阅读说明：本技术 充气轮胎 (Pneumatic tire ) 是由 长谷川耕平 于 2020-06-11 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种充气轮胎,其利用周向槽(11i、11o)划分形成有陆部(12a、12b),在陆部(12a、12b)形成有沿轮胎宽度方向延伸的宽度方向窄槽(13a、13b),其中,宽度方向窄槽(13a、13b)在槽底具有槽宽扩大的扩幅槽部(13ae、13be),在轮胎磨损至自未使用的轮胎的胎面接地面到胎面磨损指示部(16)的端面为止的深度的50％的深度的状态下,轮胎赤道线(Le)侧的内侧陆部(12a)的内侧陆部截面积比(Pa)大于内侧陆部(12a)的轮胎宽度方向外侧的外侧陆部(12b)的外侧陆部截面积比(Pb),从而能够在始终良好地保持湿地抓着性能的同时抑制磨损中期之后的不均匀磨损。(The invention provides a pneumatic tire, which is divided by circumferential grooves (11i, 11o) to form land parts (12a, 12b), narrow grooves (13a, 13b) in the width direction extending in the tire width direction are formed in the land portions (12a, 12b), wherein the width direction narrow grooves (13a, 13b) have widened groove parts (13ae, 13be) with enlarged groove widths at the groove bottoms, when the tire is worn to a depth of 50% of the depth from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the end surface of the tread wear indicator (16), the inner land portion (12a) on the tire equator line (Le) side has an inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pa) that is greater than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pb) of the outer land portion (12b) on the tire widthwise outer side of the inner land portion (12a), thereby, uneven wear after the middle stage of wear can be suppressed while maintaining good wet grip performance all the time.)

1. A pneumatic tire in which a plurality of land portions (12a, 12 b; 42a, 42 b; 72a, 72b) extending in the tire circumferential direction are formed on a tread (7) of the tire so as to be divided by a plurality of circumferential grooves (11i, 11o) extending in the tire circumferential direction,

a plurality of width-direction narrow grooves (13a, 13 b; 43a, 43 b; 73a, 73b) extending in the tire width direction are formed in the land portions (12a, 12 b; 42a, 42 b; 72a, 72b), characterized in that,

the width direction narrow grooves (13a, 13 b; 43a, 43 b; 73a, 73b) have widened groove parts (13ae, 13 be; 43ae, 43 be; 73ae, 73be) with enlarged groove widths at the groove bottoms,

when a land portion on the tire equator line (Le) side among the land portions (12a, 12 b; 42a, 42 b; 72a, 72b) adjacent to each other on one side in the tire width direction from the tire equator line (Le) at the center in the tire width direction is an inner land portion (12 a; 42 a; 72a), and a land portion on the outer side in the tire width direction is an outer land portion (12 b; 42 b; 72b),

when the tire is worn to a depth of 50% of the depth from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the end surface of the tread wear indicator (16),

comparing an inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pa) and an outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pb), the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pa) being greater than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pb),

the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pa) is a ratio of an annular cross-sectional area of a tread annular cross-section obtained by cutting the inner land portion (12 a; 42 a; 72a) with a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction, the annular cross-sectional area not including the width-direction narrow groove (13 a; 43 a; 73a), to an annular cross-sectional area of the tread annular cross-section including the width-direction narrow groove (13 a; 43 a; 73a),

the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio (Pb) is a ratio of an annular cross-sectional area of a tread annular cross-section obtained by cutting the outer land portion (12 b; 42 b; 72b) with a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction, the annular cross-sectional area not including the width-direction narrow groove (13 b; 43 b; 73b), to an annular cross-sectional area of the tread annular cross-section including the width-direction narrow groove (13 b; 43 b; 73 b).

2. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1,

the groove width of an expanding groove portion (13ae) of the width direction narrow groove (13a) of the inner land portion (12a) is narrower than the groove width of an expanding groove portion (13be) of the width direction narrow groove (13b) of the outer land portion (12 b).

3. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1,

the number of the width-direction narrow grooves (43a) of the inner land portion (42a) is smaller than the number of the width-direction narrow grooves (43b) of the outer land portion (42 b).

4. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1,

the width direction narrow groove (73b) of an outer land portion (72b) at the outermost side in the tire width direction of the land portions is formed in a shape in which the groove width gradually increases from the tread contact surface of an unused tire to the maximum width of an expanded groove portion (73 be).

5. A pneumatic tire according to claim 1,

the pneumatic tire is mounted to a drive wheel of a vehicle.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire used for a wheel of a vehicle.

Background

There are examples of this: in a tire in which a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction are formed on the tire tread in consideration of water drainage, a land portion extending in the tire circumferential direction is formed so as to be partitioned by the circumferential grooves, and a narrow groove having a narrow groove width extending in the tire width direction is formed in the land portion, so that water drainage and an edge component are ensured while suppressing a decrease in rigidity of the land portion, and a friction force (wet grip performance) with a road surface is improved (for example, see patent document 1).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2015-Olympic 83466

The tire disclosed in patent document 1 is divided and formed with 5 land portions on the tire tread by 4 circumferential grooves extending in the circumferential direction.

The land portion includes a center land portion in a center region in the center in the tire width direction, shoulder land portions in shoulder regions at both ends in the tire width direction, and a second land portion between the center land portion and the shoulder land portions.

The center land portion and the second land portion are formed with widthwise grooves (sipes, wide grooves) extending in the tire widthwise direction, but the shoulder land portion is not formed with the widthwise grooves.

The width-direction narrow grooves (sipes) having narrow groove widths can secure drainage and edge components and can suppress a decrease in rigidity of the land portion by closing at the time of grounding.

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In a pneumatic tire that supports a vehicle and rotates, when the pneumatic tire is mounted on a drive wheel that is rotated by power transmission, the contact pressure of the tire tread is large, and the center region to which a frictional force generated by rotation is applied is worn more quickly than the shoulder region.

On the other hand, in the case of a pneumatic tire mounted on a steered wheel, the shoulder regions of the tire tread to which a large frictional force is applied due to steering progress in wear more rapidly than the center region.

As described above, the pneumatic tire has different wear speeds in the center area and the shoulder area depending on the running condition of the vehicle, and wear is uneven, that is, uneven wear is generated.

In particular, the uneven wear is not conspicuous until the middle stage of wear, but the uneven wear usually starts to be conspicuous after the middle stage of wear, and the commercial value is degraded and the quality is not preferable.

In the tire disclosed in patent document 1, since the shoulder land portion is not formed with the width-direction narrow groove, and the rigidity of the shoulder land portion is always higher than that of the center land portion, particularly in the case of being mounted on the drive wheel, the center land portion having lower rigidity is worn more quickly than the shoulder land portion.

Although uneven wear is not noticeable until the middle stage of wear, wear of the center land portion progresses more after the middle stage of wear, and uneven wear becomes noticeable.

Further, in patent document 1, since the shoulder land portion is not formed with the narrow groove in the width direction, the drainage property in the shoulder region is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a pneumatic tire capable of suppressing uneven wear after the middle stage of wear while always maintaining good wet grip performance.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pneumatic tire in which a plurality of land portions extending in a tire circumferential direction are formed on a tread surface of the tire by dividing the tire into a plurality of circumferential grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction,

a plurality of width-direction narrow grooves extending in the tire width direction are formed in the land portion, wherein,

the width direction narrow groove is provided with a widened groove part with enlarged groove width at the groove bottom,

in the case where, of the land portions adjacent to each other on one side in the tire width direction with respect to the tire equator line at the center in the tire width direction, the land portion on the tire equator line side is an inner land portion, and the land portion on the outer side in the tire width direction is an outer land portion,

in a state where the tire is worn to a depth of 50% of the depth from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the end surface of the tread wear indicating portion,

comparing an inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio with an outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio, the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio being greater than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio,

the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio is a ratio of an annular cross-sectional area of an annular cross-section obtained by cutting the inner land portion with a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction, the annular cross-sectional area not including the width-direction narrow groove, to an annular cross-sectional area of the annular cross-section including the width-direction narrow groove,

the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio is a ratio of an annular cross-sectional area of an annular cross-section obtained by cutting the outer land portion on a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction, the annular cross-sectional area not including the width-direction narrow groove, to an annular cross-sectional area of the annular cross-section including the width-direction narrow groove.

According to this configuration, since the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio in a state where the tire is worn to a depth of 50% of a depth from a tread contact surface of an unused tire to an end surface of the tread wear indicating portion, the stiffness of the inner land portion is higher than the stiffness of the outer land portion, and when the tire is mounted on a drive wheel which is rotated by power transmission, it is possible to suppress progress of wear of the inner land portion compared to the outer land portion after a middle stage of wear, thereby suppressing uneven wear, and maintaining merchantability and quality.

Further, although the narrow grooves in the width direction having a narrow groove width formed in the land portion are closed by the groove portions on the tread ground contact surface side due to the compression deformation of the land portion at the time of ground contact, since the widened groove portions having a widened groove width are provided at the groove bottom, the widened groove portions are maintained even after the middle stage of wear, and the water drainage property can be ensured by the widened groove portions, and the edge component and the wet grip performance can be favorably maintained.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

the width of a widening groove portion of the width-direction narrow groove of the inner land portion is narrower than the width of a widening groove portion of the width-direction narrow groove of the outer land portion.

According to this configuration, by making the width of the widened groove portion of the widthwise narrow groove of the inner land portion narrower than the width of the widened groove portion of the widthwise narrow groove of the outer land portion, it is possible to easily realize that the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio in a state where the tire is worn to a depth of 50% of the depth from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the end surface of the tread wear indicating portion, the rigidity of the inner land portion is higher than the rigidity of the outer land portion, and in a case where the tire is mounted on a drive wheel which is rotated by power transmission, it is possible to suppress the progress of wear of the inner land portion compared to the outer land portion after the middle stage of wear, and to suppress uneven wear.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

the number of the width-direction narrow grooves of the inner land portion is smaller than the number of the width-direction narrow grooves of the outer land portion.

According to this configuration, by making the number of the width-direction narrow grooves of the inner land portion smaller than the number of the width-direction narrow grooves of the outer land portion, it is possible to easily realize that the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio in a state where the tire is worn to a depth of 50% of the depth from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the end surface of the tread wear indicating portion, the rigidity of the inner land portion is higher than the rigidity of the outer land portion, and in a case where the tire is mounted on a drive wheel which is rotated by power transmission, it is possible to suppress the progress of wear of the inner land portion compared to the outer land portion after the middle stage of wear, and to suppress uneven wear.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

the width direction narrow groove forming groove width of the outer land portion at the outermost side in the tire width direction among the land portions is a shape in which the groove width gradually increases from the tread contact surface of an unused tire to the maximum width of the widening groove portion.

According to this configuration, since the width of the width direction narrow groove of the outermost outer land portion in the tire width direction of the land portion is gradually increased from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the maximum width of the widened groove portion, the wear rate of the outermost outer land portion is gradually increased from the middle wear stage in which uneven wear starts to be noticeable when the tire is mounted on the drive wheel, and the difference in rate from the wear rate in which the inner land portion in the center progresses rapidly is reduced, so that uneven wear can be further suppressed, and uneven wear can be made less noticeable from the middle wear stage.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

the pneumatic tire is mounted to a drive wheel of a vehicle.

The pneumatic tire is mounted on a drive wheel of a vehicle, and therefore, the progress of wear of the inner land portion compared to the outer land portion after the middle stage of wear can be suppressed, uneven wear can be suppressed, and marketability and quality can be maintained.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

In the present invention, since the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio in a state where the tire is worn to a depth of 50% of the depth from the tread contact surface of an unused tire to the end surface of the tread wear indicating portion, the stiffness of the inner land portion is higher than the stiffness of the outer land portion, and when the tire is mounted on a driving wheel which is rotated by power transmission, it is possible to suppress the progress of wear of the inner land portion compared to the outer land portion after the middle stage of wear, and it is possible to suppress uneven wear, and to maintain merchantability and quality.

Since the narrow groove in the width direction formed in the land portion has the widened groove portion with an enlarged groove width at the groove bottom, the water drainage can be ensured by the widened groove portion from the middle stage of wear to the final stage of wear, and the edge component and the wet grip performance can be favorably maintained.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a tire width direction cross-sectional view of a pneumatic tire according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the tread of the pneumatic tire.

Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential direction cross section (a cross section viewed from III-III in fig. 2) of the inner land portion in the middle stage of wear of the tread, the cross section being cut along a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction.

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential direction cross section (a cross section viewed from IV to IV in fig. 2) of the outer land portion in the middle stage of wear of the tread.

Fig. 5 is a partial top view of a tread of another embodiment of a pneumatic tire.

Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential direction cross section (a cross section viewed from VI-VI in fig. 5) of the inner land portion in the middle wear stage of the tread.

Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential direction cross section (a section viewed from VII-VII in fig. 5) of the outer land portion in the middle stage of wear of the tread.

Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential cross section of an inner land portion in the middle stage of wear of a tread of a pneumatic tire of still another embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential cross-section of the outer land portion in the middle wear stage of the tread.

FIG. 10 is a partial top view of a tread of another embodiment of a pneumatic tire.

Detailed Description

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 4.

Fig. 1 is a tire width direction cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view taken along a plane including a tire rotation center axis) of a pneumatic tire 1 as a heavy load radial tire for trucks and buses according to the present embodiment.

The pneumatic tire 1 is provided with a carcass ply 3, the carcass ply 3 having a toroidal shape, a pair of right and left bead rings 2, 2 formed by winding a metal wire in a toroidal shape around both side edges of the carcass ply 3, respectively, and a portion between both side edges of the carcass ply 3 bulges outward in the tire radial direction.

An airtight layer 4 resistant to air permeation is formed on the inner surface of the carcass ply 3.

A plurality of belt plies 6 are wound in an overlapping manner on the outer periphery of the crown portion of the carcass ply 3 to form a belt layer 5, and a tread 7 is formed on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the belt layer 5 so as to cover the belt layer 5.

The belt layer 5 is formed by overlapping a plurality of belt plies 6, and each belt ply 6 is formed by coating a belt cord with a belt rubber and forming a belt shape.

A sidewall 8 is formed on the outer surface of each side of the carcass ply 3.

The inner side of a bead portion 9 covering a folded-back annular end portion of the carcass ply 3 wound around the bead ring 2 is continuous with the airtight layer portion 4, and the outer side of the bead portion 9 is continuous with the sidewall portion 8.

Referring to fig. 1 and fig. 2, which is a partial plan view of the tread 7, a central circumferential groove 11i extending in the tire circumferential direction is formed on a tire equator line Le at the center of the tread 7 in the tire width direction, and outer circumferential grooves 11o, 11o extending in the tire circumferential direction are formed on both sides of the central circumferential groove 11i in the tire width direction.

The central circumferential groove 11i and the outer circumferential grooves 11o, 11o oscillate in the tire width direction and extend in a zigzag shape in the tire circumferential direction.

4 land portions 12b, 12a, 12b extending in the tire circumferential direction are formed by dividing the 3 circumferential grooves 11o, 11i, 11 o.

Inner land portions 12a, 12a are defined by the central circumferential groove 11i and the outer circumferential grooves 11o, and outer land portions 12b, 12b are defined by the outer circumferential grooves 11o, 11o in the shoulder region on the outer side in the tire width direction.

The inner land portion 12a has zigzag sidewalls on both the inner and outer sides in the tire width direction.

The outer land portion 12b of the shoulder region has a sidewall that meanders on the inner side in the tire width direction.

In the land portions 12b, 12a, and 12b, a plurality of narrow widthwise grooves 13b, 13a, and 13b having a narrow groove width extending in the tire width direction are formed in the tire circumferential direction, respectively.

The inner width direction narrow groove 13a of the inner land portion 12a communicates with the central circumferential groove 11i and the outer circumferential groove 11o in such a manner that both ends penetrate the central circumferential groove 11i and the outer circumferential groove 11 o.

One end of the outer widthwise narrow groove 13b of the outer land portion 12b communicates with the outer circumferential groove 11o, and the other end penetrates the outer surface of the outer land portion 12b in the shoulder region.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, the width direction narrow grooves 13b, 13a, and 13b have widened groove portions 13be, 13ae, and 13be, respectively, which are in contact with the groove bottom and have enlarged groove widths.

The expanding groove portions 13be, 13ae, 13be have a rectangular cross section.

The width of the widened groove portion 13ae of the inner width direction narrow groove 13a is narrower than the width of the widened groove portion 13be of the outer width direction narrow groove 13 b.

In the outer circumferential grooves 11o, 11o of the tread 7, a plurality of tread wear indicating portions 16 are formed in the tire circumferential direction, and the tread wear indicating portions 16 are protrusions that slightly protrude from the groove bottom by a predetermined amount.

When the wear of the tread 7 progresses due to running and the tread contact surface and the projecting end surface of the tread wear indicator 16 are flush with each other, it is determined as the wear end stage, and it is assumed as 100% wear.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, the degree of progress of wear is represented by the ratio (D/D) of the wear depth D from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the tread contact surface where wear has progressed, to the depth D from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the projecting end surface of the tread wear indicating portion 16.

That is, the wear depth D reached the depth D is 100% wear.

Thus, the wear depth D at the middle stage of wear reaches a depth D/2 which is half the depth D and is 50% worn.

Fig. 3 shows a part of a tread ring-shaped cross section obtained by cutting the inner land portion 12a with a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction in a state where the tire is worn to 50% of the depth D from the tread contact surface of the unused tire to the end surface of the tread wear indicating portion 16, which is 50% of the depth D.

Fig. 4 shows a part of a tread ring-shaped cross section obtained by cutting the outer land portion 12b with a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction in a 50% worn state.

Fig. 3 and 4 show the tread annular cross section in a 50% worn state in a range of a center angle of about 40 degrees by a solid line, and show the tread annular cross section of an unused tire by a two-dot chain line.

In a range where the center angle in the tread annular cross section of the inner land portion 12a shown in fig. 3 is 40 degrees, 3 widthwise narrow grooves 13a are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The width direction narrow groove 13a has an enlarged groove portion 13ae of a rectangular cross section which is in contact with the groove bottom and has an enlarged groove width.

In a range where the center angle in the tread annular cross section of the outer land portion 12b shown in fig. 4 is 40 degrees, 3 widthwise narrow grooves 13b are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The width direction narrow groove 13b has an enlarged groove portion 13be of a rectangular cross section which is in contact with the groove bottom and has an enlarged groove width.

The enlarged groove portions 13ae of the width-direction narrow grooves 13a of the inner land portion 12a shown in fig. 3 and the enlarged groove portions 13be of the width-direction narrow grooves 13b of the outer land portion 12b shown in fig. 4 are both rectangular in cross section having the same groove depth, but the enlarged groove portions 13ae of the inner land portion 12a have a narrower groove width Wa than the enlarged groove portions 13be of the outer land portion 12 b.

The widthwise narrow grooves 13a of the inner land portion 12a and the widthwise narrow grooves 13b of the outer land portion 12b have the same shape except for the enlarged groove portions 13ae, 13 be.

Therefore, in the 50% worn state of the tread 7, the cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow groove 13a of the inner land portion 12a is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow groove 13b of the outer land portion 12 b.

Referring to fig. 3, the ratio of the annular cross-sectional area Sa of the tread annular cross-section of the inner land portion 12a excluding the width-direction narrow groove 13a (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 3) to the annular cross-sectional area S of the tread annular cross-section of the inner land portion 12a including the width-direction narrow groove 13a (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 3 plus the annular cross-sectional area of the portion of the width-direction narrow groove 13a) in the 50% worn state of the tread 7 is defined as an inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pa (═ Sa/S).

Similarly, referring to fig. 4, the ratio of the annular cross-sectional area Sb of the tread annular cross-section of the outer land portion 12b excluding the width-direction narrow groove 13b (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 4) to the annular cross-sectional area S 'of the tread annular cross-section of the outer land portion 12b including the width-direction narrow groove 13b (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 4 plus the portion of the width-direction narrow groove 13b) is set to the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pb (═ Sb/S').

In comparison between the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pa (Sa/S) and the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pb (Sb/S'), the total cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow grooves 13a is smaller than the total cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow grooves 13b, and therefore the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pa is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pb (Pa > Pb).

Since the inner land portion cross-sectional area Pa is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area Pb in the 50% worn state of the tread 7, the stiffness of the inner land portion 12a is higher than the stiffness of the outer land portion 12 b.

In a pneumatic tire mounted on a driving wheel of a vehicle to which power is transmitted and which rotates, a ground contact pressure of a tire tread is large, and a central region to which a frictional force generated by rotation is applied is worn more quickly than a shoulder region, and particularly, uneven wear often starts to be conspicuous after a middle wear stage.

Since the rigidity of the inner land portion 12a in the center region is higher than the rigidity of the outer land portion 12b in the shoulder region in the 50% worn state, the pneumatic tire 1 can suppress the progress of wear of the inner land portion 12a in the center region compared with the outer land portion 12b in the shoulder region after the middle stage of wear where uneven wear starts to be conspicuous, thereby suppressing uneven wear and maintaining the merchantability and quality of the tire when mounted on a drive wheel.

Since the narrow grooves 13a, 13b in the width direction formed in the land portions 12a, 12b have the enlarged groove portions 13ae, 13be with enlarged groove widths at the groove bottoms, the enlarged groove portions 13ae, 13be can be maintained even after the middle stage of wear, needless to say, at the initial stage of wear, and the water drainage can be ensured by the enlarged groove portions 13ae, 13be, whereby the edge components and the wet land gripping performance can be maintained well.

Next, a pneumatic tire 31 according to another embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 5 to 7.

A central circumferential groove 41i and outer circumferential grooves 41o and 41o having the same shapes as the central circumferential groove 11i and the outer circumferential grooves 11o and 11o of the tread 7 are formed in the tread 37 of the pneumatic tire 31, and 4 land portions, that is, inner land portions 42a and 42a in a central region and outer land portions 42b and 42b in a shoulder region are formed by dividing the 3 circumferential grooves 41o, 41i, and 41o (see fig. 5).

In the outer circumferential grooves 41o, 41o of the tread 37, a plurality of tread wear indicating portions 46 are formed in the tire circumferential direction, and the tread wear indicating portions 46 are protrusions that slightly protrude from the groove bottom by a predetermined amount.

Referring to fig. 5, a plurality of narrow widthwise grooves 43b, 43a, 43b having a narrow groove width extending in the tire width direction are formed in the land portions 42b, 42a, 42b in the tire circumferential direction, respectively.

The inner width direction narrow groove 43a of the inner land portion 42a communicates with the central circumferential groove 41i and the outer circumferential groove 41o so that both ends thereof penetrate the central circumferential groove 41i and the outer circumferential groove 41 o.

One end of the outer widthwise narrow groove 43b of the outer land portion 42b communicates with the outer circumferential groove 41o, and the other end penetrates the outer surface of the outer land portion 42b in the shoulder region.

Referring to fig. 6 and 7, the width direction narrow grooves 43b, 43a, and 43b have widened groove portions 43be, 43ae, and 43be, respectively, in contact with the groove bottom and having enlarged groove widths.

The expanding groove portions 43be, 43ae, 43be have a rectangular cross section.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the inner width direction narrow groove 43a and the outer width direction narrow groove 43b have the same cross-sectional shape together with the respective enlarged groove portions 43ae and 43 be.

However, in the tread annular cross section of the inner land portion 42a shown in fig. 6, two widthwise narrow grooves 43a are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction within a range having a center angle of 40 degrees.

On the other hand, 3 widthwise narrow grooves 43b are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in a range where the center angle in the tread annular cross section of the outer land portion 42b shown in fig. 7 is 40 degrees.

Therefore, the number of the width direction narrow grooves 43a of the inner land portion 42a is smaller than the number of the width direction narrow grooves 43b of the outer land portion 42 b.

Therefore, in the 50% worn state of the tread 7, the cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow groove 43a of the inner land portion 42a is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow groove 43b of the outer land portion 42 b.

Referring to fig. 6, the ratio of the annular cross-sectional area Sa of the tread annular cross-section of the inner land portion 42a excluding the width-direction narrow groove 43a (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 6) to the annular cross-sectional area S of the tread annular cross-section of the inner land portion 42a including the width-direction narrow groove 43a (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 6 plus the annular cross-sectional area of the portion of the width-direction narrow groove 13a) in the 50% worn state of the tread 37 is defined as an inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pa (═ Sa/S).

Similarly, referring to fig. 7, the ratio of the annular cross-sectional area Sb of the tread annular cross-section of the outer land portion 42b excluding the width-direction narrow groove 43a (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 7) to the annular cross-sectional area S 'of the tread annular cross-section of the outer land portion 42b including the width-direction narrow groove 43a (the annular cross-sectional area of the portion hatched in fig. 7 plus the width-direction narrow groove 13b) is set to the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pb (═ Sb/S').

Comparing the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pa (Sa/S) and the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pb (Sb/S'), the inner land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pa is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area ratio Pb (Pa > Pb) because the total cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow grooves 43a is smaller than the total cross-sectional area of the width-direction narrow grooves 43 b.

Since the inner land portion cross-sectional area Pa is larger than the outer land portion cross-sectional area Pb in the 50% worn state of the tread 37, the stiffness of the inner land portion 42a is higher than the stiffness of the outer land portion 42 b.

Since the rigidity of the inner land portion 42a in the center region is higher than the rigidity of the outer land portion 42b in the shoulder region in the 50% worn state, the pneumatic tire 31 can suppress the progress of wear of the inner land portion 42a in the center region compared with the outer land portion 42b in the shoulder region after the middle stage of wear where uneven wear starts to be conspicuous, thereby suppressing uneven wear and maintaining the merchantability and quality of the tire when mounted on a drive wheel.

Next, a pneumatic tire 61 according to still another embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 8 and 9.

The pneumatic tire 61 of the present embodiment has a substantially similar structure to the pneumatic tire 1 of the foregoing embodiment except that the cross-sectional shape of the outer width direction narrow groove is different.

In the outer circumferential groove of this tread 67, a plurality of tread wear indicating portions 76 are formed in the tire circumferential direction, the tread wear indicating portions 76 being protrusions that slightly protrude from the groove bottom by a predetermined amount.

Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential cross-section of the inner land portion 72a in the middle stage of wear of the tread 67, taken along a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction.

The inner width direction narrow grooves 73a formed in the inner land portion 72a are substantially the same as the inner width direction narrow grooves 13a described above, including the widening groove portions 73ae at the groove bottom.

Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tire circumferential cross-section of the outermost outer land portion 72b in the middle wear stage of the tread 67, taken along a plane perpendicular to the tire width direction.

The outer width direction narrow groove 73b formed in the outer land portion 72b has a shape in which the groove width gradually increases from the tread contact surface of the outer land portion 72b to the maximum width of the widened groove portion 73be at the groove bottom.

Therefore, when the pneumatic tire 61 is mounted on the drive wheel, the wear rate of the outermost outer land portion 72b gradually increases from the middle wear stage where uneven wear starts to be conspicuous, and the difference in rate from the wear rate at which the middle inner land portion 72a advances rapidly decreases, so that uneven wear can be further suppressed, and uneven wear can be made less conspicuous from the middle wear stage.

While the pneumatic tire according to the 3 embodiments of the present invention has been described above, the aspects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and include embodiments that are implemented in various forms within the scope of the present invention.

In the present invention, when 3 or more land portions are present on one side of the tire width direction from the tire equator line, the land portion on the tire equator line side is an inner land portion and the land portion on the outer side in the tire width direction is an outer land portion, of two land portions adjacent to each other on one side of the tire width direction.

Therefore, the land portions arranged in order from the outermost land portion in the tire width direction toward the tire equator line side have successively higher rigidity toward the tire equator line side.

In the present embodiment, the cross section of the widened groove portion provided at the groove bottom of the narrow groove in the width direction formed in the land portion may be circular or oblong.

In the present embodiment, the circumferential main groove extends in a zigzag manner in the tire circumferential direction while swinging in the tire width direction, but may extend linearly in the tire circumferential direction without swinging in the tire width direction.

In the present embodiment, 4 land portions extending in the tire circumferential direction are formed by 3 circumferential main grooves, but the form that can be adopted by 3 or more circumferential main grooves and the like is not limited to this.

In the present embodiment, the plurality of land portions defined by the plurality of circumferential grooves are rib-like land portions extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction, but as shown in fig. 10, narrow grooves 13a and 13b extending in the tire width direction may be formed in block-like land portions 15a and 15b defined by the width direction grooves 14a and 14b extending in the tire width direction together with the circumferential grooves.

The reference numerals of the embodiment shown in fig. 2 are used in fig. 10.

The pneumatic tire of the present invention is not limited to being applied to a tire for trucks and buses, and can be applied to a tire for passenger cars.

Description of the reference numerals

Le, tire equator; 1. a pneumatic tire; 2. a bead ring; 3. a carcass ply; 4. an airtight layer portion; 5. a belt ply; 6. a belt ply; 7. a tread; 8. a sidewall portion; 9. a bead portion; 11i, a central circumferential groove; 11o, outer circumferential groove; 12a, an inner land portion; 12b, an outer land portion; 13a, inner side width direction narrow grooves, 13ae, expanding groove parts; 13b, an outer width direction narrow groove; 13be, an expanding groove part; 14a, 14b, a width direction groove; 15a, 15b, block-shaped land portions; 16. a tread wear indicator; 31. a pneumatic tire; 37. a tread; 41i, a central circumferential groove; 41o, outer circumferential groove; 42a, an inner land portion; 42b, an outer land portion; 43a, inner side width direction narrow groove, 43ae, expanding groove part; 43b, outer width direction narrow grooves; 43be, an expanding groove part; 46. a tread wear indicator; 61. a pneumatic tire; 67. a tread; 72a, an inner land portion; 72b, an outer land portion; 73a, inner side width direction narrow grooves, 73ae, and expanding groove parts; 73b, an outer width direction narrow groove; 73be, an expanding groove part; 76. a tread wear indicator.