# US 2019/0168543 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 2019/0168543 A1 - Document ID: US20190168543A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/182,684 - Filed: 2018-11-07 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Shuji KOBORI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168543A1 ## CPC - B60C 11/0304: {Asymmetric patterns} - B60C 11/0302: {directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction} - B60C 11/0311: {Patterns comprising tread lugs arranged parallel or oblique to the axis of rotation} - B60C 11/04: in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag (B60C11/12, B60C11/13 take precedence) - B60C 11/12: characterised by the use of narrow slits or incisions, e.g. sipes - B60C 11/1353: {with special features of the groove bottom} - B60C 2011/0348: {Narrow grooves, i.e. having a width of less than 4 mm} - B60C 2011/0353: {characterised by width} - B60C 2011/0358: {Lateral grooves, i.e. having an angle of 45 to 90 degees to the equatorial plane} - B60C 2011/0365: {characterised by width} - B60C 2011/0367: {characterised by depth} - B60C 2011/0374: {Slant grooves, i.e. having an angle of about 5 to 35 degrees to the equatorial plane} - B60C 2011/0376: {characterised by width} - B60C 2011/0379: {characterised by depth} - B60C 2011/0381: {Blind or isolated grooves} - B60C 2011/1209: {straight at the tread surface} - 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 includes a tread portion provided with inclined main grooves arranged between the tire equator and a first tread edge and sub-grooves smaller than the inclined main grooves in groove width. The inclined main grooves include inner main grooves each extending from a first end located on the tire equator side to a second end located on the first tread edge side with an inclination with respect to a tire circumferential direction, wherein no other grooves are provided between the first end of each inner main groove and the tire equator. The sub-grooves include first sub-grooves extending from the inner main grooves toward the tire equator with an opposite inclination direction to the inner main grooves with respect to the tire circumferential direction and terminating on the tire equator side without being communicated with any other grooves. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motorcycle tire comprising: a tread portion comprising a ground contact surface curved in an arc shape manner to protrude radially outwardly; a first tread edge and a tire equator, the tread portion provided with inclined main grooves arranged between the tire equator and the first tread edge and sub-grooves smaller than the inclined main grooves in groove width; the inclined main grooves comprising inner main grooves each extending from a first end located on the tire equator side to a second end located on the first tread edge side with an inclination with respect to a tire circumferential direction, wherein no other grooves are provided between the first end of each inner main groove and the tire equator; and the sub-grooves comprising first sub-grooves extending from the inner main grooves toward the tire equator with an opposite inclination direction to the inner main grooves with respect to the tire circumferential direction and terminating on the tire equator side without being communicated with any other grooves. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein the tread portion has a designated rotation direction, and the inner main grooves each extend from the first end forwardly in the rotation direction toward the first tread edge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein the sub-grooves comprise second sub-grooves extending from the inner main grooves toward the first tread edge with a same inclination direction as the first sub-grooves with respect to the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein the first sub-grooves each comprise a portion having an angle with respect to the tire circumferential direction smaller than that of each of the second sub-grooves. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein the respective second sub-grooves are continuous smoothly to the respective first sub-grooves through the inner main grooves. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein in a pair of first and second sub-grooves which are communicated with a same inner main groove, a circumferential distance from a first end of the first sub-groove located on the tire equator side to a second end of the second sub-groove located on the first tread edge side is longer than a circumferential length of the inner main groove. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein groove widths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.3 to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein groove depths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.2 to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The motorcycle tire according to claim 1, wherein the inclined main grooves comprise outer main grooves arranged on the first tread edge side of the first sub-grooves and inclined in an opposite direction to the inner main grooves. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The motorcycle tire according to claim 9, wherein the respective outer main grooves overlap regions where the respective inner main grooves are expanded in a longitudinal direction thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The motorcycle tire according to claim 9, wherein the sub-grooves comprise third sub-grooves each having a portion that is inclined in a same direction as the first sub-grooves in a region between one inner main groove and one adjacent outer main groove. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The motorcycle tire according to claim 4, wherein the respective second sub-grooves are continuous smoothly to the respective first sub-grooves through the inner main grooves. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The motorcycle tire according to claim 4, wherein in a pair of first and second sub-grooves which are communicated with a same inner main groove, a circumferential distance from a first end of the first sub-groove located on the tire equator side to a second end of the second sub-groove located on the first tread edge side is longer than a circumferential length of the inner main groove. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The motorcycle tire according to claim 5, wherein in a pair of first and second sub-grooves which are communicated with a same inner main groove, a circumferential distance from a first end of the first sub-groove located on the tire equator side to a second end of the second sub-groove located on the first tread edge side is longer than a circumferential length of the inner main groove. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein groove widths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.3 to 1.5 mm, and groove depths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.2 to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The motorcycle tire according to claim 3, wherein groove widths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.3 to 1.5 mm, and groove depths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.2 to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) The motorcycle fire according to claim 4, wherein groove widths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.3 to 1.5 mm, and groove depths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.2 to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The motorcycle tire according to claim 5, wherein groove widths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.3 to 1.5 mm, and groove depths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.2 to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The motorcycle tire according to claim 6, wherein groove widths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.3 to 1.5 mm, and groove depths of the first sub-grooves are in a range of from 0.2 to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The motorcycle tire according to claim 2, wherein the inclined main grooves comprise outer main grooves arranged on the first tread edge side of the first sub-grooves and inclined in an opposite direction to the inner main grooves.