PNEUMATIC TIRE

Abstract

A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of blocks formed by being divided by a longitudinal groove in a tire width direction and divided by a lateral groove in a tire circumferential direction. The blocks include a first block on the inner side in the tire width direction, a second block on the outer side in the tire width direction, a third block adjacent to the first block in the tire circumferential direction, and a fourth block adjacent to the second block in the tire circumferential direction. The pneumatic tire includes a bridge formed in the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove and coupling the first block, the second block, and the third block, or the third block, the fourth block, and the second block.

Claims

1. A pneumatic tire comprising a plurality of blocks formed by being divided by a longitudinal groove in a tire width direction and divided by a lateral groove in a tire circumferential direction, wherein the blocks include: a first block on an inner side in the tire width direction; a second block on an outer side in the tire width direction; a third block adjacent to the first block in the tire circumferential direction; and a fourth block adjacent to the second block in the tire circumferential direction, and the pneumatic tire includes a bridge formed in the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove and coupling the first block, the second block, and the third block, or the third block, the fourth block, and the second block.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the bridge includes a first coupling portion that couples the first block and the second block or the third block and the fourth block in the longitudinal groove, and a groove portion is formed in the first coupling portion.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the bridge includes a second coupling portion that couples the first block, the second block, and the third block, or the third block, the fourth block, and the second block in the lateral groove, and a center line of the second coupling portion is inclined with respect to a center line of the first coupling portion.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal groove includes: a first longitudinal groove that is disposed between the first block and the second block and formed on a center side in the tire width direction; and a second longitudinal groove that is disposed between the third block and the fourth block and formed on a lateral side in the tire width direction, and the bridge includes: a first bridge that is formed in the first longitudinal groove and the lateral groove and couples the first block, the second block, and the third block; and a second bridge that is formed in the second longitudinal groove and the lateral groove and couples the third block, the fourth block, and the second block, and the second coupling portion of the first bridge and the second coupling portion of the second bridge are arranged in line.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the first block and the third block each have a chamfered portion formed by the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the first block and the third block each have a chamfered portion formed by the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein the first block and the third block each have a chamfered portion formed by the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4, wherein the first block and the third block each have a chamfered portion formed by the longitudinal groove and the lateral groove.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The foregoing and the other feature of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings of an illustrative embodiment of the invention in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a partial development view of a pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment; and

[0019] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view including a first bridge in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention, its applicable objects, and its applications.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a partial development view of a tread portion 1 of a pneumatic tire according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, reference symbol TC denotes a tire circumferential direction; and TW, a tire width direction. In addition, reference symbol CL denotes the center line (equator line) of the tread portion 1 in the tire width direction. Further, reference symbols UE and BE respectively denote the ground contact ends of both ends of the tread portion 1 in the tire width direction.

[0022] A center rib 2 annularly continuous in the tire circumferential direction on the center line CL is formed on the tread portion 1. On both sides of the center rib 2 in the tire width direction TW, inclined blocks 4 defined by inclined grooves 3 as an example of lateral grooves extend. As a result, the inclined blocks 4 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the tire circumferential direction TC.

[0023] The inclined grooves 3 are inclined in one direction of the tire circumferential direction TC, that is, in an opposite direction TC2 of a tire rotational direction TC1 toward the tire width direction TW. The inclined groove 3 includes a wide first inclined groove 3A and a narrow second inclined groove 3B. Portions of both side edges of the first inclined groove 3A are formed in a zigzag shape. The inclined grooves 3 formed on both sides of the center line CL are located with being displaced in the tire circumferential direction TC. The distal end portion of the first inclined groove 3A is substantially located on the center line CL.

[0024] A longitudinal groove 5 is formed midway in the inclined block 4. The longitudinal groove 5 is inclined in the tire rotational direction TC1 toward the tire width direction TW and is in substantially orthogonal communication with a first inclined groove A and a second inclined groove B on both sides. As a result, the inclined block 4 is separated into a center block 6 and a shoulder block 7. In addition, the longitudinal grooves 5 are alternately displaced between the inclined blocks 4 arranged in the tire circumferential direction on the center side and the lateral sides in the tire width direction. Owing to a first longitudinal groove 5a on the center side, the inclined block 4 is divided into a short first center block 6a and a long first shoulder block 7a. Owing to a second longitudinal groove 5b on the lateral side, the inclined block 4 is divided into a long second center block 6b and a short second shoulder block 7b.

[0025] Chamfered portions 8 are formed on corner portions of the first center block and the second center block which are located on the tire rotational direction TC1 side. The chamfered portion 8 is a flat surface extending crossing the inclined groove 3 and the longitudinal groove 5, and the chamfered portion 8 enhances the rigidity of the first center block and the second center block.

[0026] In the center rib 2 and the center block 6 following the center rib 2, first sipes 9 are formed radially around the center rib 2 side. Two or three second sipes 10 are formed in the shoulder block 7 along the longitudinal direction of the shoulder block. The sipes 9 and 10 each have a waveform. One end of the first sipe 9 communicates with the inclined groove 3, and the other end of the first sipe 9 terminates in the center rib 2 or the center block 6. One end of the second sipe 10 communicates with the longitudinal groove 5, and the other end of the second sipe 10 terminates in the shoulder block 7. However, a pin region 11 is formed in each of the blocks 6 and 7 as described later, and the sipes 9 and 10 are not formed in this pin region 11.

[0027] The pin regions 11 are formed in the center rib 2, the center blocks 6 and the shoulder blocks 7. As shown in FIG. 2, a pin hole (not shown) is formed in the center portion of each pin region 11, and a stud pin 12 is mounted in the pin hole. Three recesses 13 are formed at equal angular intervals in the periphery of each pin hole.

[0028] A bridge 14 is formed in the longitudinal groove 5 and the inclined groove 3. The bridge 14 includes a first bridge 14a and a second bridge 14b. The first center block 6a, the first shoulder block 7a, and the second center block 6b are coupled to one another by the first bridge 14a. The second center block 6b, the second shoulder block 7b, and the first shoulder block 7a are coupled to one another by the second bridge 14b.

[0029] The first bridge 14a and the second bridge 14b respectively include first coupling portions 15a and 15b for coupling the center block 6 and the shoulder block 7 at the groove bottom portions of the longitudinal grooves 5. Groove portions 16 extending from the inclined groove 3 side and terminating in the longitudinal grooves 5 are formed in the first coupling portions 15a and 15b. The rigidity of the first coupling portions 15a and 15b is increased by the groove portions 16. In addition, the first bridge 14a and the second bridge 14b respectively include second coupling portions 17a and 17b that couple each of the center block 6 and the shoulder block 7 to a corresponding one of the center block 6 and the shoulder block 7 adjacent in the tire circumferential direction at the groove bottom portion of the inclined groove 3. One of the side edges of each of the second coupling portions 17a and 17b extends along the chamfered portion 8 formed on the center block 6 and the other side edge is located closer to the lateral side in the tire width direction than the longitudinal groove 5 so as to be wider than the first coupling part 15. The second coupling portion 17a is coupled to the second center block 6b. The second coupling portion 17b is coupled to the second shoulder block 7b. The first coupling portion 15 and the second coupling portion 17 are bent and continuous with each other. This increases the rigidity of the bridge 14. In addition, the second coupling portion 17a of the first bridge 14a and the second coupling portion 17b of the second bridge 14b are arranged substantially in line (referring to FIG. 1, reference symbol Ce denotes center lines coinciding with each other). This enhances the rigidity between the inclined blocks 4 adjacent in the tire circumferential direction.

[0030] The pneumatic tire having the above configuration provides the following effects.

[0031] (1) The longitudinal groove 5 is formed midway in the inclined block 4 extending from the center line CL side toward the tire width direction TW so as to separate the block into the center block 6 and the shoulder block 7, so that the rigidity of the block on the ground contact surface side can be suppressed to improve the ground contact property. As a result, braking performance can be enhanced.

[0032] (2) Not only the center block 6 and the shoulder block 7 separated by the longitudinal groove 5 but also the center block 6 or the shoulder block 7 adjacent in the tire circumferential direction are coupled by the bridge 14, the rigidity is improved as a whole and the traction performance can be improved.

[0033] In particular, the chamfered portion 8 formed on the center block 6 enhances the rigidity of the center block 6. In addition, the rigidity as a whole can be enhanced and the traction performance can be further improved by the groove portions 16 formed in the first coupling portions 15 of the bridges 14, the configuration in which the second coupling portions 17 of the bridges 14 located adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction are arranged in line, and the configuration in which the first coupling portions 15 and the second coupling portions 17 of the bridges 14 are continuous with each other in an inclined positional relationship.