# US 5,343,918 A · Tread for a pneumatic tire with differing tread stiffness regions

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- Number: US 5,343,918 A
- Document ID: US5343918A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/913,125
- Filed: 1992-07-13
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1990-05-17
- Assignees: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
- Inventors: Jean F. L. Fontaine
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5343918A

## CPC

- B60C 11/0306: {Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs}
- B60C 11/0302: {directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction}
- B60C 11/11: in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of isolated elements, e.g. blocks (B60C11/12, B60C11/13 take precedence)
- B60C 11/12: characterised by the use of narrow slits or incisions, e.g. sipes
- B60C 11/13: characterised by the groove cross-section, e.g. for buttressing or preventing stone-trapping
- B60C 2011/0383: {at the centre of the tread}
- B60C 2011/0388: {provided at the equatorial plane}
- B60C 2011/1213: {sinusoidal or zigzag at the tread surface}
- Y10S 152/03: Slits in threads
- B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A pneumatic tire tread with at least one circumferentially extending row of high stiffness blocks and one of low stiffness blocks where the low stiffness blocks are between 4 to 10% greater height than the high stiffness blocks.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tread for a pneumatic tire comprising an annular shaped band of elastomeric material when in place on the tire, said tread having a central groove and two lateral portions, each lateral portion having grooves therein defining at least one circumferentially extending row of high stiffness blocks and one row of low stiffness blocks, all low stiffness blocks having a radial height being between 4 to 10% greater than the radial height of said high stiffness blocks when measured from the bottom of the tread groove and a Shore A hardness of less than 65.