US 11,787,237 B2
Pneumatic tire
Naoki Ishida, Kobe (JP); and Takahiro Kawanoue, Kobe (JP)
Assigned to Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Hyogo (JP)
Filed by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Hyogo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/106,005.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-223908 (JP), filed on Dec. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0178831 A1, Jun. 17, 2021
Int. Cl. B60C 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 13/001 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pneumatic tire having a pair of sidewall portions, wherein
an outer surface of at least one of the pair of sidewall portions includes a decorative region extending in a tire circumferential direction,
in the decorative region, a plurality of pattern elements is arranged at intervals in the tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction, whereby the decorative region includes a plurality of circumferential pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned in the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of radial pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned in the tire radial direction,
the pattern elements each have a parallelogram shape in a plan view, the parallelogram shape consisting of a first pair of opposing sides and a second pair of opposing sides, the sides of the first pair of opposing sides each having a first length and the sides of the second pair of opposing sides each having a second length, such that each pattern element has an aspect ratio based on the first and second lengths of the first and second pairs of opposing sides,
in each of the circumferential pattern lines, lengths in the tire circumferential direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire circumferential direction,
in each of the radial pattern lines, lengths in the tire radial direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire radial direction,
in at least one of the circumferential pattern lines, the lengths in the tire circumferential direction of the pattern elements are gradually decreased toward one side in the tire circumferential direction such that the aspect ratio of each of the pattern elements in the at least one of the circumferential pattern lines is different from the aspect ratio of an adjacent one of the pattern elements in the plan view, and
in at least one of the circumferential pattern lines, the intervals between the pattern elements are gradually increased toward the one side in the tire circumferential direction.
 
17. A pneumatic tire having a pair of sidewall portions, wherein
an outer surface of at least one of the pair of sidewall portions includes a decorative region extending parallel to a tire circumferential direction,
in the decorative region, a plurality of pattern elements is arranged at intervals parallel to the tire circumferential direction and in a tire radial direction, whereby the decorative region includes a plurality of circumferential pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned parallel to the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of radial pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned in the tire radial direction,
the pattern elements each have an external shape in a plan view, the external shape comprising a first pair of opposing sides and a second pair of opposing sides, the sides of the first pair of opposing sides each having a first length and the sides of the second pair of opposing sides each having a second length, such that each pattern element has an aspect ratio based on the first and second lengths of the first and second pairs of opposing sides,
in each of the circumferential pattern lines, lengths parallel to the tire circumferential direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire circumferential direction,
in each of the radial pattern lines, lengths in the tire radial direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire radial direction,
in at least one of the circumferential pattern lines, the lengths parallel to the tire circumferential direction of the pattern elements are gradually decreased toward one side in the tire circumferential direction such that the aspect ratio of each of the pattern elements in the at least one of the circumferential pattern lines is different from the aspect ratio of an adjacent one of the pattern elements in the plan view, and
in at least one of the circumferential pattern lines, the intervals between the pattern elements are gradually increased toward the one side in the tire circumferential direction.
 
18. A pneumatic tire having a pair of sidewall portions, wherein
an outer surface of at least one of the pair of sidewall portions includes a decorative region extending in a tire circumferential direction,
in the decorative region, a plurality of pattern elements is arranged at intervals in the tire circumferential direction and a tire radial direction, whereby the decorative region includes a plurality of circumferential pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned in the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of radial pattern lines in each of which the pattern elements are aligned in the tire radial direction,
the pattern elements each have a parallelogram shape in a plan view, the parallelogram shape consisting of a first pair of opposing sides and a second pair of opposing sides, the sides of the first pair of opposing sides each having a first length and the sides of the second pair of opposing sides each having a second length, such that each pattern element has an aspect ratio based on the first and second lengths of the first and second pairs of opposing sides,
in each of the circumferential pattern lines, lengths in the tire circumferential direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire circumferential direction such that the aspect ratio of each of the pattern elements in each of the circumferential pattern lines is different from the aspect ratio of an adjacent one of the pattern elements in the plan view,
in each of the radial pattern lines, lengths in the tire radial direction of the pattern elements are changed in the tire radial direction such that the aspect ratio of each of the pattern elements in each of the radial pattern lines is different from the aspect ratio of an adjacent one of the pattern elements in the plan view.