Arrangement Of Grooves Or Ribs In Sidewall Patents (Class 152/523)
  • Patent number: 10773558
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a sidewall portion extending in a tire radial-direction. The sidewall portion includes a plurality of projecting portions projecting in a tire width-direction, and at least one reinforcing portion which is at least partly different in a projecting amount from a projecting amount of the projecting portions at the same position in the tire radial-direction, and is connected to the projecting portion in a tire circumferential-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 10775272
    Abstract: A system for measuring rolling resistance of a substrate may include a transparent support member including a contact surface, a rolling member including a cylindrical convex surface with the substrate attached on the cylindrical convex surface, the cylindrical convex surface placed on the contact surface, an oscillation mechanism coupled with the rolling member configured to drive an oscillatory rotational movement of the rolling member about a longitudinal axis of the rolling member. The oscillation mechanism may include two parallel arms attached at their respective midpoints to either base ends of the rolling member on a pivot axis overlapping the longitudinal axis of the rolling member, the two parallel arms attached to one another at respective ends of the two parallel arms by two links, and two adjustable weights, each of the two adjustable weights mounted on a respective link of the two links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventor: Ali Samadi
  • Patent number: 10730353
    Abstract: A tire includes: a first pattern portion and a second pattern portion on a tire surface, the first pattern portion being formed of plural first ridges adjacent to each other and the second pattern portion being formed of plural second ridges extending in a different direction from the first ridges in plan view arranged adjacent to each other, in which a height of the first ridges and the second ridges is from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm and the first ridges adjacent to each other and the second ridges adjacent to each other are arranged at a constant pitch of from 0.15 mm to 0.35 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sotaro Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 10675920
    Abstract: A circumferential direction protrusion is provided extending longitudinally mainly along a tire circumferential direction on a side outward in a tire radial direction from a maximum tire width position on at least a first tire side portion of a tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kodama, Masataka Koishi, Kenichiro Endo
  • Patent number: 10661609
    Abstract: A recessed portion is formed in each tire side portion of an agricultural machinery pneumatic tire. Rigidity at the part of each tire side portion where the recessed portion is formed is reduced. This enables each tire radial direction outside portion to be made to tilt over toward tire width direction outside with the recessed portion as a point of origin without reducing the internal pressure, enabling the ground contact width of a tread portion to be enlarged. Since there is no need to intentionally reduce the internal pressure in order to reduce the ground contact pressure, bead portions do not tilt over more than necessary, and there is no reduction in the durability of the bead portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Kodama
  • Patent number: 10611194
    Abstract: A circumferential recess is formed on the outer surface of a tire side section, the circumferential recess being depressed inward in a tread width direction and extending in a tire circumferential direction. In a cross section along the tread width direction of the tire and the tire radial direction, a rim-side outer surface formed in an area from a rim separation point, which is the outermost point in the tire radial direction that is in contact with a rim flange, to an inner end of the circumferential recess in the tire radial direction, is formed along a first arc curve having a center of a curvature radius on the inside in the tread width direction. In the cross section, a sidewall surface formed in an area from the inner end of the circumferential recess in the tire radial direction to a bottom surface of the circumferential recess is formed along a second arc curve having a center of a curvature radius on the outside in the tread width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sayaka Mishima
  • Patent number: 10596860
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a reinforcing rubber layer disposed in the sidewall portions and having a crescent-like meridian cross-section; wherein when the tire is assembled on a regular rim and in an unloaded state with an internal pressure of 0 kPa, a radius of curvature (RP) is larger than a radius of curvature (RO), an arc of the radius of curvature (RP) joining an intersection (Pa) of a carcass layer and a straight line (La), an intersection (Pb) of the carcass layer and a straight line (Lb), and an intersection (Pc) of the carcass layer and a straight line (Lc), and an arc of the radius of curvature (RO) joining an intersection (Oa) of the straight line (La) and a tire external contour, an intersection (Ob) of the straight line (Lb) and the tire external contour, and an intersection (Oc) of the straight line (Lc) and the tire external contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiraku Kouda
  • Patent number: 10576793
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a projection formed on a surface of a tire side portion. The projection includes a top surface, and first and second side surfaces respectively forming a side surface in a tire circumferential direction. A first side edge portion, where the top and first side surfaces intersect, has an inclination to a tire radial direction viewed in a tire width direction. A second side edge portion, where the top and second side surfaces intersect, has an inclination to the tire radial direction as viewed in the tire width direction. A first tip end angle made by the top surface and the first side surface on the first side edge portion, and a second tip end angle made by the top surface and the second side surface on the second side edge portion are 100° or less. The rotational direction of the pneumatic tire is not designated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyamoto, Hiroshi Nashio
  • Patent number: 10532614
    Abstract: Provided is a tire in which, by improving a decorative portion provided on a side portion, while a high visibility and a crack resistance are secured, molding man-hours are reduced, thereby improving a moldability and a cost performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sotaro Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 10442251
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a decorative portion on an outer surface of a side wall portion that includes a first region that is linked to the inner side in the tire radial direction and the outer side in the tire radial direction of the decorative portion without being divided by a circumferential direction rib band, and a second region that is continuously surrounded in at least three directions by a radial direction rib band and the circumferential direction rib band, the total area of the first region and the total area of the second region are each 10% or greater of the total area of the decorative portion, ridges are provided in at least one of the first region and the second region, and the pattern contrast between the first region and the second region is varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahisa Murata
  • Patent number: 10427473
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes sidewall portions, at least one of which is provided in the outer surface thereof with an axially outwardly protruding protector. The protector is composed of patterned unit protrusions arranged at intervals in the tire circumferential direction. Each patterned unit protrusion includes a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion which extend in a tire radial direction and spaced apart from each other in the tire circumferential direction, and a third protruding portion connecting between the first and second protruding portions. The radial dimension L1 of the first protruding portion is more than the radial dimension L2 of the second protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuma Mori, Mitsuru Sueyoshi
  • Patent number: 10363782
    Abstract: A vehicle pneumatic tire includes a tread, ply structure, and radial carcass extending around a bead core in each bead region and extending back under the ply structure. Side wall regions are formed by a wing rubber extending from the side of the tread toward the bead region and a rim protection rubber extending from the bead region toward the wing rubber. The wing rubber is the only rubber component extending to the tread and runs in the radially outer portion of the side wall region in contact with the carcass and covers the adjacent rubber component toward the bead region by the radially inner end section of the wing rubber. The adjacent rubber component includes an end section in the covered region narrowing toward the tread, the end of which is located a distance from a base line between 45% and 70% of the height determined therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Molzow-Voit, Darren Kidney
  • Patent number: 10245899
    Abstract: A tire mold is provided with a groove-like saw cut in an area of a tire molding surface which comes into contact with a side surface of a tire. The saw cut comprises a pair of circumferential saw cuts arranged to be spaced in a tire diametrical direction, a grid-like saw cut which is expanded between the pair of circumferential saw cuts, and a plurality of frame-like saw cuts which are dotted between the pair of circumferential saw cuts. The frame-like saw cuts fringe a closed area which is wider than a smooth area defined by the grid-like saw cut. The grid-like saw cut surrounds the frame-like saw cuts to prevent the frame-like saw cuts from coming into contact with each other. The frame-like saw cuts are coupled to each other via the grid-like saw cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuji Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10245898
    Abstract: There is provided a rubber decor or a tire having: a rubber; a white layer arranged on or above a surface of the rubber and composed of a white paint; and a colored layer composed of a paint except a white paint and at least partially applied on the white layer. The darkest part of the white layer has brightness of 80% or more. The white layer and the colored layer constitute a desired decoration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10239268
    Abstract: Provided are: a tire mold including a bead portion molding surface for molding the bead portion of the tire, the bead portion molding surface having a ridge molding part including a recessed groove extending in the mold radial direction, the ridge molding part being formed in a flange contact portion molding region for molding a rim-flange contact portion of the tire; and a pneumatic tire, in which a bead filler has the tire radial direction outer end positioned more inward in the tire radial direction relative to the rim line position, and a ridge forming portion including a ridge extending in the tire radial direction is formed on the outer surface of the bead portion, the ridge forming portion being positioned in the rim flange contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 10207548
    Abstract: A tire has at least one band of cooling fins located on a sidewall portion of the tire. The band of cooling fins has at least one protruding cooling fin and at least one recess located adjacent to the cooling fin. At least a portion of the recess is recessed axially inwards relative to the cooling fin. The cooling fin has a height equal to or greater than an airflow boundary layer thickness at a predetermined location and angular velocity of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Aleksandr Ian Shmagranoff, Kevin E. Scheifele, Stephen Thomas Miranda, Todd Alan Buxton
  • Patent number: 10195910
    Abstract: The carcass of this tire (1) has a carcass body and folded sections each folded around a bead core. A circumferential recessed section, which is recessed inward in the tire width direction and extends in the tire circumferential direction, is formed on the outer surface of the tire side section, and turbulence-generating protrusions are provided on the circumferential recessed section. In a cross-section of the tire, wherein the distance between the inner surface of the carcass body section and a rim-separation point where the inner surface comes into contact with a normal rim is defined as a tire reference thickness, and the distance between the inner surface of the folded section and the tire outer surface at the circumferential recessed section is defined as a tire thickness, the multiple turbulence-generating protrusions are provided in an area where the tire thickness is between 20% and 60% of the tire reference thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Matsumura
  • Patent number: 10118357
    Abstract: A holder is for arranging a foil on the mold surface of a sidewall shell of a vulcanizing mold. The holder has a sleeve which can be pressed into a bore in the sidewall shell and, arranged in the sleeve, a helically-spring-mounted, coaxially movable pin. The pin has a pin head which, in an initial position, projects beyond an end of the sleeve with the force of the spring and on which a foil can be positioned on the mold surface. The pin, in an end position, is movable into the sleeve counter to the force of the spring such that the pin head end remote from the pin is aligned with the end of the sleeve. The pin head forms a clearance fit with the sleeve. The clearance fit is such that the pin is movable in the sleeve but no rubber material can ingress into the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Gerhardt
  • Patent number: 10081145
    Abstract: In each protrusion-forming recess of a mold, a non-through-hole vent is provided at one end side, and a through-hole vent that is longer than the non-through-hole vent is provided at another end side. When there is an ingress of rubber of a green tire into each protrusion-forming recess, air inside the protrusion-forming recess is discharged through the through-hole vent and the minute amount of air remaining inside escapes to the non-through-hole vent. Each through-hole vent is set with a large capacity, enabling an ingress of rubber into the vent hole that will later become spew to be stopped inside the through-hole vent. Since the volume of air that is trapped inside the protrusion-forming recess is a minute amount, and so the volume of air that escapes into the non-through-hole vent is also a minute amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya Kuroishi
  • Patent number: 10040321
    Abstract: A tire 10 includes a decorative portion 15 formed by using paint on a surface of a side portion 12. The decorative portion 15 includes a white-paint layer 16 and a color-paint layer 17. The white-paint layer is formed by using a white paint in at least a portion of the decorative portion 15. The color-paint layer is formed on the white-paint layer 16 in an overlapping manner by using a color paint in color different from the white paint. A ratio of a paint area of the white-paint layer 16 per unit area of a paint surface is at least 68%. The ratio of the paint area of the white-paint layer 16 is greater than a ratio of a paint area of the color-paint layer 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Amano
  • Patent number: 10029518
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a sidewall portion provided in the outer surface with a serrated area defined by radially-extending circumferentially-arranged ridges. The serrated area has circumferentially-arranged groups each including: at least one first ridge being straight over the entire length; and a plurality of second ridges, circumferentially arranged side-by-side, and each provided with an irregular part and otherwise being straight. In each of the ridge groups, the irregular parts of the second ridges are gradually radially shifted so that the irregular parts are arranged along a line inclined with respect to a tire radial direction, and by the irregular parts, an oblique pattern is formed in the ridge group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Mukai
  • Patent number: 10029433
    Abstract: A tire vulcanization mold according to an embodiment includes a side molding surface, a stencil plate forming a convex mark at an outer surface of a side portion, and an attachment recess depressed in the side molding surface. The stencil plate includes a mark forming concave portion which is depressed from a surface by embossing and a curved portion formed by curving both end portions in a width direction in a direction opposite to the depressed direction of the concave portion. The stencil plate may be attached to the attachment recess by press-inserting. A tip of the curved portion may contact a wall surface of the attachment recess to be elastically deformed so that a curved state of the curved portion increases and the stencil plate may be fixed into the attachment recess by fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaaki Ohara
  • Patent number: 10023013
    Abstract: Provided is a tire and a tire surface printing method which are capable of reducing man-hours and cost required for application of printing on the tire surface. The tire and the tire surface printing method include, on an outer surface of at least one of side portions (3) thereof, a printed region (5) formed by printing. The printed region (5) includes: a dark-colored portion (7) having a black color, which is a base color of the tire; and a bright-colored portion (9) that has a color different from the black color and that is located to surround the dark-colored portion (7). The dark-colored portion (7) is not applied with any paint, and the bright-colored portion (9) includes a white-colored layer (11) that includes a white color paint and that is located as the lowermost layer being in contact at least with the outer surface (3a) of the side portion (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Nakamura, Kojiro Torisu
  • Patent number: 9989440
    Abstract: Method for indicating attacks on a tire (1) for a heavy vehicle of the civil engineering type. This method comprises a first step of applying a retroreflective covering material (7) to at least part of at least one tire lateral face (6) allowing visual detection in an environment of darkness of that part of at least one tire lateral face (6), a second step of using the tire (1) in a mechanically aggressive environment, a third step of identifying, in an environment of darkness, the attacked zones (8) of the part of at least one tire lateral face (6) initially covered with the retroreflective covering material (7) and now devoid of the said retroreflective covering material (7) as a result of the mechanical attack experienced by the tire (1) in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Olivier Ferlin
  • Patent number: 9969138
    Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing and molding a tire is disclosed herein. The tire includes a tread delimited by two sidewalls, and the mold includes a ring for molding the tread of the tire and two shells having tire-molding surface features for molding the sidewalls. At least one of the shells has a removable shell part extending circumferentially on the side of the sidewall of the tire to be molded, with the tire-molding surface features being incorporated into the removable shell part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Villeneuve, Anthony Gueugneau
  • Patent number: 9956826
    Abstract: A circumferential recess is formed on the outer surface of a tire side section, the circumferential recess being recessed inward in a tread width direction and extending in a tire circumferential direction. A block protruding outward in the tread width direction is formed on the inside of the circumferential recess. In a cross section along the tread width direction of the tire and the tire radial direction, a rim outer surface is formed in an area from a rim separation point, which is the outermost point in the tire radial direction that is in contact with a rim flange, to an inner end of the circumferential recess in the tire radial direction. At least a part of the block protrudes further to the outside in the tread width direction than a virtual line along which the rim outer surface extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sayaka Mishima
  • Patent number: 9950746
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided with wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, and a vehicle body including wheel wells that surround the wheels. The pneumatic tire includes a plurality of protrusions on a sidewall portion that faces a predetermined wheel well side surface. An average normal vector of the wheel well side surface is inclined with respect to a rotation axis of the wheel. In such a configuration, when the vehicle is traveling and the tires are rotating, an air flow promotion effect and rectification effect are produced due to the protrusions on the sidewall portion, and negative pressure forms between the tire and the wheel well side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Kodama
  • Patent number: 9926021
    Abstract: A strake may direct air around a structure that moves in a forward direction and that has a first side and a second side. The strake may include a first section that may curve inward and rearward around the structure and that may be shaped to direct oncoming air toward the second side. The strake may include a second section that may be positioned further in the forward direction than a portion of the structure and may be shaped to direct oncoming air toward the first or second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Taeyoung Han, Kuo-Huey Chen, Chih-Hung Yen, Bahram Khalighi
  • Patent number: 9849732
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a side wall having a side surface and dimples formed on the side surface. The side surface has the tire maximum width point, the dimples are aligned along circumferential rows in concentric form with respect to the tire axis such that the dimples form lateral ribs and longitudinal ribs, the lateral ribs each have radially outer side surface and radially inner side surface and include first and second ribs, the first rib is formed such that the height from the dimple bottom at the inner side surface and the height from the dimple bottom at the outer side surface are equal, the second rib is formed such that the height from the dimple bottom at the inner side surface is greater than the height from the dimple bottom at the outer side surface, and the second rib is positioned radially inward from the maximum width point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Yukawa
  • Patent number: 9834267
    Abstract: By strategically placing a series of turbulators on a surface of a vehicle the aerodynamic drag on the vehicle is less than the vehicle without such turbulators. The turbulators change a laminar flow to a turbulent flow at a point before laminar flow separation from the vehicle without such turbulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Michael W. Hanagan
  • Patent number: 9827727
    Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing and molding a tire is provided herein. The tire includes a tread delimited by two sidewalls, the mold including a ring for molding the tread of the tire and two shells for molding the sidewalls. The mold includes an annular groove extending in a recessed manner in one of the shells and an insert housed in the groove, this insert having tire marking elements and being formed from a plurality of insert parts that are positioned one after another in the annular groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Villeneuve, Christian Gomet
  • Patent number: 9827724
    Abstract: A method of mounting an object on a tire includes providing a tire having a sidewall, wherein the sidewall includes a mounting portion configured to receive an object. The method further includes mounting the object on the mounting portion of the sidewall, such that the object is visible without extending outwardly beyond the mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Hans R. Dorfi, Kevin Scheifele, Terence Eugene Wei, Paul Wilson, Andrew Miklic
  • Patent number: 9778633
    Abstract: A system and method for selectively removing tire material from the bead portions of a cured tire to reduce one or more harmonics of at least one uniformity parameter are disclosed. According to aspects of the present disclosure, tire material is selectively removed using a plurality of direct address commands. The direct address commands specify ablation parameters for discrete ablation segments at specific angular locations around the bead of the tire. The direct address commands are generated by analyzing the desired ablation pattern for the bead of the tire. The ablation device can then be controlled to selectively remove tire material in discrete ablation segments at identified addresses pursuant to the direct address commands to achieve the desired ablation pattern on one or more tracks along the bead portion of the tire using a single pass of the ablation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Verner Steve Nicholson, James Edward Stone
  • Patent number: 9731817
    Abstract: An aircraft tire capable of suppressing rubber tire wear during landing and shocks which accelerate or decelerate an aircraft at touchdown includes, on a side of a tire body constituting an outer peripheral part of an aircraft wheel, a protrusion for receiving flight wind pressure. The wheel is rotated ahead of the touchdown by the action of the wind pressure received by the protrusion in a direction in which the wheel rotates during a landing roll. Weight is inserted into a hollow part of the protrusion. Through use of centrifugal force on the weight in association with a rotational motion of the wheel, the protrusion is deformed to change its wind pressure receiving area for bringing rotational speed of the wheel ahead of the touchdown close to a rotating speed of the wheel that is consistent with a flying speed of the aircraft making the touchdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DAITO PRESS MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9623616
    Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing and molding a tire, this tire including a tread delimited by two sidewalls, the mold including a ring for molding the patterns of the tread of the tire and two shells for molding the sidewalls, the mold including an annular groove extending in a recessed manner in one of the shells and an insert housed in the groove, this insert having tire-molding surface features, characterized in that the molding surface features of the insert include tire tread pattern elements extending in line with the patterns of the tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Villeneuve, Christian Gomet
  • Patent number: 9597849
    Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing and molding a tire, the tire having a tread delimited by two sidewalls, at least one of which is provided with a complex protuberance, the mold having a ring for molding the tread of the tire and two shells for molding the sidewalls, the mold having an annular insert that separates the mold into at least two portions, namely a ring portion and a shell portion in the radially lower region of the sidewalls, the insert having two adjacent concentric elements that are intended to mold the complex protuberance, namely a radially outer element associated with the ring, and a radially inner element associated with the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Bernard Villeneuve
  • Patent number: 9579931
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses of at least one tire side portion. The protrusions are formed as convexities having a longitudinal shape in a predetermined direction. A region including the protrusions is provided on an outermost side in a tire radial direction. A region including the recesses is provided inward in the tire radial direction of the region including the protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujii, Masatoshi Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 9562748
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatuses for creating a visual effect on a rubber article are disclosed. In one embodiment, a rubber article having a visual effect is provided, the rubber article comprising: a surface having at least one surface feature; and wherein the at least one surface feature comprises a plurality of linear elements creating a camouflage-shaped appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Richard S. Parr, Kevin E. Scheifele, Jon I. Stuckey
  • Patent number: 9561631
    Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing and molding a tire, this tire having a tread delimited by two sidewalls, the mold having a ring for molding the tread of the tire and two shells for molding the sidewalls, the mold having an annular groove extending in a recessed manner in one of the shells and an insert housed in the groove, this insert including at least one groove which is concentric with the insert and provided with a section that decreases in the depthwise direction of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Villeneuve, Christian Gomet, David Dean
  • Patent number: 9555670
    Abstract: A tire includes an annular decoration printing portion, at least a portion thereof being provided on an outer surface of a side portion further toward a tire radial direction outer side than a tire maximum width position. The decoration printing portion includes an annular design portion and an annular gradation portion provided at least on the tire radial direction outer side of the design portion. The gradation portion incrementally decreases in value outward in the tire radial direction, with a value of 100% being a pure color and a value of 0% being pure black in an HSV color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Himuro, Atsushi Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 9545767
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method for imparting a unique identifier to a molded polymeric article. The method includes providing a label comprising indicia having a thickness effective for embossing the polymeric article during molding and a melting point greater than the melting point of the molded polymeric article. The method also includes attaching the label to the article prior to vulcanization. The method further includes vulcanizing the article so that indicia emboss the molded polymeric article by forming indentations in the molded polymeric article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Computype, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Roach, Peter C. Baker
  • Patent number: 9393844
    Abstract: A tire mold is provided with a groove-like saw cut in an area of a tire molding surface which comes into contact with a side surface of a tire. The saw cut comprises a pair of circumferential saw cuts arranged to be spaced in a tire diametrical direction, a grid-like saw cut which is expanded between the pair of circumferential saw cuts, and a plurality of frame-like saw cuts which are dotted between the pair of circumferential saw cuts. The frame-like saw cuts fringe a closed area which is wider than a smooth area defined by the grid-like saw cut. The grid-like saw cut surrounds the frame-like saw cuts to prevent the frame-like saw cuts from coming into contact with each other. The frame-like saw cuts are coupled to each other via the grid-like saw cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuji Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9381776
    Abstract: A tire having a large number of circular dimples 62 on sidewalls thereof is disclosed. Each dimple 62 has a slope surface 66 and a bottom surface 68. The dimple 62 has a small projection 70. The small projection 70 is annular and is formed on the slope surface 66. A cross-sectional shape of the small projection 70 is substantially a rectangle. The small projection 70 is arranged so as to be concentric with the contour of the dimple 62. The surface area of the slope surface 66 having the small projection 70 is larger than the surface area of the slope surface when it is postulated that the small projection 70 does not exist thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9365080
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with a decoration portion at a tire side portion. The decoration portion includes decoration elements, which include ridges, and gullies, which are inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction and divide the decoration elements into at least two regions. Thus, the gullies make the ridges non- continuous in the tire circumferential direction. The ridges include first ridges and second ridges that are smaller than the first ridges in one or both of height and width. At least some of the first ridges are inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction and are adjacent to one another. Thus, the gullies are formed between the adjacent first ridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sotaro Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 9266398
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 according to the present invention has turbulence generating protrusions on a tire surface, each of the turbulence generating protrusions having a sharp edge part. In the pneumatic tire, the following relationships are satisfied: 0.015?H/?R?0.64; 1.0?p/H?50.0; 0.1?H/e?3.0; 1.0?L/H?50.0; and 1.0?(p?w)/w?100.0, where “R” is a tire radius, “H” is a protrusion maximum height, “p” is a protrusion circumferential-direction interval, “e” is a protrusion radial-direction interval, “L” is a protrusion radial-direction length, and “w” is a protrusion circumferential-direction length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9150054
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread that has: land portions formed and segmented by a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and by a plurality of widthwise grooves extending in a tire width direction; and sipes formed in contact patches of the land portions. The pneumatic tire includes: recessed sections (groove-bottom recessed sections) that are formed in tire-width-direction lateral surfaces of the land portions provided in tire-width-direction outermost parts, so as to connect to the widthwise grooves; and indents/lugs that are formed in bottom surfaces of the recessed sections such that indents/lugs thereof are arranged alternately and continuously in a linear manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Morito, Masakazu Mori
  • Patent number: 9090130
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a turbulent flow generating fin on a surface of a tire side portion. A plurality of the fins is arranged in a tire radial direction having a predetermined gap so as to form a fin row. Additionally, a plurality of the fin rows is disposed in a tire circumferential direction at a predetermined pitch. Moreover, the adjacent fins are disposed so as to overlap each other in the tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Kojima, Masataka Koishi, Masatoshi Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 9038684
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire unit comprises a front tire to be mounted on a leading side of a vehicle, and a rear tire to be mounted on a trailing side of the vehicle. A plurality of recesses is provided in at least one tire side portion of the front tire, and a plurality of protrusions is provided on at least one tire side portion of the rear tire. A negative pressure region that can be generated at a back surface side of the vehicle is reduced and, therefore, air resistance of the vehicle is reduced and fuel economy is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Kubota, Masatoshi Kuwajima, Masataka Koishi
  • Publication number: 20150136292
    Abstract: In a tire, protrusions are disposed at intervals in the tire circumferential direction in at least one tire side portion, extending in an elongated manner from the inner side to the outer side in the tire radial direction including the maximum tire width position, the extension direction of each of the protrusions is inclined with respect to the tire radial direction, and the each of the protrusions adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction is disposed with the opposite orientation of the inclination with respect to the tire radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Yuji Kodama, Masataka Koishi, Hiroshi Tokizaki
  • Publication number: 20150114538
    Abstract: The present invention includes a run-flat tire comprising a plurality of turbulence generation ridges which extend on a surface of a tire side portion in a tire-radial direction and which are arranged at a pitch in a tire-circumferential direction and relationship Si>So is satisfied. Si is the sum of sidewall areas of all the turbulence generation ridges located at the inner side, in the tire-radial direction, of a maximum width position of the pneumatic tire. So is the sum of sidewall areas of all the turbulence generation ridges located at the outer side, in the tire-radial direction, of the tire maximum width position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto TSURUTA, Masashi YAMAGUCHI, Atsushi MIYASAKA