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US 2019/0054774 A1Published application
Egg crate sidewall features for sipes
AssigneeCompagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
InventorsSadi KOSE, Robert Cecil LAWSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention includes tire treads having a plurality of sipes (14) where at least one of the opposing sides of the sipe thickness includes a plurality of projections (18, 36) and recesses (20, 38) and a method for forming the same.
Claims13
A tire tread comprising:
- a length extending in a lengthwise direction, the lengthwise direction being a circumferential direction when the tread is arranged on a tire;
- a width extending in a lateral direction, the lateral direction being perpendicular to the lengthwise direction;
- a thickness extending in a depthwise direction from an outer, ground-engaging side of the tread, the depthwise direction being perpendicular to both the lengthwise direction and the widthwise direction of the tread;
- a plurality of sipes each having a length extending at least partially in a direction of the tread length or width, a height extending at least partially in a direction of the tread depth and perpendicular to the tread length, and a thickness, each sipe arranged between opposing sides of the tread within the tread thickness,
- where at least one of the opposing sides of the tread between which each sipe is arranged includes a plurality of projections, the plurality of projections being spaced apart and each having a height measuring 0.025 to 0.375 millimeters,
- where one or more of the opposing sides of the sipe thickness include a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses being spaced apart and each having a depth measuring 0.025 to 0.375 millimeters,
- where the plurality of projections are arranged in an alternating arrangement within a plurality of rows, where adjacent rows are shifted relative each other such that each projection in any row is arranged adjacent to one of the plurality of recesses in each adjacent row.
4 more elements
A method for forming a tire tread, the tread having:
- a length extending in a lengthwise direction, the lengthwise direction being a circumferential direction when the tread is arranged on a tire;
- a width extending in a lateral direction, the lateral direction being perpendicular to the lengthwise direction;
- a thickness extending in a depthwise direction from an outer, ground-engaging side of the tread, the depthwise direction being perpendicular to both the lengthwise direction and the widthwise direction of the tread, the method comprising the steps of:
- molding each of a plurality of sipes using a sipe-molding member, each sipe-molding member having a length configured within the tread to extend at least partially in a direction of the tread length or width, a height configured within the tread to extend at least partially in a direction of the tread depth and perpendicular to the tread length, and a thickness, each sipe-molding member arranged between opposing sides of the tread within the tread thickness,
- where at least one of the opposing sides of the sipe-molding member thickness includes a plurality of recesses for forming a plurality of projections in at least one of the opposing sides of the tread, the plurality of recesses being spaced apart and each having a height measuring 0.025 to 0.375 millimeters;
- removing the sipe-molding member, leaving a sipe remaining within the tread, the sipe having a void shaped as the sipe-molding member and a plurality of projections corresponding to the plurality of recesses arranged along the sipe-molding member,
- where one or more of the opposing sides of the sipe thickness include a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses being spaced apart and each having a depth measuring 0.025 to 0.375 millimeters,
- where the plurality of projections are arranged in an alternating arrangement within a plurality of rows, where adjacent rows are shifted relative each other such that each projection in any row is arranged adjacent to one of the plurality of recesses in each adjacent row.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.