JP6912973B2 - Pneumatic tires - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire.

Conventionally, a pneumatic tire in which protrusions for generating turbulence extending from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side are provided on the tire surface at intervals in the tire circumferential direction is known (see Patent Document 1).

However, in the conventional pneumatic tire, only the protrusion for generating turbulence is provided on the side portion, and although the cooling performance can be obtained, it is unclear whether or not the amount of bending in the vertical direction can be suppressed. Further, it is clear that it is a protrusion for generating turbulence and is not a configuration for avoiding residual snow in the groove, which is a problem with snow tires.

Japanese Patent No. 5374362

The present invention not only has trauma resistance and cooling performance, but also enhances the rigidity of the auxiliary rib to improve the traction performance, enhances the snow removal performance in the lateral groove, and suppresses the amount of bending of the side portion in the vertical direction. The challenge is to provide pneumatic tires.

One aspect of the present invention is
A plurality of shoulder blocks provided on the side portion, which are divided by a communication groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and a lateral groove extending in the tire width direction and arranged side by side in the tire circumferential direction.
Auxiliary ribs provided on the side portion and extending in the tire circumferential direction along the shoulder block,
A protrusion provided on the side portion and extending from the auxiliary rib into the lateral groove,
To be equipped.

With this configuration, the protrusions protect the side portions, increase the rigidity of the reinforcing ribs, and improve the traction performance. The protrusions cause the air passing through the surface to become a turbulent flow, and the cooling performance can be exhibited. In addition, the protrusions function to properly discharge the snow that has entered the lateral groove.

It is preferable that the protrusions have different protrusion dimensions into the lateral groove and are composed of first protrusions and second protrusions that are alternately arranged in the tire circumferential direction.

It is preferable that the width dimension of the protrusion gradually decreases toward the tip.

The protrusion preferably has an inclined surface that approaches the bottom surface of the lateral groove toward the tip.

According to the present invention, since the protrusion extending from the reinforcing rib into the lateral groove is formed, not only the trauma resistance performance and the cooling performance are improved, the rigidity of the reinforcing rib is increased to exhibit the traction performance, but also the lateral groove is exhibited. It becomes easier to remove snow.

A perspective view showing a part of a pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment. Partial development view of the pneumatic tire shown in FIG. Partially enlarged view of FIG. Longitudinal sectional view of the first protrusion of FIG. 3A Longitudinal sectional view of the second protrusion of FIG. 3A

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description is essentially merely an example and is not intended to limit the present invention, its application, or its use. In addition, the drawings are schematic, and the ratio of each dimension is different from the actual one.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment. Although not shown, this pneumatic tire has a configuration in which a carcass is hung between a pair of bead cores, a belt is wound around the outer peripheral side of the middle portion of the carcass to reinforce the tire, and a tread portion 1 is arranged on the outer diameter side of the tire. .. In FIG. 1, the sipe 9 formed on the land portion 3 of the tread portion 1 is omitted.

FIG. 2 is a partially developed view showing a tread pattern of the pneumatic tire shown in FIG. This tread pattern is composed of a tread portion 1 in contact with the road surface and side portions 2 on both sides thereof. Further, in the land portion 3 constituting the tread pattern, the center in the tire width direction (indicated by the arrow W in FIG. 2) is connected to the tire circumferential direction (indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 2), and the tire circumference is connected from there. It extends in the direction toward both sides in the tire width direction at predetermined intervals.

Of the land portion 3, the portion connected to the tire circumferential direction at the center in the tire width direction is the center rib 4. Further, of the land portion 3, the portions extending in the tire width direction are the center block portion 5 and the shoulder block 6.

The center block portion 5 and the shoulder block 6 are formed at predetermined intervals in the tire circumferential direction, and communicate with the lateral grooves 7 that are inclined outward in the tire width direction in the tire circumferential direction and the lateral grooves that are adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction. It is composed of a groove 8.

The lateral groove 7 includes a first lateral groove 7a and a second lateral groove 7b wider than the first lateral groove. The first lateral groove 7a and the second lateral groove 7b are alternately arranged in the tire circumferential direction. Further, the formation positions of the lateral grooves 7 are deviated from the tire width direction and the tire circumferential direction on both sides of the center line O (tire center line) in the tire width direction.

The communication groove 8 includes a first communication groove 8a formed on the tire center line side and a second communication groove 8b formed on the outer side in the tire width direction. The first communication groove 8a and the second communication groove 8b are formed alternately in the tire circumferential direction. The first center block portion 5a and the first shoulder block 6a are separated by the first communication groove 8a. Further, the second communication groove 8b separates the second center block portion 5b, which is longer than the first center block portion 5a, and the second shoulder block 6b, which is shorter than the first shoulder block 6a.

A plurality of sipes 9 are formed at predetermined intervals on the center rib 4 and the center block portion 5 so as to intersect in the extending direction. Each sipe 9 is composed of a straight portion 9a communicating with the lateral grooves 7 on both sides and a corrugated portion 9b communicating with each other.

The shoulder block 6 is formed with sipes 9 in three rows along the extending direction. In each sipe 9, one straight portion communicates with the communication groove 8, and the end of the other straight portion is located at the boundary portion between the tread portion 1 and the side portion 2.

Auxiliary ribs 10 connected in an annular shape in the tire circumferential direction are formed on the peripheral edge of the tire. A protrusion 11 extending toward each lateral groove 7 is formed from the auxiliary rib 10. The protrusion 11 includes a first protrusion 11a extending into the first lateral groove and a second protrusion 11b extending into the second lateral groove.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the first protrusion 11a has a protrusion dimension L1 (length in the tire outer diameter direction from the inner peripheral edge of the auxiliary rib 10) into the first lateral groove 7a. Specifically, the protruding dimension L1 is set to 5 to 50 mm (here, 20 mm). The height H (height from the surface of the side portion 2) of the first protrusion 11a is the same height as the auxiliary rib 10, and is set to 0.5 to 10 mm (here, 1.2 mm). An inclined surface 11c that gradually approaches the bottom surface of the lateral groove 7 is formed at the tip of the first protrusion 11a. The angle α formed by the inclined surface 11c with the upper surface 11d is set to 10 to 80 ° (here, 35 °). The width of the first protrusion 11a gradually narrows toward the tip, and the angle θ1 formed by both side surfaces is 3 to 30 ° (here, 14 °). This angle θ1 is set to be larger than the angle θ2 formed by the side portions 2 on both side surfaces of the first lateral groove 7a. The formed range of the inclined surface 11c is a range of length L2 from the tip of the first protrusion 11a. This length L2 is set to 3 to 50 mm (here, 7.5 mm). Further, the width dimension w1 of the tip portion of the first protrusion 11a is 1 to 20 mm (here, 1.8 mm), and the width dimension w2 of the first lateral groove 7a at that position is 3 to 30 mm (here, 9.9 mm). mm). The center line C1 of the first protrusion 11a substantially coincides with the center line C2 of the first lateral groove 7a.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C, the second protrusion 11b has a larger protrusion dimension L3 from the auxiliary rib 10 than the first protrusion, and extends to the vicinity of the boundary position between the tread portion 1 and the side portion 2. Specifically, the protruding dimension L3 is set to 10 to 70 mm (here, 26 mm). The height H of the second protrusion 11b is the same as that of the first protrusion 11a. Further, an inclined surface 11e similar to the first protrusion 11a is formed at the tip portion of the second protrusion 11b. The angle β formed by the inclined surface 11e with the upper surface 11f is set to 10 to 80 ° (here, 40 °). The width of the second protrusion 11b gradually narrows toward the tip, and the angle θ3 formed by both side surfaces is 3 to 30 ° (here, 9 °). The angle θ3 is set to be larger than the angle θ4 formed by the side portions 2 on both side surfaces of the second lateral groove 7b. The formed range of the inclined surface 11e is a range of length L4 from the tip of the second protrusion 11b. This length L4 is said to be 5 to 60 mm (here, 13 mm). Further, the width dimension w3 of the tip portion of the second protrusion 11b is 1 to 20 mm (here, 2.2 mm), and the width dimension w4 of the second lateral groove 7b at that position is 3 to 30 mm (here, 10.2). mm). The center line C3 of the second protrusion 11b substantially coincides with the center line C4 of the second lateral groove 7b.

In this way, by alternately arranging the first protrusions 11a and the second protrusions 11b having different protrusion dimensions in the tire circumferential direction, the first shoulder block 6a and the second shoulder block 6b having different lengths are formed. The rigidity balance at the side portion 2 can be made appropriate. Further, since the shoulder blocks 6a and 6b have different block rigidity due to the difference in length, so-called heel-and-toe wear is likely to occur during running. 2 The rigidity of the shoulder block 6b is increased to make it difficult to deform, and the occurrence of heel-and-toe wear can be suppressed. In particular, in winter tires, many sipes 9 are formed on the shoulder block 6 and the rigidity tends to decrease, but the protrusion 11 suppresses the decrease in rigidity, so that a desired cornering performance can be obtained.

Further, each protrusion 11 is gradually narrowed toward the tip to form an inclined surface 11c at the tip portion, so that even if snow remains in the lateral groove 7, the side when the tread portion 1 touches the ground. By deforming the portion 2, the protrusion 11 can be penetrated into the bottom side of the snow in the lateral groove 7 to smoothly remove the snow.

A convex portion 12 is formed at the outer end of each shoulder block 6 in the tire width direction. The convex portion 12 is composed of a sawtooth-shaped first convex portion 12a and two parallelogram-shaped second convex portions 12b formed along each tooth portion.

According to the pneumatic tire provided with the protrusion 11 having the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Since the protrusion 11 suppresses the contact of foreign matter such as a curb with the side portion 2, excellent trauma resistance can be exhibited.
(2) Since the protrusion 11 can make the wind generated during traveling a turbulent flow, it is possible to improve heat dissipation and exhibit excellent cooling performance.
(3) Since the protrusion 11 enhances the rigidity of the auxiliary rib 10 to reinforce it, excellent traction performance can be exhibited.
(4) Since the protrusion 11 has penetrated into the lateral groove 7, the function of discharging the snow in the lateral groove 7 is exhibited. That is, when the tread portion 1 touches the ground and is deformed, the snow that has entered the lateral groove 7 rides on the inclined surface of the protrusion 11 and is discharged. As a result, snow does not remain in the lateral groove 7, and a good running condition can be obtained.
(5) Since the rigidity of the shoulder block 6 can be increased by the protrusion 11, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of heel-and-toe wear and obtain desired cornering performance.

1 ... Tread part 2 ... Side part 3 ... Land part 4 ... Center rib 5 ... Center block part 5a ... 1st center block part 5b ... 2nd center block part 6 ... Shoulder block 6a ... 1st shoulder block 6b ... 2nd shoulder Block 7 ... Horizontal groove 7a ... 1st horizontal groove 7b ... 2nd horizontal groove 8 ... Communication groove 8a ... 1st communication groove 8b ... 2nd communication groove 9 ... Sipe 10 ... Auxiliary rib 11 ... Projection 11a ... 1st protrusion 11b ... 2nd protrusion 11c ... Inclined surface 12 ... Convex portion 12a ... First convex portion 12b ... Second convex portion

Claims (9)

A plurality of shoulder blocks provided on the side portion, which are divided by a communication groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and a lateral groove extending in the tire width direction and arranged side by side in the tire circumferential direction.
Ribs provided on the side portion, located inside the tire radial direction with respect to the plurality of shoulder blocks, and extending in the tire circumferential direction along the shoulder blocks.
A protrusion provided on the side portion, extending outward from the rib in the tire radial direction, and having a tip located in the lateral groove.
Bei to give a,
The protrusions are pneumatic tires having different protrusion dimensions into the lateral groove and composed of first protrusions and second protrusions that are alternately arranged in the tire circumferential direction . The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the width of the protrusion in the tire circumferential direction is narrower than the width between the two shoulder blocks adjacent to each other. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the width of the lateral groove in the tire circumferential direction is wider than the width of the protrusion in the tire circumferential direction. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a sipe is formed on at least one of the shoulder blocks. The lateral groove is
A first lateral groove in which the tip of the first protrusion is located and has a first width in the tire circumferential direction,
The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the tip of the second protrusion is located and includes a first lateral groove having a second width different from the first width in the tire circumferential direction. The shoulder block has a side wall extending in the radial direction of the tire.
Each of the protrusions faces the side wall of the shoulder block and has a side wall extending in the tire radial direction.
The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the side walls of the protrusion and at least one of the side walls of the shoulder block are non-parallel when viewed from the tire width direction. The tip of the protrusion is tapered when viewed from the tire width direction.
The pneumatic tire according to claim 6 , wherein the tip of the protrusion is narrowed when viewed from the tire width direction. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the width of the protrusion is narrowed toward the tip of the protrusion. The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the protrusion includes an inclined surface that approaches the bottom surface of the lateral groove toward the tip end.

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