Abstract:
A pneumatic tire has a tread with plurality of grooves creating tread elements therein and defining a non-skid tread depth measured from the radially outer surface of the tread to the radially innermost surface of the grooves. Groove voids are located radially inward of the tread surface. The groove voids do not extend to the unworn tread surface and have a primary axis of orientation along the circumferential length of the tread. The primary axis of orientation of the groove voids is 0°-35° relative to the equatorial plane of the tire. The groove voids are aligned such that, when the tire tread is worn to a depth wherein the groove voids are exposed, a groove is created in the tread. The created groove extends in the circumferential direction and has a circumferential length greater than the length between the leading and trailing edges of the tread footprint.
Abstract:
The present invention provides for an improved tire tread having an improved hydroplaning resistance. Specifically, the tread includes one or more tread blocks having one or more walls with an undercut surface to deviate the flow of water from a circumferential groove(s) to a lateral groove(s), thereby providing for improved worn hydroplaning performance of tires.
Abstract:
A tire having an outer surface and plurality of circumferential and lateral grooves formed into the outer surface. The circumferential and lateral grooves extend to at least one groove depth to define a groove bottom surface. The circumferential and lateral grooves also define a plurality of tread blocks disposed around the circumference of the tire. The tire further includes at least one tie bar extending between at least two of the tread blocks and across at least one of the circumferential and lateral grooves. The tie bar is spaced from the groove bottom surface. In one aspect of the invention, the tire is manufactured in a mold and the tie bar is formed by a supplemental molding member that is removed from the molded tire after the main molding member has been removed from the tire.
Abstract:
A structure for a tread pattern of a pneumatic tire includes a radially extending pedestal, a first set of cylindrical voids extending radially through the pedestal, a second set of cylindrical voids extending radially through the pedestal, and a radially extending void ring circumscribing the pedestal.
Abstract:
A pneumatic tire tread has tread elements formed by circumferential and/or lateral grooves. At least one tread element has a sipe that devolves from a constant width sipe having a three dimensional aspect in at least a portion of the radially outer portion of the sipe to a wider width groove at the base of the tread feature.
Abstract:
A structure for a tread pattern of a pneumatic tire includes a radially extending pedestal, a first set of cylindrical voids extending radially through the pedestal, a second set of cylindrical voids extending radially through the pedestal, and a radially extending void ring circumscribing the pedestal.
Abstract:
A pneumatic tire tread has tread elements formed by circumferential and/or lateral grooves. At least one tread element has a sipe that devolves from a constant width sipe having a three dimensional aspect in at least a portion of the radially outer portion of the sipe to a wider width groove at the base of the tread feature.
Abstract:
A tire with a changing tread pattern is formed by first forming a tire having a tread, the tread having at least one circumferential or lateral groove. A wearable filler, having a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove formed in the tire, is located in the radially outer portion of the circumferential or lateral groove or a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove, and secured within the grooves so as to create a groove void radially inward of the wearable filler, the void being exposed upon wear of the tire tread.