# US 11,897,287 B2 · Tire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,287 B2 - Document ID: US11897287B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/511,792 - Filed: 2021-10-27 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-17 - Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Takahiro Kawanoue; Daiki Imai; Saori Yoshida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897287B2 ## CPC - B60C 11/0302: {directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction} - B60C 11/0304: {Asymmetric patterns} - B60C 11/1236: {with special arrangements in the tread pattern} - B60C 11/125: {arranged at the groove bottom} - B60C 11/1307: {with special features of the groove walls} - B60C 11/1369: {Tie bars for linking block elements and bridging the groove} - B60C 11/1392: {with chamfered block edges} - B60C 11/0318: {irregular patterns with particular pitch sequence} - B60C 11/033: {by the void or net-to-gross ratios of the patterns} - B60C 2011/0341: {Circumferential grooves} - B60C 2011/0348: {Narrow grooves, i.e. having a width of less than 4 mm} - 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: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES ## Abstract A tire includes a tread portion including first and second tread edges, a first shoulder land portion including the first tread edge, and a first shoulder circumferential groove located inwardly in a tire axial direction of and adjacent to the first shoulder land portion and extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction. The first shoulder land portion is provided with a plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves extending from the first shoulder circumferential groove across the first tread edge, each of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves has a pair of first groove walls, and the pair of first groove walls is provided with a pair of first chamfer portions that extends from the first shoulder circumferential groove to a first location beyond the first tread edge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tire comprising: a tread portion comprising: axially spaced first and second tread edges that are axially outermost edges of a ground contacting patch of the tire which occurs under a condition such that a 70% standard tire load is applied to the tire placed under a normal state, wherein the normal state is such that the tire is mounted onto a standard wheel rim and inflated to a standard pressure; a first shoulder land portion including the first tread edge; and a first shoulder circumferential groove located inwardly in a tire axial direction of and adjacent to the first shoulder land portion and extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction, wherein the first shoulder land portion is provided with a plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves extending from the first shoulder circumferential groove across the first tread edge; each of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves has a pair of first groove walls; the pair of first groove walls is provided with a pair of first chamfer portions that extends from the first shoulder circumferential groove to a first location beyond the first tread edge; each of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves has a first groove width at the first shoulder circumferential groove and a second groove width at the first tread edge, wherein the first groove width is greater than the second groove width; the pair of first chamfer portions terminates at the first location; the first shoulder lateral grooves comprise a pair of non-chamfered groove edges that extends outwardly in the tire axial direction from the first location of the pair of first groove walls; and the first location is a location within 5 mm from the first tread edge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tire according to claim 1, wherein the pair of first chamfer portions has a chamfer width reducing outwardly in the tire axial direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tire according to claim 1, wherein the tread portion further comprises: a second shoulder land portion including the second tread edge; and a second shoulder circumferential groove located inwardly in the tire axial direction of and adjacent to the second shoulder land portion and extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction, wherein the second shoulder land portion is provided with a plurality of second shoulder lateral grooves extending from the second shoulder circumferential groove across the second tread edge, each of the second shoulder lateral grooves has a pair of second groove walls, and the pair of second groove walls is provided with a pair of second chamfer portions that extends from the second shoulder circumferential groove to a second location beyond the second tread edge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tire according to claim 3, wherein the tread portion has a designated mounting direction to a vehicle such that the first tread edge is located on an outside of a vehicle when mounted on the vehicle, the first shoulder land portion comprises a plurality of first shoulder blocks divided by the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves, the second shoulder land portion comprises a plurality of second shoulder blocks divided by the plurality of second shoulder lateral grooves, and a ground contact surface area of one of the plurality of first shoulder blocks is greater than a ground contacting surface area of one of the plurality of second shoulder blocks. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The tire according to claim 3, wherein no sipes nor grooves are provided on the first shoulder land portion except for the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The tire according to claim 3, wherein the second shoulder land portion is provided with a plurality of shoulder sipes extending along the plurality of second shoulder lateral grooves. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The tire according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves is provided with a first tie-bar where a groove bottom thereof raises locally, at least one of the plurality of second shoulder lateral grooves is provided with a second tie-bar where a groove bottom thereof raises locally, and a length in the tire axial direction of the first tie-bar is greater than a length in the tire axial direction of the second tie-bar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tire according to claim 7, wherein a depth of the first tie-bar is greater than a depth of the second tie-bar. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves is provided with a first tie-bar where a groove bottom thereof raises locally, and a groove width of the at least one of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves enlarges from the first tread edge toward the first circumferential shoulder groove in a first tie-bar region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tire according to claim 9, wherein a groove width of the at least one of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves is constant from an axially outer end of the first tie-bar to the first tread edge. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The tire according to claim 10, wherein a groove width of the at least one of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves reduces from the first tread edge to an axially outermost end thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tire according to claim 1, wherein each first chamfer portion comprises a constant-width portion having a constant chamfer width, and a variable-width portion having a chamfer width varying in a longitudinal direction of the first shoulder lateral groove, the constant-width portion extends axially outwardly from the first shoulder circumferential groove to a location before the first tread edge, the variable-width portion is connected to the constant-width portion and extends to the first location, and the chamfer width of the variable-width portion reduces continuously toward outwardly in the tire axial direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tire according to claim 12, wherein a length in the tire axial direction of the variable-width portion is in a range of from 30% to 45% of a width in the tire axial direction of a ground contacting surface of the first shoulder land portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The tire according to claim 13, wherein each first shoulder lateral groove comprises a pair of non-chamfered groove edges that extends outwardly in the tire axial direction from the first location. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The tire according to claim 12, wherein each first shoulder lateral groove comprises a pair of non-chamfered groove edges that extends outwardly in the tire axial direction from the first location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The tire according to claim 15, wherein a length of the non-chamfered groove edges which is a periphery length in a view when the tread portion is developed on a plane, is in a range of from 40% to 70% of a width in the tire axial direction of the first shoulder land portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The tire according to claim 1, wherein a chamfer width of the pair of first chamfer portions which is measured along an outer surface of the first shoulder land portion is in a range of 1 to 3 mm, a chamfer depth of the pair of first chamfer portions is in a range of 1 to 3 mm, and the pair of first chamfer portions has a pair of inclined chamfer surfaces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The tire according to claim 1, wherein an angle of a pair of inclined chamfer surfaces of the pair of first chamfer portions with respect to a tire normal is in a range of from 40 to 60 degrees. ### Claim 19 A tire comprising a tread portion that comprises: axially spaced first and second tread edges that are axially outermost edges of a ground contacting patch of the tire which occurs under a condition such that a 70% standard tire load is applied to the tire placed under a normal state, wherein the normal state is such that the tire is mounted onto a standard wheel rim and inflated to a standard pressure; a first shoulder land portion including the first tread edge; and a first shoulder circumferential groove located inwardly in a tire axial direction of and adjacent to the first shoulder land portion and extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction, wherein the first shoulder land portion is provided with a plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves extending from the first shoulder circumferential groove across the first tread edge; each of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves has a pair of first groove walls; the pair of first groove walls is provided with a pair of first chamfer portions that extends from the first shoulder circumferential groove to a first location beyond the first tread edge; each of the plurality of first shoulder lateral grooves has a first groove width at the first shoulder circumferential groove and a second groove width at the first tread edge, wherein the first groove width is greater than the second groove width; each first chamfer portion comprises a constant-width portion having a constant chamfer width and a variable-width portion having a chamfer width varying in a longitudinal direction of the first shoulder lateral groove, wherein the constant-width portion extends axially outwardly from the first shoulder circumferential groove to a location before the first tread edge, the variable-width portion is connected to the constant-width portion and extends to the first location, and the chamfer width of the variable-width portion reduces continuously toward outwardly in the tire axial direction; and the first location is a location within 5 mm from the first tread edge.