Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C11/00—Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
  • B60C11/03—Tread patterns
  • B60C11/13—Tread patterns characterised by the groove cross-section, e.g. for buttressing or preventing stone-trapping
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C11/00—Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
  • B60C11/01—Shape of the shoulders between tread and sidewall, e.g. rounded, stepped or cantilevered
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C11/00—Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
  • B60C11/01—Shape of the shoulders between tread and sidewall, e.g. rounded, stepped or cantilevered
  • B60C2011/013—Shape of the shoulders between tread and sidewall, e.g. rounded, stepped or cantilevered provided with a recessed portion

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a vehicle tire. Specifically, the invention
• These anomalies are depressions in the tread rib or tread blocks forming the rib.
• anomalies are generally caused by unequal radial stress distribution laterally across the rib
• the highest stress concentration occurs at the outer edges of the rib or blocks.
• the anomalies typically begin to form at the edges
• the decision to remove a tire is subjective and may depend on the location of
• a tire having an anomaly is a drive tire or is located on the trailer, the driver may not sense any discomfort.
• the driver may,
• tread portion that reduces the formation of anomalies causing subjective user
• the invention provides a tire comprising a pair of beads, a carcass
• tread portion disposed axially outward of the belt ply.
• the tread portion includes a first or a shoulder rib having a side surface formed
• a second or decoupling rib is formed adjacent the shoulder rib.
• decoupling rib has a side surface facing the side surface of the shoulder rib which includes
• taper portion and the straight portion form arcuate angles, which also prevents cracking.
• the radial outward height of the shoulder rib is greater, by up to 20% of its
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tire having a tread portion of the present
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tire in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the shoulder region of the tire
• Figure 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a shoulder rib of the tire of
• Figure 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing the
• Figure 6 is a schematic view showing nominal radial pressure across a
• Figure 7 is a schematic view showing the radial pressure across the shoulder
• rib or blocks refers to a rib of the tread portion which may be
• lateral refers to the direction along the tread of the tire going from
• groove refers to an elongated void area in the tread that may extend
• footprint or “foot area” refers to that portion of the tread area
• the tire when the tire is mounted on a rim, subjected to a load, and inflated to a pressure
• read height refers to the radial extent, or height, of a rib of the
• tread portion of a tire is defined as progressively narrowing or widening in the
• positive taper is defined as progressively narrowing of the rib in the radially outward
• the decoupling ribs further support the shoulder ribs by
• tire 10 is mounted on a rim R and includes sidewalls
• Tread portion T of tire 10 comprises a
• pair of shoulder portions which include associated shoulder ribs and decoupling ribs of
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of tire 10 which includes a pair of annular
• beads 11 on opposite sides of a mid-circumferential plane M Opposite ends of at least one carcass ply 13 anchor with beads 11 while belt plies 15 are positioned radially outward of
• Tread portion T which includes
• shoulder portions 19 merge with the sidewalls S.
• a footprint of tread portion T contacts the supporting surface during rolling
• tread portion T may include any desired
• the particular inner area structure selected is irrelevant to the present invention.
• Each shoulder region 19 of tread portion T is constructed to include a shoulder
• 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views of a shoulder region containing the unique shoulder
• Decoupling groove 29 separates decoupling rib 25 and
• shoulder rib 23 As clearly shown the facing lateral or side surfaces of shoulder rib 23 and
• decoupling rib 25 are shaped in conforming image to form the uniquely constructed
• Figures 3 and 4 show the actual lateral profile of tread area T and outer surface
• shoulder rib 23 A of shoulder rib 23. As indicated in the drawings these areas are slightly arcuate and do
• shoulder rib 23 faces the lateral inner side surface of decoupling rib 25.
• lateral outer side of the shoulder rib includes a positively tapered portion 31 , transition area
• lateral inner side surface of shoulder rib 23 generally conforms with the side surfaces of ribs 21 and is not relevant to the present invention.
• Grooves 27 separate tread ribs 21 from
• Positively tapered portion 31 which begins at transition or base 34, forms the
• positively tapered portion 31 encompasses between 30%> and 40%> of the total
• radial height H of shoulder rib 23 with 35%> being preferred.
• a shoulder rib can have a total radial height of between
• positively tapered portion 31 encompasses
• tapered portion 31 has a taper angle ⁇ as shown in Figure 4. Taper angle ⁇ , is measured
• Negatively tapered portion 35 extends radially outward from transition area
• Negatively tapered portion 35 encompasses between approximately 30%o and 40%> of
• negatively tapered portion 35 encompasses
• Negatively tapered portion 31 has a taper angle
• Taper angle R>_ is between approximately 20 and 45°.
• taper angle ⁇ [ is approximately 37°.
• Straight portion 37 preferably extends radially outward from negatively
• tapered portion 35 although it could extend at a slight angle from the radial line or be
• Straight portion 37 forms the radially outermost, or distal, part of the lateral side
• shoulder rib 23 extending the remaining radial height of the shoulder rib
• the straight portion 37 extends
• straight portion 37 encompasses between approximately 3 and7.5
• Transition area 33 forms a connecting area between positively tapered portion
• Transition area 33 is preferably rounded to prevent
• cracking and can have a radius of curvature, for example, of between approximately 1.5
• the radius of curvature of transition area 33 is approximately 3
• portion 37 and negatively tapered portion 35 also helps to prevent cracking on shoulder rib
• Decoupling rib 25 has a smaller radial height than shoulder rib 23 and includes
• decoupling rib 25 faces
• the lateral inner side surface consists of
• decoupling rib 25 is substantially
• Negatively tapered portion 39 which begins at transition or base 34 forms the
• tapered portion 39 has a taper angle ⁇ 2 , as illustrated in Figure 4.
• Taper angle ⁇ 2 is
• area 41 is formed between negatively tapered portion 39 and a positively tapered portion
• Transition area 41 preferably forms a rounded interface between the negatively tapered
• Positively tapered portion 43 has a taper angle ⁇ 2
• Taper angle ⁇ 2 is measured from a radial line R extending from the axis of
• decoupling rib 25 conforms with the shape of the laterally outer side surface of shoulder
• decoupling rib 25 is offset from the outer side surface of
• This offset may be constant along the length of the groove 29 or may
• decoupling rib 25 is radially offset from
• the radial offset is between approximately 0 and 5 mm and is, preferably,
• taper angle 2 should approximately
• taper angle c ⁇ equal taper angle c ⁇ ; and taper angle ⁇ 2 should approximately equal taper angle ⁇ ,.
• decoupling rib 25 has a lateral width W of approximately 30% of
• rib 25 can be adjusted by radially positioning the radially outermost extent of its outer
• decoupling rib 25 extends radially inward at an acute
• Straight portion 37 is provided to strengthen the radially outer surface of the
• shoulder rib 23 to resist tearing or cutting the lateral edge of shoulder rib during use of tire
• Straight portion 37 also assists in providing the lateral stability to shoulder rib 23 and
• Groove 29 has a lateral outward slant near its base 34 to provide for an
• shoulder rib 23 This reduces the normal stress against the footprint on the lateral outer
• graph Nl depicts the radial or normal pressure at the
• the excessive normal pressure may also causes chunking along rib edges.
• Figure 7 shows a shoulder construction generally defining the structure of the
• edge A2 of rib 23 has been under cut by the design configuration of
• groove 29 reduces the radial stiffness of the shoulder rib at
• reduced pressure helps to relieve accelerated wear and the formation of anomalies along
• this invention reduces the normal pressure on the shoulder rib at edges A2 of the tire's
• shoulder rib 23 are compressed narrowing grooves 27 and 29 and moving surface 35
• decoupling rib 25 is brought into contact with the support surface. At least a portion of
• groove 29 is now closed to help support the shoulder rib and further improve the stresses
• groove 29 provides reduced normal stress of the outer
• groove 29 provides increased lateral stability and reduced radial
• rib 23 is always provided additional lateral and radial support.
• tire having a tread portion for reducing the formation of anomalies causing subjective user

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Tires In General (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=26684614

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (16)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 1998
  • 1998-10-28 US US09/185,445 patent/US6109316A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-01-21 ES ES99903270T patent/ES2198125T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-01-21 CA CA002283669A patent/CA2283669A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-01-21 JP JP53849599A patent/JP2001518038A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 1999-01-21 DE DE69907111T patent/DE69907111T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-01-21 EP EP99903270A patent/EP0996551B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-01-21 WO PCT/US1999/001312 patent/WO1999037490A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-01-21 AU AU23331/99A patent/AU2333199A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-01-21 KR KR1019997008310A patent/KR20000076216A/ko not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (4)

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