Pneumatic tire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9649885-B2
Application number	US-201414188194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Apr 23, 2013
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion with an unsymmetrical tread pattern that includes a circumferentially extending first main groove at a nearest side of an inboard tread edge, a circumferentially extending second main groove adjacent to the first main groove, and a middle land portion arranged therebetween. The middle land portion is provided with a plurality of inclined grooves, a plurality of inboard middle lateral grooves including one end communicated with the first main groove and the other end communicated with the inclined groove, and a plurality of outboard middle lateral grooves including one end communicated with the second main groove and the other end communicated with the inclined groove. Respective groove center points of the inboard middle lateral grooves are arranged in different places in the circumferential direction of the tire from respective groove center points of the outboard middle lateral grooves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic tire comprising:
a tread portion having an unsymmetrical tread pattern with a designated installing direction to a vehicle so as to have an inboard tread edge and an outboard tread edge,
the tread pattern comprising a first main groove that continuously extends in a circumferential direction of the tire at a nearest side of the inboard tread edge, a second main groove that continuously extends in the circumferential direction of the tire adjacent to the first main groove, and a middle land portion arranged between the first main groove and the second main groove,
the middle land portion being provided with
a plurality of inclined grooves each of which having both ends terminating within the middle portion and having a groove depth in a range of not less than 3.0 mm,
a plurality of inboard middle lateral grooves each of which having one end that communicates with the first main groove and another end that communicates with the inclined groove,
a plurality of outboard middle lateral grooves each of which having one end that communicates with the second main groove and another end that communicates with the inclined groove, and
a plurality of middle narrow grooves each of which connects circumferentially adjacent inboard middle lateral grooves,
wherein the outboard middle lateral grooves are inclined in a same direction as the inclined grooves, and

respective groove center points of the inboard middle lateral grooves are arranged in different places in the circumferential direction of the tire from respective groove center points of the outboard middle lateral grooves, wherein each groove center point is defined as a circumferential groove-width center point that locates at an axially center of each lateral groove.

2. The tire according to claim 1 ,
wherein the tread pattern further comprises an inner land portion arranged between the first main groove and the inboard tread edge, and an outer land portion arranged between the second main groove and the outboard tread edge,
the inner land portion is provided with a plurality of inner shoulder lateral grooves each of which extends between the inboard tread edge and the first main groove,
the outer land portion is provided with a plurality of outer shoulder lateral grooves each of which extends axially inwardly from the outboard tread edge, and
respective groove center points of the inner shoulder lateral grooves, outer shoulder lateral grooves, outboard middle lateral grooves, and inboard middle lateral grooves are arranged in different places in the circumferential direction of the tire.

3. The tire according to claim 1 , wherein each inclined groove has an angle in a range of from 10 to 30 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire.

4. The tire according to claim 2 ,
wherein the tread pattern further comprises a third main groove that continuously extends in the circumferential direction of the tire and is disposed between the outboard tread edge and the second main groove, and
each outer shoulder lateral groove terminates without communicating with the third main groove.

5. The tire according to claim 1 ,
wherein each inclined groove comprises a first end communicated with the inboard middle lateral groove, and a second end communicated with the outboard middle lateral groove.

6. The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferentially adjacent inclined grooves are overlapped each other with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire each other.

7. The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the middle narrow grooves have a groove depth in a range of less than 3.0 mm, but not less than 1.0 mm.

8. The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the middle narrow grooves and the inclined main grooves are angled in the same direction.

9. The tire according to claim 1 , wherein each of the middle narrow grooves comprises a groove edge aligned with a groove edge of each inclined main groove.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Rubber Ind

Inventors

• Takagi Keiji

Classifications

• B60C2011/0381

  Blind or isolated grooves · CPC title

• B60C11/0304 Primary

  Asymmetric patterns · CPC title

• B60C2011/0346

  with zigzag shape · CPC title

• B60C11/0318

  irregular patterns with particular pitch sequence · CPC title

• B60C2011/0374

  Slant grooves, i.e. having an angle of about 5 to 35 degrees to the equatorial plane · CPC title