IP Library Granted Patent US 12,459,299
Granted Patent B2
US 12,459,299 · App. 17/293,357 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Takanori Uemura (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/0083B60C11/12B60C2011/0339B60C2011/0386
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,459,299
App. No.
17/293,357
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a pneumatic tire. A chamfered portion and a non-chamfered portion are provided in each of an edge on a leading side and an edge on a trailing side of a sipe. In a meridian cross-sectional view, a profile line of a rib projects further to an outer side in a tire radial direction than a reference tread profile line. A radius of curvature TR of the reference tread profile line and a radius of curvature RR of the profile line satisfy TR>RR. Only one of the chamfered portions on the leading side and the trailing side is disposed so as to straddle a maximum projection position. A maximum projection amount D of the rib with respect to the reference tread profile line and a maximum width W of the chamfered portion satisfy 0.05 mm 2 <W×D<1.50 mm 2 .

Claims (38)

1 . A pneumatic tire, comprising:

in a tread portion,

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

a plurality of rows of ribs defined by the plurality of main grooves; and

sipes extending in a tire width direction and disposed in at least two ribs of the plurality of rows of ribs,

the sipes comprising at least one end communicating with one of the main grooves and an edge on a leading side and an edge on a trailing side, the edges facing each other, all of the sipes in a same rib communicating with a same one of the main grooves,

a chamfered portion shorter than a sipe length of the sipes being formed in each of the edge on the leading side and the edge on the trailing side,

a non-chamfered region where other chamfered portions are not present being provided in a portion of the sipes facing each of the chamfered portions,

a profile line defining a road contact surface of the ribs comprising the sipes projecting further to an outer side in a tire radial direction than a reference tread profile line in a meridian cross-sectional view,

a radius of curvature TR (mm) of an arc forming the reference tread profile line and a radius of curvature RR (mm) of an arc forming the profile line of the ribs satisfying a relationship of TR>RR,

only one of the chamfered portions on the leading side or the trailing side of the sipes being disposed straddling a maximum projection position of the profile line of the ribs,

a maximum projection amount D (mm) of the ribs with respect to the reference tread profile line and a maximum width W (mm) of the chamfered portion disposed straddling the maximum projection position satisfying a relationship of 0.05 mm 2 <W×D<1.50 mm 2 ,

a sipe depth x and a chamfer depth y satisfying a relationship of x×0.55≤y≤x×0.3+1.0,

the plurality of rows of ribs including a pair of intermediate ribs each disposed to not overlap a tire equatorial plane in the tire width direction, the intermediate ribs being positioned between the tire equatorial plane and outermost main grooves of the plurality of main grooves on either side from the tire equatorial plane, and

each intermediate rib of the pair of intermediate ribs having the sipes communicating with only one of the main grooves defining the intermediate ribs and terminating within the each intermediate rib.

2 . A pneumatic tire, comprising:

in a tread portion,

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

a plurality of rows of ribs defined by the plurality of main grooves; and

sipes extending in a tire width direction and disposed in at least two ribs of the plurality of rows of ribs,

the sipes comprising at least one end communicating with one of the main grooves and an edge on a leading side and an edge on a trailing side, the edges facing each other, all of the sipes in a same rib communicating with a same one of the main grooves,

a chamfered portion shorter than a sipe length of the sipes being formed in each of the edge on the leading side and the edge on the trailing side,

a non-chamfered region where other chamfered portions are not present being provided in a portion of the sipes facing each of the chamfered portions,

a profile line defining a road contact surface of the ribs comprising the sipes projecting further to an outer side in a tire radial direction than a reference tread profile line in a meridian cross-sectional view,

a radius of curvature TR (mm) of an arc forming the reference tread profile line and a radius of curvature RR (mm) of an arc forming the profile line of the ribs satisfying a relationship of TR>RR,

only one of the chamfered portions on the leading side or the trailing side of the sipes being disposed straddling a maximum projection position of the profile line of the ribs,

a maximum projection amount D (mm) of the ribs with respect to the reference tread profile line and a maximum width W (mm) of the chamfered portion disposed straddling the maximum projection position satisfying a relationship of 0.05 mm 2 <W×D<1.50 mm 2 ,

a sipe depth x and a chamfer depth y satisfying a relationship of x×0.1≤y≤x×0.2,

the plurality of rows of ribs including a pair of intermediate ribs each disposed to not overlap a tire equatorial plane in the tire width direction, the intermediate ribs being positioned between the tire equatorial plane and outermost main grooves of the plurality of main grooves on either side from the tire equatorial plane, and

each intermediate rib of the pair of intermediate ribs having the sipes communicating with only one of the main grooves defining the intermediate ribs and terminating within the each intermediate rib.

3 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein the sipes are inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

4 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein an inclination angle θ on an acute angle side of the sipes with respect to the tire circumferential direction is from 40° to 80°.

5 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the sipes are curved or bent in a plan view.

6 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rows of ribs includes at least three ribs.

7 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein only one end of the sipes terminates in the ribs.

8 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein the sipes are inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

9 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , wherein an inclination angle θ on an acute angle side of the sipes with respect to the tire circumferential direction is from 40° to 80°.

10 . The pneumatic tire according to claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the sipes are curved or bent in a plan view.

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 12, 2021
From: UEMURA, TAKANORI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056219/0429 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-218167 · Nov 21, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220009290A1 · Jan 13, 2022
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