TIRE TREAD WITH SIPE HAVING LATERAL RIGIDITY

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tire tread with a sipe indicating relatively higher lateral rigidity as compared with a conventional tread structure with a sipe. SOLUTION: The tire is provided with a tread including a plurality of tread blocks arranged in a circumferential direction around the tire and having upper surfaces; and at least one sipe formed in at least one tread block. The sipe is formed by first and second opposed side walls and has a cross section outline on a flat surface approximately perpendicular to an upper surface of the tread block. The outline has an approximately bow-like central part and first and second ends partitioned by the central part. The first side wall and the second side wall are spaced at the central part by first width and are spaced at one of the first and second ends by second width. The second width is larger than the first width such that the first and second side walls are brought into contact with each other along the central part by deformation in a direction parallel to an upper surface. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI