Pneumatic tire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10252576-B2
Application number	US-201214368620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 27, 2011
Publication date	Apr 9, 2019
Grant date	Apr 9, 2019

Abstract

An outer side rib 46 is formed at a side relative to the plural circumference direction main grooves that is at the vehicle outer side when the tire is mounted at a vehicle. A land portion of the outer side rib 46 is continuous in the tire circumference direction. Of the plural circumference direction main grooves, an outermost side circumference direction main groove 24 is formed at the vehicle outermost side when the tire is mounted. Fourth lug grooves 42 extend from the outermost side circumference direction main groove 24 toward the outer side rib 46. The groove width of each fourth lug groove 42 widens from the outermost side circumference direction main groove 24 side toward the outer side rib 46 side. The fourth lug grooves 42 terminate at the outermost side circumference direction main groove 24 side relative to a tire ground contact edge 16E.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pneumatic tire, comprising:
a plurality of circumference direction main grooves that are formed at a tread portion and extend in the tire circumference direction;
an outer side rib that, when the tire is mounted at a vehicle, is formed at a tire mounting outer side relative to the plurality of circumference direction main grooves, a land portion of the outer side rib being continuous in the tire circumference direction;
a lug groove that extends from an outermost side circumference direction main groove toward the outer side rib, the outermost side circumference direction main groove being formed furthest to the tire mounting outer side, when the tire is mounted at the vehicle, among the plurality of circumference direction main grooves, a groove width of the lug groove continuously widening over substantially an entire length of the lug groove in a tire width direction, from the outermost side circumference direction main groove side thereof toward the outer side rib side, and the lug groove terminating in the outer side rib and terminating further toward the outermost side circumference direction main groove side than a tire ground contact edge at the tire mounting outer side; and
a shoulder circumference direction narrow groove extending in the tire circumference direction and being provided at the tire mounting outer side relative to the outermost side circumference direction main groove, the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove being narrower in groove width and shallower in groove depth than the outermost side circumference direction main groove,
wherein the lug groove and the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove intersect,
wherein the lug groove includes a groove floor raised portion provided at an outermost side circumference direction main groove side of the lug groove, at which a groove floor is shallower than at an outer side rib side opposite to the outermost side circumference direction main groove side of the lug groove,
wherein the groove floor raised portion extends from a first end of the lug groove in the tire width direction toward a center portion of a second land portion provided between the outermost side circumference direction main groove and the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove,
wherein a first end of the groove floor raised portion is located at the first end of the lug groove in the tire width direction and a second end opposite to the first end of the groove floor raised portion ends at the center portion of the second land portion,
wherein the lug groove continuously extends from the second end of the groove floor raised portion through the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove into the outer side rib,
wherein a side wall of the outermost side circumference direction main groove is flush with the groove floor raised portion,
wherein a first width of the lug groove measured at an outer side end of the groove floor raised portion is larger than a second width of the lug groove measured at the side wall of the outermost side circumference direction main groove being flush with the groove floor raised portion,
wherein the lug groove is only formed at the tire mounting outer side of the outermost side circumference direction main groove, and
wherein the pneumatic tire does not have an additional lug groove configured the same as the lug groove, which is located on an opposite side of the tire mounting outer side with respect to an equator of the pneumatic tire.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the lug groove is angled relative to the tire width direction, corner portions that are configured between the lug groove and the outermost side circumference direction main groove include an acute corner and an obtuse corner, and the groove floor raised portion is angled such that the groove floor is shallower at a wall face side at which the acute corner is formed and deepens toward a wall face side at which the obtuse corner is formed.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove includes:
a groove floor; and
a first groove wall and a second groove wall extending radially from the groove floor, and
wherein each angle formed between the groove floor and each of the first and second groove walls is greater than 90°.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove includes:
a groove floor; and
a first groove wall and a second groove wall extending radially from the groove floor,
wherein a first angle formed between the groove floor and the first groove wall is larger at a first side, along a tire circumferential direction, corresponding to a contact patch entry side of the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove than at a second side, along the tire circumferential direction, opposite to the first side of the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove, the second side corresponding to a contact patch exit side of the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove, and
wherein a second angle formed between the groove floor and the second groove wall is larger at the second side corresponding to the contact patch exit side of the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove than at the first side corresponding to the contact patch entry side of the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the lug groove at an intersection of the lug groove and the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove is deeper than a depth of the shoulder circumference direction narrow groove, and
a depth of the lug groove at an intersection of the lug groove and the outermost side circumference direction main groove is shallower than a depth of the outermost side circumference direction main groove.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Corp

Inventors

• Nakamura Takamitsu
• Kawahara Takahiro

Classifications

• B60C11/01

  Shape of the shoulders between tread and sidewall, e.g. rounded, stepped or cantilevered · CPC title

• B60C11/1236

  with special arrangements in the tread pattern · CPC title

• B60C2011/0367

  characterised by depth · CPC title

• B60C11/042

  further characterised by the groove cross-section · CPC title

• B60C2011/0348

  Narrow grooves, i.e. having a width of less than 4 mm · CPC title