IP Library Granted Patent US 12679145
Granted Patent B2
US 12679145 · App. 18/252,970 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Tire

Inventor: Masatoshi Kuriyama (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/0304B60C11/1204B60C11/1236B60C11/1281B60C2011/013B60C2011/0348B60C2011/0381B60C2011/1254
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12679145
App. No.
18/252,970
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tire includes: main grooves provided in a tread; an intermediate land provided between a first main groove and a second main groove from a vehicle outer side; a first sipe extending through the intermediate land in a width direction; and a first lug groove open to the first main groove. The first sipe is bent in the intermediate land. The first sipe includes a first portion on one side of the bent portion in the width direction, inclined with respect to a circumferential direction, and open to the second main groove and a second portion on the other side of the bent portion in the width direction, inclined toward a side opposite to the first portion with respect to the circumferential direction, and open to the first main groove. Extension lines of the second portion and a groove center line of the first lug groove are substantially parallel.

Claims (69)

1 . A tire, comprising:

at least four main grooves provided in a tread portion;

a first intermediate land portion provided between a first main groove that is a primary main groove and a second main groove that is a secondary main groove from a vehicle outer side when mounted on a vehicle;

a first sipe provided in the first intermediate land portion and extending through the first intermediate land portion in a tire width direction; and

a first lug groove provided in a land portion of the first main groove on the vehicle outer side, and opening at one end to the first main groove and terminating at the other end within the land portion of the first main groove on the vehicle outer side;

the first sipe being bent in a bent portion provided in the first intermediate land portion,

the first sipe including a first inclined portion provided on one side of the bent portion in the tire width direction, inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and open to the second main groove and a second inclined portion provided on the other side of the bent portion in the tire width direction, inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction toward a side opposite to the first inclined portion, and open to the first main groove,

a difference between an inclination angle of an extension line of the second inclined portion with respect to the tire circumferential direction and an inclination angle of an extension line of the groove center line of the first lug groove with respect to the tire circumferential direction being within ±10 degrees, and

a ratio L 41 /SW 1 of an extension length L 41 of the first sipe in the tire circumferential direction to an extension length SW 1 of the first sipe in the tire width direction being 0.2 or more and 0.4 or less.

2 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

one end of the first inclined portion opens to the second main groove,

the first inclined portion has a first chamfered portion provided in a portion of a side surface on the way toward the bent portion from the one end, and

a ratio MW 1 /SW 1 of an extension length MW 1 of the first chamfered portion in the tire width direction to the extension length SW 1 of the first sipe in the tire width direction is 0.2 or more and 0.4 or less.

3 . The tire according to claim 1 , comprising:

a second intermediate land portion provided between a third main groove that is a tertiary main groove and a fourth main groove that is a quaternary main groove from the vehicle outer side when mounted on the vehicle; and

a second sipe provided in the second intermediate land portion and extending in the tire circumferential direction, wherein

one end of the second sipe opens to the fourth main groove, and the other end of the second sipe terminates in the second intermediate land portion,

the second sipe is bent on the way toward the other end from the one end, and

the second sipe has a second chamfered portion provided in a portion of a side surface on the way toward the other end from the one end.

4 . The tire according to claim 3 , wherein a ratio SW 2 /L 2 of an extension length SW 2 of the second sipe in the tire width direction to a land portion width L 2 of the second intermediate land portion is 0.5 or more and 0.7 or less.

5 . The tire according to claim 3 , wherein a ratio MW 2 /SW 2 of an extension length MW 2 of the second chamfered portion in the tire width direction to an extension length SW 2 of the second sipe in the tire width direction is 0.4 or more and 0.6 or less.

6 . The tire according to claim 3 , comprising:

a third intermediate land portion provided between the second main groove that is the secondary main groove and the third main groove that is the tertiary main groove from the vehicle outer side when mounted on the vehicle;

a third sipe provided in the third intermediate land portion and extending in the tire circumferential direction, wherein

a ratio SW 1 /L 1 of the extension length SW 1 of the first sipe in the tire width direction to a land portion width L 1 of the first intermediate land portion L 1 , a ratio SW 2 /L 2 of an extension length SW 2 of the second sipe in the tire width direction to a land portion width L 2 of the second intermediate land portion, and a ratio SW 3 /L 3 of an extension length SW 3 of the third sipe in the tire width direction to a land portion width L 3 of the third intermediate land portion satisfy a relationship of the ratio SW 1 /L 1 >the ratio SW 2 /L 2 >the ratio SW 3 /L 3 .

7 . The tire according to claim 1 , comprising:

a third intermediate land portion provided between a second main groove that is a secondary main groove and a third main groove that is a tertiary main groove from the vehicle outer side when mounted on the vehicle; and

a third sipe provided in the third intermediate land portion and extending in the tire circumferential direction, wherein

one end of the third sipe opens to the third main groove, and the other end of the third sipe terminates in the third intermediate land portion,

the third sipe is bent on the way toward the other end from the one end, and

the third sipe has a second chamfered portion on both side surfaces on the way toward the other end from the one end.

8 . The tire according to claim 7 , wherein a ratio SW 3 /L 3 of an extension length SW 3 of the third sipe in the tire width direction to a land portion width L 3 of the third intermediate land portion is 0.3 or more and 0.5 or less.

9 . The tire according to claim 1 , comprising:

an inner shoulder land portion provided on a vehicle inner side of a fourth main groove that is a quaternary main groove from the vehicle outer side when mounted on the vehicle;

an inner shoulder lug groove provided in the inner shoulder land portion and extending in the tire width direction; and

an inner shoulder sipe having one end connected to the inner shoulder lug groove and the other end connected to the fourth main groove.

10 . The tire according to claim 9 , wherein

the inner shoulder lug groove has a bent portion at a position on the vehicle inner side of a connection portion with the inner shoulder lug groove, and

an extension direction of a portion of the inner shoulder lug groove on the vehicle inner side of the bent portion is different from an extension direction of the inner shoulder sipe.

11 . The tire according to claim 9 , comprising

a dimple provided on an outer side in the tire width direction of a ground contact edge of the inner shoulder land portion.

12 . The tire according to claim 1 , comprising:

an outer shoulder land portion provided on the vehicle outer side of the first main groove that is a primary main groove from the vehicle outer side when mounted on the vehicle;

an outer shoulder lug groove provided in the outer shoulder land portion, extending in the tire width direction, and having one end terminating at the outer shoulder land portion; and

an outer shoulder sipe provided in the outer shoulder land portion, extending in the tire width direction, and having one end terminating at the outer shoulder land portion.

13 . The tire according to claim 12 , wherein the outer shoulder lug groove and the outer shoulder sipe are alternately provided in the tire circumferential direction.

14 . The tire according to claim 12 , comprising

a dimple provided on an outer side in the tire width direction of a ground contact edge of the outer shoulder land portion.

15 . The tire according to claim 1 , comprising

a mounting direction indicator configured to indicate that the tire is mounted on the vehicle such that a vehicle inner side region when mounted on the vehicle is placed on an inner side in the vehicle width direction.

16 . A tire, comprising:

at least four main grooves provided in a tread portion;

a first intermediate land portion provided between a first main groove that is a primary main groove and a second main groove that is a secondary main groove from a vehicle outer side when mounted on a vehicle;

a first sipe provided in the first intermediate land portion and extending through the first intermediate land portion in a tire width direction; and

a first lug groove provided in a land portion of the first main groove on the vehicle outer side and open to the first main groove;

the first sipe being bent in a bent portion provided in the first intermediate land portion,

the first sipe including a first inclined portion provided on one side of the bent portion in the tire width direction, inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and open to the second main groove and a second inclined portion provided on the other side of the bent portion in the tire width direction, inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction toward a side opposite to the first inclined portion, and open to the first main groove,

a difference between an inclination angle of an extension line of the second inclined portion with respect to the tire circumferential direction and an inclination angle of an extension line of the groove center line of the first lug groove with respect to the tire circumferential direction being within ±10 degrees, and

a ratio L 41 /SW 1 of an extension length L 41 of the first sipe in the tire circumferential direction to an extension length SW 1 of the first sipe in the tire width direction being 0.2 or more and 0.4 or less.

17 . A tire, comprising:

at least four main grooves provided in a tread portion;

a first intermediate land portion provided between a first main groove that is a primary main groove and a second main groove that is a secondary main groove from a vehicle outer side when mounted on a vehicle;

a first sipe provided in the first intermediate land portion and extending through the first intermediate land portion in a tire width direction; and

a first lug groove provided in a land portion of the first main groove on the vehicle outer side and open to the first main groove;

the first sipe being bent in a bent portion provided in the first intermediate land portion,

the first sipe including a first inclined portion provided on one side of the bent portion in the tire width direction, inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and open to the second main groove and a second inclined portion provided on the other side of the bent portion in the tire width direction, inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction toward a side opposite to the first inclined portion, and open to the first main groove,

a difference between an inclination angle of an extension line of the second inclined portion with respect to the tire circumferential direction and an inclination angle of an extension line of the groove center line of the first lug groove with respect to the tire circumferential direction being within ±10 degrees,

the land portion of the first main groove on the vehicle outer side comprising a circumferential narrow groove that continuously extends in the tire circumferential direction without intersecting the first lug groove, and

a ratio L 41 /SW 1 of an extension length L 41 of the first sipe in the tire circumferential direction to an extension length SW 1 of the first sipe in the tire width direction being 0.2 or more and 0.4 or less.