초록 ▼

A radial ply pneumatic tire (10) has a tread portion (12) extending circumferentially thereabout. The tread has a plurality of circumferentially extending grooves (36,38,40,42) therein. The axially outermost circumferential grooves (36,42) communicate with one another through two series of crisscros

A radial ply pneumatic tire (10) has a tread portion (12) extending circumferentially thereabout. The tread has a plurality of circumferentially extending grooves (36,38,40,42) therein. The axially outermost circumferential grooves (36,42) communicate with one another through two series of crisscrossed curved grooves (44,46), with the grooves of each series inclined in opposite directions across the tread, Drainage grooves (110) extend from the axially outermost circumferential grooves (36,42) to the nearest axial edge (TE1, TE2) of the tread in a substantially axial direction. The tire exhibits good handling at high speeds on both wet and dry pavement, while also providing better snow traction than known high performance tires.

대표청구항 ▼

A pneumatic tire comprising: (a) a pair of axially spaced apart annular beads; (b) a radial ply carcass structure extending between said beads with an axially outer portion of the carcass structure folded about each of said beads; (c) a circumferentially extending belt structure disposed radially ou

A pneumatic tire comprising: (a) a pair of axially spaced apart annular beads; (b) a radial ply carcass structure extending between said beads with an axially outer portion of the carcass structure folded about each of said beads; (c) a circumferentially extending belt structure disposed radially outwardly of said carcass structure in a crown region of the tire; said belt structure having a pair of axial edges; and (d) a ground engaging tread portion of elastomeric material disposed radially outwardly of said belt structure and extending circumferentially thereabout, said tread portion having a pair of axially spaced apart tread edges, said tread portion having at least four straight grooves therein which extend circumferentially thereabout, two of said circumferentially extending grooves being disposed between each of said tread edges and a mid-circumferential plane of the tire, the axially outermost. circumferential groove on each side of the mid-circumferential plane communicating with the axially outermost circumferentially extending groove on the other side of the mid-circumferential plane by means of two series of curved grooves, the grooves of said first series of curved grooves extending between said axially outermost circumferentially extending grooves in a first direction that is inclined with respect to the mid-circumferential plane and the grooves of said second series of curved grooves extending between said axially outermost circumferentially extending grooves in a second direction that is inclined with respect to the mid-circumferential plane opposite to said first direction, each of said curved grooves having a centerline which has a point of inflection of curvature located substantially at the mid-circumferential plane of the tire, each groove of said first series of curved grooves intersecting at least two grooves of said second series of curved grooves on each side of the mid-circumferential plane, each of said curved grooves communicating with each of said tread edges by means of drainage grooves extending from said axially outermost circumferentially extending grooves to the nearest tread edge in a substantially axial direction, an axially inner end of each of said drainage grooves each being aligned circumferentially with an axially outer end of one of said curved grooves; said circumferentially extending grooves, said first and second series of curved grooves and said drainage grooves cooperating to define a plurality of circumferentially extending series of individual traction elements, the ratio of circumferential length to axial width of said traction elements in a footprint of the tire being greatest for the traction elements that intersect the mid-circumferential plane and progressively less for each subsequent series of traction elements disposed between two of said circumferentially extending grooves as the axial distances of the series from the mid-circumferential plane increases.