# US 9,038,681 B2 · Heavy load pneumatic tire for construction vehicles

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- Number: US 9,038,681 B2
- Document ID: US9038681B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/880,528
- Filed: 2011-10-24
- Published: 2013-08-15
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-10-22
- Assignees: Bridgestone Corporation
- Applicants: Hidetoshi Yoda
- Inventors: Hidetoshi Yoda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038681B2

## CPC

- 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 11/0302: {directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction}
- B60C 11/0311: {Patterns comprising tread lugs arranged parallel or oblique to the axis of rotation}
- B60C 11/033: {by the void or net-to-gross ratios of the patterns}
- B60C 2011/0313: {directional type}
- B60C 2011/0374: {Slant grooves, i.e. having an angle of about 5 to 35 degrees to the equatorial plane}
- B60C 2200/065: for construction vehicles
- B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES

## Abstract

Side lug rows are provided at both side regions of a tread surface and are formed by a plurality of lugs defined by lug grooves opening to edges in the tread width direction, and a central block row aligned on the tire equator and formed by a plurality of blocks is disposed between positions at ¼ of the tread surface width from the tire equator. The tire has a directional tread pattern, with a designated rotation direction, formed by circumferential grooves and width direction grooves that define the blocks of the central block row and are narrow grooves with a narrower groove width than the lug grooves. The distance from the tire equator to the groove wall in each of the circumferential grooves defining the blocks is set to be larger at a leading edge of each block than at a trailing edge of each block.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heavy load pneumatic tire for construction vehicles comprising:
side lug rows, at both side regions of a tread surface, formed by a plurality of lugs defined by lug grooves each opening to a respective tread end in a tread width direction, and a central block row aligned on a tire equator and formed by a plurality of blocks disposed between positions at ¼ of a tread surface width from the tire equator; and
a directional tread pattern, with a designated rotation direction, formed by circumferential grooves and width direction grooves that define the blocks of the central block row and have groove widths narrower than that of the lug grooves, wherein
a distance from the tire equator to a groove wall in each of the circumferential grooves defining the blocks is larger at a leading edge of each block than at a trailing edge of each block, and
the blocks on the tire equator are each shaped as a trapezoid, with the leading edge as a lower base and the trailing edge as an upper base, in a developed plan view of the tread pattern.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heavy load pneumatic tire for construction vehicles according to claim 1, wherein a negative ratio is at most 20% in a central region of the tread surface between the positions at ¼ of the tread surface width from the tire equator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heavy load pneumatic tire for construction vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential grooves are separated from the tire equator by at least 10% of the tread surface width and are disposed between the positions at ¼ of the tread surface width from the tire equator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The heavy load pneumatic tire for construction vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the groove width of each of the circumferential grooves and the width direction grooves is such that opposing groove walls touch each other within a tire ground contact area.

### Claim 5

A heavy load pneumatic tire for construction vehicles comprising:
side lug rows, at both side regions of a tread surface, formed by a plurality of lugs defined by lug grooves each opening to a respective tread end in a tread width direction, and a central block row aligned on a tire equator and formed by a plurality of blocks disposed between positions at ¼ of a tread surface width from the tire equator; and
a directional tread pattern, with a designated rotation direction, formed by circumferential grooves and width direction grooves that define the blocks of the central block row and have groove widths narrower than that of the lug grooves, wherein
a distance from the tire equator to a groove wall in each of the circumferential grooves defining the blocks is larger at a leading edge of each block than at a trailing edge of each block, and
an inclination angle with respect to the tire equator of each of the circumferential grooves defining the blocks is in a range of 15° to 30°, and the groove width of each circumferential groove is in a range of 0.5% to 2.5% of the tread surface width.

### Claim 6

A heavy load pneumatic tire for construction vehicles comprising:
side lug rows, at both side regions of a tread surface, formed by a plurality of lugs defined by lug grooves each opening to a respective tread end in a tread width direction, and a central block row aligned on a tire equator and formed by a plurality of blocks disposed between positions at ¼ of a tread surface width from the tire equator; and
a directional tread pattern, with a designated rotation direction, formed by circumferential grooves and width direction grooves that define the blocks of the central block row and have groove widths narrower than that of the lug grooves, wherein
a distance from the tire equator to a groove wall in each of the circumferential grooves defining the blocks is larger at a leading edge of each block than at a trailing edge of each block, and
the width direction grooves defining the blocks extend from the tire equator in a range of at least 10% and less than 25% of the tread surface width and are each in communication with both lug grooves opening to the edges in the tread width direction, and the groove width of each of the width direction grooves is in a range of 3% to 8% of a pitch length of the blocks.