Tread having turn around sipe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12370836-B2
Application number	US-202118554125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2021
Priority date	Jun 29, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A heavy truck tire tread that has a shoulder rib and shoulder groove is provided. A sipe is in the shoulder rib that extends from the shoulder groove to the lateral outer surface. A first end of a teardrop of the sipe is located at the lateral outer surface, and a second end at the shoulder groove. A middle section of the teardrop is located between the first and second ends in the lateral direction. A first transition is located between the first end and the middle section, and a second transition is located between the second end and the middle section and they both extend in the lateral and thickness directions. The entire middle section is farther from the upper surface in the thickness direction than any portion of the first or second ends are to the upper surface in the thickness direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heavy truck tire tread that has a lateral direction, a thickness direction, and a circumferential direction, comprising:
a sipe that has a first segment that extends forward in the circumferential direction and outboard in the lateral direction, wherein the first segment has a first segment inboard point and a first segment outboard point and a first segment line that extends from the first segment inboard point to the first segment outboard point, wherein a first segment angle is less than 90 degrees and is measured between a first segment lateral line and the first segment line, wherein the first segment lateral line extends completely in the lateral direction and extends through the first segment inboard point, wherein the first segment inboard point is the farthest inboard position of the first segment in the lateral direction, and wherein the first segment outboard point is the farthest outboard position of the first segment in the lateral direction;
a second segment that extends forward in the circumferential direction and outboard in the lateral direction, wherein the second segment has a second segment inboard point coincident with the first segment outboard point, wherein the second segment has a second segment outboard point that is a farthest outboard position of the second segment in the lateral direction, wherein the second segment has a second segment line that extends from the second segment inboard point to the second segment outboard point, wherein a second segment angle is less than 90 degrees and is measured between a second segment lateral line and the second segment line, wherein the second segment lateral line extends completely in the lateral direction and extends through the second segment inboard point;
wherein the first segment angle is greater than the second segment angle;
a third segment that extends forward in the circumferential direction and outboard in the lateral direction, wherein the third segment has a third segment inboard point and a third segment outboard point and a third segment line that extends from the third segment inboard point to the third segment outboard point, wherein a third segment angle is less than 90 degrees and is measured between a third segment lateral line and the third segment line, wherein the third segment lateral line extends completely in the lateral direction and extends through the third segment inboard point, wherein the third segment inboard point is the farthest inboard position of the third segment in the lateral direction, and wherein the third segment outboard point is the farthest outboard position of the third segment in the lateral direction;
a fourth segment that extends forward in the circumferential direction and outboard in the lateral direction, wherein the fourth segment has a fourth segment inboard point coincident with the third segment outboard point, wherein the fourth segment has a fourth segment outboard point that is a farthest outboard position of the fourth segment in the lateral direction, wherein the fourth segment has a fourth segment line that extends from the fourth segment inboard point to the fourth segment outboard point, wherein a fourth segment angle is less than 90 degrees and is measured between a fourth segment lateral line and the fourth segment line, wherein the fourth segment lateral line extends completely in the lateral direction and extends through the fourth segment inboard point;
wherein the third segment angle is greater than the fourth segment angle;
a fifth segment that extends from the second segment outboard point to the fourth segment outboard point;
a first tread edge;
a second tread edge with a rolling tread width defined from the first tread edge to the second edge in the lateral direction, wherein the fifth segment is located within 20% of the length of the rolling tread width from the first tread edge, wherein the sipe is free from engagement with the first tread edge;
a rib that is not oriented completely in the circumferential direction so as to extend both in the circumferential direction and the lateral direction, wherein the sipe is located in the rib;
wherein the tread has a lateral midpoint that is located equal distance to the first tread edge and the second tread edge in the lateral direction, wherein the sipe extends from the first segment inboard point and then across the lateral midpoint and turns around and extends back again across the lateral midpoint to the third segment inboard point.

2. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a decoupling groove, wherein the decoupling groove engages the second segment and the fourth segment, wherein the decoupling groove is free from engagement with the first segment, the third segment, and the fifth segment, wherein the fifth segment is located outboard from the decoupling groove in the lateral direction.

3. The tread as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the decoupling groove extends from the second segment to the fourth segment.

4. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a shoulder groove that extends in the circumferential direction, wherein the first segment inboard point is located at the shoulder groove, wherein the third segment inboard point is located at the shoulder groove.

5. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first segment angle is the same magnitude as the third segment angle, and wherein the second segment angle is the same as the fourth segment angle.

6. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first segment is straight and extends completely along the first segment line, wherein the second segment is straight and extends completely along the second segment line, wherein the third segment is straight and extends completely along the third segment line, wherein the fourth segment is straight and extends completely along the fourth segment line, and wherein the fifth segment is straight.

7. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first segment, the second segment, the third segment, the fourth segment, and the fifth segment are wavy.

8. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the sipe has a teardrop that extends along the first segment, the second segment, the third segment, the fourth segment, and the fifth segment, wherein the teardrop has a circular cross-sectional shape and is located at the bottom of the sipe.

9. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a sacrificial rib that is located outboard from the first tread edge in the lateral direction, and wherein a sacrificial rib groove is located between the first tread edge and the sacrificial rib in the lateral direction.

10. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a shoulder rib that has a plurality of block grooves that cause the shoulder rib to be arranged as a plurality of shoulder rib blocks, wherein the fifth segment is located within one of the shoulder rib blocks, and wherein the sipe is spaced from and not in engagement with any of the block grooves.

11. The tread as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the heavy truck tire tread is directional and has a rolling direction that extends in the circumferential direction, wherein the sipe is arranged relative to the rolling direction such that the first segment and the second segment are located forward of the third segment and the fourth segment in the rolling direction.

12. A heavy truck tire tread that has a lateral direction, a thickness direction, and a circumferential direction, comprising:
a sipe that has a first segment that extends forward in the circumferential direction and outboard in the lateral direction, wherein the first segment has a first segment inboard point and a fi

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie
• Ayglon Virgile
• Hicks Daniel Mceachern
• Sites Tyler

Inventors

• Ayglon Virgile
• Hicks Daniel Mceachern
• Sites Tyler

Classifications

• B60C11/1281

  different within the same sipe, i.e. enlarged width portion at sipe bottom or along its length · CPC title

• B60C11/0302

  directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction · CPC title

• B60C2011/0397

  Sacrificial ribs, i.e. ribs recessed from outer tread contour · CPC title

• B60C2011/0348

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

• B60C2200/06

  for heavy duty vehicles · CPC title