IP Library Granted Patent US 12,583,262
Granted Patent B2
US 12,583,262 · App. 17/651,191 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Tire

Inventor: Reika Tokunaga (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/04B60C2011/0346B60C2011/0348B60C2011/0353B60C2011/0355B60C2011/0365B60C2011/0367B60C2011/0372B60C2011/0381B60C2011/1213B60C11/1236B60C2200/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,583,262
App. No.
17/651,191
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a tire, at least one of middle land portions includes a plurality of through narrow grooves extending through the middle land portion in a tire width direction, a plurality of middle blocks each defined and formed by the through narrow grooves, and a non-through lug grooves each opening at one end to an edge portion on a tire equatorial plane side of the middle block and terminating at an other end in a central portion of the middle block. Further, a center groove has a wave-like shape with an amplitude in the tire width direction. Furthermore, an edge portion on the center groove side of the middle block has an arc shape that projects in a width direction of the middle block.

Claims (53)

1 . A tire, comprising:

a pair of shoulder main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and two or more center grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction; and

a pair of shoulder land portions, a pair of middle land portions, and one or more rows of center land portions defined and formed by the shoulder main grooves and the center grooves;

at least one of the middle land portions comprising a plurality of through narrow grooves extending through the at least one of the middle land portions in a tire width direction, a plurality of middle blocks defined and formed by the through narrow grooves adjacent to each other, and non-through lug grooves opening at one end to an edge portion on a tire equatorial plane side of a middle block of the middle blocks and terminating at an other end in a central portion of the middle block,

the one or more rows of center land portions comprising a plurality of through narrow grooves,

a groove width W 21 of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions being in a range 0.4 mm≤W 21 ≤1.5 mm, a groove width W 31 of the through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions being in a range 0.4 mm≤W 31 ≤1.5 mm and a groove width W 23 of the non-through lug grooves being in a range 1.5 mm≤W 23 ≤5.0 mm,

a groove width Wg 2 of the center grooves is in a range 0.10≤Wg 2 /Wg 1 ≤0.40 with respect to a groove width Wg 1 of the shoulder main grooves,

the center grooves having a wave-like shape with an amplitude in the tire width direction,

the edge portion on the center groove side of the middle block having an arc shape that projects in a width direction of the middle block, and

a circumferential length La 2 of the arc shape of the edge portion of the middle block being in a range 0.90≤ La 2 /Le 2 ≤1.00 with respect to a circumferential length Le 2 of the edge portion of the middle block,

a circumferential length La 2 of the arc shape of the edge portion of the middle block being in a range 0.90≤ La 2 /Le 2 ≤1.00 with respect to a circumferential length Le 2 of the edge portion of the middle block,

the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions and the through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions having a wave-like shape,

a wavelength λ 21 of the wave-like shape of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions is in a range 0.10≤λ 21 /Wb 2 ≤0.50 with respect to a ground contact width Wb 2 of the at least one of the middle land portions,

a wavelength λ 31 of the wave-like shape of the through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions is in a range 0.10≤λ 31 /Wb 3 <0.50 with respect to a ground contact width Wb 3 of the one or more rows of center land portions,

the plurality of through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions having a wave-like shape with an amplitude A 31 in the tire circumferential direction of 0.7 mm≤A 31 <2.5 mm, and

excluding undulations of the wave-like shape, the plurality of through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions extending straight and at a constant angle of inclination from one side of each of the one or more rows of center land portions to an other side of the each of the one or more rows of center land portions.

2 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein a projection amount Pe 2 of the edge portion of the middle block is in a range 0.02≤Pe 2 /Wb 2 ′≤0.20 with respect to a ground contact width Wb 2 ′ of the middle block.

3 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein a circumferential length Le 2 of the edge portion of the middle block is in a range 1.10≤Le 2 /Wb 2 ′≤1.50 with respect to a ground contact width Wb 2 ′ of the middle block.

4 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the through narrow grooves are sipes that are closed when the tire comes into contact with a ground.

5 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the non-through lug grooves connect to the respective center grooves at a maximum amplitude position toward the tire equatorial plane side of the wave-like shape.

6 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle θ 23 with respect to the tire circumferential direction of the non-through lug grooves is in a range -20°≤θ 21 −θ 23 <20° with respect to an inclination angle θ 21 of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions.

7 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the groove width W 23 of the non-through lug grooves is in a range 1.50≤W 23 /W 21 ≤5.50 with respect to the groove width W 21 of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions.

8 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the non-through lug grooves have a wave-like shape, and

a wavelength λ 23 of the wave-like shape of the non-through lug grooves is in a range 0.70≤λ 23 /λ 21 ≤1.30 with respect to the wavelength λ 21 of the wave-like shape of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions.

9 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the through narrow grooves of the center land portion are inclined in an opposite direction in the tire circumferential direction with respect to the respective through narrow grooves of the middle land portion.

10 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the groove width W 23 of the non-through lug grooves is in a range 1.6 mm≤W 23 ≤5.0 mm.

11 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the shoulder main grooves have a straight shape.

12 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein each of the land portions includes a plurality of multi sipes.

13 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum projected position of the edge portion of the middle block is at a distance of 35% or more and 65% or less from one end of a circumferential length Le 2 of the edge portion.

14 . The tire according to claim 13 , wherein a projection amount Pe 2 of the edge portion of the middle block is in a range 0.02≤ Pe 2 /Wb 2 ′≤0.20 with respect to a ground contact width Wb 2 ′ of the middle block.

15 . The tire according to claim 14 , wherein the circumferential length Le 2 of the edge portion of the middle block is in a range 1.10<Le 2 /Wb 2 ′≤1.50 with respect to the ground contact width Wb 2 ′ of the middle block.

16 . The tire according to claim 15 , wherein the through narrow grooves are sipes that are closed when the tire comes into contact with a ground.

17 . The tire according to claim 16 , wherein the non-through lug grooves connect to the respective center grooves at a maximum amplitude position toward the tire equatorial plane side of the wave-like shape.

18 . The tire according to claim 17 , wherein an inclination angle θ 23 with respect to the tire circumferential direction of the non-through lug grooves is in a range-20°≤θ 21 −θ 23 ≤20° with respect to an inclination angle θ 21 of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions.

19 . The tire according to claim 18 , wherein the groove width W 23 of the non-through lug grooves is in a range 1.50≤W 23 /W 21 ≤5.50 with respect to the groove width W 21 of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions.

20 . A tire, comprising:

a pair of shoulder main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction and two or more center grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction; and

a pair of shoulder land portions, a pair of middle land portions, and one or more rows of center land portions defined and formed by the shoulder main grooves and the center grooves;

at least one of the middle land portions comprising a plurality of through narrow grooves extending through the at least one of the middle land portions in a tire width direction, a plurality of middle blocks defined and formed by the through narrow grooves adjacent to each other, and non-through lug grooves opening at one end to an edge portion on a tire equatorial plane side of a middle block of the middle blocks and terminating at an other end in a central portion of the middle block,

the one or more rows of center land portions comprising a plurality of through narrow grooves,

a groove width W 21 of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions being in a range 0.4 mm ≤ W 21 ≤1.5 mm, a groove width W 31 of the through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions being in a range 0 . 4 mm ≤ W 31 ≤1.5 mm and a groove width W 23 of the non-through lug grooves being in a range 1 . 5 mm ≤ W 23 ≤5.0 mm,

a groove width Wg 2 of the center grooves is in a range 0.10≤ Wg 2 /Wg 1 ≤ 0.40 with respect to a groove width Wg 1 of the shoulder main grooves,

the center grooves having a wave-like shape with an amplitude in the tire width direction,

the center grooves having a see-through structure in the tire circumferential direction,

the edge portion on the center groove side of the middle block having an arc shape that projects in a width direction of the middle block,

the through narrow grooves having a wave-like shape,

a wavelength λ 21 of the wave-like shape of the through narrow grooves of the at least one of the middle land portions is in a range 0.10 ≤ λ21/Wb 2 ≤ 0.50 with respect to a ground contact width Wb 2 of the at least one of the middle land portions,

a wavelength λ 31 of the wave-like shape of the through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions is in a range 0.10≤λ31/Wb 3 ≤ 0.50 with respect to a ground contact width Wb 3 of the one or more rows of center land portions,

the plurality of through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions having a wave-like shape with an amplitude A 31 in the tire circumferential direction of 0.7mm≤A 31 ≤2.5 mm, and

excluding undulations of the wave-like shape, the plurality of through narrow grooves of the one or more rows of center land portions extending straight and at a constant angle of inclination from one side of each of the one or more rows of center land portions to an other side of the each of the one or more rows of center land portions.

21 . The tire according to claim 20 , wherein a see-through width Wst of the center grooves is in a range 0.5 mm≤Wst.

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 Feb 15, 2022
From: TOKUNAGA, REIKA
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059018/0624 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-024650 · Feb 18, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220258540A1 · Aug 18, 2022
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