IP Library Granted Patent US 10,759,231
Granted Patent B2
US 10,759,231 · App. 15/559,007 · Granted Sep 1, 2020

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Yuichi Suga (Hiratsuka, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/0318B60C5/00B60C11/0083B60C11/0304B60C11/0306B60C11/1307B60C11/1376B60C11/0302B60C11/0311B60C2011/0313B60C2011/0325B60C2011/0341B60C2011/0358B60C2011/0365B60C2011/0367
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,759,231
App. No.
15/559,007
Granted
Sep 1, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a pneumatic tire including center main grooves, shoulder main grooves, a center land portion, middle land portions, shoulder land portions, and lug grooves provided in each shoulder land portion. The pitch of the lug grooves is changed on the tire circumference. The profile line L 1 that defines the road contact surface of the center land portion protrudes further to the outer side in the tire radial direction than the standard profile line L 0 . The profile line L 2 that defines the road contact surface of the middle land portion and the shoulder land portion protrudes further to the outer side in the tire radial direction than the standard profile line L 0 . The ratio of the groove volume of the lug grooves to the size of the pitch of the lug grooves in the shoulder land portion decreases as the pitch increases, and increases as the pitch decreases.

Claims (11)

1. A pneumatic tire where a pair of center main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction are provided on both sides of an equatorial plane of the tire in a tread portion, a shoulder main groove extending in the tire circumferential direction is provided on an outer side in a tire width direction of each center main groove, a center land portion is demarcated between the center main grooves, a middle land portion is demarcated by one of the center main grooves and one of the shoulder main grooves, a shoulder land portion is demarcated on the outer side in the tire width direction by the one of the shoulder main grooves, a plurality of lug grooves extending in the tire width direction are provided in each shoulder land portion at intervals in the tire circumferential direction, and a pitch of these lug grooves is changed on a tire circumference; wherein

from a viewpoint of a tire meridian cross section, when a standard profile line forming an arc of a circle that passes through both endpoints in the tire width direction of the pair of center main grooves is assumed, a profile line that defines a road contact surface of the center land portion protrudes to the outer side in a tire radial direction than does the standard profile line, and a profile line that includes both endpoints in the tire width direction of the shoulder main grooves and an outer endpoint in the tire width direction of the center main grooves, that is formed of a single arc of a circle crossing over the middle land portion and the shoulder land portion, and that defines the road contact surface of the middle land portion and the shoulder land portion protrudes further to the outer side in the tire radial direction than does the standard profile line, and a ratio of a groove volume of the lug grooves to a size of the pitch of these lug grooves in the shoulder land portion decreases as the pitch increases, and increases as the pitch decreases, wherein both endpoints of the center main grooves and both end points of the shoulder main grooves are inflection points between a tread surface of the tread portion and a groove sidewall of respective center and shoulder main grooves;

a maximum projection amount to the outer side in the tire radial direction of the profile line of the center land portion with respect to the standard profile line is from 0.2 to 0.5 mm; and

a maximum projection amount to the outer side of the tire radial direction of the profile line of the shoulder land portion and the middle land portion with respect to the standard profile line is from 0.6 to 2.0 mm.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , which is a pneumatic tire where a mounting direction to a vehicle is specified, wherein the maximum projection amount to the outer side in the tire radial direction of the profile line of the shoulder land portion and the middle land portion with respect to the standard profile line is relatively larger on the outer side of the vehicle than on an inner side of the vehicle.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein a ratio of groove width of the lug grooves with regard to the size of the pitch of the lug grooves in the shoulder land portion is reduced as the pitch increases, and is increased as the pitch decreases.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein a groove wall angle of the lug grooves in the shoulder land portion is reduced as the pitch decreases, and is increased as the pitch increases.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4 , wherein a groove depth of the lug grooves in the shoulder land portion is reduced as the pitch increases, and is increased as the pitch decreases.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of groove width of the lug grooves with regard to the size of the pitch of the lug grooves in the shoulder land portion is reduced as the pitch increases, and is increased as the pitch decreases.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a groove wall angle of the lug grooves in the shoulder land portion is reduced as the pitch decreases, and is increased as the pitch increases.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a groove depth of the lug grooves in the shoulder land portion is reduced as the pitch increases, and is increased as the pitch decreases.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS FOR ASSIGNEE Recorded Nov 18, 2023
From: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065626/0740 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2017
From: SUGA, YUICHI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 043607/0453 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-053586 · Mar 17, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180079258A1 · Mar 22, 2018