PNEUMATIC TIRE WITH TREAD SIPE, AND SIPE BLADE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the number of biting edges of a tire tread when a tire is worn. SOLUTION: A tire has a tread having at least one groove. These grooves form at least one tread element with a sipe formed in the tread element. The sipe has a width W, a depth Ds, and an effective length Le. The effective sipe length Le is the value of the sectional area of the sipe in an arbitrary plane orthogonal to the sipe depth Ds divided by the sipe width W. The sipe has a first radially outermost sipe portion 28, a second transitional sipe portion 30, and a third radially innermost sipe portion 32. The first sipe portion has a constant effective length Le. The second sipe portion has a gradually increasing effective length Le over the full length of the depth of the second sipe portion. The third sipe portion has a constant effective length Le. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT