# US 10,500,903 B2 · Pneumatic tire

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- Number: US 10,500,903 B2
- Document ID: US10500903B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/384,526
- Filed: 2013-02-22
- Published: 2015-02-12
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-14
- Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
- Inventors: Kohtaro Matsushita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500903B2

## CPC

- B60C 11/1218: {Three-dimensional shape with regard to depth and extending direction}
- B60C 11/0304: {Asymmetric patterns}
- B60C 11/04: in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag (B60C11/12, B60C11/13 take precedence)
- B60C 11/1392: {with chamfered block edges}
- 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 2011/1209: {straight at the tread surface}
- B60C 2011/1213: {sinusoidal or zigzag at the tread surface}
- B60C 2011/1227: {having different shape within the pattern}
- B60C 2011/129: {Sipe density, i.e. the distance between the sipes within the pattern}
- B60C 2011/1295: {variable}
- 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, land portions have a plurality of sipes and at least one row of land portions in an inner side region is provided with sipes having a 3D structure. Also, the snow traction index (STI) with respect to the tire circumferential direction throughout the entire tread portion is in the range of 100≤STI. Also, the sipe component (STI_s_out) of the snow traction index (STI) in an outer side region and the sipe component (STI_s_in) of the snow traction index (STI) in the inner side region have the relationship of 1.1≤STI_s_in/STI_s_out. Also, the peripheral length ratio PLR_out of the three-dimensional structure portion in the outer side region and the peripheral length ratio PLR_in of the three-dimensional structure portion in the inner side region have the relationship of 1.1≤PLR_in/PLR_out.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pneumatic tire, comprising: a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction; and a plurality of land portions partitioned by the circumferential main grooves in a tread portion,
a first region in the tread portion bordered by a tire equatorial plane being an inner side region, and a second region being an outer side region,
the land portions respectively having a plurality of sipes extending in a tire width direction, and center land portions in the inner side region and the outer side region being provided with both three-dimensional sipes and two-dimensional sipes, the three-dimensional sipes having a three-dimensional structure portion in a center portion and having a two-dimensional structure portion at both end portions, and the two-dimensional sipes being made up solely of a two-dimensional structure portion,
a snow traction index STI in the tire circumferential direction throughout an entire tread portion being in a range of 100≤STI,
a sipe component STI_s_out of the snow traction index STI in the outer side region and a sipe component STI_s_in of the snow traction index STI in the inner side region having a relationship of 2.0≤STI_s_in/STI_s_out,
a peripheral length ratio PLR_out of a three-dimensional structure portion of sipes in the outer side region and a peripheral length ratio PLR_in of the three-dimensional structure portion of sipes in the inner side region having a relationship of 1.1≤PLR_in / PLR_out, and
the peripheral length ratio PLR_out of the three-dimensional structure portion of sipes in the outer side region is in a range of 0.4≤PLR_out ≤0.7, and the peripheral length ratio PLR_in of the three-dimensional structure portion of sipes in the inner side region is in a range of 0.6≤PLR_in≤0.8.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, comprising three or more of the circumferential main grooves, the circumferential main grooves and the land portions being provided so as to have left-right symmetry with respect to a tire equatorial plane, wherein
a peripheral length ratio PLR_out_sh of the three-dimensional structure portion in a shoulder land portion in the outer side region and a peripheral length ratio PLR_in_sh of the three-dimensional structure portion in a shoulder land portion in the inner side region have the relationship of 1.1≤PLR_in_sh/PLR_out_sh, and
a peripheral length ratio PLR_out_ce of the three-dimensional structure portion in a center land portion in the outer side region and a peripheral length ratio PLR_in_ce of the three-dimensional structure portion in a center land portion in the inner side region have a relationship of 1.1≤PLR_in_ce/PLR_out_ce.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein all of the land portions respectively have the plurality of sipes, and a disposal pitch of the sipes in land portions in the inner side region is narrower than a disposal pitch of the sipes in land portions in the outer side region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a disposal ratio of the sipes having the three-dimensional structure portion in land portions in the inner side region is higher than a disposal ratio of the sipes having the three-dimensional structure portion in land portions in the outer side region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a land portion on a tire equatorial plane has one narrow groove, and
the narrow groove has a zigzag shape that is formed by a first narrow groove portion and a second narrow groove portion continuing in an alternating manner, and the narrow groove extends in the tire circumferential direction to divide the land portion into two portions,
the first narrow groove portion and the second narrow groove portion are inclined in mutually different directions with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and
an angle of inclination θ1 with respect to the tire circumferential direction of the first narrow groove portion and an angle of inclination θ2 with respect to the tire circumferential direction of the second narrow groove portion satisfy conditions of 0°≤θ1≤30°, and 10°≤θ2≤45°, and θ1≤θ2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 5, wherein the narrow groove has a groove width of not less than 1.5 mm and not more than 4.0 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 5, wherein the land portion on the tire equatorial plane has the two-dimensional sipes or the three-dimensional sipes on the inner side region side of the narrow groove.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 7, wherein the sipes on the inner side region side of the narrow groove are inclined to a same side as the second narrow groove portion of the narrow groove with respect to the tire circumferential direction in the land portion on the tire equatorial plane.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 7, wherein the land portion on the tire equatorial plane has the two-dimensional sipes on the outer side region side of the narrow groove, and
a disposal pitch of the sipes on the inner side region side is narrower than a disposal pitch of the sipes on the outer side region side in the land portion on the tire equatorial plane.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 9, wherein the sipes on the outer side region side of the narrow groove are inclined to a same side as the second narrow groove portion of the narrow groove with respect to the tire circumferential direction in the land portion on the tire equatorial plane.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a pair of land portions in the outer side region, including the center land portion in the outer land region, each have a plurality of the two-dimensional sipes and/or the three-dimensional sipes having an arc shape and opposing sipes across the pair of land portions follow a same arc.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 11, wherein the pair of land portions in the inner side region, including the center land portion in the inner land region, each have a plurality of the two-dimensional sipes and/or the three-dimensional sipes having an arc shape and opposing sipes across the pair of the land portions follow a same arc, and
the two-dimensional sipes and/or the three-dimensional sipes in the outer side region and the two-dimensional sipes and/or the three-dimensional sipes in the inner side region are disposed so as to protrude in mutually different directions with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a land portion on the tire equatorial plane has a chamfered portion on an edge portion on the outer side region side, and
a chamfer width of the chamfered portion changes cyclically in the tire circumferential direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a groove area ratio SG in a tire ground contact patch is in a range of 0.25≤SG≤0.40.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, having an indicator designating a mounting direction on a vehicle wherein the inner side region is on an inner side in a vehicle width direction.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein all of the land portions are respectively provided with sipes having a three-dimensional structure portion.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipes are linear or curvilinear at a tread surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein STI_s_in/STI_s_out≤3.0.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the center land portion does not have a sipe extending in the tire circumferential direction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein shoulder land portions do not have the two-dimensional sipes.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the three dimensional sipes, including at the center portions, at a tread surface is a straight line or a curved line without a zigzag shape.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional structure portion of the three-dimensional sipes in a shoulder land portion includes an outer two-dimensional structure portion outward in a tire width direction of the three-dimensional structure portion of the three-dimensional sipes in the shoulder land portion, the outer two-dimensional structure portion having a length in the tire width direction greater than a length in the tire width direction of the three-dimensional structure portion of the three-dimensional sipes in the shoulder land portion.