Pneumatic tires for large size and high speed motorcycles

• US 4,289,182 A
• Filed: 12/17/1979
• Issued: 09/15/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Tire Company Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Tire Company Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Kojima, Hiroshi, Sato, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US06/104,218
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 152/209 R, 152/209 D, D12/134, D12/136, D12/141, D12/145, D12/147, D12/148, D12/149
• US Class Current: 152/209.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0302 directional pattern, i.e. with main rolling direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0306 Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2011/0383 at the centre of the tread
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2011/1254 with closed sipe, i.e. not extending to a groove
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2200/10 for motorcycles, scooters or the like

Abstract

Pneumatic tires for large size and high speed motorcycles in which a tread extends about a crown of a toroidal carcass along a sectional profile of said carcass from a center of the crown to both sides thereof to such an extent that the tread has a width larger than a maximum width between sidewalls of the tire and at least one circumferential groove is provided at the center portion of the crown. At least two oblique grooves are inclined at acute angles against the circumferential grooves toward the driving force acting when the tires are running, and are provided at each side area defined by the above described central circumferential grooves. The oblique grooves comprise first oblique grooves which extend from said central circumferential groove toward the tread edge and terminate at top ends which do not reach the tread edge and second oblique grooves which extend from a position somewhat outward from the central circumferential groove, in substantially parallel to the first oblique grooves and beyond the top ends of the first grooves toward the tread edge. The area defined by the oblique grooves forms a circumferentially connecting staggering rib.

Claims

1. A pneumatic tire for motorcycles comprising, a tread extending about a crown of a toroidal carcass along a sectional profile of said carcass from a center of the crown to both sides thereof to such an extent that the tread has a width larger than a maximum width between sidewalls of the tire, said tread including a circumferential center groove located at the equatorial center line of the tread, a pair of circumferential central side grooves located adjacent and symmetrically on each side of said center groove, a pair of circumferential shoulder grooves located at shoulder portions adjacent to tread edges, circumferential ribs divided by said center groove and said central side grooves, and a pair of staggered ribs defined by said central side grooves, said staggered ribs having bending portions, said shoulder grooves and oblique grooves, said oblique grooves comprising first oblique grooves extending from said central side grooves toward the tread edges and terminating at top ends which do not reach the tread edges, and second oblique grooves which extend from shoulder grooves toward the central side grooves and terminate at top ends which do not reach the central side grooves and substantially parallel to the first grooves, each center line of said first and second oblique grooves inclined at an angle of 40°

to 80°

with respect to the center line of each central side grooves, bottoms of first oblique grooves at parts opening to each of the central side grooves and bottoms of the second oblique grooves at parts opening to each of the shoulder grooves are formed with projected platforms respectively, each bending portion of each staggered rib adjacent to the central side groove provided with a small groove aligned in parallel with the central side groove, and a pitch length defined by a circumferential interval between first oblique grooves is in the range of 1/40 to 1/60 of the total circumferential length of the tread.

2. Pneumatic tires as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first oblique grooves and the second oblique grooves overlap with one another in an axial direction of the tire and a center of the overlapped area is distant from edge of the tread substantially 1/4 of the tread width measured along the curved surface of the tread.

3. Pneumatic tires as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the width of the overlapped area of the first oblique grooves and the second oblique grooves corresponds to at least 0.2 time as long as the sum of the length of the first oblique groove and the second oblique groove.

4. Pneumatic tires as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first oblique grooves open to the central side grooves.

5. Pneumatic tires as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the second oblique grooves open at said shoulder grooves.

6. Pneumatic tires as claimed in claim 5, wherein an area defined by the shoulder grooves and the tread edges is provided with blocks defined by a large number of transversal grooves arranged circumferentially at an interval.

7. A pneumatic tire as claimed in claim 1 wherein the height of said platforms corresponds to approximately 21% of the depth of said oblique grooves.

8. A pneumatic tire as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second oblique grooves are inclined at an angle of 45°

-75°

with respect to the center line of each central side grooves.