Tire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016297250-A1
Application number	US-201415100405-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Dec 12, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a tire in which the silent performance is excellent and the wear performance is also excellent.
An outer middle land portion 2 OUT is defined by the middle circumferential main groove 1 CE and the outer circumferential main groove 1 OUT , an inner middle land portion 2 IN is defined by the middle circumferential main groove 1 CE and the inner circumferential main groove 1 IN , and the outer middle land portion 2 OUT is formed bridging across the tire equatorial plane, the outer middle land portion comprises an outer resonator 5 composed of a first sub groove 3 both ends of which terminate within the land portion, a first branch groove 4 a which extends from one end 3 A of the first sub groove to the outer circumferential main groove and whose groove width is smaller than that of the first sub groove, and a second branch groove 4 b which extends from the other end 3 B of the first sub groove to the middle circumferential main groove and whose groove width is smaller than that of the first sub groove, the inner middle land portion comprises a second sub groove 6 whose one end terminates within the land portion, wherein the other end of the second sub groove is directly communicated with the inner circumferential main groove or is communicated with the inner circumferential main groove via a third branch groove 4 C whose groove width is smaller than that of the second sub groove to form an inner resonator 7, and the length of the outer resonator in the tire circumferential direction is larger than the length of the inner resonator in the tire circumferential direction.

First claim

1 . A tire comprising, on a tread portion, three circumferential main grooves composed of an outer circumferential main groove positioned on the outermost side when installed in a vehicle, an inner circumferential main groove positioned on the innermost side when installed in a vehicle, and a middle circumferential main groove positioned threbetween, wherein
an outer middle land portion is defined by the middle circumferential main groove and the outer circumferential main groove, an inner middle land portion is defined by the middle circumferential main groove and the inter circumferential main groove, and the outer middle land portion is formed bridging across the tire equatorial plane, the outer middle land portion comprises an outer resonator composed of a first sub groove both ends of which terminate within the land portion, a first branch groove which extends from one end of the first sub groove to the outer circumferential main groove and whose groove width is smaller than that of the first sub groove, and a second branch groove which extends from the other end of the first sub groove to the middle circumferential main groove and whose groove width is smaller than that of the first sub groove, the inner middle land portion comprises a second sub groove whose one end terminates within the land portion, wherein the other end of the second sub groove is directly communicated with the inner circumferential main groove or is communicated with the inner circumferential main groove via a third branch groove whose groove width is smaller than that of the second sub groove to form an inner resonator, and the length of the outer resonator in the tire circumferential direction is larger than the length of the inner resonator in the tire circumferential direction.

2 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the inner middle land portion comprises a first thin groove which extend from the middle circumferential main groove and terminates within the land portion, and the groove depth of the first thin groove at the opening thereof to the middle circumferential main groove is shallower than the maximum groove depth thereof.

3 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the outer middle land portion comprises a second thin groove which extends from the middle circumferential main groove and terminates within the land portion, and the groove depth of the second thin groove at the opening thereof to the middle circumferential main groove is shallower than the maximum groove depth thereof.

4 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein, regarding each of the outer resonator and the inner resonator, adjacent resonators in the tire circumferential direction comprise an overlapping portion in the tire circumferential direction.

5 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the outer middle land portion comprises a third thin groove which extends from the outer circumferential main groove and terminates within the land portion, and the groove depth of the third thin groove at the opening thereof to the outer circumferential main groove is shallower than the maximum groove depth thereof.

6 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the groove depth of each of the first sub groove and the second sub groove at a communication portion where each branch groove communicates is shallower than the maximum groove depth thereof.

7 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the first sub groove and the second sub groove extend inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

8 . The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the groove depth of the first sub groove at a middle portion thereof along the extending direction is shallower than the maximum groove depth thereof.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Corp

Inventors

• Hayashi Shintaro

Classifications

• B60C11/0304 Primary

  Asymmetric patterns · CPC title

• B60C11/0332 Primary

  by the footprint-ground contacting area of the tyre tread · CPC title

• B60C2011/0365

  characterised by width · CPC title

• B60C2011/0379

  characterised by depth · CPC title

• B60C2011/1209

  straight at the tread surface · CPC title