Aircraft tire having tread providing self-rotation

Abstract

The tread surface of a tire for use on an aircraft landing gear includes a plurality of cavities that are formed within the bearing surface. The cavities have a front surface extending from the bearing surface to the bottom of the cavity, the front surface being preferably substantially normal to the tread surface at that location, i.e., radially with respect to the tire, and substantially normal also to the circumference of the tire. The cavities include a second surface that slopes from the bearing surface toward the front surface at the bottom of the cavity. A tire, utilizing such a tread pattern, when positioned such that relative wind is directed toward the front surfaces of the cavities when the tire is at its bottommost position of revolution, experiences self-rotation, achieving a velocity and direction of rotation substantially commensurate with the velocity of the relative wind.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.