TIRE

• US 20150000814A1
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Mishima, Sayaka
• Granted Patent: US 9,956,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/523
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/02 Arrangement of grooves or ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 15/024 Bead contour, e.g. lips, grooves, or ribs

Abstract

A circumferential recess is formed on the outer surface of a tire side section, the circumferential recess being recessed inward in a tread width direction and extending in a tire circumferential direction. A block protruding outward in the tread width direction is formed on the inside of the circumferential recess. In a cross section along the tread width direction of the tire and the tire radial direction, a rim outer surface is formed in an area from a rim separation point, which is the outermost point in the tire radial direction that is in contact with a rim flange, to an inner end of the circumferential recess in the tire radial direction. At least a part of the block protrudes further to the outside in the tread width direction than a virtual line along which the rim outer surface extends.

Claims

1. A tire including a tread section coming into contact with a road surface and a tire side section continuous with the tread section, wherein

a circumferential recess is formed on an outer surface of the tire side section, the circumferential recess being depressed inward in a tread width direction and extending in a tire circumferential direction,

a block protruding outward in the tread width direction is formed on the inside of the circumferential recess,

in a cross section along the tread width direction of the tire and a tire radial direction, a rim-side outer surface is formed in an area from a rim separation point, which is the outermost point in the tire radial direction that is in contact with a rim flange, to an inner end of the circumferential recess in the tire radial direction, and

at least a part of the block protrudes further to the outside in the tread width direction than a virtual line along which the rim-side outer surface extends.

2. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

a protrusion height of the block with respect to the virtual line in the tread width direction is within a range of 1 to 25 mm.

3. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

the block is positioned at the inner end of the circumferential recess in the tire radial direction.

4. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

the rim-side outer surface is formed along a predetermined arc curve having a center of a curvature radius on the inside in the tread width direction, and

the virtual line is a line drawn to extend the predetermined arc curve to the circumferential recess.

5. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

in the cross section along the tread width direction of the tire and the tire radial direction, a sidewall surface formed in a range from the inner end of the circumferential recess in the tire radial direction to a bottom surface of the circumferential recess is formed along another arc curve having a center of a curvature radius on the outside in the tread width direction, and

when a tire height in the tire radial direction in a no-load state with a normal inner pressure and no load applied is H, the sidewall surface in a normal-load state with the normal inner pressure and a normal load applied is positioned within a range of 25% or less of the tire height H from the rim separation point to the outside in the tire radial direction.

6. The tire according to claim 5, wherein

the maximum depth of the sidewall surface with respect to the virtual line is 15 mm or more and 35 mm or less.

7. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

a curvature radius of the sidewall surface in the cross section along the tread width direction of the tire and the tire radial direction is 50 mm or more in a no-load state with a normal inner pressure and no load applied.

8. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

at least a part of the block is disposed within the sidewall surface.

9. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

a curvature radius Ra of the sidewall surface in a no-load state with a normal inner pressure and no load applied and a curvature radius Rb of the sidewall surface in a normal-load state with the normal inner pressure and a normal load applied satisfy a relationship of (Ra−

Rb)/Ra≦

0.5.

10. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of the blocks are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the tire circumferential direction, and

each adjacent two of the blocks differ in position in the tire radial direction.

11. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

a height h of the block in the tread width direction is 3 mm or more and 25 mm or less.

12. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

a width w of the block in the tire circumferential direction is 2 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

13. The tire according to claim 1, wherein

relationships among a height h of the block, a predetermined pitch p of the block in the tire circumferential direction, and a width w of the block satisfy 1≦

p/h≦

50 and 1≦

(p−

w)/w≦

100.