IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,104,186

Granted Patent B2

US 11,104,186 · App. 15/573,444 · Granted Aug 31, 2021

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Yuji Kodama (Hiratsuka, JP)

B60C13/02 B60C3/04 B60C13/00 B60C15/024

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,104,186
App. No.: 15/573,444
Granted: Aug 31, 2021
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A pneumatic tire comprises a plurality of protrusion portions extending along a tire side surface of a tire side portion in a direction that intersects a tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction; the plurality of protrusion portions each including an intermediate portion in an extension direction that includes a highest position of projection height from the tire side surface, and tip portions on either side of the intermediate portion in the extension direction that include a lowest position of projection height from the tire side surface, at least the intermediate portion being only disposed inward of a tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction; and a ratio of a total width (SW) to an outer diameter (OD) satisfying the relationship SW/OD≤0.3.

Claims (70)

1. A pneumatic tire, comprising:

a plurality of protrusion portions extending along a tire side surface of a tire side portion in a direction that intersects a tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction, the protrusion portions being formed as ridges extending lengthwise in an extension direction of the protrusion portions;

each protrusion portion of the plurality of protrusion portions including

an intermediate portion in the extension direction that includes a highest position of projection height from the tire side surface, and

tip portions on either side of the intermediate portion in the extension direction that include a lowest position of projection height from the tire side surface,

at least a whole of the intermediate portion being only disposed inward of a tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction;

a ratio of a total width SW to an outer diameter OD satisfying a relationship SW/OD≤0.3;

in a side view of the protrusion portion, a top portion of the protrusion portion having an arc shape extending from the highest position to the lowest position of the protrusion portion and protruding outside the tire;

the intermediate portion being defined as in a range of 25% of a length of the protrusion portion in the extension direction from a center on either side in the extension direction;

the tip portions extending from the intermediate portion on both sides in the extension direction excluding 5% of the length of the protrusion portion from ends of the protrusion portion in the extension direction;

the lowest position at the tip portion being at a position 5% of the length of the protrusion portion from the ends of the protrusion portion;

the projection height of the protrusion portion at the lowest position being smaller than the projection height of the protrusion portion at the highest position; and

the protrusion portion forming a C-shape, a linear shape, a V-shape, a S-shape or a zigzag shape when viewed from a side of the pneumatic tire.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion and the tip portions of the protrusion portion are disposed inward of the tire maximum width position in the tire radial direction.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a change in mass of the protrusion portion in the tire circumferential direction per 1 degree in the tire circumferential direction is 0.1 g/degree or less.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion of the protrusion portion has a projection height ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a regular rim, inflated to a regular internal pressure, in an unloaded state, and viewed in a meridian cross-section, the protrusion portion projects outward 5 mm or less in a tire lateral direction from a tire cross-sectional width at the tire maximum width position.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a groove is formed on a surface of the protrusion portion.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a recessed portion is formed on the surface of the protrusion portion.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusion portions are disposed in the tire circumferential direction at non-uniform intervals.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a vehicle inner/outer orientation when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a vehicle is designated, and the plurality of protrusion portions are at least formed on a tire side portion that corresponds to a vehicle outer side.

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein a change in mass of the protrusion portion in the tire circumferential direction per 1 degree in the tire circumferential direction is 0.1 g/degree or less.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 10 , wherein the intermediate portion of the protrusion portion has a projection height ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm.

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a regular rim, inflated to a regular internal pressure, in an unloaded state, and viewed in a meridian cross-section, the protrusion portion projects outward 5 mm or less in a tire lateral direction from a tire cross-sectional width at the tire maximum width position.

13. The pneumatic tire according to claim 12 , wherein a groove is formed on a surface of the protrusion portion.

14. The pneumatic tire according to claim 13 , wherein a recessed portion is formed on the surface of the protrusion portion.

15. The pneumatic tire according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of protrusion portions are disposed in the tire circumferential direction at non-uniform intervals.

16. The pneumatic tire according to claim 15 , wherein a vehicle inner/outer orientation when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a vehicle is designated, and the plurality of protrusion portions are at least formed on a tire side portion that corresponds to a vehicle outer side.

17. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the projection height of the protrusion portion in the extension direction gradually increases from one of the ends toward the center and gradually decreases from the center toward an other one of the ends.

18. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of a cross-sectional shape in a lateral direction of the protrusion portion is greatest at the highest position of the projection height, and the cross-sectional area is small at the lowest position of the projection height.

19. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion portion has a quadrangular cross-sectional shape, a quadrangular cross-sectional shape or a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in a lateral direction of the protrusion portion.

20. A pneumatic tire, comprising:

a plurality of protrusion portions extending along a tire side surface of a tire side portion in a direction that intersects a tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction;