Tire with tread having improved snow and dry traction
AssigneesMichelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
InventorsCyril Guichon, Olivier Piffard
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Abstract
This invention relates generally to tires having treads that have a configuration and/or properties for providing suitable snow and dry traction, and, more specifically, to a tire that has a tread that has a maximum value for sipe density in the contact patch, a minimum value for lateral groove density in the contact patch, and a minimum value for the longitudinal contact surface ratio. In certain embodiments, the pitch length of pitches or repeating units of tread geometry along the circumferential direction of the tire is within a certain range and the tread depth is below a specified value. Tires with treads having a configuration that falls within these design parameters exhibit a desirably good level of snow and dry traction.
Claims15
An apparatus that comprises a tread for use with a tire defining lateral, longitudinal and radial directions, said tread having tread elements and sipes, lateral grooves and longitudinal grooves and an associated sipe density, lateral groove density and longitudinal CSR, wherein:
- said sipe density is less than 40 mm−1;
- said lateral groove density is greater than 35 mm−1;
- and
- said longitudinal CSR is greater than 0.85.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.