JP2007210534A - Pneumatic tire - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pneumatic tire that makes traveling performance on a dry road surface compatible with that of on an ice/snow road surface. <P>SOLUTION: The pneumatic tire 1 has lands 7 composed of blocks or ribs which are partitioned by a plurality of circumferential grooves 3 and a plurality of width-direction grooves 5 on a tread surface. The pneumatic tire is provided with a plurality of sipes 9 formed at each land 7 while being extended linearly or in zigzag and a plurality of small holes 11 formed at each land while being extended from the tread surface toward the inside in a tire radial direction. The density of the small holes 11 to the land 7 is increased from center lands 7C toward shoulder lands 7S. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire, and more particularly, to a pneumatic tire having a land portion composed of blocks or ribs partitioned by a plurality of circumferential grooves and a plurality of width grooves.

  Conventionally, various proposals have been made on pneumatic tires that improve running performance on icy and snowy road surfaces (snowy and icy road surfaces). For example, by forming a plurality of sipes in a land portion composed of blocks or ribs partitioned by a plurality of circumferential grooves and a plurality of width grooves, the grip force (so-called edge effect) is improved, Pneumatic tires that improve running performance on icy and snowy road surfaces are known.

  In this pneumatic tire, since a plurality of sipes are formed in the land portion, the rigidity of the land portion is lowered, and the running performance on the dry road surface is lowered. Therefore, a pneumatic tire (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2) in which a plurality of fine holes are formed in a land portion instead of a sipe is disclosed.

In these pneumatic tires, a plurality of narrow holes absorb water, snow, etc. instead of sipes, preventing the formation of water and snow layers on the ground contact surface (between the tread tread and the road surface) Driving performance on icy and snowy road surfaces can be ensured. Moreover, these pneumatic tires can suppress a decrease in rigidity of the land portion as compared with the pneumatic tire in which a sipe is formed in the land portion described above.
JP-A-62-55202 JP 2002-248906 A

  However, in the conventional pneumatic tire with a narrow hole formed in the land portion, the running performance on the dry road surface is improved, but compared with the pneumatic tire in which the sipe is formed on the land portion, There was a problem that the running performance deteriorated. That is, since the running performance on the dry road surface and the icy and snowy road surface is in a trade-off relationship, development of a pneumatic tire that satisfies both the running performance on the dry road surface and the icy and snowy road surface is currently required.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the pneumatic tire which can make driving | running | working performance on a dry road surface and an icy and snowy road surface compatible.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention has the following features. First, as a first feature of the present invention, in the tread surface, from blocks or ribs defined by a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction and a plurality of width grooves extending in the tread width direction. A pneumatic tire having a land portion, and a plurality of sipes formed in the land portion and extending linearly or in a zigzag manner, and a plurality of thin fibers formed in the land portion and extending inward in the tire radial direction from the tread surface. It is summarized that the density of the narrow holes with respect to the land portion is higher from the center land portion located in the tread center portion toward the shoulder land portion located in the tread shoulder portion.

  According to this feature, narrow holes that are more rigid than sipe are formed in the land, and the density of the narrow holes increases from the center land to the shoulder land, so that the sipe is formed on the entire land. Compared to the formed pneumatic tire, it is possible to suppress a decrease in rigidity of the land portion, and in particular, it is possible to suppress a decrease in rigidity of the shoulder land portion, so that it is possible to ensure traveling performance on a dry road surface. Become.

  In addition, the sipe that is better at absorbing water and snow than the narrow holes is formed on the land, so that compared to a pneumatic tire that has a narrow hole on the entire land, the contact surface (tread tread and road surface) ), It is possible to prevent the formation of water and snow layers, and it is possible to ensure traveling performance on icy and snowy road surfaces.

  The gist of the second feature of the present invention is that the density of the sipe with respect to the land portion decreases from the center land portion toward the shoulder land portion.

  According to this feature, the sipe density decreases from the center land portion toward the shoulder land portion, so that grip power (so-called edge effect) can be improved in the center land portion, Driving performance can be improved.

  The gist of the third feature of the present invention is that the sipe is formed in the tread width direction.

  The gist of the fourth feature of the present invention is that the narrow hole is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. In addition, substantially cylindrical shape shows what does not have a corner | angular form, and an ellipse etc. are included.

  The fifth feature of the present invention is that the depth (Ha) of the narrow hole is shallower than the depth (Hb) of the sipe.

  According to the present invention, the density of the narrow holes with respect to the land portion is increased from the center land portion located in the tread center portion toward the shoulder land portion located in the tread shoulder portion, so that the dry road surface and the ice and snow road surface Both driving performance can be achieved.

  Next, an example of a pneumatic tire according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and ratios of dimensions are different from actual ones. Accordingly, specific dimensions and the like should be determined in consideration of the following description. Moreover, it is a matter of course that portions having different dimensional relationships and ratios are included between the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a development view showing a tread pattern of a pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2A is a partially enlarged view of a block provided in the pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2B is a graph showing the rigidity and edge effect of the block provided in the pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a cross section of the block provided in the pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment. It is a figure (AA sectional drawing in Fig.2 (a)).

  Here, the pneumatic tire 1 according to the present embodiment is a general radial tire including a bead portion, a carcass layer, and a belt layer (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (a), the pneumatic tire 1 includes, on the tread surface, a plurality of circumferential grooves 3 extending in the tire circumferential direction and a plurality of width direction grooves extending in the tread width direction. 5 has a land portion 7 made up of blocks or ribs partitioned by 5.

  The land portion 7 includes a center land portion 7C located in the tread center portion, a shoulder land portion 7S located in the tread shoulder portion, a middle land portion 7M located between the center land portion 7C and the shoulder land portion 7S, It is constituted by.

  A plurality of sipes 9 extending in a zigzag shape in the tread width direction are formed in the center land portion 7C and the middle land portion 7M. Further, the density of the sipe 9 with respect to the land portion 7 is decreased from the center land portion 7C toward the shoulder land portion 7S. That is, the density of the sipe 9 decreases in the order of the center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S.

  The middle land portion 7M and the shoulder land portion 7S are formed with a plurality of thin holes 11 that are substantially cylindrical and extend inward in the tire radial direction from the tread surface. Further, the density of the narrow holes 11 with respect to the land portion 7 increases from the center land portion 7C toward the shoulder land portion 7S. That is, the density of the narrow holes 11 increases in the order of the center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S. The depth (Ha) of the narrow hole 11 is preferably shallower than the depth (Hb) of the sipe 9 as shown in FIG.

(Action / Effect)
According to the pneumatic tire 1 according to the present embodiment described above, the sipe is formed on the entire land portion because the density of the narrow holes 11 increases from the center land portion 7C toward the shoulder land portion 7S. Compared with a pneumatic tire, a decrease in rigidity of the land portion 7 can be suppressed, and in particular, a decrease in rigidity of the shoulder land portion 7S can be suppressed, so that it is possible to ensure a running performance on a dry road surface. .

  In addition, since the density of the sipe 9 is reduced from the center land portion 7C toward the shoulder land portion 7S, the grip force (so-called edge effect) can be improved in the center land portion, and traveling on icy and snowy road surfaces. Performance can be improved.

  That is, in the pneumatic tire 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), by using many sipes 9 in the center land portion 7C, the edge effect is improved in the center land portion 7C, and ice and snow are produced. Improve driving performance on the road. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the pneumatic tire 1 according to the present embodiment uses a large number of narrow holes 11 in the shoulder land portion 7S, so that the rigidity of the shoulder land portion 7S is increased in the shoulder land portion 7S. Suppresses the decline and improves running performance on dry road surfaces. That is, the pneumatic tire 1 according to the present embodiment can achieve both running performance on a dry road surface and an icy and snowy road surface.

(Example of change)
In the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the sipe 9 is not formed in the shoulder land portion 7S and the narrow hole 11 is not formed in the center land portion 7C, but can be modified as follows. In addition, the part which is different from the pneumatic tire 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention mentioned above is mainly demonstrated.

  FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of a block provided in a pneumatic tire according to a modified example. As shown in FIG. 4, the center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S are formed with a plurality of sipes 9 extending in a zigzag shape in the tread width direction. Further, the density of the sipe 9 with respect to the land portion 7 is decreased from the center land portion 7C toward the shoulder land portion 7S. That is, the density of the sipe 9 decreases in the order of the center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S.

  The center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S are formed with a plurality of thin holes 11 that are substantially cylindrical and extend inward in the tire radial direction from the tread surface. The density of the narrow holes 11 with respect to the land portion 7 increases from the center land portion 7C toward the shoulder land portion 7S. That is, the density of the narrow holes 11 increases in the order of the center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S. Even in this case, the depth (Ha) of the narrow hole 11 is preferably shallower than the depth (Hb) of the sipe 9, as shown in FIG.

[Other Embodiments]
Although the contents of the present invention have been disclosed through the embodiments of the present invention as described above, it should not be understood that the descriptions and drawings constituting a part of this disclosure limit the present invention.

  Specifically, although the pneumatic tire 1 according to the present embodiment has been described as a general radial tire including a bead portion, a carcass layer, and a belt layer (not shown), the pneumatic tire 1 is not limited thereto. Alternatively, a tire other than a radial tire (for example, a bias tire) may be used.

  Moreover, although the sipe 9 was demonstrated as what was formed in the zigzag shape, it is not limited to this, You may be formed in linear form.

  Furthermore, although the thin hole 11 was demonstrated as what was formed in the substantially cylindrical shape, it is not limited to this, You may be formed in the elliptical cylinder shape or the square pillar shape.

  From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples and operational techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is defined only by the invention specifying matters according to the scope of claims reasonable from the above description.

  Next, in order to further clarify the effects of the present invention, test results performed using the pneumatic tires according to the following Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and Example 1 will be described. In addition, this invention is not limited at all by these examples.

  Data regarding each pneumatic tire is measured under the following conditions.

・ Tire size: 195 / 65R15
・ Wheel size: 15 × 6J
・ Internal pressure condition: 220 kpa
・ Load condition: One driver + 70kg
・ Vehicle type: General passenger car (displacement 1.500cc)
Here, in the pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 1, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of sipes 9 are formed in the center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S. In the pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 2, a plurality of fine holes 11 are formed in the center land portion 7C, the middle land portion 7M, and the shoulder land portion 7S. Furthermore, the pneumatic tire according to Example 1 is the pneumatic tire according to the above-described embodiment, and is illustrated in FIG.

The friction coefficient (on-ice road surface) and running stability (dry road surface) of the pneumatic tires according to Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and Example 1 will be described with reference to Table 1.

<Friction coefficient (on ice surface)>
Each pneumatic tire was mounted on a drum testing machine, rotated while being pressed against an ice table, a brake was applied, and a friction coefficient (resistance force) was measured. The friction coefficient of the pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 1 was set to “100”, and the friction coefficient of the pneumatic tire 1 according to Comparative Example 2 and Example 1 was displayed as an index. The larger the index, the higher the coefficient of friction on the road surface on ice, and the better the running performance.

  As a result, the pneumatic tire 1 according to Example 1 has a higher friction coefficient on the road surface on ice than the pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 2 in which only narrow holes are formed. It turns out that it is a friction coefficient equivalent to the pneumatic tire which concerns on the comparative example 1 in which only this is formed.

<Running stability (dry road surface)>
Each pneumatic tire was attached to a vehicle, and a professional driver evaluated the accuracy and reaction speed of the vehicle when turning the steering wheel while driving on a dry road surface (up to 10 points). The larger the value, the better the running stability on the dry road surface.

  As a result, the pneumatic tire 1 according to Example 1 is superior in running stability on a dry road surface as compared with the pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 1 in which only sipe is formed, and only narrow holes are formed. It can be seen that the running stability is close to that of the pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 2.

<Overall results>
As described above, the pneumatic tire 1 according to the first embodiment to which the present invention is applied has both the running performance (driving stability) on the dry road surface and the ice / snow road surface as compared with the pneumatic tires according to the first and second comparative examples. You can see that

It is an expanded view which shows the tread pattern of the pneumatic tire which concerns on this embodiment. It is a graph which shows the rigidity and edge effect of the block provided in the pneumatic tire which concerns on this embodiment, and the block provided in the pneumatic tire which concerns on this embodiment. It is sectional drawing (AA sectional drawing in FIG. 2) of the block provided in the pneumatic tire which concerns on this embodiment. It is a partial enlarged view of the block provided in the pneumatic tire which concerns on the example of a change. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a block provided in a pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 1. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of a block provided in a pneumatic tire according to Comparative Example 2. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Pneumatic tire, 3 ... Circumferential groove, 5 ... Width direction groove, 7 ... Land part, 7C ... Center land part, 7M ... Middle land part, 7S ... Shoulder land part, 9 ... Sipe, 11 ... Narrow hole

Claims (5)

In the tread surface, a pneumatic tire having a land portion composed of blocks or ribs defined by a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction and a plurality of width grooves extending in the tread width direction. ,
A plurality of sipes formed in the land portion and extending linearly or zigzag,
A plurality of fine holes formed in the land portion and extending from the tread tread surface inward in the tire radial direction;
The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the density of the narrow holes with respect to the land portion increases from a center land portion located in the tread center portion toward a shoulder land portion located in the tread shoulder portion.   2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the density of the sipe with respect to the land portion decreases from the center land portion toward the shoulder land portion.   The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the sipe is formed toward a tread width direction.   The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the narrow hole is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.   The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a depth (Ha) of the narrow hole is shallower than a depth (Hb) of the sipe.

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