IP Library Granted Patent US 12686236
Granted Patent B2
US 12686236 · App. 18/657,609 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Studded tyre having grooves

Inventors: Mikko Liukkula (Nokia, FI); Aappo Laitila (Nokia, FI); Lauri Heikkinen (Nokia, FI)
Assignee: NOKIAN RENKAAT OYJ
B60C11/1625B60C11/005B60C11/0302B60C11/033B60C11/1236B60C11/1618B60C11/1668B60C11/1675B60C2011/0025B60C2011/1213B60C2011/1254B60C2011/1295
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12686236
App. No.
18/657,609
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tyre includes a tread having tread blocks such that grooves are arranged between the tread blocks and studs installed into at least some of the tread blocks. A central region of the tread is arranged between a first shoulder region of the tread and a second shoulder region of the tread. A land ratio of the central region of the tread of the tyre is 1 to 30 percentage points greater than either or both of a land ratio of the first shoulder region of the tread of the tyre and a land ratio of the second shoulder region of the tread of the tyre.

Claims (65)

1 . A tyre comprising:

a tread comprising tread blocks such that grooves are arranged between the tread blocks, and studs installed into at least some of the tread blocks, wherein:

a central region of the tread is arranged between a first shoulder region of the tread and a second shoulder region of the tread, the central region comprising a circumferential central line of the tread,

the tread blocks define:

a land portion of the tread, the land portion comprising parts of the tread blocks and the studs arranged to contact a ground surface when the tyre is in use, the land portion having a total land area, and

an envelope surface comprising the land portion of the tread and the regions defined by the openings of the grooves, the envelope surface having a total envelope area,

the land portion of the tread comprises:

a central land area being an area of a part of the land portion of the tread that belongs to the central region,

a first shoulder land area being an area of a part of the land portion of the tread that belongs to the first shoulder region, and

a second shoulder land area being an area of a part of the land portion of the tread that belongs to the second shoulder region, and

the envelope surface comprises:

a central envelope area being an area of a part of the envelope surface that belongs to the central region,

a first shoulder envelope area being an area of a part of the envelope surface that belongs to the first shoulder region, and

a second shoulder envelope area being an area of a part of the envelope surface that belongs to the second shoulder region, wherein:

a central land ratio of the tyre, the central land ratio being defined as a ratio of the central land area to the central envelope area, is 1 to 30 percentage points greater than either or both of:

a first shoulder land ratio of the tyre, the first shoulder land ratio being defined as a ratio of the first shoulder land area to the first shoulder envelope area, and

a second shoulder land ratio of the tyre, the second shoulder land ratio being defined as a ratio of the second shoulder land area to the second shoulder envelope area,

at least some of the tread blocks of the central region are provided with sipes, such that the tyre has a first density of sipes, the first density of sipes being defined as a total length of the sipes arranged in the central region divided by the area of the central region,

at least some of the tread blocks of the first shoulder region are provided with sipes, such that the tyre has a second density of sipes, the second density of sipes being defined as a total length of the sipes arranged in the first shoulder region divided by the area of the first shoulder region,

at least some of the tread blocks of the second shoulder region are provided with sipes, such that the tyre has a third density of sipes, the third density of sipes being defined as a total length of the sipes arranged in the second shoulder region divided by the area of the second shoulder region, and

the first density of sipes is at least 15% greater than either or both of:

the second density of sipes and the third density of sipes,

at least a part of one of the studs is arranged in a stud hole provided in one of the tread blocks, and

no part of any of the sipes-is arranged closer than 6 mm to a center of the stud hole;

wherein the tyre further comprises at least one ply, at least one metal belt, a cap layer forming at least part of a running surface of the tyre, an underlayer comprising a first rubber compound, and an intermediate layer comprising a second rubber compound, the intermediate layer being arranged, at least partially, between the underlayer and the cap layer, wherein a position of a tan delta maximum of the intermediate layer and/or the second rubber compound is configured to be between −40° C. and −70° C.;

wherein a position of a tan delta maximum of the underlayer and/or the first rubber compound is configured to be between −10° C. and +15° C., determined according to ISO 4664-1:2011 in compression; and

wherein each stud of the tyre comprises a base flange, a waist, and a second flange, and parts of the intermediate layer laterally surround at least some of the waists.

2 . The tyre of claim 1 , wherein

a width of the central region is 37% to 41% of a width of the tyre.

3 . The tyre of claim 1 , wherein

a width of the first shoulder region equals a width of the second shoulder region; and

the tread comprises the first shoulder region, the second shoulder region and the central region.

4 . The tyre of claim 1 , wherein:

a total land area of the tread is the area of the land portion of the tread,

a total envelope area of the tread is the area of the envelope surface, and

an average land ratio of the tyre, the average land ratio being defined as a ratio of the total land area to the total envelope area, is 55% to 78%.

5 . The tyre of the claim 1 , wherein:

the tyre comprises multiple sipes such that a part of each one of the multiple sipes is arranged closer than 12 mm to a center of the stud hole to which a stud has been arranged.

6 . The tyre of the claim 1 , wherein at least some of the grooves are inclined such that the at least some of the grooves define a V-shape or a half of a V-shape, the V-shape or the half of a V-shape defining a direction of rotation of the tyre when used driving forwards, the direction of rotation being reverse to the direction to which the V-shape or the half of a V-shape opens.

7 . The tyre of claim 1 , wherein the tread comprises rubber material having a Shore hardness in the range 48 to 59 Sh (A) as measured with durometer type A, at a temperature of 23° C.

8 . The tyre of claim 1 , wherein

the tyre has a width that is 150 mm to 350 mm, and/or

the tread has a first width that is 150 mm to 350 mm.

9 . The tyre of claim 1 , wherein at least a plurality of the studs comprise:

a body comprising a base flange and a second part, the second part comprises a second flange and a waist, the waist connecting the base flange to the second flange, the second part extending in a longitudinal direction of the stud from the base flange,

a pin that protrudes from the second flange in the longitudinal direction of the stud, wherein:

the pin comprises metal or ceramic,

the base flange has a first cross-section on a plane that has a normal in the longitudinal direction of the stud, the first cross-section having a first area,

the pin has a second cross-section on a plane that has a normal in the longitudinal direction of the stud, the second cross-section having a second area,

the waist has a third cross-section on a plane that has a normal in the longitudinal direction of the stud, the third cross-section having a third area,

the second flange has a fourth cross-section on a plane that has a normal in the longitudinal direction of the stud, the fourth cross-section having a fourth area,

the fourth area is greater than the third area,

the fourth area is greater than the second area,

the first area is greater than the third area,

the first area is greater than the second area, and

the first area is 20 mm 2 to 80 mm 2 .

10 . The tyre of the claim 9 , wherein in the plurality of the studs the pin protrudes a first height from the second part in the longitudinal direction; and

a ratio of the first area to the second area is 6.5 to 21, and/or

a ratio of the first area to a first height is 20 to 50 mm 2 /mm.

11 . The tyre of claim 1 , wherein:

the central region comprises studs, and

the first shoulder region and the second shoulder region comprise studs.

12 . The tyre of claim 11 , wherein:

the first shoulder region and the second shoulder region comprise studs of a first stud type and

the central region comprises studs of a second stud type.