Pneumatic tire and method of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire, the improvement which comprises the steps of;

• dividing a tread portion of silica-rich compound into three portions in a V- or a reverse V-shape in a width directional section of the tire, adhering a conductive rubber layer consisting of a conductive rubber sheet or conductive cement layer to at least one of the surfaces created from the division, and thereafter connecting the three tread portions which were divided into one through said conductive rubber layer to thereby provide the tread portion with a conductive rubber layer having a V- or a reverse V-shape in the width directional section of the tire.

A pneumatic tire comprising;

• a tread, a silica-rich compound rubber layer on at least the surface portion of said tread, said silica-rich compound rubber layer being divided at at least one portion in a width directional section of the tire by a conductive rubber layer extending in a circumferential direction substantially over the whole thickness of said rubber layer, wherein said conductive rubber layer is formed into a V- or reverse V-shape having a width in the range of 0.1-3 mm in a width directional section of said tire and a thickness direction distance (a) in a width directional section of said rubber layer and an edge face length (b) of said conductive rubber layer in a width directional section satisfy, a<b, wherein said V-shape conductive rubber layer has upper ends of said conductive rubber layer at a tread ground surface portion and a lower end thereof extends to a radially inner position substantially dividing the tread in a widthwise manner or said reverse V-shape has an upper end of said conductive layer extending to said tread surface to substantially divide the tread in a widthwise manner and lower ends thereof extend to a tread base.