IP Library Granted Patent US 11,951,772
Granted Patent B2
US 11,951,772 · App. 16/765,454 · Granted Apr 9, 2024

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Masatoshi Shimizu (Hiratsuka, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
B60C11/01B60C11/0083B60C11/1376B60C9/2204B60C2011/0025B60C2011/0033B60C2011/0348B60C17/0009
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,951,772
App. No.
16/765,454
Granted
Apr 9, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a pneumatic tire, a tread portion includes a main groove extending in a circumferential direction, and land portions defined by the main groove. A center region is a region where a center land portion included in the land portions is closest to a tire equatorial plane. Shoulder regions are each a region between a position corresponding to 85% of a width of the belt layer in a lateral direction and an end portion of the belt layer in the lateral direction, and intermediate regions are each a region between the center region and a corresponding one of the shoulder regions. A relationship among a tire average thickness Gc in the center region, a tire average thickness Gsh in the shoulder regions, and a tire average thickness Gm in the intermediate regions is within a range of 1.05≤(Gc/Gsh)≤1.35 and satisfies Gc≥Gm>Gsh.

Claims (60)

1. A pneumatic tire comprising:

at least one carcass layer;

a belt layer disposed outward, in a tire radial direction, of a portion of the carcass layer located in a tread portion; and

a tread rubber layer disposed outward, in the tire radial direction, of the belt layer in the tread portion,

the tread portion being provided with a main groove extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions defined by the main groove, and

in the tread portion,

assuming that a center region is a region where a center land portion included in the land portions and corresponding to the land portion closest to a tire equatorial plane is located,

shoulder regions are each a region between a position corresponding to 85% of a width of the belt layer in a tire lateral direction and an end portion of the belt layer in the tire lateral direction, and

intermediate regions are each a region between the center region and a corresponding one of the shoulder regions,

a relationship between a tire average thickness Gc in the center region and a tire average thickness Gsh in the shoulder regions and a tire average thickness Gm in the intermediate regions being within a range of 1.05≤(Gc/Gsh)≤1.35 and satisfying a relationship Gc≥Gm>Gsh, and

in the tread portion, a relationship between an average actual rubber thickness Vc of the tread rubber layer in the center region and an average actual rubber thickness Vsh of the tread rubber layer in the shoulder regions is within a range of 1.7≤(Vc/Vsh)≤2.5; wherein

at least one of the land portions located in the center region or the intermediate regions is formed as a projection-shaped land portion, and

the projection-shaped land portion of the at least one of the land portions located in the center region or the intermediate regions is formed on fewer than all of the land portions located in the center region and the intermediate regions and is formed in an arc shape in which a ground contact surface representing an outer contour line in a tire meridian cross-sectional view bulges outward in the tire radial direction, and a relationship between a radius of curvature RR of the arc and a radius of curvature TR of an arc forming a tread profile is within a range of 0.1≤(RR/TR)≤0.25.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

in the tread portion, a relationship between an average thickness Tc of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the center region, and an average thickness Tsh of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the shoulder regions, and an average thickness Tm of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the intermediate regions is within a range of 1.2≤(Tc/Tsh)≤1.9 and satisfies a relationship Tc≥Tm>Ts.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein

a relationship between a thickness Te at an end portion position of the projection-shaped land portion in the tire lateral direction and a thickness Tp at a central position of the projection-shaped land portion in the tire lateral direction is Tp>Te.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein

the belt layer bulges inward in the tire radial direction at a position located inward, in the tire radial direction, of the at least one of the land portions located in the center region and the intermediate regions.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4 , wherein

in the tread portion, a relationship between a minimum thickness Tg of a rubber thickness between the belt layer and a groove bottom of the main groove defining the center land portion and the average thickness Tc of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the center region is within a range of 0.12≤(Tg/Tc)≤0.4.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 5 , wherein

a portion of rubber forming the tread rubber layer that is contained in the center region is 10 MPa or more and 16 MPa or less in modulus of 300% elongation.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 6 , wherein

a circumferential narrow groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and having a narrower groove width than the main groove is formed in at least one of the shoulder regions located on opposite sides in the tire lateral direction.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein

a portion of the carcass layer located in the shoulder region bulges toward a tire inner surface in an internal-pressure uninflated state.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , wherein

a belt reinforcing layer is disposed outward of the belt layer in the tire radial direction, and

a larger number of pieces of the belt reinforcing layer are layered at a position of the center region than at positions other than the position of the center region.

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a relationship between a thickness Te at an end portion position of the projection-shaped land portion in the tire lateral direction and a thickness Tp at a central position of the projection-shaped land portion in the tire lateral direction is Tp>Te.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the belt layer bulges inward in the tire radial direction at a position located inward, in the tire radial direction, of the at least one of the land portions located in the center region and the intermediate regions.

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

in the tread portion, a relationship between a minimum thickness Tg of a rubber thickness between the belt layer and a groove bottom of the main groove defining the center land portion and an average thickness Tc of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the center region is within a range of 0.12≤(Tg/Tc)≤0.4.

13. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a portion of rubber forming the tread rubber layer that is contained in the center region is 10 MPa or more and 16 MPa or less in modulus of 300% elongation.

14. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a circumferential narrow groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and having a narrower groove width than the main groove is formed in at least one of the shoulder regions located on opposite sides in the tire lateral direction.

15. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a portion of the carcass layer located in the shoulder region bulges toward a tire inner surface in an internal-pressure uninflated state.

16. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a belt reinforcing layer is disposed outward of the belt layer in the tire radial direction, and

a larger number of pieces of the belt reinforcing layer are layered at a position of the center region than at positions other than the position of the center region, including positions in the intermediate region.

17. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

in the tread portion, a relationship between an average thickness Tc of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the center region, and an average thickness Tsh of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the shoulder regions is within a range of 1.7≤(Tc/Tsh)≤1.9.

18. A pneumatic tire comprising:

at least one carcass layer;

a belt layer disposed outward, in a tire radial direction, of a portion of the carcass layer located in a tread portion; and

a tread rubber layer disposed outward, in the tire radial direction, of the belt layer in the tread portion,

the tread portion being provided with a main groove extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions defined by the main groove, and

in the tread portion,

assuming that a center region is a region where a center land portion included in the land portions and corresponding to the land portion closest to a tire equatorial plane is located,

shoulder regions are each a region between a position corresponding to 85% of a width of the belt layer in a tire lateral direction and an end portion of the belt layer in the tire lateral direction, and

intermediate regions are each a region between the center region and a corresponding one of the shoulder regions,

a relationship between a tire average thickness Gc in the center region and a tire average thickness Gsh in the shoulder regions and a tire average thickness Gm in the intermediate regions being within a range of 1.05≤(Gc/Gsh)≤1.35 and satisfying a relationship Gc≥Gm>Gsh, and

in the tread portion, a relationship between an average actual rubber thickness Vc of the tread rubber layer in the center region and an average actual rubber thickness Vsh of the tread rubber layer in the shoulder regions is within a range of 1.7≤(Vc/Vsh)≤2.5; wherein

a portion of rubber forming the tread rubber layer that is contained in the center region is 12 MPa or more and 16 MPa or less in modulus of 300% elongation, and

in the tread portion, a relationship between an average thickness Tc of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the center region, and an average thickness Tsh of the tread rubber layer located outward, in the tire radial direction, from the belt layer in the shoulder regions is within a range of 1.7≤(Tc/Tsh)≤1.9.

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 Nov 26, 2020
From: SHIMIZU, MASATOSHI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054473/0956 →