US 12,330,453 B2
Tire with emerging snow feature
David M. Severyn, North Canton, OH (US)
Assigned to Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
Appl. No. 17/297,032
Filed by Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 18, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/067136
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 26, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/132044, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/782,384, filed on Dec. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0024258 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. B60C 11/13 (2006.01); B60C 11/03 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 11/1353 (2013.01) [B60C 2011/0369 (2013.01); B60C 2011/1361 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tire comprising:
a circumferential tread circumscribing an axis of rotation, the circumferential tread including at least a first circumferential groove and a second circumferential groove;
a transverse groove having a first end that terminates at the first circumferential groove and further having a second end that terminates at the second circumferential groove, wherein a depth of the transverse groove is defined between an outer surface of the circumferential tread and a bottom surface of the transverse groove in a radial direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein the depth of the transverse groove decreases linearly from the first circumferential groove to the second circumferential groove such that a first depth of the transverse groove at the first end of the transverse groove is greater than a second depth of the transverse groove at the second end of the transverse groove, and
a plurality of protrusions protruding from the bottom surface of the transverse groove,
wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has the same height, as measured from the bottom surface of the transverse groove to a top surface of the protrusion,
wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions has a top surface at a same elevation as the outer surface of the circumferential tread, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions has a top surface that is below the outer surface of the circumferential tread.