IP Library Granted Patent US 12,403,727
Granted Patent B2
US 12,403,727 · App. 17/754,007 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Hironori Wada (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
B60C11/04B60C2011/0346B60C2011/0381B60C2011/0388B60C2200/04B60C2200/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,403,727
App. No.
17/754,007
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a pneumatic tire including: a plurality of main grooves each having a zigzag shape and extending in a tire circumferential direction; and a land portion defined by the main grooves adjacent to each other and having a rib structure that is continuous with the tire circumferential direction. The land portion includes first and second lug grooves having a semi-closed structure. A maximum length L21 of the first lug groove in a tire width direction has the relationship 1.30≤L21/L22≤2.30 with respect to a maximum length L22 of the second lug groove.

Claims (60)

1. A pneumatic tire comprising:

a plurality of main grooves having a zigzag shape and extending in a tire circumferential direction; and,

a land portion defined by the main grooves adjacent to each other, the land portion having a rib structure that is continuous in the tire circumferential direction,

the land portion comprising first and second lug grooves having a semi-closed structure,

a maximum length L21 of the first lug groove in a tire width direction having a relationship 1.30≤L21/L22≤2.30 with respect to a maximum length L22 of the second lug groove,

the first and second lug grooves being open to an edge portion of the land portion on a tire ground contact edge side; and

an edge portion of the land portion on the tire equatorial plane side having a plain structure that is not divided by lug grooves; wherein

of the main grooves defining the land portion, the main groove on a tire ground contact edge side has a zigzag shape formed by alternately connecting linear portions having an approximately identical length,

a circumferential length Lg1 of the linear portion has a relationship 0.30≤Lg1/λ1≤0.70 with respect to a wavelength λ1 of the zigzag shape,

the main groove on a tire equatorial plane side has a zigzag shape formed by alternately connecting long portions and short portions,

a circumferential length Lg2 of the long portion has a relationship 0.70≤Lg2/λ2<0.90 with respect to a wavelength λ2 of the zigzag shape; and

the first lug groove is disposed opposite the long portion of the main groove on the tire equatorial plane side.

2. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the maximum length L21 of the first lug groove has a relationship L21/Wb2≤0.60 with respect to a maximum ground contact width Wb2 of the land portion, and

the maximum length L22 of the second lug groove has a relationship 0.20≤L22/Wb2 with respect to the maximum ground contact width Wb2 of the land portion.

3. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second lug grooves are open to a maximum amplitude position, toward a tire equatorial plane, of the zigzag shape of the main groove.

4. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the wavelengths λ1, λ2 of the zigzag shapes of the main groove have a relationship 1.50≤λ2/λ1≤2.00.

5. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the first lug groove has an inclination direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction, the inclination direction being identical with respect to an inclination direction of the long portion of the main groove on the tire equatorial plane side.

6. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the main groove on the tire ground contact edge side is a shoulder main groove on an outermost side in the tire width direction.

7. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the pneumatic tire comprises a shoulder land portion defined by the shoulder main groove,

the shoulder land portion further comprises a plurality of lug grooves extending through the shoulder land portion and a plurality of blocks defined by the lug grooves.

8. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the pneumatic tire is a heavy duty tire mounted on a drive shaft of a vehicle.

9. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum groove width W22 of the second lug groove has a relationship 1.05≤W22/W21≤1.50 with respect to a maximum groove width W21 of the first lug groove.

10. A pneumatic tire according to claim 9 , wherein

the maximum groove width W21 of the first lug groove is in a range of 4.0 mm≤W21, and

the maximum groove width W22 of the second lug groove is in a range of W22≤15 mm.

11. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum groove depth H22 of the second lug groove has a relationship 1.20≤H22/H21≤1.60 with respect to a maximum groove depth H21 of the first lug groove.

12. A pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein

the maximum groove depth H21 of the first lug groove has a relationship 0.50≤H21/Hg1 with respect to a maximum groove depth Hg1 of the main groove, and

the maximum groove depth H22 of the second lug groove has a relationship H22/Hg1≤0.95 with respect to the maximum groove depth Hg1 of the main groove.

13. A pneumatic tire comprising:

a plurality of main grooves having a zigzag shape and extending in a tire circumferential direction; and,

a land portion defined by the main grooves adjacent to each other, the land portion having a rib structure that is continuous in the tire circumferential direction,

the land portion comprising first and second lug grooves having a semi-closed structure,

a maximum length L21 of the first lug groove in a tire width direction having a relationship 1.30≤L21/L22≤2.30 with respect to a maximum length L22 of the second lug groove, and

a maximum groove depth H22 of the second lug groove having a relationship 1.20≤H22/H21≤1.60 with respect to a maximum groove depth H21 of the first lug groove.

14. A pneumatic tire comprising:

a plurality of main grooves having a zigzag shape and extending in a tire circumferential direction; and,

a land portion defined by the main grooves adjacent to each other, the land portion having a rib structure that is continuous in the tire circumferential direction,

the land portion comprising first and second lug grooves having a semi-closed structure,

a maximum length L21 of the first lug groove in a tire width direction having a relationship 1.30≤L21/L22≤2.30 with respect to a maximum length L22 of the second lug groove,

of the main grooves defining the land portion, the main groove on a tire ground contact edge side having a zigzag shape with a wavelength λ 1 formed by alternately connecting linear portions having an approximately identical length,

the main groove on a tire equatorial plane side having a zigzag shape with a wavelength λ2 formed by alternately connecting long portions and short portions, and

the wavelengths λ1, λ2 having a relationship 1.50 ≤λ2/λ1≤2.00.

15. A pneumatic tire comprising:

a plurality of main grooves having a zigzag shape and extending in a tire circumferential direction; and,

a land portion defined by the main grooves adjacent to each other, the land portion having a rib structure that is continuous in the tire circumferential direction,

the land portion comprising first and second lug grooves having a semi-closed structure,

a maximum length L21 of the first lug groove in a tire width direction having a relationship 1.30≤L21/L22≤2.30 with respect to a maximum length L22 of the second lug groove,

the first and second lug grooves being open to an edge portion of the land portion on a tire ground contact edge side; and

an edge portion of the land portion on the tire equatorial plane side having a plain structure that is not divided by lug grooves; wherein

of the main grooves defining the land portion, the main groove on a tire ground contact edge side has a zigzag shape formed by alternately connecting linear portions having an approximately identical length,

a circumferential length Lg1 of the linear portion has a relationship 0.30≤Lg1/λ1≤0.70 with respect to a wavelength λ1 of the zigzag shape,

the main groove on a tire equatorial plane side has a zigzag shape formed by alternately connecting long portions and short portions,

a circumferential length Lg2 of the long portion has a relationship 0.70≤Lg2/λ2≤0.90 with respect to a wavelength λ2 of the zigzag shape;

and

the first lug groove has an inclination direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction, the inclination direction being identical with respect to an inclination direction of the long portion of the main groove on the tire equatorial plane side.

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 21, 2022
From: WADA, HIRONORI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059327/0806 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-174665 · Sep 25, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220348040A1 · Nov 3, 2022
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