Pneumatic tire having tread including inboard side area and outboard side area

A pneumatic tire for mounting to a wheel and supporting a vehicle above a surface, the tire comprising a tread having opposite edges and a surface contact portion when the tire is supporting a vehicle, the tread including:

• (a) a central circumferential main groove extending circumferentially around the tire and dividing the surface contact portion substantially into two equal halves;
• (b) an inboard side area extending from the central circumferential main groove towards the inboard side tread edge when the tire is supporting a vehicle, the tread having in the inboard side area:
• (i) a negative ratio from 34% to 39%;
• (ii) at least one other circumferential main groove extending circumferentially around the tire between the central circumferential main groove and the inboard side area tread edge;
• and
• (iii) a plurality of lateral main grooves, each lateral main groove having a beginning end opening into the central circumferential main groove and slanting away from the central circumferential main groove at a first angle relative to the tire circumferential direction, to an opposite end opening at the inboard side area tread edge, the first angle increasing in a range from 55° to 90° in a direction along each lateral main groove towards the inboard side area tread edge;
• and
• (iv) a plurality of land portions each separated from one another by the lateral main grooves and the circumferential main grooves;
• and
• (c) an outboard side area extending from the central circumferential main groove away from the vehicle when the tire is supporting a vehicle, the tread having in the outboard side area:
• (i) a negative ratio from 35% to 37%;
• (ii) a plurality of lateral main grooves, each lateral main groove having a beginning end opening into the central circumferential main groove and slanting away from the central circumferential main groove at a second angle relative to the tire circumferential direction, to an opposite end opening at the outboard side area tread edge, the second angle increasing in a range from 55° to 90° in a direction along each lateral main groove towards the outboard side area tread edge, each lateral main groove having its beginning end located further toward a direction of rotation of the tire relative to the opposite end when the tire is rolling forwardly as used on a vehicle;
• (iii) a plurality of slanted longitudinal grooves, each slanted longitudinal groove having a beginning end opening into a lateral main groove and extending at a third angle relative to the tire circumferential direction, at least to a terminating end in a vicinity of the outboard tread edge, the beginning end being located further toward a direction of rotation of the tire relative to the terminating end of the slanted longitudinal groove when the tire is rolling forwardly as used on a vehicle, the third angle being in a range of 5° to 50° and increasing in a direction along each slanted longitudinal groove towards the outboard area tread edge, each slanted longitudinal groove intersecting a plurality of lateral main grooves, with at least three intersections, the intersection of the at least three intersections nearest or at the beginning end of the slanted longitudinal groove being located 9% to 35% of a width of the surface contact portion from the central circumferential main groove, in the outboard direction, each slanted longitudinal main groove having at each of the at least three intersections a width of 50% to 120% of the width of the beginning end of the lateral main groove which opens into the central circumferential main groove;
• and
• (iv) a plurality of land portions each separated from one another by the slanted longitudinal and lateral main grooves
• wherein said inboard side area does not contain any of said slanted longitudinal main grooves.