IP Library Granted Patent US 12,103,336
Granted Patent B2
US 12,103,336 · App. 17/255,423 · Granted Oct 1, 2024

Pneumatic tire

Inventors: Hiraku Koda (Hiratsuka, JP); Masaaki Nagayasu (Hiratsuka, JP); Ryohei Takemori (Hiratsuka, JP); Yuki Sasaya (Hiratsuka, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C13/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,103,336
App. No.
17/255,423
Granted
Oct 1, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pneumatic tire includes protrusion portions formed on at least one tire side portion of tire side portions located on both sides in a width direction, projecting from a tire side surface that is a surface of the tire side portion, and extending along the tire side surface, the protrusion portions having an angle α within a range of no less than 6% and no more than 50% of an angle of one round in a circumferential direction, the angle α being relative and in the circumferential direction between two protrusion portion end position lines that respectively extend in a radial direction through different end portions of both end portions in an extending direction of the protrusion portions, and the tire side portion having a thickness at a tire maximum width position within a range of no less than 2 mm and no more than 9 mm.

Claims (46)

1. A pneumatic tire, comprising:

a plurality of protrusion portions formed on at least one tire side portion of tire side portions located on both sides in a tire width direction, the protrusion portions projecting from a tire side surface that is a surface of the tire side portion and extending along the tire side surface,

the protrusion portions having an angle α within a range of no less than 6% and no more than 50% of an angle of one round in a tire circumferential direction, the angle α being relative and in the tire circumferential direction between two protrusion portion end position lines that respectively extend in a tire radial direction through different end portions of both end portions in an extending direction of the protrusion portions,

the tire side portion having a thickness at a tire maximum width position within a range of no less than 3 mm and no more than 9 mm,

the protrusion portions comprising at least one bent portion at a position where a direction in which the protrusion portions extend changes,

the protrusion portions each having a first end further inward in the tire radial direction than a second end,

the at least one bent portion being closer to the first end than to the second end, and

in the protrusion portions, a position of a portion in the tire radial direction where a height from the tire side surface is highest being radially inward of the at least one bent portion and closer to the first end than to the second end, the position where the height the portion of the protrusion portions is highest being lie point along the protrusion portions and all other positions along the protrusion portions have a smaller height than the position where the height is highest.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the protrusion portions have a distance Dmax and a distance Dmin, the distance Dmax being a distance in the tire radial direction between a tire outer diameter portion and an innermost portion of the protrusion portions in the tire radial direction, the distance Dmin being a distance in the tire radial direction between the tire outer diameter portion and an outermost portion of the protrusion portions in the tire radial direction, and

a relationship between the distance Dmax and the distance Dmin is within a range of 1.2≤(Dmax/Dmin)≤3.5.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein

the distance Dmax is within a range of no less than 0.30 and no more than 0.70 times a tire cross-sectional height.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the protrusion portions are formed across the tire maximum width position on the tire side surface in the tire radial direction.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

in the protrusion portions, the position of the portion in the tire radial direction where the height from the tire side surface is highest, is included within a range of no less than 0.40 and no more than 0.60 times a tire cross-sectional height.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

in the protrusion portions, a position of a maximum width portion in the tire radial direction is included within a range of no less than 0.40 and no more than 0.60 times a tire cross-sectional height.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the protrusion portions comprise a plurality of extending portions defined by the at least one bent portion, and

a first extending portion, which is the extending portion having a longest length among the plurality of extending portions, has an angle β within a range of 0.60≤(β/α)≤0.90 with respect to the angle α, the angle β being relative and in the tire circumferential direction between two first extending portion end position lines that respectively extend in the tire radial direction through different end portions of both end portions in the extending direction of the first extending portion.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein

the protrusion portions have an angle θ 1 , the angle θ 1 being formed between a center line in a width direction of the first extending portion and a center line in a width direction of a second extending portion, the second extending portion being the extending portion continuous from the first extending portion via the at least one bent portion, and

the angle θ 1 is within a range of 90°≤θ1≤170°.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein

the plurality of extending portions of the plurality of protrusion portions have a same direction of inclination in the tire radial direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein

when a vehicle moves forward, the pneumatic tire is mounted on the vehicle in such a way that the pneumatic tire rotates about a rotation direction that is designated, and

the first extending portion is inclined in a direction from an inner side to an outer side in the tire radial direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction while going from a leading side to a trailing side in the rotation direction.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the protrusion portions comprise an overlapping portion that is a portion where different protrusion portions overlap in the tire circumferential direction.

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein

the protrusion portions have an angle γ within a range of 0.05≤(γ/α)≤0.30 with respect to the angle α, the angle γ being in the tire circumferential direction in a range where the overlapping portion extends in the tire circumferential direction.

13. The pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein

two of the protrusion portions overlapping each other in the overlapping portion have a maximum distance Pmax and a minimum distance Pmin in the tire radial direction between the overlapping portions, and

a relationship between the maximum distance Pmax and the minimum distance Pmin is within a range of 1.0≤(Pmax/Pmin)≤2.0.

14. The pneumatic tire according to claim 13 , wherein

the minimum distance Pmin is within a range of 0.15≤(Pmin/SH)≤0.30 with respect to a tire cross-sectional height SH.

15. The pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein

the protrusion portions overlap in the overlapping portion, and one or more of the protrusion portions are arranged at any position on a tire circumference.

16. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

a sum of the angles α of the protrusion portions formed on one tire side portion is within a range of no less than 105% and no more than 200% of the angle of one round in the tire circumferential direction.

17. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the protrusion portions are formed on one tire side portion within a range of no less than two protrusion portions and no more than sixteen protrusion portions.

18. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one bent portion comprises at least two bent portions.

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 May 31, 2021
From: KODA, HIRAKU; NAGAYASU, MASAAKI; TAKEMORI, RYOHEI; SASAYA, YUKI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056395/0732 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-125987 · Jul 2, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210268844A1 · Sep 2, 2021