Tire provided with 3D kerfs combining interlocking bands and hidden groove-type kerfs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12533914-B2
Application number	US-202318852138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2023
Priority date	Mar 29, 2022
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

An embodiment relates to a tire in which kerf space can be secured after tread wear without a decrease in block rigidity. The tire provided with 3D kerfs combining interlocking bands and hidden groove-type kerfs according to an embodiment comprises: kerfs that are provided with road surface portions and bottom portions; and protrusion parts that protrude from one of the two side wall surfaces of the road surface portions, wherein the road surface portions are spaces extending, in the thickness direction of the blocks, from the outer surface of the blocks in contact with the road surface, and the bottom portions are spaces extending from the road surface in the thickness direction of the block.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A tire having a 3D kerf in which an interlocking band and a hidden groove-type kerf are combined, the tire comprising:
a kerf having: a road surface portion, which is a first space extending in a thickness direction of a block of the tire from an outer surface of the block, the outer surface of the block being configured to be in contact with a road surface, the road surface portion including a first side wall surface and a second side wall surface facing each other; and a bottom portion, which is a second space extending in the thickness direction of the block from the road surface portion; and a plurality of protrusion parts that protrudes from the first side wall surface of the road surface portion, wherein a distance between opposite side wall surfaces of the bottom portion is variable in a depth direction of the bottom portion, wherein, in a cross section perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the kerf, as a depth of the bottom portion increases, the distance between the opposite side wall surfaces of the bottom portion increases, such that inclined surfaces are defined on opposite sides of the bottom portion, respectively, wherein a connection region between each of the opposite side wall surfaces of the road surface portion and each of the inclined surfaces of the bottom portion is rounded and has a curved surface having a radius of curvature, wherein an outer end of each of the plurality of protrusion parts facing the second side wall surface of the road surface portion is spaced apart from the second side wall surface of the road surface portion, wherein the tire further comprises a channel portion including: a plurality of first channels, each having a first groove extending in a depth direction of the road surface portion on the first side wall surface of the road surface portion; and a plurality of second channels, each having a second groove extending in the depth direction of the road surface portion at a position corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of first channels on the second side wall surface of the road surface portion, wherein the plurality of first channels is disposed on the first side wall surface of the road surface portion where the plurality of protrusion parts is not disposed, such that the plurality of first channels and the plurality of protrusion parts are disposed in an alternating manner.

2 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second side wall surfaces of the road surface portion a continuous surface extending along the lengthwise direction of the kerf.

3 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein as the depth of the bottom portion increases, the distance between the opposite side wall surfaces of the bottom portion increases and then becomes constant.

4 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein as the depth of the bottom portion increases, the distance between the opposite side wall surfaces of the bottom portion increases and then becomes constant.

5 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusion parts has a rectangular solid shape.

6 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the kerf has a curved shape extending in the lengthwise direction of the kerf.

Assignees

• Hankook Tire & Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Hee Kyung
• Choi Su Bin

Classifications

• B60C2011/1361

  with protrusions extending from the groove bottom · CPC title

• B60C11/1353

  with special features of the groove bottom · CPC title

• B60C11/1218 Primary

  Three-dimensional shape with regard to depth and extending direction · CPC title

• B60C2011/1213

  sinusoidal or zigzag at the tread surface · CPC title

• B60C11/1281 Primary

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