IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,040,577
Granted Patent B2
US 11,040,577 · App. 16/424,936 · Granted Jun 22, 2021

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Naoya Kubo (Itami, JP)
Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
B60C11/1281B60C11/01B60C11/0304B60C11/1204B60C2011/013B60C2011/0341B60C2011/1227
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,040,577
App. No.
16/424,936
Granted
Jun 22, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a pneumatic tire, a pair of width-oriented sipes that straddle one of circumferential recessed regions are arranged in such fashion as to appear to partially mutually overlap as viewed in a tire width direction, each of the pair of width-oriented sipes comprises a sipe portion at which width is constant, and a notch portion at which width increases toward the exterior in a tire radial direction, the sipe portion is such that at least one end thereof is contiguous with at least one of the circumferential recessed regions in such fashion as to be inclined with respect to the at least one circumferential recessed region; and the notch portion is arranged at a corner at which the sipe portion intersects the at least one circumferential recessed region to form an acute angle therebetween.

Claims (73)

1. A pneumatic tire comprising:

first and second circumferential recessed regions extending in recessed fashion along a tire circumferential direction; and

first and second width-oriented sipes extending to intersect the tire circumferential direction,

wherein the tire circumferential direction includes a first circumferential direction side and a second circumferential direction side which is opposite the first circumferential direction side,

wherein the first width-oriented sipe and the second width-oriented sipe straddle the first circumferential recessed region,

wherein the first circumferential recessed region and the second circumferential recessed region straddle the second width-oriented sipe in the tire width direction,

wherein the first width-oriented sipe and the second width-oriented sipe are arranged to have a portion thereof mutually overlapping as viewed in the tire width direction,

wherein an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the second width-oriented sipe is located on the first circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe,

wherein the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the second width-oriented sipe is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe,

wherein the first width-oriented sipe comprises a first sipe portion at which width is constant, and a first notch portion at which width increases outwardly in a tire radial direction,

wherein a first end of the first sipe portion is contiguous with the first circumferential recessed region, and the first sipe portion is inclined with respect to the first circumferential recessed region,

wherein the first notch portion is arranged at a corner at which the first sipe portion intersects the first circumferential recessed region to form an acute angle therebetween,

wherein the second width-oriented sipe comprises a second sipe portion at which width is constant, and a second notch portion at which width increases outwardly in the tire radial direction,

wherein a first end of the second sipe portion is contiguous with at least one of the first and second circumferential recessed regions, and the second sipe portion is inclined with respect to the at least one of the first and second circumferential recessed regions, and

wherein the second notch portion is arranged at a corner at which the second sipe portion intersects the at least one of the first and second circumferential recessed regions to form an acute angle therebetween.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second notch portions are arranged overlap as viewed in the tire width direction,

wherein an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the second notch portion is located on the first circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the first notch portion, and

wherein the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the second notch portion is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first notch portion.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction, and at least one circumferentially oriented sipe that extends in the tire circumferential direction and that is narrower in width than the main grooves,

wherein the first circumferential recessed region is one of the at least one circumferentially oriented sipe.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein the first circumferential recessed region comprises a circumferential sipe portion at which width is constant, and a notch portion at which width increases outwardly in the tire radial direction.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein

a first end of the second width-oriented sipe is contiguous with the second circumferential recessed region, and

a second end of the second width-oriented sipe is separated from the first circumferential recessed region.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 5 , further comprising a third circumferential recessed region extending in recessed fashion along the tire circumferential direction, wherein

the first circumferential recessed region and the third circumferential recessed region straddle the first width-oriented sipe in the tire width direction, and

a second end of the first width-oriented sipe is separated from the third circumferential recessed region.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 6 , wherein the first sipe portion and the second sipe portion are respectively inclined so as to be directed in the same way with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , further comprising a third width-oriented sipe extending to intersect the tire circumferential direction, wherein

the second width-oriented sipe and the third width-oriented sipe straddle the second circumferential recessed region in the tire width direction,

the second width-oriented sipe and the third width-oriented sipe are arranged to have a portion thereof mutually overlapping as viewed in the tire width direction,

an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the third width-oriented sipe is located on the first circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the second width-oriented sipe, and

the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the third width-oriented sipe is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at first circumferential direction side of the second width-oriented sipe.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , further comprising a third circumferential recessed region extending in recessed fashion along the tire circumferential direction and a fourth width-oriented sipe extending to intersect the tire circumferential direction, wherein

the first width-oriented sipe and the fourth width-oriented sipe straddle the third circumferential recessed region in the tire width direction,

the first width-oriented sipe and the fourth width-oriented sipe are arranged to have a portion thereof mutually overlapping as viewed in the tire width direction,

the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe is located on the first circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the fourth width-oriented sipe, and

the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at first circumferential direction side of the fourth width-oriented sipe.

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , wherein

the third width-oriented sipe comprises a third sipe portion at which width is constant, and a third notch portion at which width increases outwardly in the tire radial direction,

a first end of the third sipe portion is contiguous with the second circumferential recessed region, and the third sipe portion is inclined with respect to the second circumferential recessed region, and

the third notch portion is arranged at a corner at which the third sipe portion intersects the second circumferential recessed region to form an acute angle therebetween.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 10 , wherein

the second notch portion and third notch portion are separated in the tire circumferential direction as viewed in the tire width direction, and

an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the third notch portion is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the second notch portion.

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein the second sipe portion and the third sipe portion are respectively inclined so as to be directed in the same way with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

13. The pneumatic tire according to claim 12 , further comprising a third circumferential recessed region extending in recessed fashion along the tire circumferential direction, and a fourth width-oriented sipe extending to intersect the tire circumferential direction, wherein

the first width-oriented sipe and the fourth width-oriented sipe straddle the third circumferential recessed region in the tire width direction;

the first width-oriented sipe and the fourth width-oriented sipe are arranged to have a portion thereof mutually overlapping as viewed in the tire width direction,

the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe is located on the first circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the fourth width-oriented sipe, and

the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the fourth width-oriented sipe.

14. The pneumatic tire according to claim 13 , wherein

the fourth width-oriented sipe comprises a fourth sipe portion at which width is constant, and a fourth notch portion at which width increases outwardly in the tire radial direction,

a first end of the fourth sipe portion is contiguous with the third circumferential recessed region, and the fourth sipe portion is inclined with respect to the third circumferential recessed region, and

the fourth notch portion is arranged at a corner at which the fourth sipe portion intersects the third circumferential recessed region to form an acute angle therebetween.

15. The pneumatic tire according to claim 14 , wherein

the first notch portion and fourth notch portion are separated in the tire circumferential direction as viewed in the tire width direction, and

an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first notch portion is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the fourth notch portion.

16. The pneumatic tire according to claim 15 , wherein the first sipe portion and the fourth sipe portion are respectively inclined so as to be directed in the same way with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

17. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , further comprising a third circumferential recessed region extending in recessed fashion along the tire circumferential direction, and a fourth width-oriented sipe extending in such fashion as to intersect the tire circumferential direction, wherein

the first width-oriented sipe and the fourth width-oriented sipe straddle the third circumferential recessed region in the tire width direction,

the first width-oriented sipe and the fourth width-oriented sipe are arranged to have a portion thereof mutually overlapping as viewed in the tire width direction,

the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe is located on the first circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the fourth width-oriented sipe, and

the endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first width-oriented sipe is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the fourth width-oriented sipe.

18. The pneumatic tire according to claim 17 ,

wherein the fourth width-oriented sipe comprises a fourth sipe portion at which width is constant, and a fourth notch portion at which width increases outwardly in the tire radial direction,

a first end of the fourth sipe portion is contiguous with the third circumferential recessed region, and the fourth sipe portion is inclined with respect to the third circumferential recessed region, and

the fourth notch portion is arranged at a corner at which the fourth sipe portion intersects the third circumferential recessed region to form an acute angle therebetween.

19. The pneumatic tire according to claim 18 , wherein

the first notch portion and the fourth notch portion are separated in the tire circumferential direction as viewed in the tire width direction, and

an endpoint at the first circumferential direction side of the first notch portion is located on the second circumferential direction side of an endpoint at the second circumferential direction side of the fourth notch portion.

20. The pneumatic tire according to claim 19 , wherein the first sipe portion and the fourth sipe portion are respectively inclined so as to be directed in the same way with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2019
From: KUBO, NAOYA
To: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049306/0507 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-108548 · Jun 6, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190375246A1 · Dec 12, 2019