TYRE, AND METHOD FOR INCREASING TRACTION OF THE TYRE

• US 20040238092A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Vegro, Andrea, Colombo, Gianfranco
• Application Number:
  US10/485,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238092A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/209.15
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0606 Vulcanising moulds not integral with vulcanising presses for solid tyres B29D30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0302 directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/032 Patterns comprising isolated recesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/11 in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of isolated elements, e.g. blocks B60C11/12, B60C11/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/13 characterised by the groove cross-section, e.g. for buttressing or preventing stone-trapping
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/1384 with chamfered block corners
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2011/133 comprising recesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/2006 consisting of steel cord plies only

Abstract

A tyre includes a tread including a relief pattern delimited by a plurality of circumferential and transverse grooves forming at least one circumferential row of blocks projecting from a base surface of the tread and extending radially outward as far as top surfaces of the blocks. Each block is delimited by longitudinal and transverse lateral surfaces. Each lateral surface is part of at least one wall of the grooves. At least one block includes at least one notch in one or more of its surfaces. At least one side of the at least one notch is open along an entire length of one of the surfaces. The at least one notch includes a greater dimension oriented in a direction of one of the grooves and is tapered along that dimension between a base and a vertex opposite the base. A method for increasing traction of the tyre is also disclosed.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A tyre, comprising:

a tread;

wherein the tread comprises a relief pattern,

wherein the relief pattern is delimited by a plurality of circumferential and transverse grooves forming at least one circumferential row of blocks,

wherein the at least one row of blocks projects from a base surface of the tread,

wherein the at least one row of blocks extends radially outward as far as top surfaces of the blocks,

wherein each block is delimited by longitudinal and transverse lateral surfaces,

wherein each of the lateral surfaces is part of at least one wall of the grooves,

wherein at least one block comprises at least one notch in one or more surfaces of the at least one block,

wherein at least one side of the at least one notch is open along an entire length of one of the surfaces,

wherein the at least one notch comprises a greater dimension oriented in a direction of one of the circumferential and transverse grooves, and

wherein the at least one notch is tapered along the greater dimension between a base and a vertex opposite the base.

22. The tyre of claim 21, wherein each of the longitudinal lateral surfaces is part of at least one wall of the circumferential grooves.

23. The tyre of claim 21, wherein each of the transverse lateral surfaces is part of at least one wall of the transverse grooves.

24. The tyre of claim 21, wherein each of the longitudinal lateral surfaces is part of at least one wall of the circumferential grooves, and

wherein each of the transverse lateral surfaces is part of at least one wall of the transverse grooves.

25. The tyre of claim 21, wherein the at least one notch is formed along a delimiting edge between the top surface of the at least one block and a respective wall of the grooves.

26. The tyre of claim 21, wherein each of the blocks of at least one row comprises at least one notch.

27. The tyre of claim 21, wherein the base of the at least one notch is generated by a plane intersecting the at least one block at a predetermined distance from the vertex.

28. The tyre of claim 21, wherein two or more of the notches present in a same surface of the at least one block are tapered in a same direction.

29. The tyre of claim 28, wherein the taper direction is opposite to a rolling direction of the tyre.

30. The tyre of claim 21, wherein at least two of the notches present in a same surface of the at least one block are tapered in opposite directions.

31. The tyre of claim 21, wherein each block of the at least one row comprises at least one first and second longitudinal notch,

wherein the first longitudinal notch is on a delimiting edge between the top surface and a first longitudinal lateral surface, and

wherein the second longitudinal notch is on a delimiting edge between the top surface and a second longitudinal lateral surface.

32. The tyre of claim 31, wherein the first and second longitudinal notches comprise tapers running in directions opposite to each other.

33. The tyre of claim 21, wherein the at least one block comprises at least one notch running transversely with respect to a rolling direction of the tyre.

34. The tyre of claim 33, wherein the at least one transverse notch is formed along a delimiting edge between the top surface and one of two transverse lateral surfaces of the at least one block.

35. The tyre of claim 21, wherein each block comprises a pair of notches that are transverse with respect to a rolling direction of the tyre.

36. The tyre of claim 21, wherein the at least one block comprises one or more longitudinal notches.

37. The tyre of claim 21, wherein the at least one notch comprises a pyramidal shape,

wherein the pyramidal shape is essentially delimited by the base, a first plane, and a second plane, and

wherein the first and second planes intersect each other.

38. The tyre of claim 37, wherein the first plane is perpendicular to a top surface of the at least one block,

wherein the first plane is inclined at a first angle to a wall of a groove in which the at least one notch is formed, and

wherein the second plane is inclined at a second angle to a plane parallel to the top surface.

39. The tyre of claim 38, wherein the first angle is in a range from −

30°

to 30°

.

40. The tyre of claim 38, wherein the second angle is in a range from −

30°

to 30°

.

41. The tyre of claim 21, wherein the at least one notch extends over a length at least equal to 65% of a length of an edge formed by an intersection between a lateral surface of the at least one block in which the at least one notch is formed and the top surface of the at least one block.

42. The tyre of claim 21, wherein a ratio of a maximum depth of the at least one notch to a maximum longitudinal extension of the at least one notch is greater than 0.06:

1 and less than 0.6;

1,

wherein the maximum depth of the at least one notch is measured in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the at least one block, and

wherein the maximum longitudinal extension of the at least one notch is measured along a corresponding edge on the top surface of the at least one block.

43. A method for increasing traction of a tyre, comprising:

providing the tyre with a tread;

wherein the tread comprises a relief pattern,

wherein the relief pattern is delimited by a plurality of circumferential and transverse grooves forming at least one circumferential row of blocks,

wherein the at least one row of blocks projects from a base surface of the tread,

wherein the at least one row of blocks extends radially outward as far as top surfaces of the blocks,

wherein each block is delimited by longitudinal and transverse lateral surfaces,

wherein each of the lateral surfaces is part of at least one wall of the grooves,

wherein at least one notch is formed in one or more surfaces of the blocks,

wherein at least one side of the at least one notch is open along an entire length of one of the surfaces,

wherein the at least one notch comprises a greater dimension oriented in a direction of one of the circumferential and transverse grooves, and

wherein the at least one notch is tapered along the greater dimension between a base and a vertex opposite the base.