# US 9,038,684 B2 · Pneumatic tire unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,684 B2 - Document ID: US9038684B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/630,881 - Filed: 2012-09-28 - Published: 2014-01-09 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-28 - Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. - Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD. - Inventors: Masataka Kubota; Masatoshi Kuwajima; Masataka Koishi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038684B2 ## CPC - B60C 13/02: Arrangement of grooves or ribs - B60C 19/001: {Tyres requiring an asymmetric or a special mounting} - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES ## Abstract A pneumatic tire unit comprises a front tire to be mounted on a leading side of a vehicle, and a rear tire to be mounted on a trailing side of the vehicle. A plurality of recesses is provided in at least one tire side portion of the front tire, and a plurality of protrusions is provided on at least one tire side portion of the rear tire. A negative pressure region that can be generated at a back surface side of the vehicle is reduced and, therefore, air resistance of the vehicle is reduced and fuel economy is enhanced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pneumatic tire unit comprising: a front tire to be mounted on a leading side of a vehicle, and a rear tire to be mounted on a trailing side of the vehicle; wherein a plurality of recesses is provided in only one tire side portion of the front tire, and a plurality of protrusions is provided on only one tire side portion of the rear tire; the recesses and the protrusions are disposed in a circumferential direction at a predetermined pitch; the protrusions are not provided in either tire side portion of the front tire; the recesses are not provided in either tire side portion of the rear tire; the recesses are provided in the tire side portion of a vehicle outer side of the front tire; and the protrusions are provided on the tire side portion of a vehicle inner side of the rear tire. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are provided at least between a maximum tire width position and a ground contact edge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions are provided at least between the maximum tire width position and a ground contact edge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein a protruding height of the protrusions is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 10.0 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are disposed so that a volume progressively varies in a tire radial direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 5, wherein the recesses are disposed so that the volume progressively varies in the tire radial direction by progressively decreasing outwardly in the tire radial direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein a depth of the recesses is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 5.0 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein a maximum diameter dimension of openings of the recesses is not less than 1.0 mm and not more than 8.0 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein the recesses and protrusions are provided at least between a maximum tire width position and a ground contact edge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein: a protruding height of the protrusions is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 10.0 mm; a depth of the recesses is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 5.0 mm; and a maximum diameter dimension of openings of the recesses is not less than 1.0 mm and not more than 8.0 mm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are disposed so that a volume progressively varies in a tire radial direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein the recesses and protrusions are provided at least between a maximum tire width position and a ground contact edge. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 12, wherein: a protruding height of the protrusions is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 10.0 mm; a depth of the recesses is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 5.0 mm; and a maximum diameter dimension of openings of the recesses is not less than 1.0 mm and not more than 8.0 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 13, wherein the recesses are disposed so that a volume progressively varies in a tire radial direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein: a protruding height of the protrusions is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 10.0 mm; a depth of the recesses is not less than 0.5 mm and not more than 5.0 mm; and a maximum diameter dimension of openings of the recesses is not less than 1.0 mm and not more than 8.0 mm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 15, wherein the recesses are disposed so that a volume progressively varies in a tire radial direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire unit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of recesses includes discrete recesses in the tire circumferential direction and discrete recesses in the tire radial direction, and wherein the plurality of protrusions includes discrete protrusions in the tire circumferential direction and discrete protrusions in the tire radial direction. ### Claim 18 A pneumatic tire unit comprising: a front tire to be mounted on a leading side of a vehicle, and a rear tire to be mounted on a trailing side of the vehicle; wherein a plurality of recesses is provided in a front tire side portion, and a plurality of protrusions is provided on a rear tire side portion; the recesses and the protrusions are disposed in a circumferential direction at a predetermined pitch; inner and outer sides of the front tire are devoid of the protrusions; and inner and outer sides of the rear tire are devoid of the recesses.