# US 10,500,902 B2 · Pneumatic tire

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- Number: US 10,500,902 B2
- Document ID: US10500902B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/742,016
- Filed: 2016-05-31
- Published: 2018-07-12
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-31
- Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
- Inventors: Takashi Shibai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500902B2

## CPC

- B60C 11/12: characterised by the use of narrow slits or incisions, e.g. sipes
- B60C 11/0302: {directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction}
- B60C 11/0304: {Asymmetric patterns}
- B60C 11/0306: {Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs}
- B60C 11/0311: {Patterns comprising tread lugs arranged parallel or oblique to the axis of rotation}
- B60C 11/032: {Patterns comprising isolated recesses}
- B60C 11/033: {by the void or net-to-gross ratios of the patterns}
- B60C 13/02: Arrangement of grooves or ribs
- B60C 2011/0346: {with zigzag shape}
- B60C 2011/0348: {Narrow grooves, i.e. having a width of less than 4 mm}
- B60C 2011/0353: {characterised by width}
- B60C 2011/0365: {characterised by width}
- B60C 2011/0381: {Blind or isolated grooves}
- B60C 2011/0383: {at the centre of the tread}
- B60C 2011/0388: {provided at the equatorial plane}
- B60C 2011/1209: {straight at the tread surface}
- B60C 2011/1213: {sinusoidal or zigzag at the tread surface}
- B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES

## Abstract

The pneumatic tire according to the present technology includes a tread portion, sidewall portions, and bead portions, and has a designated mounting direction on a vehicle. The pneumatic tire is provided, in the tread portion, with four main grooves including a pair of center main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction and a pair of shoulder main grooves located outside the center main grooves and extending in the tire circumferential direction; these main grooves define five rows of land portions; the center main groove on the vehicle outer side has a zigzag shape in the tire circumferential direction; and a plurality of lug grooves extending from the main grooves, except the center main groove having a zigzag shape, toward both sides in the tire lateral direction and terminating in the land portions are provided in the tread portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pneumatic tire comprising:
a tread portion extending in a tire circumferential direction and formed into an annular shape;
a pair of sidewall portions disposed on both sides of the tread portion; and
a pair of bead portions disposed inward of the sidewall portions in a tire radial direction; and
the pneumatic tire having a designated mounting direction on a vehicle;
the pneumatic tire being provided, in the tread portion, with four main grooves comprising a pair of center main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction and a pair of shoulder main grooves located outside the center main grooves and extending in the tire circumferential direction,
the main grooves defining five rows of land portions,
the center main groove on a vehicle outer side having a zigzag shape in the tire circumferential direction,
a plurality of lug grooves being provided in the tread portion, the lug grooves extending from the main grooves, except the center main groove having the zigzag shape, toward both sides in a tire lateral direction and terminating in the land portions,
an inclination direction, with respect to the tire circumferential direction, of lug grooves communicating with the center main groove on a vehicle inner side being opposite to an inclination direction, with respect to the tire circumferential direction, of lug grooves communicating with the shoulder main groove on the vehicle inner side,
lug grooves extending inward from the shoulder main groove on the vehicle outer side in the tire lateral direction comprising bent portions at terminating ends of the lug grooves, the bent portions being bent toward a first side in the tire circumferential direction,
a plurality of narrow grooves being formed in the land portion in which the lug grooves comprising the bent portions are formed, the narrow grooves extending discontinuously in the tire circumferential direction without communicating with the bent portions, and
the narrow grooves being arranged substantially parallel with the center main groove having a zigzag shape.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a subset of the plurality of lug grooves communicate with a same main groove, and an inclination direction, with respect to the tire circumferential direction, of lug grooves of the subset located outside the same main groove in the tire lateral direction is the same as an inclination direction, with respect to the tire circumferential direction, of lug grooves of the subset located inside the same main groove in the tire lateral direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein a width W1 of the lug grooves comprising the bent portions and a width W2 of a main groove communicating with the lug grooves satisfy a relationship of 0.10×W2≤W1≤0.55×W2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein:
a circumferential auxiliary groove is provided in a shoulder land portion located outside the shoulder main groove on the vehicle inner side in the tire lateral direction, the circumferential auxiliary groove extending in the tire circumferential direction;
a plurality of shoulder lug grooves are provided in the shoulder land portion, the shoulder lug grooves extending inward from an end portion of the tread portion in the tire lateral direction; and
the shoulder lug grooves intersect the circumferential auxiliary groove and terminate without reaching the shoulder main groove on the vehicle inner side.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 4, wherein stepped portions of the center main groove having a zigzag shape is located in positions in extending directions of the lug grooves located in a center land portion located between the pair of center main grooves.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a width W1 of the lug grooves comprising the bent portions and a width W2 of a main groove communicating with the lug grooves satisfy a relationship of 0.10×W2≤W1≤0.55×W2.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein:
a circumferential auxiliary groove is provided in a shoulder land portion located outside the shoulder main groove on the vehicle inner side in the tire lateral direction, the circumferential auxiliary groove extending in the tire circumferential direction;
a plurality of shoulder lug grooves are provided in the shoulder land portion, the shoulder lug grooves extending inward from an end portion of the tread portion in the tire lateral direction; and
the shoulder lug grooves intersect the circumferential auxiliary groove and terminate without reaching the shoulder main groove on the vehicle inner side.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein stepped portions of the center main groove having a zigzag shape is located in positions in extending directions of the lug grooves located in a center land portion located between the pair of center main grooves.