PNEUMATIC VEHICLE TIRES

Abstract

Pneumatic vehicle tire, in particular a commercial vehicle tire, having a tread which has a profile and has at least one circumferential groove (1) which is encircling in the circumferential direction, is embodied to a profile depth (P.sub.T) and in the cross section, starting at the tread external face, is composed of three adjoining groove portions, one outer groove portion (2) that expands in a funnel-shaped manner toward the outside, one 1 mm to 3 mm wide contracted groove portion, and one inner groove portion (4) which lies radially inward, is expanded in relation to the contracted groove portion (3) and has the largest cross-sectional face of all portions, and which is delimited by two cover flanks (4a), lateral groove flanks (4b, 4b) that adjoin said cover flanks (4a), and a groove base (4c). The lateral groove flanks (4b, 4b) in the expanded groove portion (4), while reducing the mutual spacing thereof from the groove base (4c), run at an angle () of 5 to 25 in relation to the radial direction and in the direction of the circumferential extent of said lateral groove flanks (4b, 4b) run in a wave form

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A pneumatic vehicle tire comprising a tread which has a profile and has at least one circumferential groove encircling in a circumferential direction and having a profile depth (P.sub.T), wherein in a cross section and starting at the tread external face, the at least one circumferential groove is composed of three adjoining groove portions including: one outer groove portion that expands in a funnel-shaped manner toward the outside; one 1 mm to 3 mm wide contracted groove portion; and, one inner groove portion which lies radially inward, and is expanded in relation to the contracted groove portion and has the largest cross-sectional face of all portions, and which is delimited by two cover flanks, lateral groove flanks that adjoin the cover flanks, and a groove base; wherein the lateral groove flanks in an expanded groove portion, while reducing the mutual spacing thereof from the groove base, run at an angle () of 5 to 25 in relation to a radial direction and in a direction of the circumferential extent of the lateral groove flanks run in a wave form; and, wherein the groove flanks comprise the wave form having an amplitude (A) which continuously decreases from a radially outer end of the groove flanks to the groove base, and decreases to a value of zero toward the groove base.

17. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the groove flanks comprise the wave form having a constant wave length () which corresponds to at least 1/8 of a pitch length (L), and at most the pitch length (L).

18. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the groove flanks comprise the wave form having a constant amplitude (A).

19. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the amplitude (A) of the wave form of the groove flanks is from 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm.

20. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the expanded groove portion has a largest cross-sectional width (b.sub.3) thereof at the radially outer end of the groove flanks, and wherein the largest cross-sectional width (b.sub.3) is determined according to the correlation:
b.sub.3=b.sub.1(a.sub.2+a.sub.1), where b.sub.1 is a cross-sectional width of the radially outer groove portion on the tread external face, and where a.sub.1 and a.sub.2 are parameters to which 0a.sub.10.1 b.sub.1 and 0.4a.sub.21 applies.

21. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the groove base has a cross-sectional width b.sub.4 which is determined according to the correlation:
b.sub.4=b.sub.1(a.sub.3+a.sub.1), where b.sub.1 is a cross-sectional width of the radially outer groove portion on the tread external face, and where a.sub.1 and a.sub.3 are parameters to which 0a.sub.10.1 b.sub.1 and 0.2a.sub.30.6 applies.

22. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the two cover flanks that participate in delimiting the expanded groove portion mutually run in the manner of a pointed roof and at an obtuse external angle () of from 95 to 135 in relation to the radial direction.

23. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the radially outer funnel-shaped groove portion is formed by two groove flanks which in relation to the radial direction run at an angle () of from 25 to 70.

24. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein a width (b.sub.1) of the radially outer groove portion that is funnel-shaped in the cross section is from 3.0 mm to 22.0 mm on the tread external face.

25. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the contracted groove portion has groove flanks that run in the radial direction and reach down to a depth (t.sub.2) of from 30% to 60% of the profile depth (P.sub.T).

26. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the radially outer groove portion that is funnel-shaped in the cross section reaches down to a depth (t.sub.1) of from 15% to 30% of the profile depth (P.sub.T).

27. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mutually opposite groove flanks in the radially inner groove portion have wave forms that run in a mutually parallel manner.

28. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mutually opposite groove flanks in the radially inner groove portion have wave forms that run in a mutually symmetrical manner in relation to a central plane of the circumferential groove that runs in the radial direction.

29. The pneumatic vehicle tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the circumferential groove is embodied so as to be symmetrical in relation to a central plane thereof that runs in the radial direction.

Description

[0015] In the drawing:

[0016] FIG. 1a to FIG. 1d show cross sections of a circumferential groove of a tread of a pneumatic vehicle tire in the case of increasing abrasion of the tread, wherein each cross section is assigned an associated plan view of a short circumferential portion of the circumferential groove;

[0017] FIGS. 2a to 2d, and FIG. 3a to FIG. 3d show further variants of embodiment of a circumferential groove in illustrations that are analogous to those of FIGS. 1a to 1d;

[0018] FIGS. 4a and 4b show schematic views (plan views) of embodiments of wave forms of groove flanks; and

[0019] FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b show schematic views (plan views) of wave forms of groove flanks in order to explain wave length ranges.

[0020] FIGS. 1a to 1d, 2a to 2d, and 3a to 3d show in each case cross sections through a circumferential groove in a tread of a pneumatic vehicle tire as well as the associated plan views of circumferential portions of the circumferential groove. Circumferential grooves designed according to the invention are provided in numbers of in particular two to five, and preferably in treads of commercial vehicle tires. The circumferential grooves in the circumferential direction subdivide the tread into profile ribs, optionally conjointly with circumferential grooves of another design. The profile ribs can be structured in a block-type manner known per se. The circumferential grooves 1 are part of main grooves or are main grooves in the tread and are therefore embodied to the provided profile depth P.sub.T, the latter usually being between 12 mm and 25 mm, depending on the type of tire.

[0021] FIGS. 1a, 2a, and 3a show in each case a circumferential groove 1 in the state thereof in the case of a new tire. The circumferential groove 1 is embodied so as to be symmetrical in relation to a centric plane which runs in the radial direction and in FIGS. 1a, 2a, and 3a is indicated by a dashed line, and in the radial direction has three portions, a radially outer groove portion 2, a contracted groove portion 3, and an expanded inner groove portion 4.

[0022] The radially outer groove portion 2 is designed so as to be funnel-shaped in the cross section, widens toward the tread external face, and is delimited by two groove flanks 2a which run at an angle of 25 to 70, in particular 45 to 70, in relation to the radial direction. The width b.sub.1 of the groove portion 2 on the tread external face is 3 mm to 22 mm, in particular 8 mm to 22 mm, depending on the type of tire. The groove portion 2 in the radial direction extends down to a depth t.sub.1 which is 15% to 30% of the profile depth P.sub.T. The contracted groove portion 3 which is delimited by two groove flanks 3a that run in the radial direction and adjoin the groove flanks 2a directly adjoins the groove portion 2. The width b.sub.2 of the groove portion 3 is 1 mm to 3 mm. The groove portion 3 reaches down to a depth t.sub.2 which is 30% to 60%, in particular up to 45%, of the profile depth P.sub.T. The expanded inner groove portion 4 which is delimited by two cover flanks 4a, a groove base 4c, in the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1a to 1d by two lateral groove flanks 4b, in the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 2a to 2d by two lateral groove flanks 4b, and in the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 3a to 3d by two lateral groove flanks 4b, directly adjoins the groove portion 3.

[0023] Proceeding from the groove flanks 3a, the two cover flanks 4a in relation to the former run in each case at an obtuse external angle which is 95 to 135, in particular up to 105. The groove portion 4 has the largest width b.sub.3 thereof at the outer ends of the two cover flanks 4a. The two lateral groove flanks 4b, 4b, and 4b adjoin in each case directly to the cover flanks 4a and, while decreasing the mutual spacing of said lateral groove flanks 4b, 4b, 4b, run in the direction of the groove base 4c at an angle of 5 bis 25, preferably of 10 to 20 in relation to the radial direction. The groove base 4c which is situated in the profile depth P.sub.T connects the radially inner ends of the lateral groove flanks 4b and has a width b.sub.4.

[0024] Ranges for the size of the widths b.sub.3 and b.sub.4 are determined by means of parameters a.sub.1, a.sub.2, and a.sub.3 which are defined as follows:

[0025] a.sub.1: 0a.sub.1<0.1 b.sub.1

[0026] a.sub.2: 0.4a.sub.21

[0027] a.sub.3: 0.2a.sub.30.6.

[0028] From these parameters result

[0029] the width b.sub.3 according to: b.sub.3=b.sub.1(a.sub.2+a.sub.1),

[0030] the width b.sub.4 according to: b.sub.4=b.sub.1(a.sub.3+a.sub.1).

[0031] In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1a to 1d, the groove flanks 4b are planar faces. FIG. 1b shows a worn state of the tread in which the tread has been abraded to approximately the center of the groove portion 3; FIGS. 1c and 1d show abraded states in which the abrasion of the tread has already progressed such that only the expanded groove portion 4 is still present on the tread surface.

[0032] The embodiments of the circumferential groove 1 shown in FIGS. 2a to 2d and 3a to 3d differ from those according to FIGS. 1a to 1d in terms of the design embodiment of the lateral groove flanks 4b and 4b which are not planar faces but are in each case embodied in the manner of a wave form and have wave form that runs in the direction of the circumferential extent of said lateral groove flanks 4b and 4b. In the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 2a to 2d the wave form has a constant wave length and a constant amplitude A which is 0.5 mm to 2 mm, in particular up to 1 mm. The faces that on the internal side of the groove portion 4 encase the waves of the lateral groove flanks 4b determine the widths b.sub.3and b.sub.4 as well as the angle . FIG. 2b shows the circumferential groove 1 in the case of a new tire; FIGS. 2c and 2d show an abraded state in which the tread has already been abraded into the groove portion 4 such that the wave form of the radially outer edges of the lateral groove flanks 4b and the wave form of the lateral delimitation edges of the groove base 4c can be seen in the plan view.

[0033] In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3a to 3d, the lateral groove flanks 4b in the groove portion 4 likewise have a wave form which runs in the circumferential direction of the groove flanks 4b. However, the amplitude A of the wave form varies in the case of this embodiment, said amplitude A continuously decreases from the radially outer end of the lateral groove flanks 4b to the radially inner end of the groove flanks 4b on the groove base 4c, in particular decreases to the value of zero. The wave length remains in particular constant. The casing faces on the internal side of the lateral groove flanks 4b in the case of this embodiment are also those faces which define the widths b.sub.3 and b.sub.4 as well as the angle , as has been explained and described above. The wave form of the lateral groove flanks 4b at the radially outer ends thereof has the greatest amplitude A of said wave form, which is 0.5 mm to 2 mm, in particular up to 1 mm. FIG. 3c shows an abraded state of the tread in which the tread has been abraded into the groove portion 4; the wave form of the groove edges of the lateral groove flanks 4b on the tread external face and the lateral peripheries of the groove base 4c that run in the circumferential direction and in a straight manner can be seen in the plan view. FIG. 3d shows an even more progressed abraded state; the wave form of the groove edges of the lateral groove flanks 4b on the tread external face now have only a weak wave form having a smaller amplitude A than in FIG. 3c.

[0034] FIGS. 4a and 4b show potential design embodiments of the wave forms of the two mutually opposite lateral groove flanks 4b, 4b in the groove portion 4 in a plan view. According to FIG. 4a, the two mutually opposite lateral groove flanks 4b, 4b, have wave forms that run in a mutually parallel manner. In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4b the wave forms of the two lateral groove flanks 4b, 4b are embodied so as to be symmetrical in relation to the centric symmetry plane.

[0035] FIGS. 5a and 5b highlight the preferred smallest and the preferred largest wave length of the wave form of the lateral groove flanks 4b, 4b. The minimum wave length c is shown in FIG. 5a and is of the pitch length L of the profile of the tread, wherein the pitch length L is of identical size for all pitches that are provided across the circumference of the tread in the case of commercial vehicle tires. FIG. 5b shows the maximum wave length which corresponds to the pitch length L. A pitch length L in a tread profile of a commercial vehicle tire corresponds to the circumferential length of a profile block, for example, or of a profile positive that is structured in a block-type manner, including a transverse groove. In tread profiles having dissimilar pitch lengths, the pitch length L is the arithmetic mean value of the provided pitch lengths of dissimilar lengths.

[0036] Since circumferential grooves in the tread are usually interrupted by transverse grooves or the like that branch out from said circumferential grooves, the design embodiment according to the invention of the circumferential grooves is present in the corresponding circumferential portions of the circumferential grooves.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0037] 1 . . . Circumferential groove

[0038] 2 . . . Groove portion

[0039] 2a . . . Groove flanks

[0040] 3 . . . Groove portion

[0041] 3a . . . Groove flanks

[0042] 4 . . . Groove portion

[0043] 4a . . . Cover flanks

[0044] 4b, 4b, 4b . . . Groove flanks

[0045] 4c . . . Groove base

[0046] P.sub.T . . . Profile depth

[0047] b.sub.1, b.sub.2, b.sub.3, b.sub.4 . . . Width

[0048] A . . . Amplitude

[0049] , , . . . Angles

[0050] t.sub.1, t.sub.2 . . . Depth

[0051] a.sub.1, a.sub.2, a.sub.3 . . . Parameter

[0052] L . . . Pitch length

[0053] P.sub.T . . . Profile depth