an acoustic signalling device for vehicle wheels are also disclosed.

Abstract: A tire for a vehicle includes a radial carcass, a tread band disposed radially outward of the carcass, and a belt structure interposed between the carcass and the tread band. The tread band also includes a first portion of a first elastomeric compound having a first modulus of elasticity between about 12 MPa and 16 MPa, measured at 23° C., and a second portion of a second elastomeric compound having a second modulus of elasticity between about 7 MPa and 11 MPa, measured at 23° C. Additionally, a first tread pattern formed on the first portion is different from a second tread pattern formed on the second portion. A related tread band, method for making an asymmetrical tire, and wheel for a vehicle are also disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle tire comprises a carcass ply (1) extending between two bead regions, a tread region disposed between side walls (7,8) and having a tread surface (6) curved in the axial direction and also a breaker (5) reinforcing the tread region and arranged between the carcass ply and tread region, characterised in that in the normally inflated state of the tyre mounted on a tyre rim, the vertical spacing of the tread surface (6) with respect to the breaker continuously reduces, starting from the region of the tyre centre (3), towards the breaker edges (13, 14) and in that the side walls (7, 8) are made at least substantially self-supporting.

Abstract: A heavy-duty pneumatic radial tire and rim assembly ha s a support ring within the tire to support the tire in a deflated condition, wherein the inner diameter Di of the inside bead portion which is inside with respect to the vehicle is substantially 80 to 200 mm larger than the inner diameter Do of the outside bead portion.

Abstract: Tread profile of a snow tire for a vehicle in which at least two vehicle wheels are rotatably mountable outside of a longitudinal vehicle axis. The tread profile includes a plurality of profile block rows aligned in a circumferential direction and distributed in an axial direction from a first tire shoulder adapted to be positioned toward an outside of the vehicle in an operational state of the tire on the vehicle to a second tire shoulder adapted to be positioned toward an inside of the vehicle in an operational state of the tire on the vehicle.

Abstract: The tire of this invention has an asymmetrical tread pattern with a balanced inboard and outboard tread pattern. The tread pattern has a plurality of tread ribs with their average transverse widths equal to one another at the contact with the road surface. The total contact surface area on the inboard side of the mid-circumferential plane is essentially equal to the total contact surface area on the outboard side. The circumferential grooves between tread ribs have a groove base which is straight in the circumferential direction. The groove openings between the contact surface areas of adjacent ribs have a serpentine shape, except for the outermost outboard groove. The amplitude of the serpentine grooves increases from the outboard straight groove to the innermost inboard groove. The ribs have a rib base with a transverse width greater than the transverse width of each rib at the contact surface.

Abstract: By shifting the peak height of the tread on one side of the tire from the centerline (CL), for a tire intended for cambered use on a vehicle and/or exposure to lateral loading, improvements in the footprint shape, pressure distribution, area and footprint shape factor (FSF) are obtained. In an illustrated embodiment, 0.127 cm to 5 cm (deep) of mold material are removed from one side of the centerline (CL) of the crown in a conventional mold, at 15% to 85% of the distance from the centerline to the shoulder area of the mold (one-half inch to five and one-half inches in the illustrated tires), to obtain a mold shape having the designated change in tread peak height.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire. A central circumferential main groove is disposed to extend along a tire circumferential direction, along a ground contact center line of tread of the pneumatic tire. Inboard side circumferential main grooves and inboard side lateral main grooves, which are continuous with the central circumferential main groove, are provided at an inboard side of the ground contact center line. Outboard side lateral main grooves, which are continuous with the central circumferential main groove, and outboard side slanted longitudinal main grooves, which are continuous with the outboard side lateral main grooves, are disposed at an outboard side of the ground contact center line. Thus, irregular wear of land portions is continuously suppressed and controlling stability is improved. Moreover, water at the ground contact center line, which water is difficult to drain, can be efficiently drained from the ground contact area due to less water resistance.

Abstract: In a pneumatic tire of the present invention, a pair of circumferential main grooves with a tire equatorial plane interposed therebetween, and another pair of circumferential main grooves at a tire axial direction outer side and inner side of the former pair of circumferential main grooves, are provided in a central area of a tread. A groove width center line of the circumferential main grooves at the tire axial direction outermost side and innermost side is disposed at a position 30% to 40% of a ground contact half width distanced from the tire equatorial plane. Further, outboard side slanted longitudinal main grooves, and slanted lateral main grooves having ends which open into at least one of the circumferential main grooves and other ends which open into contact ground end in the vehicle width direction, are disposed on the tread.

Abstract: A tire having a preferential fitting direction to a passenger car, the tire having a carcass reinforcement that extends from one tire bead to the other and, radially outside, a crown reinforcement of width Ls, formed by at least two crown plies, and in addition a meridian reinforcing ply arranged radially between the carcass reinforcement and the crown reinforcement, the meridian reinforcing ply having a width Lr between 15% and 45% Ls of the crown reinforcement, one edge of the reinforcing ply being located a distance D1 from the equatorial plane of the tire between 35% and 50% of Ls, while the other edge is located between the first edge and the equatorial plane of the tire. A method of mounting a group of four such tires on a vehicle.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 has a non-symmetric pattern in which a land ratio Lo of an outer tread surface portion To facing towards outside of a vehicle from a tire equator C is set to be larger than a land ratio Li of an inner tread surface pattern Ti facing towards inside of the vehicle from the tire equator C; concave grooves 9 extending substantially in a circumferential direction of the tire are formed in an outer tire side region Yo that is located between a grounding end Eo of the outer tread surface portion To and a maximum width position M of the tire facing towards outside of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for reducing the working temperature of a tire tread for vehicles utilizing a tire tread comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion comprising 100 parts by weight of an elastomeric material, 40-120 parts by weight of a filler, comprising from 50 to 100% by weight of carbon black and from 0 to 50% of silica, and 3-40 parts by weight of at least a conventional additive. The second portion comprising 100 parts by weight of an elastomeric material, 40-120 parts by weight of a filler, comprising from 30 to 100% by weight of silica and from 0 to 70% of carbon black, and 3-40 parts by weight of at least a conventional additive. However, the silica content in the second portion is at least 20% higher than in the first portion. Tires wherein the area of the first portion exceeds 37.1% of the total area of the tire tread are also disclosed.

Abstract: The tire of this invention has an asymmetrical tread pattern with a balanced inboard and outboard tread pattern. The tread pattern has a plurality of tread ribs with their average transverse widths equal to one another at the contact with the road surface. The total contact surface area on the inboard side of the mid-circumferential plane is essentially equal to the total contact surface area on the outboard side. The circumferential grooves between tread ribs have a groove base which is straight in the circumferential direction. The groove openings between the contact surface areas of adjacent ribs have a serpentine shape, except for the outermost outboard groove. The amplitude of the serpentine grooves increases from the outboard straight groove to the innermost inboard groove. The ribs have a rib base with a transverse width greater than the transverse width of each rib at the contact surface.

Abstract: A tire for a vehicle having at least one wheel at each corner, the tire comprising a non-longitudinal ground contacting tread extending axially between first and second axial edge regions and having tread grooves formed therein, wherein in the first axial edge region of the tread, the tread grooves are oriented substantially in the tire circumferential direction and in the second axial edge region of the tread the grooves are oriented substantially in the tire axial direction and in a third axial region of the tread axially between the first and second edge regions the orientation of the grooves changes progressively from circumferential to axial.

Abstract: The loss of tire contact patch area along the tire's inside shoulder, relative to an oval race course, which occurs during chassis roll and lateral deflection, is reduced by providing an asymmetrical molded tire. The tires are defined by an asymmetrical outer tread profile and the tires are mounted on the rear axle of the race vehicle such that the axially outer portion of the asymmetrical tread region of each tire, relative to the race course, has a greater shoulder drop, wherein the shoulder drop is the difference between the maximum radial diameter of the tread measured on the outer tread contour and the diameter of the tread at the tread edge, than the opposing tire shoulder.

Abstract: A vehicle tire is provided that includes a tread band formed of profile elements which may be profiled blocks. The profile elements of one group of profile elements are arranged in pitches and are of relatively greater circumferential length than the profile elements in another group of the profile elements. The one group of the profile elements and the other group of profile elements each have sipes and the profile elements of the one group of profile elements are provided with sipes having a relatively greater width than the sipes of the other group of the profile elements.

Abstract: A high-performance tire (1, 51) for a motor vehicle is provided with a tread (2, 52) comprising two deep circumferential grooves (3, 6, 53, 56) which separate a central region (7, 57) from two lateral shoulder regions (8, 9, 58, 59) provided with shoulder blocks (20, 120, 64, 164); in the tread (2, 52) the sum of the widths of the shoulder regions (8, 9, 58, 59) is equal to or less than 60% of its overall width L, the width of each shoulder region (8, 9, 58, 59) is not less than 20% of the overall width L, in that each of said circumferential grooves (3, 6, 53, 56) is adjacent, on the side further from said central region (7, 57), to a continuous track (22, 122, 66, 166) from which are branched transverse grooves (21, 121, 65, 165) which delimit the shoulder blocks (20, 120, 64, 164).

Abstract: Vehicular pneumatic tire having an asymmetric tread formed in relation to a circumference of a running surface and process of making vehicular pneumatic tire. The vehicular pneumatic tire includes an outside region that includes an outside shoulder block row and an outside circumferential groove, an inside region that includes an inside shoulder block row and an inside circumferential groove, and a center region that is laterally delimited by the outside circumferential groove and the inside circumferential groove. A plurality of transverse grooves are arranged within the inside shoulder block row, and the plurality of transverse grooves further are arranged to extend into the center region. No more than about one-half of the plurality of transverse grooves are arranged to at least nearly entirely traverse the center region and are oriented to form an angle to a circumferential equator line of no more than approximately 30° over at least one-third of their longitudinal extensions.

Abstract: An auxiliary groove is formed in tire circumferential direction on a tire central plane of an pneumatic tire according to the present invention. This auxiliary groove is formed, whereby a negative ratio of a center region other than the lug groove is set to 10% to 25%. Thus, a tread heat radiation quantity can be decreased, and a surface area of a tire can be increased. As a result, heat radiation properties can be improved. In addition, as long as the negative ratio is within the above set range, the wear of the tread can be reduced to the minimum. Namely, according to the present invention, there can be provided an pneumatic tire capable of both reducing the wear of the tread to the minimum and improving a heat radiation effect.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a multiple-tracked vehicle is asymmetrical and has a convex tread section that is curved radially inward and extends to a tire sidewall.

Abstract: Vehicle tire comprises a rubber tread profile, and at least one rubber tread area running in a circumferential direction. Primary profile structures are arranged in the rubber tread area, the primary profile structures being aligned at an angle deviating up to 40° from the circumferential direction. Secondary profile structures are provided in a crossing arrangement in relation to the primary profile structures, wherein the primary and the secondary profile structures form similar pitches of differing circumferential lengths in the circumferential direction. At least two types of base pitches are provided, a first of the at least two types of base pitches differing from a second of the at least two types of base pitches by their various circumferential lengths. The base pitches of one type are identically embodied, whereas the base pitches are embodied differently relative to the progression of their profile structures.

Abstract: A farm tractor has a vehicle having a pair of pneumatic agricultural tires 20 having an asymmetric directional tread 32 with lugs 50A,50B,50C arranged in a chevron type pattern 70,72. The chevron pattern 70,72 is asymmetric having the apex or point 74 lying entirely on one-half 32A or 32B of the tread 32 thus creating soil discharge channels 89,82 that are greater on one tread half 32A or 32B relative to the other tread half 32A or 32B. This tread pattern permits the employment of lugs 50A, 50B of substantially equal lug length ll insuring more uniform wear characteristics.

Abstract: A tread for a vehicle tire includes at least one circumferentially extending longitudinal groove and transverse grooves emanating from the longitudinal groove for defining blocks in a pattern and sipes arranged in the tread. Each sipe defines a sipe depth extending from a pattern face of the tread toward a pattern base of the tread. At least one of the sipes is located in at least one of the blocks and is configured to have legs defining a V-shape. An intersection of the legs is arranged in a side surface area of the block facing the longitudinal groove. Ends of the legs are oriented away from the side surface area.

Abstract: A tire (1) for motor-vehicle wheels comprises a tread band (10) and a belt structure (6), the tread band being molded with a raised pattern having a circumferential groove (11). In the absence of load and inflating pressure, the tire is characterized in that the belt structure in a cross-section of the tire has an axial profile comprising three distinct portions, first (14) and second (15) side portions and one central portion (16) interposed between the side portions. The side portions are concave at a radially internal position, in which the concavity is defined for each portion by a respective center and a respective radius of curvature. The central portion is concave at a radially external position where the concavity center of the central portion lies in the center line plane of the circumferential groove, in which the depth of the radially external concavity is canceled under the effect of the normal inflating pressure of the tire.

Abstract: A vehicle tire having an outside tread part and an inside tread part to be placed on the outside and inside of a vehicle, respectively, the inside tread part provided with inside axial grooves to be circumferentially divided into inside blocks, the outside tread part provided with outside axial grooves and outside circumferential grooves to be circumferentially and axially divided into outside blocks, and the inclinations of the grooves when looking down the tire are as follows: the outside axial grooves are inclined toward one direction such that the outer ends thereof are positioned backward of the inner ends, and the inclination angle &agr; is in the range of from 60 to 80 degrees with respect to the tire equator C; the outside circumferential grooves are inclined toward one direction such that the outer ends thereof are positioned forward of the inner ends, and the inclination angel &ggr; is in the range of from 15 to 45 degrees with respect to the tire equator C; and the inside axial grooves are inclined

Abstract: A tire tread band for medium/heavy duty motor-vehicles having circumferential grooves confining three pairs of respectively center, intermediate and shoulder ribs. Respective tread blocks are defined along the center and intermediate ribs and they are confined by transverse cuts. The center cuts impart a cusp-shaped end conformation and a hollow-shaped end conformation to the respective blocks, and the shapes of said end portions mutually match. The intermediate cuts run in the linear extension of the center cuts to give the respective blocks a rhomboidal configuration. The tire can be alternately associated with a driving axle or a driven axle, by merely reversing its direction of rotation, so that the following results are selectively achieved: an increase in the traction capability by the intermediate blocks or an increase in the directional capability as a result of the mutual wedging between the center blocks at the ground-contacting area.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a silica-rich compound tread provided with an antistatic conductive rubber layer has improved safty based on durability and extrusion productivity. In this tire, the silica-rich compound rubber layer is divided at at least one portion in a width directional of the tire by a conductive rubber layer extended in a circumferential direction substantially over the whole thickness of said rubber layer. In this case, a thickness direction distance a in a width directional section of said rubber layer and an edge face length b of a divisional rubber layer consisting of said conductive rubber layer in a width directional section satisfy a relation formulated by the following expression, a<b.

Abstract: A tire for a vehicle having at least one wheel at each corner, the tire comprising a ground contacting tread extending axially between first and second edge regions and having tread grooves formed therein, wherein in the first axial edge region of the tread the tread grooves are aligned substantially in the tire circumferential direction and in the second axial edge region of the tread the grooves are aligned substantially in the tire axial direction and in a third axial region of the tread axially between the first and second edge regions the alignment of the grooves changes progressively from circumferential to axial.