# US 12,214,624 B2 · Pneumatic tire

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- Number: US 12,214,624 B2
- Document ID: US12214624B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/958,566
- Filed: 2018-12-27
- Published: 2021-03-04
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-28
- Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
- Inventors: Toyoaki Endo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214624B2

## CPC

- B60C 11/1376: {Three dimensional block surfaces departing from the enveloping tread contour}
- B60C 11/0304: {Asymmetric patterns}
- B60C 11/1204: {with special shape of the sipe}
- B60C 11/1218: {Three-dimensional shape with regard to depth and extending direction}
- B60C 11/0306: {Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs}
- B60C 2011/0381: {Blind or isolated grooves}
- 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: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES

## Abstract

A tread portion of a pneumatic tire includes: an intermediate land portion being delimited by an inner circumferential main groove and an outer circumferential main groove on one side in a tire lateral direction across a tire center line as a boundary; and a side land portion adjoining the outer circumferential main groove and being provided outward of the outer circumferential main groove in the tire lateral direction. At least one land portion of the intermediate land portion and the side land portion has a swelling profile line. In a region of the land portion, a composite sipe is provided. In the composite sipe, a first sipe extending linearly in a sipe depth direction and a second sipe (S2) extending in a wave manner in the sipe depth direction are connected. The second sipe in the composite sipe is disposed so as to be connected to the outer circumferential main groove.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pneumatic tire comprising a tread portion, the tread portion comprising:
an intermediate land portion delimited by two circumferential main grooves in a tire lateral direction, the intermediate land portion being positioned on one side in the tire lateral direction with a tire center line as a boundary; and
a side land portion adjoining an outer circumferential main groove of the two circumferential main grooves, the side land portion being provided outside the outer circumferential main groove in the tire lateral direction, and including a ground contact edge of the pneumatic tire within a region thereof,
the tread portion having, in a profile cross section of at least one land portion of the intermediate land portion and the side land portion along the tire lateral direction, a swelling profile line that protrudes outward in a tire radial direction with respect to a base profile line that is an arc of a circle having a center point positioned on the tire center line and passing through at least two land portion edge points at which the intermediate land portion is connected to the two circumferential main grooves and one side land portion edge point at which the side land portion is connected to the outer circumferential main groove,
the tread portion being provided with a plurality of sipes extending in the tire lateral direction at an interval in a tire circumferential direction in a region of a swelling land portion formed in the swelling profile line in the intermediate land portion or the side land portion,
the plurality of sipes comprising:
first sipes having a shape extending linearly from the tread surface in a sipe depth direction and being opened to an inner circumferential main groove of the two circumferential main grooves; and
second sipes being bent or curved in a wave manner and protruding in a direction orthogonal to the sipe depth direction and orthogonal to an extension direction in which the plurality of sipes extend on the tread surface, when advancing from the tread surface in the sipe depth direction,
the plurality of sipes being composite sipes each formed by one of the first sipes and one of the second sipes connected each other in the extension direction, and
the second sipes being positioned on a side of the outer circumferential main groove with respect to the first sipes in the swelling land portion, and the second sipes being opened to the outer circumferential main groove; wherein
lengths of the composite sipes in the tire lateral direction are 40% or more of a length of a contact region in contact with a road surface in the swelling land portion in the tire lateral direction,
lengths of the second sipes in the extension direction fall within a range of from 30% to 80% of the lengths of the composite sipes in the extension direction, and
the second sipes do not include a linearly extending portion in the sipe depth direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein
the swelling land portion comprises the intermediate land portion,
the tread portion comprises a boundary inner region that is positioned inward in the tire lateral direction toward the tire center line with respect to a boundary position that is an innermost position in the tire lateral direction of a plurality of connecting positions in the intermediate land portion in the tire lateral direction, the plurality of connecting positions each being a position at which one of the second sipes and one of the first sipes are connected each other, and
a total length of lengths of all the first sipes along the extension direction within the boundary inner region, is 70% or more of a total length of lengths of all sipes within the boundary inner region along the extension direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein
the swelling land portion includes the intermediate land portion,
the composite sipes in the intermediate land portion are opened to the two circumferential main grooves,
the first sipes are positioned on a side of an inner circumferential main groove positioned inward in the tire lateral direction of the two circumferential main grooves with respect to the regions provided with the second sipes and are opened to the inner circumferential main groove.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein
each of the composite sipes in the intermediate land portion comprises a peak-shaped sipe protruding to one side in the tire circumferential direction, and
a connecting position in the tire lateral direction at which one of the regions of the second sipes and one of the regions of the first sipes are connected is positioned outward in the tire lateral direction with respect to a position of a protrusion end of the peak-shaped sipe in the tire lateral direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 4, wherein
the swelling land portion comprises the side land portion, and
the first sipes in the composite sipes provided in a region of the side land portion are positioned in a contact region in which the side land portion is in contact with a road surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 5, wherein
the tread portion comprises the swelling land portion and the composite sipes on each of both sides in the tire lateral direction across the tire center line as a boundary,
the tread portion comprises a center land portion through which the tire center line passes, the center land portion being delimited by the intermediate land portion on each of both the sides in the tire lateral direction,
the swelling land portion comprises the intermediate land portion and the side land portion,
a profile line of the center land portion is the base profile line, and
a region of the center land portion is provided with the first sipes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 6, wherein, when the swelling land portion is viewed from outward in the tire radial direction, the second sipes meander in a wave-like shape.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein
the swelling land portion includes the intermediate land portion,
the composite sipes in the intermediate land portion are opened to the two circumferential main grooves,
the first sipes are positioned on a side of an inner circumferential main groove positioned inward in the tire lateral direction of the two circumferential main grooves with respect to the regions provided with the second sipes and are opened to the inner circumferential main groove.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 8, wherein
each of the composite sipes in the intermediate land portion comprises a peak-shaped sipe protruding to one side in the tire circumferential direction, and
a connecting position in the tire lateral direction at which the second sipes and the first sipes are connected is positioned outward in the tire lateral direction with respect to a position of a protrusion end of the peak-shaped sipe in the tire lateral direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein
the swelling land portion comprises the side land portion, and
the first sipes in the composite sipes provided in a region of the side land portion are positioned in a contact region in which the side land portion is in contact with a road surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein
the tread portion comprises the swelling land portion and the composite sipes on each of both sides in the tire lateral direction across the tire center line as a boundary,
the tread portion comprises a center land portion through which the tire center line passes, the center land portion being delimited by the intermediate land portion on each of both the sides in the tire lateral direction,
the swelling land portion comprises the intermediate land portion and the side land portion,
a profile line of the center land portion is the base profile line, and
a region of the center land portion is provided with the first sipes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 11, wherein
the tread portion comprises a first intermediate land portion and a second intermediate land portion, the first intermediate land portion being positioned on a first side in the tire lateral direction with the tire center line as the boundary, the second intermediate land portion being positioned on a second side in the tire lateral direction with the tire center line as the boundary, the second side being opposite to the first side,
the center land portion extends continuously along the two circumferential main grooves,
the first intermediate land portion extends continuously along the two circumferential main grooves, and
the second intermediate land portion comprises a plurality of lug grooves, the plurality of lug grooves, together with the two circumferential main grooves, delimitating the second intermediate land portion into a plurality of blocks.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein, when the swelling land portion is viewed from outward in the tire radial direction, the second sipes meander in a wave-like shape.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate land portion protrudes outward from the profile line further than the side land portion.