A pneumatic vehicle type for passenger vehicles or vans having at least one wide circumferential groove (1, 1′, 1″, 1″′), which runs in the circumferential direction and is bounded on the tread periphery by two edge borders (1a, 1′a, 1″a, 1′″a) which run parallel to one another and linearly, and has a groove base (13, 13′, 13″) as well as two groove edges (9, 10, 9′, 10′, 9″, 10″), wherein elements (11, 12, 11′12′, 11″, 12″) which project on the groove edges (9, 10, 9′, 10′, 9″, 10″) are formed alternately in the circumferential direction on one or other of the groove edges (9, 10, 9′, 10′, 9″, 10″), wherein each projecting element (11, 12, 11′, 12′, 11″, 12″) has a groove edge section (9a, 10a, 9′a, 10′a, 9″a, 10″a) lying opposite on the opposite groove edge (9, 10, 9′, 10′, 9″, 10″), which groove edge section (9a, 10a, 9′a, 10′a, 9″a, 10″a) runs least essentially in the radial direction starting at the edge border (1a, 1′a, 1″a, 1′″a) as far as the groove base (13, 13′, 13″), wherein the groove base (13, 13′, 13″) runs in a meandering or corrugated shape along and between the projecting elements (11, 12, 11′, 12′, 11″, 12″), wherein the projecting elements (11, 12, 11′, 12′, 11″, 12″) are essentially of wedge-like design and are bounded by oblique faces (14, 14′, 14″) which extend in the axial direction as far as the groove base (13, 13′, 13″) and run in the circumferential direction at least essentially over the circumferential extent of the elements (11, 12, 11′, 12′, 11″, 12″), wherein the projecting elements (11, 12; 11′,12′,11″,12″) are provided in at least two different circumferential lengths (L.sub.1 to L.sub.5, L.sub.1′ to L.sub.5′; L.sub.1″ to L.sub.5″) and follow one another according to a specific sequence over the circumference of the circumferential groove (1, 1′, 1″, 1″′).

A pneumatic tire (10) has, in the surface of the tread (11), a central circumferential groove (12) located at the center of the contact patch width and extending circumferentially around the tire, a plurality of longitudinal grooves (13 (13a, 13b)) formed on the axially outside of the central circumferential groove (12), lug grooves (15), and blocks (16 (16a to 16c)) defined by the central circumferential groove (12), the longitudinal grooves (13), and the lug grooves (15). Each of the lug grooves (15) is formed such that its width in the shoulder region is greater than its width in the central region, and the sum of the groove area of the central circumferential groove (12) and the groove area of the longitudinal grooves (13) is smaller than the area of the lug grooves (15). As a result, the pneumatic tire (10) not only secures the wet braking performance and wear resistance performance on paved roads, but also improves the acceleration performance and braking performance and the steering stability performance on snowy roads.

A tire having high on-ice starting performance, the tire is provided with a plurality of circumferential direction grooves formed on a tread of the tire and extending in a tire circumferential direction, a plurality of width direction grooves extending in a direction intersecting the tire circumferential direction, a plurality of blocks demarcated by the circumferential direction grooves and the width direction grooves, and a plurality of width direction sipes formed on surfaces of the blocks and extending in the direction intersecting the tire circumferential direction, in which a distance P between the sipes 18z is set in a range of 4-12 mm.

A pneumatic tire is provided that improves braking performance on ice, turning performance on ice, and water drainage performance in a well-balanced manner. A plurality of small blocks each having a contour consisting of four line segments is arranged while curving in a tire width direction to form medium blocks. The medium blocks are arranged in a plurality of rows in a tire circumferential direction to form large blocks. The large blocks are formed adjacent to the circumferential main groove in the tire circumferential direction on both sides in the tire width direction across the circumferential main groove.

A tire includes an annular tread portion with a circumferentially extending groove having bridge structures at circumferential intervals about the groove and contoured pockets therebetween. Each pocket has curved transition surfaces separating the bridge structures from curved base surfaces of the pocket. The curved transition surfaces have radii of curvature between 2.0 mm and 4.0 mm. The curved base surfaces may radii of curvature between 4.0 mm and 8.0 mm.

A tire includes an annular tread portion including a first circumferentially extending asymmetric shoulder groove having an angled axially inner sidewall with an axially inner sidewall radial angle between 170° and 180°, an angled axially outer sidewall with an axially outer sidewall radial angle between 155° and 170°, and a curved base surface with a radius of curvature ranging from 40.0 mm at an axially inner edge and 20.0 mm at an axially outer edge.

A tire tread is provided having a layered design that includes bridged and unbridged circumferential grooves during earlier stages of tread life while transverse and unbridged circumferential grooves are provided at later stages of tread life. Together, the combination of grooves can provide desired wet adherence performance without unacceptable compromises of tread wear and/or rolling resistance. Pockets can also be provided at the end of the transverse grooves to increase the volume available for receipt of water during wet traction.

Disclosed herein is an example of a tire, and arrangements of multiple tires for a heavy goods vehicle having a tread provided on one side of the equatorial median plane with a sculpture of a first kind and on the other side of the equatorial median plane with a sculpture of a second kind, the first kind of sculpture comprising at least three grooves of generally circumferential orientation. The tired disclosed herein is provided to avoid having to change tires at the change of season, notably of the arrival of winter, on a heavy goods vehicle and more particularly on the drive axles of the said vehicle for which these changes require additional work.

In a pneumatic tire, a tread comprises a plurality of main grooves including a first main groove that extends in straight fashion in a tire circumferential direction, and at least one first recess that is recessed toward a first side in a tire axial direction from the first main groove and that is arranged at a portion in the tire circumferential direction of the first main groove, and the at least one first recess comprises a first recess side face that is planar and that extends toward an interior in a tire radial direction from the tread surface, and a first recess bottom that is planar and that extends toward the first side in the tire axial direction from the first main groove so as to intersect the first recess side face.

Various embodiments of a tire traction element are provided. In one embodiment, a tire traction element is oriented in a circumferential groove of a tire to provide improved snow and/or mud traction. In one embodiment, a tire for a vehicle is provided, comprising: a tread having a circumferential direction, the tread having at least one circumferential groove which extends in the circumferential direction, the at least one circumferential groove having a groove base, and at least one groove sidewall; a plurality of traction elements in the circumferential groove connected to the at least one groove sidewall and the groove base; wherein at least one of the traction elements has a plurality of indentations formed on a radially outermost edge between the base portion and the at least one sidewall portion; and wherein the radially outermost edge has an angle of inclination θ relative to the radial direction.