Vehicle tire comprising a means for indicating the tire position in the set of tires of a vehicle

• US 20020046793A1
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokian Tyres PLC
• Original Assignee: Nokian Tyres PLC
• Inventors: Eromaki, Pentti
• Granted Patent: US 6,619,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/209.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/00 Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/001 Decorating, marking or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10 Tires, resilient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10027 with wear indicating feature

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tire comprising a means for indicating the position of a tire among the set of tires of a vehicle. The means is a button, which is fitted in a recess made in the center of a pattern which illustrates the tire positions of the vehicle, so that the position of this particular tire among the set of tires of the vehicle can be indicated unambiguously by turning the button by means of the pattern on the button. The button has a groove and/or an embossment for turning the button by means of a screwdriver with a chisel head, a coin or a pair of pliers, for instance.

Claims

1. A vehicle tire, comprising a rotatable means in a recess in a center of a tire position pattern, the rotatable means comprising an indicator to point out a position of a particular tire among a set of tires of the vehicle on a pattern which surrounds the rotatable means and illustrates the tire positions of the vehicle.

2. A tire as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotatable means includes of a disc-shaped button and that the means comprises a groove and/or an embossment pattern for turning the button.

3. A tire as defined in claim 1, wherein the means includes a button which is angular and can be turned by detaching and reattaching so that the indicator points at the desired tire in the tire position pattern of the vehicle.

4. A tire as defined in claim 2, wherein the button is at least at some point substantially larger than the mouth of the recess in the tire so that the button is retained in the recess in the tire.

5. A tire as defined in claim 4, wherein the tire position pattern of the vehicle is an embossed pattern.

6. A tire as defined in claim 5, characterized in that the tire position pattern of the vehicle is a surface pattern on the side of the tire.

7. A vehicle tire, comprising:

a side wall of the vehicle tire, the side wall having a recess therein;

a graphical pattern on the side wall of the tire adjacent to the recess in the vehicle tire, the graphical pattern illustrating positions of a set of tires on a vehicle; and

a turnable button positioned within the recess of the side wall, the turnable button having an indicator that is pointable to any one of the set of tires in the graphical pattern.

8. The vehicle tire of claim 7, wherein the graphical pattern is an embossed pattern.

9. The tire as defined in claim 7, wherein the turnable button includes of a disc-shaped button.

10. A tire as defined in claim 7, wherein the button is angular and can be turned by detaching and reattaching so that the indicator points at the desired tire in the tire position pattern of the vehicle.

11. A tire as defined in claim 7, wherein the button is at least at some point substantially larger than a mouth of the recess so that the button is retained in the recess in the tire.

12. A tire as defined in claim 7, wherein the pattern is a surface pattern on the side of the tire.