US 12,233,670 B2
Pneumatic vehicle tyre with circumferential groove
Wilke Eikermann, Hannover (DE)
Assigned to Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, Hannover (DE)
Appl. No. 18/252,727
Filed by Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, Hannover (DE)
PCT Filed Nov. 9, 2021, PCT No. PCT/DE2021/200185
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 12, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/100800, PCT Pub. Date May 19, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 214 281.5 (DE), filed on Nov. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0025213 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. B60C 11/13 (2006.01); B60C 11/04 (2006.01); B60C 11/03 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 11/13 (2013.01) [B60C 2011/0353 (2013.01); B60C 2011/0355 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pneumatic vehicle tire comprising:
a tread having a profiling with a first circumferential groove and a second circumferential groove formed to a profile depth PT;
each of the first and second circumferential grooves includes alternating first and second groove sections over a circumference of the pneumatic vehicle tire in which the alternating first and second groove sections have different groove profiles;
the first groove section of the first circumferential groove having a first groove portion (3) and a second groove portion (4) of a first cross section of the first circumferential groove, the first cross section is perpendicular to the circumferential direction, wherein:
the first (3) and second (4) groove portions directly adjoin one another in a first radial direction R1 of the pneumatic vehicle tire, the second groove portion (4) being radially inward of the first groove portion,
the first groove portion (3) and the second groove portion (4) are each symmetrical about a first line in the first radial direction R1,
the first groove portion (3) has a width BV,1 in the axial direction A that is less than 3 mm and varies by no more than 10%,
the second groove portion (4) widens in the axial direction A relative to the first groove portion to have a width BV,2 in the axial direction A that is greater than the width BV,1 of the first groove portion (3); and
the second groove section of the first circumferential groove having a first groove portion (33) and a second groove portion (34) of a second cross section of the first circumferential groove, the second cross section perpendicular to the circumferential direction, wherein:
the first (33) and second (34) groove portions directly adjoin one another in a second radial direction R2 of the pneumatic vehicle tire, the second groove portion (34) being radially inward of the first groove portion (33),
the first (33) and second (34) groove portions are each symmetrical about a second line that extends in the second radial direction R2,
the first groove portion (33) widens as it extends radially outward relative to the second groove portion (34), the first groove portion (33) terminating at a road engagement surface of the tread to open radially outwardly at the tread, the first groove portion (33) having a width BY,O in the axial direction A as measured at the road engagement surface of the tread when the pneumatic vehicle tire is new,
the second groove portion (34) is narrowed relative to the first groove portion (33), the second groove portion (34) having a width BY,2 which varies in the axial direction A by no more than 10%, and which is less than 40% of the width BY,O of the first groove portion (33) as measured in the axial direction A at the road engagement surface of the tread when the pneumatic vehicle tire is new,
wherein the second groove portion (34) of the second cross section extends in the second radial direction R2 over at least 50% of the height H2V of the second groove portion (4) of the first cross section as measured in the first radial direction R1,
wherein the second groove portion (34) of the second cross section has over at least 50% of its height H2Y, as measured in the second radial direction R2, being at a distance from the road engagement surface of the tread;
wherein the second groove portion (4) of the first cross section has the largest cross-sectional area relative to each of the first groove section (3) of the first cross section and the first (33) and second groove (34) sections of the second cross section;
wherein the first circumferential groove includes respective transition regions (23) between the respective first and second groove sections, the respective transition regions having a tapered surface (23) that tapers radially inwardly from the first groove portion (33) of the second groove section and extends circumferentially toward the second groove portion (4) of the first groove section, such that, when in use on a wet road, liquid entering the first groove portion (33) of the second groove section flows across the tapered surface (23) of the transition region and enters into the second groove portion (4) of the first groove section.