Pneumatic tire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956825-B2
Application number	US-201514734215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2015
Priority date	Jun 13, 2014
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

The present invention provides a pneumatic tire including: a groove formed in a tread, the groove having a groove bottom and groove side surfaces arising from the groove bottom; and a projection projecting from the groove bottom, wherein the projection includes a low-step portion located at a low position with reference to the groove bottom and a high-step portion located at a high position with reference to the groove bottom, the low-step portion has a first-side inclined surface inclined in a depth direction of the groove along a first groove side surface of the groove and a second-side inclined surface inclined in the depth direction of the groove along a second groove side surface of the groove, and the first-side inclined surface and the second-side inclined surface are inclined in different directions from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic tire comprising:
a groove formed in a tread, the groove having a groove bottom and groove side surfaces arising from the groove bottom; and
a projection projecting from the groove bottom, wherein
the projection includes a low-step portion located at a low position with reference to the groove bottom and a high-step portion located at a high position with reference to the groove bottom,
the low-step portion includes a plurality of inclined surfaces formed in spiral form so as to surround the high-step portion,
the plurality of inclined surfaces are connected in a direction in which the inclined surfaces sequentially descend,
the low-step portion includes a first-side inclined surface inclined in a depth direction of the groove along a first groove side surface of the groove and a second-side inclined surface inclined in the depth direction of the groove along a second groove side surface of the groove, and
the first-side inclined surface and the second-side inclined surface are inclined in different directions from each other.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein
the first groove side surface and the second groove side surface of the groove are opposed to each other,
the first-side inclined surface is located on the first groove side surface side of the high-step portion,
the second-side inclined surface is located on the second groove side surface side of the high-step portion,
the first-side inclined surface and the second-side inclined surface are inclined in reverse directions to each other, and
an inclined connecting surface is located between a low end located at the lowest position on the first-side inclined surface with reference to the groove bottom and a high end located at the highest position on the second-side inclined surface with reference to the groove bottom, with the low end side of the first-side inclined surface located at a high position and the high end side of the second-side inclined surface located at a low position.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein
the projection has a top surface at the highest position with reference to the groove bottom, and
the top surface has an area ratio of 10 to 20% with respect to a bottom area of the projection.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein
the projection has a height from the groove bottom of not more than 50% with respect to a depth of the groove.

Assignees

• Toyo Tire & Rubber Co

Inventors

• Kuwano Shingo

Classifications

• B60C11/11

  in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of isolated elements, e.g. blocks (B60C11/12, B60C11/13 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60C2011/0346

  with zigzag shape · CPC title

• B60C2011/1361

  with protrusions extending from the groove bottom · CPC title

• B60C11/047

  the groove bottom comprising stone trapping protection elements, e.g. ribs · CPC title

• B60C11/1353 Primary

  with special features of the groove bottom · CPC title