Progressive tire tread wear indicator
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorRichard Heinen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tire tread has at least one cavern formed in the sidewall of the traction elements of the tire. The cavern has a base with information therein to indicate the state of wear of the tire and a ceiling that is progressively worn away as the tread wears. Multiple caverns may be formed in the traction elements. If arranged in a series at progressively increasing or decreasing radial heights, the remaining tread life is communicated to an operator. If the caverns are located in different locations of the tread, relative wear patterns of the tire can also be indicated.
Claims14
A tire tread for a vehicle tire, the tread having at least one tread element projecting from the base of the tread, the tread element having at least one radially extending side,
- wherein the side of the at least one tread element has a cavern formed therein, the cavern having a roof and a base located below the uppermost surface of the tread element when the tire is unworn, the cavern base being parallel to the uppermost surface of the tread element and an indicator being provided on the cavern base to indicate the state of wear of the tread, the indicator being in the form of a number, a numerical fraction, or a symbol having a shape indicating the state of wear of the tread.
A tire tread for a vehicle tire, the tread having a plurality of tread elements, the tread elements having radially extending sidewalls,
- the tread being characterized by at least one series of adjacent caverns formed in a sidewall of one of the tread elements or sidewalls of the tread elements, each cavern in the series having a roof and a cavern base parallel to the uppermost surface of the tread element and an indicator being provided on the cavern base to indicate the state of wear of the tread, the indicator being in the form of a number, a numerical fraction, or a symbol having a shape indicating the state of wear of the tread, wherein the base of each of the adjacent caverns in the series is located at a different radial heights.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.