IP Library Granted Patent US 12,304,247
Granted Patent B2
US 12,304,247 · App. 17/593,610 · Granted May 20, 2025

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/01B60C11/0304B60C11/11B60C11/12B60C13/002B60C2200/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,304,247
App. No.
17/593,610
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pneumatic tire includes side blocks in each of side regions adjacent to, on an outer side in a width direction, outermost side end portions of a tread portion in the width direction. For the number N1 and total area SS1 of the side blocks in a first side region located on a first side in the width direction, the number N2 and total area SS2 of the side blocks in a second side region located on a second side in the width direction, a land portion area TS1 in a first tread region of the tread portion on a side of the first side region, and a land portion area TS2 in a second tread region of the tread portion on a side of the second side region, relationships N1>N2, TS1>TS2, and 0.95≤(SS1×TS1)/(SS2×TS2)≤1.05 are satisfied.

Claims (16)

1. A pneumatic tire comprising a tread portion extending in a tire circumferential direction and having an annular shape, a pair of sidewall portions respectively disposed on both sides of the tread portion, and a pair of bead portions each disposed on an inner side of the sidewall portions in a tire radial direction,

a plurality of side blocks that rise from an outer surface of each of the sidewall portions and that are defined by segmentation elements being arranged, along the tire circumferential direction, in each of a pair of side regions adjacent to, on an outer side in a tire width direction, an outermost end portion of the tread portion in the tire width direction,

the segmentation elements being a combination of elements selected from the outermost end portion of the tread portion in the tire width direction, grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction or the tire width direction, and sipes extending in the tire circumferential direction or the tire width direction,

a number N1 of the side blocks provided in a first side region located on a first side of the pair of side regions in the tire width direction and a number N2 of the side blocks provided in a second side region located on a second side of the pair of side regions in the tire width direction satisfying a relationship N1>N2,

a land portion area TS1 in a first tread region of the tread portion located closer to the first side region than a tire equator and a land portion area TS2 in a second tread region of the tread portion located closer to the second side region than the tire equator satisfying TS1>TS2,

the land portion area TS1 in the first tread region, the land portion area TS2 in the second tread region, a total area SS1 of the side blocks provided in the first side region, and a total area SS2 of the side blocks provided in the second side region satisfying a relationship 0.95≤(SS1×TS1)/(SS2×TS2)≤1.05, and

a ratio L/SH of a vertical distance L, from the outermost end portion in the tire width direction of the tread portion to an innermost point in the tire radial direction of at least one of the side regions, to a tire cross-sectional height SH being from 0.10 to 0.30.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein an area ratio of land portions to the first tread region and an area ratio of land portions to the second tread region are each from 40% to 60%.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein a rising height H of the side blocks from an outer surface of each of the sidewall portions is from 5 mm to 13 mm.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein

the segmentation element partially comprises a shallow grooved region having a groove depth relatively small,

the groove depth of the shallow grooved region is from 40% to 45% of the rising height H of the side blocks from the outer surface of each of the sidewall portions, and a total length of the shallow grooved region along a contour line of a road contact surface of the side blocks is from 15% to 35% of an entire length of the contour line of the road contact surface of the side blocks.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a rising height H of the side blocks from an outer surface of each of the sidewall portions is from 5 mm to 13 mm.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the segmentation element partially comprises a shallow grooved region having a groove depth relatively small,

the groove depth of the shallow grooved region is from 40% to 45% of a rising height H of the side blocks from the outer surface of each of the sidewall portions, and a total length of the shallow grooved region along a contour line of a road contact surface of the side blocks is from 15% to 35% of an entire length of the contour line of the road contact surface of the side blocks.

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 Sep 29, 2021
From: HORIUCHI, KENJI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057646/0748 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-058671 · Mar 26, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220161603A1 · May 26, 2022
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