US 9,969,223 B2Granted

Pneumatic tire

AssigneeSumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.

InventorKazuki Higashiura

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Abstract

A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including a first tread pattern and a second tread pattern. The first tread pattern and the second pattern are formed as substantially symmetrical design to the tire equator and arranged such that pattern phases thereof are shifted one another in a circumferential direction of the tire. Each of the first tread pattern and the second tread pattern is provided with lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly with an inclination from a tread edge to an axially inner end located near the tire equator, an inner connecting groove connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, and an outer connecting groove connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves. A central connecting grooves is arranged to connect between a pair of axially adjacent lateral inclined grooves.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A pneumatic tire comprising:

a tread portion comprising a first tread pattern formed between a tire equator and one of tread edges, and a second tread pattern formed between the tire equator and the other one of the tread edges,
wherein
the first tread pattern and the second pattern are formed as a substantially symmetrical design with respect to the tire equator, the first tread pattern and the second pattern being arranged such that pattern phases thereof are shifted from one another in a circumferential direction of the tire,
each of the first tread pattern and the second tread pattern is provided with a plurality of lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly with an inclination from the tread edge to an axially inner end located near the tire equator without reaching the tire equator, an axially inner connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, and an axially outer connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves;
a plurality of central connecting grooves are arranged axially inward of the inner connecting grooves of the first and second tread patterns, each central connecting groove extending across the tire equator and connecting one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the first tread pattern with one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the second tread pattern;
and
each of the lateral inclined grooves comprises a groove center line, the groove center line comprises an intersection point A with the tread edge, an intersection point B with an axially inner end of the outer connecting groove, an intersection point C with an axially inner end of the inner connecting groove and an intersection point D with the central connecting groove, and angles θab, θbc and θcd satisfy the following relationships:
θab<θbc<θcd,
25(deg.)<θab<35(deg.),
45(deg.)<θbc<55(deg.), and
55(deg.)<θcd<65(deg.),
where “θab” is an angle of a segment AB extending from the point A to the point B with respect to an axial direction of the tire, “θbc” is an angle of a segment BC extending from the point B to the point C with respect to the axial direction of the tire, and “θcd” is an angle of a segment CD extending from the point C to the point D with respect to the axial direction of the tire.

9 more elements

A pneumatic tire comprising:

a tread portion comprising a first tread pattern formed between a tire equator and one of tread edges, and a second tread pattern formed between the tire equator and the other one of the tread edges,
wherein
the first tread pattern and the second pattern are formed as a substantially symmetrical design with respect to the tire equator, the first tread pattern and the second pattern being arranged such that pattern phases thereof are shifted from one another in a circumferential direction of the tire,
each of the first tread pattern and the second tread pattern is provided with a plurality of lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly with an inclination from the tread edge to an axially inner end located near the tire equator without reaching the tire equator, an axially inner connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, and an axially outer connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves;
a plurality of central connecting grooves are arranged axially inward of the inner connecting grooves of the first and second tread patterns, each central connecting groove extending across the tire equator and connecting one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the first tread pattern with one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the second tread pattern;
the tread portion comprises a central block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the inner connecting groove and a pair of central connecting grooves, a middle block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the inner connecting groove and the outer connecting groove, and a shoulder block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the outer connecting groove and one of the tread edges;
and
the central block is provided with a sipe extending substantially in an axial direction of the tire.

5 more elements

A pneumatic tire comprising:

a tread portion comprising a first tread pattern formed between a tire equator and one of tread edges, and a second tread pattern formed between the tire equator and the other one of the tread edges,
wherein
the first tread pattern and the second pattern are formed as a substantially symmetrical design with respect to the tire equator, the first tread pattern and the second pattern being arranged such that pattern phases thereof are shifted from one another in a circumferential direction of the tire,
each of the first tread pattern and the second tread pattern is provided with a plurality of lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly with an inclination from the tread edge to an axially inner end located near the tire equator without reaching the tire equator, an axially inner connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, and an axially outer connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves;
a plurality of central connecting grooves are arranged axially inward of the inner connecting grooves of the first and second tread patterns, each central connecting groove extending across the tire equator and connecting one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the first tread pattern with one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the second tread pattern;
the tread portion comprises a central block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the inner connecting groove and a pair of central connecting grooves, a middle block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the inner connecting groove and the outer connecting groove, and a shoulder block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the outer connecting groove and one of the tread edges;
and
the middle block is provided with a sipe extending substantially in parallel with the inner connecting groove.

5 more elements

A pneumatic tire comprising:

a tread portion comprising a first tread pattern formed between a tire equator and one of tread edges, and a second tread pattern formed between the tire equator and the other one of the tread edges,
wherein
the first tread pattern and the second pattern are formed as a substantially symmetrical design with respect to the tire equator, the first tread pattern and the second pattern being arranged such that pattern phases thereof are shifted from one another in a circumferential direction of the tire,
each of the first tread pattern and the second tread pattern is provided with a plurality of lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly with an inclination from the tread edge to an axially inner end located near the tire equator without reaching the tire equator, an axially inner connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, and an axially outer connecting groove having an opposite inclination to the inclination of the lateral inclined grooves and connecting between a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves;
a plurality of central connecting grooves are arranged axially inward of the inner connecting grooves of the first and second tread patterns, each central connecting groove extending across the tire equator and connecting one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the first tread pattern with one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the second tread pattern;
the tread portion comprises a central block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the inner connecting groove and a pair of central connecting grooves, a middle block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the inner connecting groove and the outer connecting groove, and a shoulder block surrounded by a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves, the outer connecting groove and one of the tread edges;
and
the shoulder block is provided with a sipe extending substantially in parallel with the lateral inclined grooves.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/058,884Filed 2 Mar 2016
Priority: JP 2015-0764533 Apr 2015
Published: US 2016/0288580 A16 Oct 2016
Granted: 15 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B60C 11/0327
Tread patterns: characterised by special properties of the tread pattern
B60C 11/0302
Tread patterns: directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction
B60C 11/0306
Tread patterns: patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs
B60C 11/1236
Characterised by the use of narrow slits or incisions, e.g. sipes: with special arrangements in the tread pattern