# US 12,214,622 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 12,214,622 B2 - Document ID: US12214622B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/310,749 - Filed: 2020-02-21 - Published: 2022-04-07 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-22 - Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. - Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD. - Inventors: Toyoaki Endo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214622B2 ## CPC - 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 11/1218: {Three-dimensional shape with regard to depth and extending direction} - B60C 11/1236: {with special arrangements in the tread pattern} - B60C 11/1263: {different within the same sipe} - B60C 2011/0346: {with zigzag shape} - B60C 2011/0358: {Lateral grooves, i.e. having an angle of 45 to 90 degees to the equatorial plane} - B60C 2011/0388: {provided at the equatorial plane} - B60C 2011/1213: {sinusoidal or zigzag at the tread surface} - B60C 2011/1227: {having different shape within the pattern} - B60C 2011/133: {comprising recesses} - 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 includes a land portion defined by two circumferential main grooves extending in the circumferential direction, lug grooves in the land portion, and a sipe between adjacent lug grooves. An outer side edge of the land portion in the width direction has a zigzag shape, and an inner side edge of the land portion in the width direction has a straight shape. The sipe extends continuously from the outer side edge to the inner side edge, and the sipe has a Z-shape with two bent portions, and a ratio of a distance in the width direction between a bent portion closer to a center line passing through a midpoint position of the land portion in the width direction and the center line to a width of the land portion in the width direction being 0 to 0.40. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pneumatic tire, comprising a tread pattern, the tread pattern comprising three or more circumferential main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction; a land portion defined by two of the circumferential main grooves of the three or more circumferential main grooves; a plurality of lug grooves provided in the land portion; and a sipe provided in the land portion and provided between the lug grooves that are adjacent, an edge on an outer side of the land portion in a tire width direction having a zigzag shape with recesses/protrusions that has a position periodically changing in the tire width direction, an edge on an inner side of the land portion in the tire width direction having a straight shape; the sipe being a through sipe extending continuously from the edge on the outer side in the tire width direction to the edge on the inner side in the tire width direction; the sipe having a Z-shape with two bent portions; a ratio of a distance in the tire width direction between a bent portion that is a closer bent portion of the two bent portions to a center line, the center line passing through a midpoint position of the land portion in the tire width direction, and the center line to a width of the land portion in the tire width direction being 0 or more and 0.40 or less; and two or more of the sipe are provided between the lug grooves that are adjacent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipe has an inner side linear portion connecting to the edge on the inner side in the tire width direction, and a ratio of a length of the inner side linear portion in the tire width direction to the width of the land portion in the tire width direction is 0.10 or more and 0.40 or less. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a distance between protrusion portions of the zigzag shape in the tire circumferential direction to a length of the edge having the zigzag shape between the lug grooves that are adjacent in the tire circumferential direction is 0.15 or more and 0.55 or less. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a width that is two-times an amplitude of the zigzag shape in the tire width direction to the width of the land portion in the tire width direction is 0.03 or more and 0.15 or less. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipe has an outer side linear portion connecting to the edge on the outer side in the tire width direction, and a ratio of a distance in the tire circumferential direction, the distance from a connection point of the sipe with the circumferential main groove on the inner side in the tire width direction to an end point on an inner side of the outer side linear portion in the tire width direction, to a length of the edge having the zigzag shape between the lug grooves that are adjacent in the tire circumferential direction is 0.15 or more and 0.45 or less. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pneumatic tire according to claim 5, wherein a ratio of a distance in the tire circumferential direction, the distance from the connection point of the sipe with the circumferential main groove on the inner side in the tire width direction to the end point on the inner side of the outer side linear portion in the tire width direction, to the width of the land portion in the tire width direction is 0.15 or more and 0.65 or less. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipe has an inner side linear portion connecting to the edge on the inner side in the tire width direction, and a ratio of a width that is two-times an amplitude of the zigzag shape in the tire width direction to a length of the inner side linear portion in the tire width direction is 0.15 or more and 0.45 or less. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipe comprises a plurality of sipes, the plurality of sipes having linear portions that are parallel to each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein three or more protrusion portions of the zigzag shape are provided between the lug grooves that are adjacent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a minimum value of distances between protrusion portions of the zigzag shape to a maximum value of the distances between protrusion portions of the zigzag shape is 0.50 or more. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipe comprises a plurality of sipes and distances in the tire circumferential direction between connection portions of the plurality of the sipes with the circumferential main groove on the inner side in the tire width direction, the plurality of sipes provided between the lug grooves that are adjacent, are Ls1, Ls2, . . . , Lsn, where n is a natural number of three or greater, and Ls1Lzn. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a groove depth of the sipe to a groove depth of the circumferential main groove is 0.50 or more and 0.85 or less. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, further comprising a raised bottom portion provided at a groove bottom on an inner side of the sipe in the tire width direction, a ratio of a groove depth of the sipe at the raised bottom portion to a groove depth of the sipe being 0.40 or more and 0.70 or less. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipe is connected to the edge having the zigzag shape at a maximum amplitude position of the edge in the tire width direction. ### Claim 16 A pneumatic tire, comprising a tread pattern, the tread pattern comprising three or more circumferential main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction; a land portion defined by two of the circumferential main grooves of the three or more circumferential main grooves; a plurality of lug grooves provided in the land portion; and a sipe provided in the land portion and provided between the lug grooves that are adjacent, an edge on an outer side of the land portion in a tire width direction having a zigzag shape with recesses/protrusions that has a position periodically changing in the tire width direction, an edge on an inner side of the land portion in the tire width direction having a straight shape; the sipe being a through sipe extending continuously from the edge on the outer side in the tire width direction to the edge on the inner side in the tire width direction; the sipe having a Z-shape with two bent portions; a ratio of a distance in the tire width direction between a bent portion that is a closer bent portion of the two bent portions to a center line, the center line passing through a midpoint position of the land portion in the tire width direction, and the center line to a width of the land portion in the tire width direction being 0 or more and 0.40 or less; and the sipe comprises a plurality of sipes and distances in the tire circumferential direction between connection portions of the plurality of the sipes with the circumferential main groove on the inner side in the tire width direction, the plurality of sipes provided between the lug grooves that are adjacent, are Ls1, Ls2, . . . , Lsn, where n is a natural number of three or greater, and Ls1Lzn. ### Claim 18 A pneumatic tire, comprising a tread pattern, the tread pattern comprising three or more circumferential main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction; a land portion defined by two of the circumferential main grooves of the three or more circumferential main grooves; a plurality of lug grooves provided in the land portion; and a sipe provided in the land portion and provided between the lug grooves that are adjacent, an edge on an outer side of the land portion in a tire width direction having a zigzag shape with recesses/protrusions that has a position periodically changing in the tire width direction, an edge on an inner side of the land portion in the tire width direction having a straight shape; the sipe being a through sipe extending continuously from the edge on the outer side in the tire width direction to the edge on the inner side in the tire width direction; the sipe having a Z-shape with two bent portions; a ratio of a distance in the tire width direction between a bent portion that is a closer bent portion of the two bent portions to a center line, the center line passing through a midpoint position of the land portion in the tire width direction, and the center line to a width of the land portion in the tire width direction being 0 or more and 0.40 or less; and the sipe is connected to the edge having the zigzag shape at a maximum amplitude position of the edge in the tire width direction.