IP Library Granted Patent US 12703205
Granted Patent B2
US 12703205 · App. 18/041,699 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Tire

Inventor: Kento Ishizu (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/1353B60C11/12B60C2011/1254
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703205
App. No.
18/041,699
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided in a tire are a second land portion defined by a shoulder main groove and a center main groove extending in a circumferential direction, and sets of first and second lug grooves that extend in the second land portion in a width direction and are disposed alternately in the circumferential direction. The first lug groove opens to the shoulder main groove and terminates inside the second land portion in which the groove width on one end side is formed wider than the groove width on the other end side, and the second lug groove opens to the center main groove and terminates inside the second land portion in which the groove width on one end side is formed narrower than the groove width on the other end side and the one end side of the second lug groove that is formed narrower is closed at ground contact.

Claims (39)

1 . A tire, comprising:

two circumferential main grooves that extend in a tire circumferential direction;

a land portion defined by the circumferential main grooves, the land portion being continuous in the tire circumferential direction and the land portion being continuous in a tire width direction between the circumferential main grooves; and

a plurality of sets of a first lug groove and a second lug groove that extend in a direction intersecting the circumferential main grooves in the land portion and are alternately disposed in the tire circumferential direction,

the first lug groove comprising one end that opens to one of the circumferential main grooves and an other end that terminates inside the land portion, a groove width on a side of the one end being formed wider than a groove width on a side of the other end,

the second lug groove comprising one end that opens to an other one of the circumferential main grooves and an other end that terminates inside the land portion, a groove width on a side of the one end being formed narrower than a groove width on a side of the other end, and the side of the one end of the second lug groove that is formed narrower being closed at ground contact, and

the first lug groove and the second lug groove each have a groove width of greater than 1.0 mm at a groove depth of 3.0 mm or more.

2 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the first lug groove has a groove width Wa1 on the side of the one end and a groove width Wa2 on the side of the other end satisfying a relationship 1.50≤Wa1/Wa2≤3.0, and

the second lug groove has a groove width Wb1 on the side of the one end and a groove width Wb2 on the side of the other end satisfying a relationship 0.2≤Wb1/Wb2≤0.75.

3 . The tire according to claim 2 , wherein the first lug groove and the second lug groove each comprise a groove width change portion in which a groove width changes, and each groove width change portion is provided in a region in which the first lug groove and the second lug groove overlap in the tire width direction.

4 . The tire according to claim 3 , wherein a width W2 of the region in the tire width direction and a maximum width W1 of the land portion in the tire width direction satisfy a relationship 0.50≤W2/W1≤0.70.

5 . The tire according to claim 4 , wherein the first lug groove and the second lug groove are inclined in mutually opposite directions with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and inclination angles θ1, θ2 of the first lug groove and the second lug groove with respect to the tire circumferential direction satisfy 95°≤θ1≤125°, 95°≤θ2≤125°, and 5°≤θ2−θ1≤15°, respectively.

6 . The tire according to claim 5 , wherein

the first lug groove and the second lug groove each comprise a raised bottom portion comprising a groove bottom raised on the side of the other end, and

lengths La1, Lb1 of the raised bottom portion in the tire width direction and each of length La, Lb of the first lug groove and the second lug groove in the tire width direction satisfy relationships 0.30≤La1/La≤0.40 and 0.30≤Lb1/Lb≤0.40, respectively.

7 . The tire according to claim 6 , wherein the one of the circumferential main grooves comprises a groove wall that forms an edge of the land portion and has a straight shape, and the other one of the circumferential main grooves comprises a groove wall that forms an edge of the land portion and has a zigzag shape in which the groove wall oscillates in the tire width direction while extending in the tire circumferential direction.

8 . The tire according to claim 7 , wherein

the land portion comprises a plurality of sipes extending in the tire width direction, and

of the plurality of sipes, a sipe disposed on the side of the one end of the first lug groove and adjacent to the first lug groove in the tire circumferential direction comprises an end portion toward one of the circumferential main grooves that terminates inside the land portion, and a sipe disposed on the side of the one end of the second lug groove and adjacent to the second lug groove in the tire circumferential direction opens to the other one of the circumferential main grooves.

9 . The tire according to claim 8 , wherein

the land portion comprises a separated portion in which the plurality of sipes are disposed separated in the tire width direction, and

the separated portion is provided in a region in which the first lug groove and the second lug groove overlap in the tire width direction.

10 . The tire according to claim 9 , wherein the land portion in which the first lug groove and the second lug groove are disposed is disposed on an inner side in a vehicle width direction demarcated by a tire equatorial plane when a tire is mounted on a vehicle.

11 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the first lug groove and the second lug groove each comprise a groove width change portion in which a groove width changes, and each groove width change portion is provided in a region in which the first lug groove and the second lug groove overlap in the tire width direction.

12 . The tire according to claim 11 , wherein a width W2 of the region in the tire width direction and a maximum width W1 of the land portion in the tire width direction satisfy a relationship 0.50≤W2/W1≤0.70.

13 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the first lug groove and the second lug groove are inclined in mutually opposite directions with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and inclination angles θ1, θ2 of the first lug groove and the second lug groove with respect to the tire circumferential direction satisfy 95°≤θ1≤125°, 95°≤θ2≤125°, and 5°≤θ2−θ1≤15°, respectively.

14 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the first lug groove and the second lug groove each comprise a raised bottom portion comprising a groove bottom raised on the side of the other end, and

lengths La1, Lb1 of the raised bottom portion in the tire width direction and each of length La, Lb of the first lug groove and the second lug groove in the tire width direction satisfy relationships 0.30≤La1/La≤0.40 and 0.30≤Lb1/Lb≤0.40, respectively.

15 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the one of the circumferential main grooves comprises a groove wall that forms an edge of the land portion and has a straight shape, and the other one of the circumferential main grooves comprises a groove wall that forms an edge of the land portion and has a zigzag shape in which the groove wall oscillates in the tire width direction while extending in the tire circumferential direction.

16 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the land portion comprises a plurality of sipes extending in the tire width direction, and

of the plurality of sipes, a sipe disposed on the side of the one end of the first lug groove and adjacent to the first lug groove in the tire circumferential direction comprises an end portion toward the one of the circumferential main grooves that terminates inside the land portion, and a sipe disposed on the side of the one end of the second lug groove and adjacent to the second lug groove in the tire circumferential direction opens to the other one of the circumferential main grooves.

17 . The tire according to claim 16 , wherein

the land portion comprises a separated portion in which the plurality of sipes are disposed separated in the tire width direction, and

the separated portion is provided in a region in which the first lug groove and the second lug groove overlap in the tire width direction.

18 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the land portion in which the first lug groove and the second lug groove are disposed is disposed on an inner side in a vehicle width direction demarcated by a tire equatorial plane when a tire is mounted on a vehicle.

19 . A tire, comprising: two circumferential main grooves that extend in a tire circumferential direction; a land portion defined by the circumferential main grooves, the land portion being continuous in the tire circumferential direction and the land portion being continuous in a tire width direction between the circumferential main grooves; and a plurality of sets of a first lug groove and a second lug groove that extend in a direction intersecting the circumferential main grooves in the land portion and are alternately disposed in the tire circumferential direction, the first lug groove comprising one end that opens to one of the circumferential main grooves and an other end that terminates inside the land portion, a groove width on a side of the one end being formed wider than a groove width on a side of the other end, and the second lug groove comprising one end that opens to an other one of the circumferential main grooves and an other end that terminates inside the land portion, a groove width on a side of the one end being formed narrower than a groove width on a side of the other end, and the side of the one end of the second lug groove that is formed narrower being closed at ground contact, wherein the first lug groove and the second lug groove each comprise a groove width change portion in which a groove width changes, and each groove width change portion is provided in a region in which the first lug groove and the second lug groove overlap in the tire width direction, and the first lug groove and the second lug groove each have a groove width of greater than 1.0 mm at a groove depth of 3.0 mm or more.