JP5346638B2 - tire - Google Patents

Description

  In the present invention, zigzag sipes extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction are formed in a block defined by a circumferential groove extending along the tire circumferential direction and a lateral groove extending along the tread width direction. The present invention relates to a tire, and more particularly to a tire capable of suppressing deterioration in appearance quality and increase in road noise due to heel and toe wear while ensuring braking performance on icy and snowy road surfaces.

  Conventionally, in a tire suitable for running on icy and snowy roads, a zigzag extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction is divided into blocks partitioned by a circumferential groove extending along the tire circumferential direction and a lateral groove extending along the tread width direction. A method for forming a sipe is generally used.

  In such a sipe-formed tire, one side wall surface constituting the sipe and the other side wall surface are brought into close contact with the deformation of the block at the time of tire contact, so that water, snow or the like enters the sipe. Therefore, it is difficult to secure a space for this, and the braking performance on the icy and snowy road surface due to the snow column shearing force may be deteriorated. Therefore, a method of providing a protrusion projecting toward the other side wall surface of the sipe on one side wall surface constituting the sipe is widely known (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-55285 A (page 5-6, FIG. 3)

  However, the conventional tire described above has the following problems. That is, although there is a certain effect on the braking performance degradation on the snowy and snowy road surface due to the deformation of the block, the rigidity of the block divided by the above sipe is low, so the block wears as the block wears. The so-called heel and toe wear that causes a difference in height between the stepping-in side and the kicking-out side increases. For this reason, the appearance quality is deteriorated and the road noise is increased.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and in a tire in which a zigzag sipe extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction is formed, while maintaining braking performance on an icy and snowy road surface, the heel An object of the present invention is to provide a tire that can suppress deterioration in appearance quality and increase in road noise due to toe wear.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention has the following features. First, the first feature of the present invention is a block (block 100) defined by a circumferential groove (circumferential groove 10) extending in the tire circumferential direction (tire circumferential direction R) and a lateral groove extending in the tread width direction W. Further, a zigzag sipe (sipe 20) extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction is formed, and one side wall surface (side wall surface 32) forming the sipe is formed on the other side wall surface (side wall surface) forming the sipe. 34) A tire (pneumatic tire 1) provided with a plurality of protrusions (protrusions 30) protruding toward the side, wherein the sipe is formed from one side wall surface forming the sipe and the other forming the sipe. The gist is that at least one connecting portion (connecting portion 40) connected to the side wall surface is provided.

  According to such a tire, by providing a zigzag sipe extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction, and a protrusion protruding toward the other side wall surface of the sipe on one side wall surface constituting the sipe. In addition, braking performance on icy and snowy road surfaces can be ensured. Further, the sipe is provided with at least one connecting portion that extends from one side wall surface that forms the sipe to the other side wall surface that forms the sipe. For this reason, the sipe depth is shallow in the region where the connecting portion is provided, the rigidity of the block is improved, and heel and toe wear can be suppressed.

  Therefore, according to such a tire, a zigzag sipe extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction is formed, and while maintaining the braking performance on the icy and snowy road surface, the appearance quality deteriorates due to heel & toe wear and road noise is reduced. The increase can be suppressed.

  A second feature of the present invention relates to the first feature of the present invention, wherein the connecting portion is formed from the bottom of the sipe toward the outer side in the tire radial direction in the cross section along the longitudinal direction of the sipe, The gist is that it is located at approximately the center in the direction.

  A third feature of the present invention relates to the first or second feature of the present invention, wherein the block is a pair of outer small blocks (outer small block 102, outer small block 106) located outside along the tire circumferential direction. And a central small block (central small block 104) positioned between a pair of outer small blocks. One end of the outer small block communicates with the circumferential groove and the other end terminates in the outer small block. The outer sipe (outer sipe 22) is formed, the central small block is provided with a connecting portion, and a central sipe (central sipe 24) whose both ends communicate with the circumferential groove is formed.

  A fourth feature of the present invention relates to any one of the first to third features of the present invention, and is summarized in that the block is provided only in the central region (central region A2) in the tread width direction.

  According to the features of the present invention, in a tire formed with a zigzag sipe extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction, the appearance quality is reduced due to heel & toe wear and road noise while ensuring braking performance on an icy and snowy road surface. It is possible to provide a tire that can suppress an increase in the amount of tire.

It is an expanded view of the tread of the pneumatic tire concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the tread which constitutes the pneumatic tire concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a partial exploded perspective view of a block which constitutes a pneumatic tire concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure along the tire radial direction and tread width direction of the sipe which constitutes the pneumatic tire concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is an expanded view of the tread of the pneumatic tire concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a partially expanded development view of a tread of a pneumatic tire according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

  Next, first and second embodiments, comparative evaluation, and other embodiments of the 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 and the like 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.

[First embodiment]
In 1st Embodiment, (1) The structure of a pneumatic tire, (2) The detailed structure of a block, (3) The effect | action and effect are demonstrated.

(1) Configuration of Pneumatic Tire FIG. 1 is a development view of a tread constituting the pneumatic tire 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The pneumatic tire 1 includes a block 100 defined by a circumferential groove 10 extending along the tire circumferential direction R and a lateral groove 12 extending along the tread width direction W. The pneumatic tire 1 is a tire that is suitable for running on icy and snowy roads and that is excellent in noise resistance. For example, the pneumatic tire 1 functions as a tire that requires a vehicle interior environment in which road noise such as a taxi is suppressed.

(2) Detailed configuration of block The detailed configuration of the block will be described. Specifically, (2.1) sipe, (2.2) protrusion, and (2.3) connecting portion will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tread constituting the pneumatic tire 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of blocks constituting the pneumatic tire 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view along the tire radial direction and tread width direction of the sipe in the pneumatic tire 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(2.1) Sipe As shown in FIG. 2, a zigzag sipe 20 extending in the tread width direction W and the tire radial direction D is formed in the block 100. Specifically, the sipe 20 is formed in a zigzag shape having an amplitude in the tire circumferential direction R in the tread width direction W, and communicates with the circumferential groove 10. Further, the sipe 20 is formed in a zigzag shape having an amplitude in the tire circumferential direction R in the tire radial direction D. Four sipes 20 are formed along the tire circumferential direction R in each of the blocks 100. The sipe 20 is formed by a side wall surface 32 in the tire circumferential direction R and a side wall surface 34 facing the side wall surface 32.

(2.2) Protrusion As shown in FIG. 3, the sipe 20 has a protrusion 30 protruding on the side wall surface 32 forming the sipe 20 toward the other side wall surface 34 forming the sipe 20. A plurality are provided. Specifically, since the side wall surface 32 is formed in a zigzag shape along the tread width direction W and the tire circumferential direction R, a plurality of surfaces facing a predetermined direction are formed by connecting with a predetermined cycle. Has been. The protrusion 30 is located at the center of each of a plurality of surfaces constituting the side wall surface 32. The protrusion 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a height in a direction perpendicular to a plurality of surfaces constituting the side wall surface 32. Note that the protrusions 30 are not formed on all of the plurality of surfaces constituting the side wall surface 32, but are formed on the surfaces positioned at predetermined intervals.

(2.3) Connecting Portion As shown in FIG. 3, at least one connecting portion 40 is connected to the sipe 20 from one side wall surface 32 forming the sipe 20 to the other side wall surface 34 forming the sipe 20. Provided. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the connecting portion 40 is formed in an elongated shape from the bottom of the sipe 20 toward the outer side in the tire radial direction in a cross section along the longitudinal direction of the sipe 20. The connecting portion 40 is located at the approximate center in the longitudinal direction of the sipe 20. The length L1 of the connecting portion 40 along the tire radial direction D is 50% or more and 80% or more of the length L2 of the sipe 20 along the tire radial direction D.

(3) Action / Effect As described above, according to the present embodiment, the pneumatic tire 1 includes the zigzag sipe 20 extending in the tread width direction W and the tire radial direction D, and one of the sipe 20s. By providing the side wall surface 32 with a projection 30 that protrudes toward the other side wall surface 34 of the sipe 20, the side wall surface 32 constituting the sipe 20 and the other side of the block 100 when the tire contacts the ground are deformed. Since it can suppress that the side wall surface 34 closely_contact | adheres, the space for water, snow, etc. to enter into the sipe 20 can be ensured. Therefore, the pneumatic tire 1 can ensure braking performance on an icy and snowy road surface. In addition, the sipe 20 is provided with at least one connecting portion 40 that extends from one side wall surface 32 that forms the sipe 20 to the other side wall surface 34 that forms the sipe. For this reason, the sipe 20 becomes shallow in the area | region in which the connection part 40 was provided, the rigidity of the block 100 improves, and heel & toe wear can be suppressed.

  That is, according to such a pneumatic tire 1, a zigzag sipe extending in the tread width direction W and the tire radial direction D is formed, and the appearance quality due to heel & toe wear is ensured while ensuring braking performance on an icy and snowy road surface. Reduction and increase in road noise can be suppressed. Therefore, the pneumatic tire 1 is a tire suitable for traveling on icy and snowy roads and a tire requiring a vehicle interior environment in which road noise such as a taxi is suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the connecting portion 40 is formed from the bottom of the sipe 20 toward the outer side in the tire radial direction in the cross section along the longitudinal direction of the sipe, and is positioned at the approximate center in the longitudinal direction of the sipe 20. For this reason, in the tread width direction W, the sipes 20 located on both sides of the block 100 open in the tire circumferential direction R, so that a space for water, snow, etc. can be secured, and braking on an icy and snowy road surface by a snow column shear force is achieved. Sufficient performance can be secured. Moreover, since the rigidity of the approximate center of the block 100 is improved, the rigidity of the block 100 can be effectively improved.

  In the present embodiment, the length L1 of the connecting portion 40 along the tire radial direction D is 50% or more and 80% or less with respect to the length L2 of the sipe 20 along the tire radial direction D. For this reason, the sipe 20 can further improve the rigidity of the block 100 while sufficiently securing the braking performance on the icy and snowy road surface by the snow column shearing force.

  When the length L1 of the connecting portion 40 along the tire radial direction D is shorter than 50% of the length L2 of the sipe 20 along the tire radial direction D, the depth of a part of the sipe 20 is sufficiently shallow. There is a possibility that the rigidity of the block cannot be sufficiently improved. Further, when the length L1 is larger than 80% of 5 of the length L2 of the sipe 20 along the tire radial direction D, the sipe 20 cannot be sufficiently opened along the tire circumferential direction R, and water or There is a case where a space for entering snow or the like cannot be secured, and there is a concern that the start braking performance on an icy and snowy road surface cannot be improved.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the sipe 20 communicating with the circumferential groove 10 is formed in the block 100 of the pneumatic tire 1.

  In the second embodiment, a configuration in which the shape of the block and the shape of the sipe formed in the block are different from those in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a development view of the tread of the pneumatic tire 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a development view of the block 100A of the pneumatic tire 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, (1) the configuration of the block and (2) the action and effect will be described. In the second embodiment, only differences from the first embodiment are described, and descriptions of other configurations are omitted.

(1) Structure of block As shown in FIG. 5, the tread of the pneumatic tire 2 is located between the shoulder region A1, the shoulder region A3, and the shoulder region A1, the shoulder region A3 located on both sides in the tread width direction W. It is comprised by the center area | region A2.

  The block 100A is provided only in the central area A2. The block 100 </ b> A includes a pair of outer small blocks 102 and an outer small block 106 positioned on the outer side along the tire circumferential direction, and a central small block 104 positioned between the pair of outer small blocks 102 and the outer small block 106. Is done. The outer small block 102 (outer small block 106) is formed with an outer sipe 22 having one end communicating with the circumferential groove 10 and the other end terminating in the outer small block 102 (outer small block 106). The block 104 is provided with a connecting portion 40, and a central sipe 24 having both ends communicating with the circumferential groove 10 is formed.

  In the central area A2, blocks 100B are provided on both sides of the block 100A in the tread width direction. The block 100B is formed with an outer sipe 22A having one end communicating with the circumferential groove 10 and the other end terminating in the block 100B. Further, the connecting portion 40 is provided in the block 100B.

(2) Action and Effect As described above, according to the present embodiment, the block 100A of the pneumatic tire 2 includes the outer small block 102, the central small block 104, and the outer small block 106, and the outer small block 102. The outer small block 106 is formed with an outer sipe 22 having one end communicating with the circumferential groove 10 and the other end terminating in the outer small block 102 (outer small block 106). The outer small block 102 (outer small block 106) is formed with an outer sipe 22 whose other end terminates in the outer small block 102 (outer small block 106), so that both ends of the sipe communicate with the circumferential groove 10. Rigidity is higher than the formed block.

  The outer small block 102 and the outer small block 106 are positioned on the outer side along the tire circumferential direction R, and are positioned on the tire stepping side or the tire kicking side. Since the rigidity of the outer small block 102 and the outer small block 106 positioned on the tire stepping side or the tire kicking side can be improved, the block 100A of the pneumatic tire 2 can further suppress heel and toe wear. .

  According to the present embodiment, the block 100A is provided only in the central region A2 in the tread width direction W. Usually, the center region A2 is a region where the contact length is long and the wear is severe. That is, by providing the block 100A only in the central area A2, it is possible to effectively improve only the rigidity of the block in the central area A2 where high rigidity is required.

[Comparison evaluation]
Next, in order to further clarify the effects of the present invention, comparative evaluations performed using pneumatic tires according to the following comparative examples and examples of the present invention will be described. Specifically, (1) an evaluation method and (2) an evaluation result will be described. In addition, this invention is not limited at all by these examples.

(1) Evaluation method Using two types of pneumatic tires, an evaluation test of heel & toe wear on icy and snowy road surfaces was performed. Data on pneumatic tires were measured under the following conditions.
・ Tire size: 175 / 80R14
・ Tire type: Studless tire ・ Vehicle type: Sedan (FF)
・ Internal pressure: Standard internal pressure described in ETRTO ・ Circumferential groove depth: 11.3 mm
・ Depth of sipe: 9.0mm

(Heal & toe wear evaluation test)
Evaluation method: A vehicle equipped with each pneumatic tire was run on an icy and snowy road for 8000 km. The height difference generated between the stepping side and the kicking side of each pneumatic tire block after running was measured.

(2) Evaluation result The evaluation result of each pneumatic tire will be described with reference to Table 1.

表１に示すように、実施例の空気入りタイヤは、比較例の空気入りタイヤと比べて、ヒール＆トー摩耗が抑制されていることがわかった。

As shown in Table 1, it was found that the heel and toe wear of the pneumatic tire of the example was suppressed as compared with the pneumatic tire of the comparative example.

[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. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples and operational techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  For example, the embodiment of the present invention can be modified as follows.

  In 1st Embodiment mentioned above, although the connection part 40 is located in the approximate center of the tread width direction W of the sipe 20, it is not restricted to this, For example, it is a connection part to each sipe 20 back and forth along the tire circumferential direction R. The 40 positions may be different. Further, the rigidity of the block can be effectively improved by positioning the connecting portion 40 on the rigid side in the tread width direction W according to the setting of the camber angle or the like.

  In the first embodiment described above, the length L1 of the connecting portion 40 along the tire radial direction D is 50% or more and 80% or less with respect to the length L2 of the sipe 20 along the tire radial direction D. However, it may be different depending on the required rigidity of the block.

  In the second embodiment described above, the block 100A is provided only in the central region A2, but the block 100A may be provided at a place where wear resistance is required according to the setting of the camber angle or the like.

  As described above, the present invention naturally includes various embodiments that are not described herein. 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.

A1 ... shoulder region, A2 ... central region, A3 ... shoulder region, D ... tire radial direction, R ... tire circumferential direction, W ... tread width direction, 1, 2 ... pneumatic tire, 10 ... circumferential groove, 20 ... sipe 22 ... Outer sipe, 24 ... Central sipe, 30 ... Projection, 32, 34 ... Side wall surface, 40 ... Connecting part, 100, 100A ... Block, 102, 106 ... Outer small block, 104 ... Central small block

Claims (3)

A zigzag sipe extending in the tread width direction and the tire radial direction is formed in a block defined by a circumferential groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and a lateral groove extending in the tread width direction,
One side wall surface forming the sipe is a tire provided with a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the other side wall surface side forming the sipe,
The sipe is provided with at least one connecting portion connected from one side wall surface forming the sipe to the other side wall surface forming the sipe ,
In the cross section along the longitudinal direction of the sipe, the connecting portion is formed from the bottom of the sipe toward the outer side in the tire radial direction, and is positioned at the approximate center in the longitudinal direction of the sipe,
The length of the connecting portion along the tire radial direction is 50% or more and 80% or less with respect to the length of the sipe along the tire radial direction . The block is composed of a pair of outer small blocks located outside along the tire circumferential direction, and a central small block located between the pair of outer small blocks,
The outer small block is formed with an outer sipe having one end communicating with the circumferential groove and the other end terminating in the outer small block.
The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the central small block is provided with the connecting portion, and a central sipe having both ends communicating with the circumferential groove is formed. The tire according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the block is provided only in a central region in a tread width direction.

Images