Patent ID: 9522573
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: B60C

Claim Text:
1. A pneumatic tire comprising: a tread portion with a center main groove extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction provided on each side of the tire equator so that there is defined between the center main grooves a center land portion having a top surface that has a certain area and a maximum axial width in a range of from 15% to 19% of a tread width, wherein the center land portion is provided with a plurality of sipes having a width of not more than 1.5 mm, extending axially of the tire and arranged circumferentially of the tire at intervals, the center land portion is further provided with a plurality of recesses arranged circumferentially of the tire at intervals, extending from the center main grooves toward the tire equator and terminating within the central land portion, each of the recesses having a depth in a range of from 60% to 80% of the depth of the center main groove, the total area of the recesses is in a range of from 5% to 9% of said certain area of the top surface of the center land portion, the center land portion is provided with said sipes and said recesses only, and formed as a rib substantially continuous in the tire circumferential direction, each of the center main grooves is a zigzag groove made up of alternate long segments and short segments shorter than the long segments, the long segments inclined to one axial direction and the short segments inclined to the other axial direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction, each of the recesses is formed at one end of one of the long segments so as to have a sidewall surface smoothly continuous to a groove-sidewall surface of the short segment adjacent to the long segment concerned, the tread portion is further provided on each side of the tire equator with a shoulder main groove and a plurality of middle axial grooves, the shoulder main groove is a straight groove disposed on the axially outside of said center main groove, and extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction, each of the middle axial grooves is a straight groove and extends between the center main groove and the shoulder main groove so as to define a row of circumferentially arranged middle blocks therebetween, each of the middle blocks has each of the middle blocks is provided in a midportion of the axially outer edge with a notch extending from the shoulder main groove and terminating within the middle block.