IP Library Granted Patent US 11,577,551
Granted Patent B2
US 11,577,551 · App. 16/071,863 · Granted Feb 14, 2023

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Takashi Shibai (Hiratsuka, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
B60C11/042B60C11/032B60C11/0304B60C11/13B60C11/1376B60C11/01B60C11/0302B60C11/1204B60C2011/0341B60C2011/0346B60C2011/0348B60C2011/0351B60C2011/0372B60C2011/0381B60C2011/0388B60C2011/1213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,577,551
App. No.
16/071,863
Granted
Feb 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pneumatic tire is provided, the pneumatic tire including a tread portion, sidewall portions, and bead portions, and the pneumatic tire includes, in the tread portion, a center main groove extending in a tire circumferential direction and a shoulder main groove extending in the tire circumferential direction on the outside of the center main groove; a land portion between the main grooves; lug grooves extending inward in a tire lateral direction from the shoulder main groove and terminating without communicating with the center main groove; a bent portion bending toward one side in the tire circumferential direction, at a terminating end of each of the lug grooves; and a raised bottom portion included in the bent portion, creating a level difference with respect to a lug groove, and being shallower than the lug groove.

Claims (27)

1. A pneumatic tire, comprising:

a tread pattern including a tread portion having an annular shape and extending in a tire circumferential direction;

a pair of sidewall portions disposed on both sides of the tread portion;

a pair of bead portions disposed inward of the sidewall portions in a tire radial direction;

a center main groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and a shoulder main groove extending in the tire circumferential direction on the outside of the center main groove, formed in the tread portion;

a land portion defined between the center main groove and the shoulder main groove;

a plurality of lug grooves disposed in the land portion, extending inward in a tire lateral direction from the shoulder main groove, and terminating without communicating with the center main groove, wherein a side of the land portion defined by the center main groove is uninterrupted by lug grooves;

a bent portion bending from a terminating end of each of the plurality of lug grooves toward one side in the tire circumferential direction, wherein the plurality of lug grooves incline from the shoulder main groove toward a second side in the tire circumferential direction opposite the one side, a bent portion length in an extending direction of the bent portion being shorter than a lug groove length in an extending direction of the lug grooves; and

a raised bottom portion included in the bent portion, creating a level difference with respect to each lug groove of the plurality of lug grooves, and being shallower than each lug groove of the plurality of lug grooves;

wherein an other land portion is defined between an other center main groove and an other shoulder main groove on an opposite side of a tire equator as the land portion, the other land portion being configured without lug grooves having the bent portion.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a depth Dx of the bent portion at the raised bottom portion and a depth Dr of each lug groove satisfies-a relationship of 0.10×Dr≤Dx≤0.70×Dr.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the center main groove has a zigzag shape extending in the tire circumferential direction,

a plurality of narrow grooves intermittently extending in the tire circumferential direction without communicating with the bent portion are formed in the land portion, and

the plurality of narrow grooves are substantially parallel with the center main groove having the zigzag shape.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein a depth Ds of the plurality of narrow grooves and a depth Dc of the center main groove having the zigzag shape satisfy a relationship of 0.10×Dc≤Ds≤0.50×Dc.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein a gap d 1 between the plurality of narrow grooves and the center main groove having the zigzag shape in a tire axial direction and a width d 2 of the land portion in the tire axial direction satisfy a relationship of 0.10×d 2 ≤d 1 ≤0.40×d 2 .

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle α of the plurality of lug grooves each having the bent portion with respect to the tire circumferential direction is within a range of from 25° to 75°.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein

the center main groove has a zigzag shape extending in the tire circumferential direction,

a plurality of narrow grooves intermittently extending in the tire circumferential direction without communicating with the bent portion are formed in the land portion, and

the plurality of narrow grooves are substantially parallel with the center main groove having the zigzag shape.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein a depth Ds of the plurality of narrow grooves and a depth Dc of the center main groove having the zigzag shape satisfy a relationship of 0.10×Dc≤Ds≤0.50×Dc.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , wherein a gap d 1 between the plurality of narrow grooves and the center main groove having the zigzag shape in a tire axial direction and a width d 2 of the land portion in the tire axial direction satisfy a relationship of 0.10×d 2 ≤d 1 ≤0.40×d 2 .

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 9 , wherein an inclination angle α of the plurality of lug grooves each having the bent portion with respect to the tire circumferential direction is within a range of from 25° to 75°.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein a gap d 1 between the plurality of narrow grooves and the center main groove having the zigzag shape in a tire axial direction and a width d 2 of the land portion in the tire axial direction satisfy a relationship of 0.10×d 2 ≤d 1 ≤0.40×d 2 .

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein an inclination angle α of the plurality of lug grooves each having the bent portion with respect to the tire circumferential direction is within a range of from 25° to 75°.

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 Jul 20, 2018
From: SHIBAI, TAKASHI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 046418/0241 →