# US 10,500,900 B2 · Pneumatic tire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,900 B2 - Document ID: US10500900B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/497,545 - Filed: 2017-04-26 - Published: 2018-03-08 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-07 - Assignees: Toyo Tire Corporation - Applicants: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sachio Sakamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500900B2 ## CPC - B60C 11/01: Shape of the shoulders between tread and sidewall, e.g. rounded, stepped or cantilevered - B60C 11/0306: {Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs} - B60C 13/00: Tyre sidewalls; Protecting, decorating, marking, or the like, thereof (B60C17/08 takes precedence; tyre shoulders B60C11/01; removable tyre sidewall trim rings B60B7/01) - B60C 13/002: {Protection against exterior elements} - B60C 13/02: Arrangement of grooves or ribs - B60C 2011/013: {provided with a recessed portion} - B60C 2011/0358: {Lateral grooves, i.e. having an angle of 45 to 90 degees to the equatorial plane} - B60C 2200/14: for off-road use - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES ## Abstract In a pneumatic tire, a sidewall portion includes a plurality of projecting portions projecting in a tire width-direction. The projecting portions are placed such that at least portions of the projecting portions are superposed on one of a plurality of blocks in a tire radial-direction as viewed from a tire width-direction. At least one of the plurality of projecting portions includes at least one opening. A total sum of an opening area of the opening is equal to or smaller than an actual area of the projecting portion in the at least one of the projecting portions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pneumatic tire comprising: a sidewall portion extending in a tire radial-direction; and a tread portion having a tread surface on an outer side in the tire radial-direction and connected to an outer end of the sidewall portion in the tire radial-direction, wherein the tread portion includes a plurality of grooves extending to an outer end in a tire width-direction, and a plurality of blocks arranged in a tire circumferential-direction by being defined by the plurality of grooves, the sidewall portion includes a plurality of projecting portions projecting in the tire width-direction, the projecting portions are placed such that at least portions of the projecting portions are superposed on one of the plurality of blocks in the tire radial-direction as viewed from the tire width-direction, at least one of the plurality of projecting portions includes at least one opening, and a total sum of an opening area of the opening is equal to or smaller than an actual area of the projecting portion in the at least one of the projecting portions, the at least one opening includes a first side surface placed on a first side in a tire circumferential-direction, and a second side surface placed on a second side opposite the first side in the tire circumferential-direction, and an angle formed between the second side surface and a surface of the projecting portion is closer to a right angle than an angle formed between the first side surface and the surface of the projecting portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the projecting portions is provided with a plurality of openings, and in at least one of the projecting portions, the openings are placed such that a region of the opening in the tire radial-direction is different from a region of at least another opening in the tire radial-direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein a total sum of the opening area of the opening in at least one of the projecting portions is 3/7 or lower of the actual area of the projecting portion, and a total sum of the opening area of the opening in at least one of the projecting portions is 1/19 or higher of the actual area of the projecting portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein a total sum of the opening area of the opening in at least one of the projecting portions is 1/9 or higher of the actual area of the projecting portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein in at least one of the projecting portions, the opening is separated from at least the another opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed between the first side surface and the surface of the projecting portion is an obtuse angle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the projecting portions is provided with a plurality of openings, a total sum of the opening area of the opening in at least one of the projecting portions is 3/7 or lower of the actual area of the projecting portion, and a total sum of the opening area of the opening in at least one of the projecting portions is 1/19 or higher of the actual area of the projecting portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein positioned between each adjacent projection portion of the plurality of projecting portions is an annular protrusion portion, the annular protrusion portion extending along the tire circumferential-direction, and the at least one opening includes a first opening positioned on a more inner side in the tire radial-direction than the annular protrusion portion, and a second opening positioned on a more outer side in the tire radial-direction than the annular protrusion portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the projecting portions is provided with first and second openings, and at least a portion of the first opening in the tire radial-direction is superposed on a region of the second opening in the tire radial-direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is asymmetric with respect to a center of the at least one projecting portion in the tire circumferential-direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is separated from a center of the at least one projecting portion in the tire circumferential-direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the opening area of the at least one opening is different from each other on the first side and the second side of the tire circumferential-direction with respect to a center of the projecting portion in the tire circumferential-direction. ### Claim 13 A pneumatic tire comprising: a sidewall portion extending in a tire radial-direction; and a tread portion having a tread surface on an outer side in the tire radial-direction and connected to an outer end of the sidewall portion in the tire radial-direction, wherein the tread portion includes a plurality of grooves extending to an outer end in a tire width-direction, and a plurality of blocks arranged in a tire circumferential-direction by being defined by the plurality of grooves, the sidewall portion includes a plurality of projecting portions projecting in the tire width-direction, the projecting portions are placed such that at least portions of the projecting portions are superposed on one of the plurality of blocks in the tire radial-direction as viewed from the tire width-direction, at least one of the plurality of projecting portions includes a plurality of openings, and a total sum of an opening area of the openings is 3/7 or lower and 1/19 or higher of an actual area of the projecting portion in the at least one of the projecting portions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pneumatic tire according to claim 13, wherein in at least one of the projecting portions, the openings are placed such that a region of the opening in the tire radial-direction is different from a region of at least another opening in the tire radial-direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The pneumatic tire according to claim 13, wherein positioned between each adjacent projection portion of the plurality of projecting portions is an annular protrusion portion, the annular protrusion portion extending along the tire circumferential-direction, and the at least one opening includes a first opening positioned on a more inner side in the tire radial-direction than the annular protrusion portion, and a second opening positioned on a more outer side in the tire radial-direction than the annular protrusion portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The pneumatic tire according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the projecting portions is provided with first and second openings, and at least a portion of the first opening in the tire radial-direction is superposed on a region of the second opening in the tire radial-direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The pneumatic tire according to claim 13, wherein the at least one opening is asymmetric with respect to a center of the at least one projecting portion in the tire circumferential-direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The pneumatic tire according to claim 13, wherein the at least one opening is separated from a center of the at least one projecting portion in the tire circumferential-direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The pneumatic tire according to claim 13, wherein the opening area of the at least one opening is different from each other on the first side and the second side of the tire circumferential-direction with respect to a center of the projecting portion in the tire circumferential-direction.