# US 10,864,779 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 10,864,779 B2 - Document ID: US10864779B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/571,256 - Filed: 2016-05-09 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-14 - Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. - Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD. - Inventors: Yuji Kodama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864779B2 ## CPC - B60C 13/02: Arrangement of grooves or ribs - B60C 3/04: characterised by the relative dimensions of the section, e.g. low profile (B60C3/06 takes precedence) - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES ## Abstract A pneumatic tire comprises a plurality of protrusion portions extending along a tire side surface of a tire side portion in a direction that intersects a tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction; the plurality of protrusion portions each including an intermediate portion in an extension direction that includes a highest position of projection height from the tire side surface, and tip portions on either side of the intermediate portion in the extension direction that include a lowest position of projection height from the tire side surface; and the plurality of protrusion portions including a radially outer protrusion portion with at least the intermediate portion disposed outward of a tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction, and a radially inner protrusion portion with at least the intermediate portion disposed inward of the tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pneumatic tire, comprising: a plurality of protrusion portions extending along a tire side surface of a tire side portion in a direction that intersects a tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction; each protrusion portion of the plurality of protrusion portions including an intermediate portion in an extension direction that includes a highest position of projection height from the tire side surface, and tip portions on either side of the intermediate portion in the extension direction that include a lowest position of projection height from the tire side surface; the plurality of protrusion portions including a radially outer protrusion portion with at least the intermediate portion disposed outward of a tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction, and a radially inner protrusion portion with at least the intermediate portion disposed inward of the tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction; a ratio of a total width SW to an outer diameter OD satisfying a relationship SW/OD≤0.3; in a side view of the protrusion portion, a top portion of the protrusion portion has an arc shape extending from the highest position to the lowest position of the protrusion portion; the intermediate portion being defined in a range of 25% of a length of the protrusion portion in the extension direction from a center on either side in the extension direction; the tip portions extending from the intermediate portion on both sides in the extension direction excluding 5% of the length of the protrusion portion from ends of the protrusion portion in the extension direction; the lowest position at the tip portion being at a position 5% of the length of the protrusion portion from the ends of the protrusion portion; and the projection height of the protrusion portion at the lowest position being smaller than the projection height of the protrusion portion at the highest position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion and the tip portions of the radially outer protrusion portion are disposed outward of the tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate portion and the tip portions of the radially inner protrusion portion are disposed inward of the tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein a change in mass of the protrusion portion in the tire circumferential direction per 1 degree in the tire circumferential direction is 0.2 g/degree or less. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pneumatic tire according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate portion of the protrusion portion has a projection height ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pneumatic tire according to claim 5, wherein when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a regular rim, inflated to a regular internal pressure, in an unloaded state, and viewed in a meridian cross-section, the protrusion portion projects outward 5 mm or less in a tire lateral direction from a tire cross-sectional width at the tire maximum width position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pneumatic tire according to claim 6, wherein a groove is formed on a surface of the protrusion portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The pneumatic tire according to claim 7, wherein a recessed portion is formed on the surface of the protrusion portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pneumatic tire according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of protrusion portions are disposed in the tire circumferential direction at non-uniform intervals. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pneumatic tire according to claim 9, wherein a vehicle inner/outer orientation when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a vehicle is designated, and the plurality of protrusion portions are at least formed on a tire side portion that corresponds to a vehicle outer side. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion and the tip portions of the radially inner protrusion portion are disposed inward of the tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a change in mass of the protrusion portion in the tire circumferential direction per 1 degree in the tire circumferential direction is 0.2 g/degree or less. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion of the protrusion portion has a projection height ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a regular rim, inflated to a regular internal pressure, in an unloaded state, and viewed in a meridian cross-section, the protrusion portion projects outward 5 mm or less in a tire lateral direction from a tire cross-sectional width at the tire maximum width position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a groove is formed on a surface of the protrusion portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a recessed portion is formed on the surface of the protrusion portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of protrusion portions are disposed in the tire circumferential direction at non-uniform intervals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a vehicle inner/outer orientation when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a vehicle is designated, and the plurality of protrusion portions are at least formed on a tire side portion that corresponds to a vehicle outer side. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the projection height of the protrusion portion in the extension direction gradually increases from one of the ends of toward the center and gradually decreases from the center toward an other one of the ends. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of a cross-sectional shape in a lateral direction of the protrusion portion is greatest at the highest position of the projection height, and the cross-sectional area is small at the lowest position of the projection height.