# US 2014/0190607 A1 · Motorcycle tire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190607 A1 - Document ID: US20140190607A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/107,594 - Filed: 2013-12-16 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07 - Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Toshiyuki MATSUNAMI; Yumiko YOSIDA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190607A1 ## CPC - B60C 11/032: {Patterns comprising isolated recesses} - B60C 11/0302: {directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction} - B60C 11/1369: {Tie bars for linking block elements and bridging the groove} - B60C 2011/0344: {provided at the equatorial plane} - B60C 2011/0355: {characterised by depth} - B60C 2011/0365: {characterised by width} - B60C 2011/0367: {characterised by depth} - B60C 2011/0369: {with varying depth of the groove} - B60C 2011/0374: {Slant grooves, i.e. having an angle of about 5 to 35 degrees to the equatorial plane} - B60C 2011/0381: {Blind or isolated grooves} - B60C 2011/1231: {being shallow, i.e. sipe depth of less than 3 mm} - B60C 2200/10: for motorcycles, scooters or the like - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES ## Abstract A motorcycle tire comprises a tread portion provided on each side of the tire equator with primary oblique grooves extending from a tread center region to the vicinity of the tread edge, and secondary oblique grooves each having an axially outer end positioned axially inside the axially outer ends of the primary oblique grooves. The secondary oblique grooves comprises a pair of gradually widening parts respectively extending from two extreme ends of the secondary oblique groove in its longitudinal direction toward an intermediate position between the two extreme ends, while gradually increasing the groove width measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, and a pair of gradually narrowing parts which are disposed between the gradually widening parts, and of which groove widths gradually decrease from the gradually widening parts toward the intermediate position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motorcycle tire comprising a tread portion provided on each side of the tire equator with: primary oblique grooves arranged circumferentially of the tire and extending axially outwardly from a tread center region to at least the vicinity of the tread edge; and secondary oblique grooves each disposed between the circumferentially adjacent primary oblique grooves, and each having an axially outer end positioned axially inside the axially outer ends of the primary oblique grooves, wherein each of the secondary oblique grooves comprises: a pair of gradually widening parts respectively extending from two extreme ends of the secondary oblique groove in its longitudinal direction toward an intermediate position between the two extreme ends, while gradually increasing the groove width measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction; and a pair of gradually narrowing parts which are disposed between the gradually widening parts, and of which groove widths gradually decrease from the gradually widening parts toward the intermediate position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein the resultant minimum width part between the gradually narrowing parts is provided with a shallow groove part whose groove depth is less than the groove depth of the gradually widening parts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein the groove width of the minimum width part is 0.40 to 0.60 times the maximum groove width of the secondary oblique groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein the shallow groove part extends over the entire width of the minimum width part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein the length of the shallow groove part measured in the longitudinal direction is not less than the groove width of the minimum width part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein the depth of the shallow groove part is 20% to 60% of the depth of the gradually widening parts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein a narrow groove is provided for each of the secondary oblique grooves to have one end connected to the minimum width part of the secondary oblique groove and the other end terminating within the tread portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein each of the secondary oblique groove has four arc-shaped groove edges which are two groove edges extending from one of the two extreme ends toward the intermediate position, and two groove edges extending from the other extreme end toward the intermediate position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein all of the primary oblique grooves are inclined to an intended tire rotational direction toward the tire equator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein the shallow groove part extends over the entire width of the minimum width part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein the length of the shallow groove part measured in the longitudinal direction is not less than the groove width of the minimum width part. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The motorcycle tire according to claim 4, wherein the length of the shallow groove part measured in the longitudinal direction is not less than the groove width of the minimum width part. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein the depth of the shallow groove part is 20% to 60% of the depth of the gradually widening parts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The motorcycle tire according to claim 4, wherein the depth of the shallow groove part is 20% to 60% of the depth of the gradually widening parts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The motorcycle tire according to claim 5, wherein the depth of the shallow groove part is 20% to 60% of the depth of the gradually widening parts. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein a narrow groove is provided for each of the secondary oblique grooves to have one end connected to the minimum width part of the secondary oblique groove and the other end terminating within the tread portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) The motorcycle tire according to claim 4, wherein a narrow groove is provided for each of the secondary oblique grooves to have one end connected to the minimum width part of the secondary oblique groove and the other end terminating within the tread portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The motorcycle tire according to claim 5, wherein a narrow groove is provided for each of the secondary oblique grooves to have one end connected to the minimum width part of the secondary oblique groove and the other end terminating within the tread portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The motorcycle tire according to claim 6, wherein a narrow groove is provided for each of the secondary oblique grooves to have one end connected to the minimum width part of the secondary oblique groove and the other end terminating within the tread portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein each of the secondary oblique groove has four arc-shaped groove edges which are two groove edges extending from one of the two extreme ends toward the intermediate position, and two groove edges extending from the other extreme end toward the intermediate position.