A pneumatic tire includes circumferential main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction on the tread surface, and in widthwise outermost land portions, widthwise grooves extending from the tread edges inward in the tire width direction and widthwise sipes extending from the tire widthwise inner edge of the widthwise grooves inward in the tire width direction and connecting to the circumferential main groove. Each widthwise sipe includes a widened portion, by the sipe bottom, with a larger sipe width than at the tread surface. A rectangle ratio is less than 0.8. In a tire radial region containing the widened portion, the widened portion includes a portion extending at a first angle relative to the tire width direction. In plan view of the tread surface, each widthwise sipe extends along the tire width direction or at a second angle smaller than the first angle relative to the tire width direction.

Commercial vehicle tire of radial design with a tread with circumferential grooves formed to a profile depth, which divide the tread into at least two profile ribs (1) running in the central region of the tread with profile blocks (2) separated from one another by transverse grooves (3) and into shoulder-side profile ribs, wherein at least one of the circumferential grooves (4) adjoining a central profile rib (1) has, in cross section, a radially outer sipe-like narrow section (6) and a channel (8) adjoining this in the interior of the tread which is configured to be wider than the sipe-like narrow section (6) and which is delimited by two channel walls (8b) and a channel bottom (8a) forming the groove bottom, and wherein this circumferential groove (4) is interrupted in its course by entry points of transverse grooves (3).

Opposite the entry points, a projection (9, 9′) is formed locally in each case on the channel wall (8b) located opposite the entry points of the transverse grooves (3).

A pneumatic vehicle tire, in particular utility vehicle tire, having a tread which has a directional profiling with shoulder-side and middle profile ribs running in a circumferential direction, wherein at least one of the middle profile ribs (1), which is in particular a profile rib running along the tire equator, is traversed in an axial direction by sipes (4) with a width (b.sub.1) of 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm, each of which has a central portion (4a), in which the sipe (4) runs with an undulation in the direction of extent thereof, and two lateral portions (4b). The sipes (4) extend, in plan view, in an arc shape and symmetrically with respect to the centerline of the profile rib (1), and, in the lateral portions (4b) and in the central portion (4a), have a uniform undulation running in the radial direction, on which the undulation present in the extent direction of the sipes (4) is superposed only in the central portion (4a) of the sipe (4).

A pneumatic tire of the present disclosure includes, on a tread surface, a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions defined between circumferential main grooves adjacent in the tire width direction among the plurality of circumferential main grooves or by the circumferential main grooves and tread edges. The land portions include at least one circumferential sipe extending in the tire circumferential direction. The circumferential sipe includes a plurality of widened portions arranged in the tire circumferential direction. In a reference state, each widened portion is formed only from a portion that, from one side towards the other side in the tire circumferential direction, extends from the tread surface inward in the tire radial direction.

In a tire having composite grooves provided on a shoulder land portion, dry performance and wet performance are improved. The tire includes a tread portion 2. The tread portion 2 includes a first shoulder land portion 13. The first shoulder land portion 13 has shoulder lateral grooves 15 and shoulder composite grooves 20. The shoulder lateral grooves 15 and the shoulder composite grooves 20 are each curved so as to be convex in a tire circumferential direction. Each shoulder composite groove 20 includes, in a cross section thereof, a sipe element 21 having a width not greater than 1.5 mm and extending from a tread surface of the first shoulder land portion 13 in a tire radial direction, and a groove element 22 connected to an inner side in the tire radial direction of the sipe element 21 and having a width greater than 1.5 mm.

The present invention provides for a heavy truck tire tread (12) with a plurality of sipes (20) in the shoulder rib (18) that extend from the shoulder edge (14) to the shoulder groove (16). Each one of the sipes (20) has a bottom (28) with a teardrop (30) located at the bottom, and the bottom (28) does not extend the same depth in the thickness direction across the entire lateral length of the sipe (20). The bottom (28) at a middle of the sipe (20) extends for less of a depth in the thickness direction than does the bottom (28) at a shoulder edge (14) portion of the sipe (20) located outboard from the middle of the sipe (20) in the lateral direction. The bottom (28) at the middle of the sipe (20) extends for less of a depth in the thickness direction than does the bottom (28) at a shoulder groove (16) portion of the sipe (20) located inboard from the middle of the sipe (20) in the lateral direction.

A tyre tread (10) has a groove (12) having a snow trapping device in the form of a dam (14) in it. The dam (14) is attached to a bottom wall (16) of the groove (12), and to side walls (18, 20) of the groove (12). The dam (14) has a first, snow trapping surface (22) and a second, inclined surface (24) which face in opposite sides in the groove longitudinal direction. The second, inclined surface (24) directs the flow of water away from the bottom wall (16). A hole (32) and a sipe (34) form a passageway (30) for water through the dam (14) in the groove longitudinal direction. The passageway reduces water flow recirculation. The whole of the dam (14) is between the side walls (18, 20) of the groove (12).

A tread (1) for a heavy-duty vehicle tyre, having a tread surface (10) and an undulating groove (2) formed therein, having, when new, external cavities (21) open onto the tread surface (10) and internal cavities (22) entirely situated there-beneath when new, these cavities (22) connected to cavities (21) by linking cavities (23), each external cavity (21) intersecting the tread surface (10) along a corner edge contour delimiting an opening (210) having two end regions (A1, A2) and a surface area Se measured on the tread surface (10). In each end region (A1, A2) at least one thin blade (41, 42) of rubbery material is formed which is secured to at least one of the walls delimiting the undulating groove to reduce the surface area of the opening (210) of each external cavity (21) viewed from the tread surface (10) when new.

Tire tread (1) is divided into central part (20) and edge parts (30), central part (20) having width Lc between 40% and 90% of total width W of the tread. Edge parts (30) do not have any transverse cuts. Central part (20) has a tread pattern with circumferentially oriented sipe (21) and transversely oriented sipes (22, 22′, 22″) distributed around the periphery of the tread, such sipes having a depth at least equal to 60% of thickness E of material to be worn away and being interconnected to form a network. Such sipes are continued by hidden channels (210, 220). Central part (20) is delimited axially by transverse sipes (22′, 22″), each of which ends in end channel (221′, 221″) that opens onto tread surface (10) and extends into the thickness of the tread, and each end channel (221′, 221″) is connected to the network formed by the hidden channels.

The tread has four grooves that delimit a central, intermediate and edge regions. Each intermediate region is divided into elongated raised elements that delimit oblique grooves which open into the circumferential grooves and are inclined at an average angle of between 30 and 60 degrees relative to the circumferential direction. The raised elements have an average circumferential length of between 50 and 70 mm. The depth of the oblique grooves is at least 30% of the depth of the circumferential grooves. Each raised element has a plurality of sipes that open into the oblique grooves. Each raised element also has an internal and oblique cut that has a total depth at least equal to 75% of the thickness PMU to be worn away. The oblique cut has a wide part and a part that forms a sipe that extends by a channel that forms a new groove after wear.