IP Library Granted Patent US 12,508,846
Granted Patent B2
US 12,508,846 · App. 17/206,875 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Tire

Inventors: Hideki Nagasawa (Kanagawa, JP); Hiroto Kikuchi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/0309B60C11/0316B60C11/042B60C11/1353B60C2011/0346
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,508,846
App. No.
17/206,875
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tire includes a plurality of main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and four or more rows of land portions defined by the main grooves. Moreover, a middle land portion and a center land portion have a plurality of through lug grooves that pass through the land portions in a tire width direction, respectively. Pitch lengths of the through lug grooves are in a range of from 7% or greater to 14% or less of a tire maximum ground contact length. Additionally, maximum groove depths of the through lug grooves are in a range of from 5% or greater to 65% or less of maximum groove depths of the main grooves.

Claims (51)

1 . A tire, comprising:

a plurality of main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction; and

four or more rows of land portions defined by the main grooves,

at least one row of the land portions comprising a plurality of through lug grooves that pass through the land portions in a tire width direction,

a pitch length of the through lug grooves being in a range of from 7% or greater to 14% or less of a tire maximum ground contact length,

the pitch length of the through lug grooves being in a range of from 45% or greater to 80% or less of a maximum ground contact width of the at least one row of the land portions comprising the through lug grooves,

a maximum groove depth of the through lug grooves being in a range of from 5% or greater to 25% or less of a maximum groove depth of the main grooves,

a maximum groove width of the through lug grooves being in a range of from 2.0 mm or greater to 4.0 mm or less,

the at least one row of the land portions having a road contact surface continuous in the tire width direction,

the through lug grooves having a zigzag shape,

an amplitude of the zigzag shape of the through lug grooves being in a range of from 2.0% or greater to 7.0% or less with respect to the pitch length of the through lug grooves, and

a wavelength of the zigzag shape of the through lug grooves being in a range of from 16% or greater to 22% or less with respect to a maximum ground contact width of the at least one row of the land portions.

2 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle of the through lug grooves with respect to the tire circumferential direction is in a range of from 60° or greater to 120° or less.

3 . The tire according to claim 2 , wherein a portion of the plurality of through lug grooves comprises a groove bottom sipe, and the through lug grooves comprising the groove bottom sipe and at least one of the through lug grooves not comprising the groove bottom sipe are alternately arranged in the tire circumferential direction.

4 . The tire according to claim 3 , wherein

a distance from a groove bottom of the through lug grooves to a maximum depth position of the groove bottom sipe is in a range of 6% or greater with respect to the maximum groove depth of the main grooves, and

a distance from a tread contact surface to the maximum depth position of the groove bottom sipe is in a range of 100% or less with respect to the maximum groove depth of the main grooves.

5 . The tire according to claim 4 , wherein

at least two rows of the land portions are adjacent to each other and the at least two rows of the land portions each comprise the through lug grooves, and

one through lug groove of a pair of through lug grooves facing each other, with one of the main grooves disposed therebetween, comprises the groove bottom sipe and an other through lug groove of the pair of through lug grooves does not comprise the groove bottom sipe.

6 . The tire according to claim 5 , wherein a maximum ground contact width of the land portions is in a range of from 15% or greater to 25% or less with respect to a tire ground contact width.

7 . The tire according to claim 6 , wherein

a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the land portions have a zigzag shape or a wave-like shape having an amplitude in the tire width direction and are disposed out of phase in the tire circumferential direction, and

the through lug grooves extend while inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction to connect maximum amplitude positions of the first and second edge portions.

8 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein

a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the land portions have a wave-like shape formed by connecting a plurality of arcs having an amplitude in the tire width direction, and

a circumferential length of the arcs is in a range of 80% or greater with respect to a wavelength of the wave-like shape.

9 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a portion of the plurality of through lug grooves comprises a groove bottom sipe, and

the through lug grooves comprising the groove bottom sipe and at least one of the through lug grooves not comprising the groove bottom sipe are alternately arranged in the tire circumferential direction.

10 . The tire according to claim 9 , wherein

a distance from a groove bottom of the through lug grooves to a maximum depth position of the groove bottom sipe is in a range of 6% or greater with respect to the maximum groove depth of the main grooves, and

a distance from a tread contact surface to the maximum depth position of the groove bottom sipe is in a range of 100% or less with respect to the maximum groove depth of the main grooves.

11 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

at least two rows of the land portions are adjacent to each other and the at least two rows of the land portions each comprise the through lug grooves, and

one through lug groove of a pair of through lug grooves facing each other, with one of the main grooves disposed therebetween, comprises a groove bottom sipe and an other through lug groove of the pair of through lug grooves does not comprise the groove bottom sipe.

12 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum ground contact width of the land portions is in a range of from 15% or greater to 25% or less with respect to a tire ground contact width.

13 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the land portions have a zigzag shape or a wave-like shape having an amplitude in the tire width direction and are disposed out of phase in the tire circumferential direction, and

the through lug grooves extend while inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction to connect maximum amplitude positions of the first and second edge portions.

14 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the land portions have a wave-like shape formed by connecting a plurality of arcs having an amplitude in the tire width direction, and

a circumferential length of the arcs is in a range of 80% or greater with respect to a wavelength of the wave-like shape.

15 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 14 , wherein the wave-like shape of the first and second edge portions of the land portions is formed by connecting the plurality of arcs that project toward a tire equatorial plane.

16 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the tire is a heavy duty tire mounted on a steering axle of a vehicle.

17 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction consists of four main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction; and

the four or more rows of land portions defined by the main grooves consists of five rows of the land portions defined by the four main grooves.

18 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle of the through lug grooves with respect to the tire circumferential direction is in a range of from 65° or greater to 115° or less.

19 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of main grooves are grooves on which a wear indicator must be provided as specified by JATMA and have a maximum groove width of 7.0 mm or greater and a maximum groove depth of 12 mm or greater.

20 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the maximum groove width of the through lug grooves is in a range of from 2.0 mm or greater to 3.5 mm or less.

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 Mar 19, 2021
From: NAGASAWA, HIDEKI; KIKUCHI, HIROTO
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055652/0971 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2020-064451 · Mar 31, 2020 · national
JP 2020-064583 · Mar 31, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210300123A1 · Sep 30, 2021
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