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US 2022/0153063 A1Published application
Tire tread with reduced rolling resistance
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorJeffrey P. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire comprising a plurality of tread blocks. At least one tread block includes one or more piers for stiffening the tread blocks while allowing normal lateral (tangential) or circumferential strain for normal braking and motive traction. The piers can extend the entire length dimension of the tread block or portions thereof
Claims20
A tire for a vehicle, comprising:
- a body including:
- a first tread shoulder and a second tread shoulder opposite to the first tread shoulder;
- a crown region between the first tread shoulder and the second tread shoulder;
- and
- a tread block within the crown region, the tread block spaced apart from the first tread shoulder and the second tread shoulder, the tread block including a plurality of sidewalls including opposing lateral sidewalls, an end surface extending between distal ends of the plurality of sidewalls, and a lateral dimension extending between the opposing lateral side walls of the plurality of sidewalls;
- a stiffening pier in the body having a stiffness greater than a stiffness of the tread block to reduce rolling resistance when the vehicle is in operation to improve fuel efficiency of the vehicle in operation, the stiffening pier having a T-shape cross-section including:
- a cross-bar portion within the body to retain the stiffening pier within the body, the cross-bar portion having a lateral dimension less than the lateral dimension of the tread block;
- and
- a transverse portion extending between the end surface of the tread block to and the cross-bar portion, the transverse portion having a lateral dimension less than the lateral dimension of the cross-bar portion, the transverse portion configured to bend when the tread block is exposed to forces when the vehicle is in operation.
6 more elements
A tire for a vehicle, comprising:
- a body including:
- a first tread shoulder and a second tread shoulder opposite to the first tread shoulder;
- a crown region between the first tread shoulder and the second tread shoulder;
- and
- a tread block within the crown region, the tread block including a plurality of sidewalls including opposing lateral sidewalls, an end surface extending between distal ends of the plurality of sidewalls, and a lateral dimension extending between the opposing lateral sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls;
- and
- a plate stiffening pier in the tread block having a stiffness greater than a stiffness of the tread block to reduce rolling resistance when the vehicle is in operation to improve fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the plate stiffening pier extending through a central region of the tread block and defining distinct fore and aft portions of the tread block separated by the plate stiffening pier, the plate stiffening pier including a distal end surface exposed at the end surface of the tread black and opposing transverse end surfaces exposed at the opposing lateral sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls of the tread block.
4 more elements
A tire for a vehicle, comprising:
- a body including:
- a first tread shoulder and a second tread shoulder opposite to the first tread shoulder;
- a crown region between the first tread shoulder and the second tread shoulder;
- and
- a tread block including a forward sidewall, a trailing sidewall opposite to the forward sidewall, and opposing transverse sidewalls that extend between the forward sidewall and the trailing sidewall;
- a plate stiffening pier in the tread block having a stiffness greater than a stiffness of the tread block to reduce rolling resistance when the vehicle is in operation to improve fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the plate stiffening pier being spaced inwardly from the forward sidewall and the trailing sidewall of the tread block, and the plate stiffening pier extending between the opposing transverse sidewalls of the tread block.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.