US-12623495-B2 - Directional interlocking sipe and/or slot

Abstract

In one aspect, a tire is provided, the tire comprising: a tread portion comprising at least one of a tread rib or a tread block, a sipe included in the tread rib or the tread block, wherein the sipe includes a central s-shaped portion located axially between opposing laterally extending straight portions, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, and wherein a first key portion intersects a tread surface of the tread rib or the tread block. The plurality of key portions are angled at an angle KA, the plurality of return portions are angled at an angle RA, and the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is at least 5:1.

Inventors

• Paul J. Wischt, Jr.
• David M. Severyn

Assignees

• BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20221007

Claims (19)

1. 1 . A tire comprising: a tread portion comprising at least one of a tread rib or a tread block, a sipe included in the tread rib or the tread block, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction at an angle KA from the circumferential direction tangential to a tread surface, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction at an angle RA from the circumferential direction tangential to the tread surface, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, wherein a first key portion intersects the tread surface of the tread rib or the tread block, and wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is at least 5:1.
2. 2 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is between 5:1 and 6:1.
3. 3 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the sipe includes a central s-shaped portion located axially between opposing laterally extending straight portions.
4. 4 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein each key portion has a width KW, each return portion has a width RW, and wherein the ratio of the width KW to the width RW is 3:4.
5. 5 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the sipe has a radially outermost tread surface sipe width TSW, wherein the sipe has a radially innermost terminal portion having a circumferential width, and wherein the terminal portion circumferential width is one half of the width TSW.
6. 6 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the first key portion intersects the tread surface to form a key edge.
7. 7 . The tire of claim 1 , further comprising a sipe including no central s-shaped portion only laterally extending straight portions, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, and wherein a first key portion intersects a tread surface of the tread rib or the tread block.
8. 8 . A tire sipe blade comprising: an upper mold insertion portion, a lower sipe forming portion including: a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction at an angle KA, a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction at an angle RA, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, wherein a first key portion connects to the upper mold insertion portion, and wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is at least 5:1.
9. 9 . The tire sipe blade of claim 8 , wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is between 5:1 and 6:1.
10. 10 . The tire sipe blade of claim 8 , wherein the tire sipe blade includes a central s-shaped portion located axially between opposing laterally extending straight portions.
11. 11 . The tire sipe blade of claim 8 , wherein each key portion has a width KW, each return portion has a width RW, and wherein the ratio of the width KW to the width RW is 3:4.
12. 12 . The tire sipe blade of claim 8 , wherein the tire sipe blade has a radially outermost tread surface sipe width TSW, wherein the tire sipe blade has a radially innermost terminal portion having a circumferential width, and wherein the terminal portion circumferential width is one half of the width TSW.
13. 13 . The tire sipe blade of claim 12 , wherein the upper mold insertion portion has a centerline CL, and wherein the centerline CL extends through the terminal portion.
14. 14 . A tire comprising: a tread portion comprising at least one of a tread rib or a tread block, a sipe included in the tread rib or the tread block, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, wherein a first key portion intersects a tread surface of the tread rib or the tread block, and wherein each key portion has a width KW, each return portion has a width RW, and wherein the ratio of the width KW to the width RW is 3:4.
15. 15 . The tire of claim 14 , wherein the sipe has a radially outermost tread surface sipe width TSW, wherein the sipe has a radially innermost terminal portion having a circumferential width, and wherein the terminal portion circumferential width is one half of the width TSW.
16. 16 . The tire of claim 14 , wherein the first key portion intersects the tread surface to form a key edge.
17. 17 . The tire of claim 14 , further comprising a sipe including laterally extending straight portions, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, and wherein a first key portion intersects a tread surface of the tread rib or the tread block.
18. 18 . The tire of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of key portions are angled at an angle KA from the circumferential direction tangential to the tread surface, wherein the plurality of return portions are angled at an angle RA from the circumferential direction tangential to the tread surface, and wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is at least 5:1.
19. 19 . The tire of claim 18 , wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is between 5:1 and 6:1.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/256,542, filed on Oct. 16, 2021, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND Tires are often designed to optimize performance in a variety of road conditions. For example, a tire may include tread features that are designed to optimize performance in snow-covered/icy road conditions and dry road conditions. Obtaining traction in snow and ice may be achieved by providing “biting edges” in the tread of the tire. These “biting edges” are often in the form of sipes or slots. However, too many sipes or slots can lead to a loss of tread block or rib stiffness, which may be undesirable in the performance optimization of the tire, particularly in dry roadway conditions. Accordingly, what is needed is a tire tread feature to balance snow and ice traction with dry roadway traction. SUMMARY In one aspect, a tire is provided, the tire comprising: a tread portion comprising at least one of a tread rib or a tread block, a sipe included in the tread rib or the tread block, wherein the sipe includes a central s-shaped portion located axially between opposing laterally extending straight portions, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, and wherein a first key portion intersects a tread surface of the tread rib or the tread block. In another aspect, a tire is provided, the tire comprising: a tread portion comprising at least one of a tread rib or a tread block, a sipe included in the tread rib or the tread block, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction at an angle KA from the circumferential direction tangential to a tread surface, wherein the sipe includes a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction at an angle RA from the circumferential direction tangential to the tread surface, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, wherein a first key portion intersects the tread surface of the tread rib or the tread block, and wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is at least 5:1. In another aspect, a tire sipe blade is provided, the tire sipe blade comprising: an upper mold insertion portion, a lower sipe forming portion including: a plurality of key portions angled in a first circumferential direction at an angle KA, a plurality of return portions angled in a second circumferential direction at an angle RA, wherein the return portions connect the key portions, wherein a first key portion connects to the upper mold insertion portion, and wherein the ratio of the angle KA to the angle RA is at least 5:1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example aspects, and are used merely to illustrate various example aspects. In the figures, like elements bear like reference numerals. FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a tire tread 100 having a tread block 106 with a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 110. FIG. 2A illustrates an elevation sectional view of a sipe blade 230 for forming a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot. FIG. 2B illustrates an elevation sectional view of sipe blade 230 for forming a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot. FIG. 2C illustrates an elevation sectional view of sipe blade 230 for forming a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot. FIG. 2D illustrates an elevation sectional view of different arrangements of sipe blades 230 for forming a directional interlocking sipes and/or slots. FIG. 2E illustrates a perspective view of sipe blade 230 for forming a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot. FIG. 2F illustrates a perspective view of sipe blade 230 for forming a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot. FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a tread block 306 with a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 310. FIG. 3B illustrates an elevation view of tread block 306 with directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 310. FIG. 3C illustrates a plan view of tread block 306 with directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 310. FIG. 3D illustrates an exploded perspective view of tread block 306 with directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 310. FIG. 3E illustrates a partial perspective view of tread block 306 with directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 310. FIG. 4A illustrates a partial elevation view of a tread block 406 with a directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 410. FIG. 4B illustrates a partial elevation view of tread block 406 with directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 410. FIG. 4C illustrates a partial elevation view of tread block 406 with directional interlocking sipe and/or slot 410. FIG. 4D illustrate