GB1588290A

GB1588290A - Tread surface configuration for pneumatic vehicle tyres

Info

Publication number: GB1588290A
Application number: GB23431/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Continental Gummi Werke AG
Current assignee: Continental AG
Priority date: 1977-06-04
Filing date: 1978-05-26
Publication date: 1981-04-23
Also published as: FR2392835A1; DE7717820U1; FR2392835B3; IT7823993A0; IT7821978V0; IT1094896B

Description

(54) TREAD SURFACE CONFIGURATION FOR PNEUMATIC VEHICLE TYRES (71) We, CONTINENTAL GUMMI-WERKE AKTENGESELLSCHAFT, of Continental-Haus/ Postfach 169, 3000 Hannover, Germany (Fed.

Rep) a German body corporate do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following state ment :- The present invention relates to a tread surface structure for pneumatic vehicle tyres having four rows of blocks symmetrically spread over the width of the tread surface and extending in the circumferential direction of the tyres, of which the two rows of blocks located in the centre of the tread surface overlap one another in the circumferential and transverse directions of the tyre and whereby, moreover, the blocks located at the edges of the tread surface overlap one another in the transverse and circumferential directions of the tyre as well as overlapping the blocks located in the region of the tyre shoulder.

In known tread surface configurations of this kind, a continous circumferential strip is located in the centre of the tread strip between the rows of blocks.

The present invention proceeds from the knowledge that water removal at high speeds is best produced when the tread surface over its whole width is broken up into blocks, in order to obtain on the one hand a perfect traction ability and on the other hand to obtain properties which also ensure a perfect water removal even at high speeds.

To solve this problem several measures are provided with regard to the dimensioning of the tread surface elements.

According to the present invention there is provided a tread surface structure for a pneumatic vehicle tyre having four rows of blocks located symmetrically spread over the width of the ground contacting tread surface and extending in the circumferential direction of the tyre, each of the blocks located in the centre of the tread surface overlapping with each of the blocks located at the edges of the tread surface also overlapping with each other in the transverse and circumferential direction as well as overlapping with the blocks located in the tyre shoulder region, in which the ratio of the width of the ground engaging tread surface to that of the two rows of blocks located in the centre ofthe tread surface is about 2.4:1 and in which the ratio of the width of the two rows of blocks located at the edges of the tread surface to that of half of the width of the two rows of blocks located in the centre of the tread surface is about 1.4:1.

Moreover, it is expedient for the width of the zig-zag groove which defines the externally located rows of blocks towards the centre of the tyre, to be at a certain ratio to the width of the ground engaging tread surface. These widths according to further proposal in accordance with the invention should be at an approximate ratio of 1:18.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single Figure shows a partial plan view of a tread surface of a pneumatic vehicle tyre. Under normal conditions, with the prescribed air pressure and prescribed axle load, the supporting surface or ground engaging tread surface has a width B.

In this region there are four rows of blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 extending in the circumferential direction of the tyre.

The two rows of blocks 2 and 3 have blocks 5 overlapping in the transverse direction and circumferential directions of the tyre, whilst the blocks 6 of the rows 1 and 4 overlap in the circumferential and transverse directions of the tyre and also overlap the blocks 7 located in the shoulder region.

The width a of the two rows of blocks 2 and 3, which are each located symmetrically with reference to the tyre centre, is at a ratio of about 1:2.4 relative to the width B, whilst the width b of the rows 1 and 4 of blocks is at a ratio to the value a/2 such as about 1.4:1.

In these two relationships, the width z of the zig-zag groove is of importance, which is located between the block edges 1 and 2 and 3 and 4. The width B should namely be 18 times greater than the width z.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A tread surface structure for a pneumatic vehicle tyre having four rows of blocks located symmetrically spread over the width of the ground contacting tread surface and extending in the circumferential direction of the tyre,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. (54) TREAD SURFACE CONFIGURATION FOR PNEUMATIC VEHICLE TYRES (71) We, CONTINENTAL GUMMI-WERKE AKTENGESELLSCHAFT, of Continental-Haus/ Postfach 169, 3000 Hannover, Germany (Fed. Rep) a German body corporate do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following state ment :- The present invention relates to a tread surface structure for pneumatic vehicle tyres having four rows of blocks symmetrically spread over the width of the tread surface and extending in the circumferential direction of the tyres, of which the two rows of blocks located in the centre of the tread surface overlap one another in the circumferential and transverse directions of the tyre and whereby, moreover, the blocks located at the edges of the tread surface overlap one another in the transverse and circumferential directions of the tyre as well as overlapping the blocks located in the region of the tyre shoulder. In known tread surface configurations of this kind, a continous circumferential strip is located in the centre of the tread strip between the rows of blocks. The present invention proceeds from the knowledge that water removal at high speeds is best produced when the tread surface over its whole width is broken up into blocks, in order to obtain on the one hand a perfect traction ability and on the other hand to obtain properties which also ensure a perfect water removal even at high speeds. To solve this problem several measures are provided with regard to the dimensioning of the tread surface elements. According to the present invention there is provided a tread surface structure for a pneumatic vehicle tyre having four rows of blocks located symmetrically spread over the width of the ground contacting tread surface and extending in the circumferential direction of the tyre, each of the blocks located in the centre of the tread surface overlapping with each of the blocks located at the edges of the tread surface also overlapping with each other in the transverse and circumferential direction as well as overlapping with the blocks located in the tyre shoulder region, in which the ratio of the width of the ground engaging tread surface to that of the two rows of blocks located in the centre ofthe tread surface is about 2.4:1 and in which the ratio of the width of the two rows of blocks located at the edges of the tread surface to that of half of the width of the two rows of blocks located in the centre of the tread surface is about 1.4:1. Moreover, it is expedient for the width of the zig-zag groove which defines the externally located rows of blocks towards the centre of the tyre, to be at a certain ratio to the width of the ground engaging tread surface. These widths according to further proposal in accordance with the invention should be at an approximate ratio of 1:18. The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single Figure shows a partial plan view of a tread surface of a pneumatic vehicle tyre. Under normal conditions, with the prescribed air pressure and prescribed axle load, the supporting surface or ground engaging tread surface has a width B. In this region there are four rows of blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 extending in the circumferential direction of the tyre. The two rows of blocks 2 and 3 have blocks 5 overlapping in the transverse direction and circumferential directions of the tyre, whilst the blocks 6 of the rows 1 and 4 overlap in the circumferential and transverse directions of the tyre and also overlap the blocks 7 located in the shoulder region. The width a of the two rows of blocks 2 and 3, which are each located symmetrically with reference to the tyre centre, is at a ratio of about 1:2.4 relative to the width B, whilst the width b of the rows 1 and 4 of blocks is at a ratio to the value a/2 such as about 1.4:1. In these two relationships, the width z of the zig-zag groove is of importance, which is located between the block edges 1 and 2 and 3 and 4. The width B should namely be 18 times greater than the width z. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A tread surface structure for a pneumatic vehicle tyre having four rows of blocks located symmetrically spread over the width of the ground contacting tread surface and extending in the circumferential direction of the tyre, each of the blocks located in the centre of the tread surface overlapping with each other in the circumferential and transverse directions of the tyre and each of the blocks located at the edges of the tread surface also overlapping with each other in the transverse and circumferential direction as well as overlapping with the blocks located in the tyre shoulder region, in which the ratio of the width of the ground engaging tread surface to that of the two rows of blocks located in the centre of the tread surface is about 2.4:1, and in which the ratio of the width of the two rows of blocks located at the edges of the tread surface of that of half of the width of the two rows of blocks located in the centre of the tread surface is about 1.4:1.

2. A tread surface structure for a pneumatic vehicle tyre as claimed in Claim 1, in which the ration of the width of the continous zig-zag grooves defining the two rows of blocks located in the centre of the tread surface of that of the ground engaging tread surface is about 1:18.

3. A tread surface structure for a pneumatic vehicle tyre substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.