Patent ID: 6656300
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: B60C,Y10S

Abstract:
A tread for a four-wheeled vehicle tire, comprising:a plurality of transversal grooves; wherein the tire comprises a curvature ratio not greater than 0.1, wherein the tread comprises an equatorial zone, extending on both sides of an equatorial plane of the tire, and two shoulder zones in axially-opposite positions with respect to the equatorial zone, wherein the tread further comprises two longitudinal slots circumferentially extending on opposite sides of the equatorial plane of the tire along the shoulder zones, wherein each transversal groove comprises an equatorial groove portion in the equatorial zone and a shoulder groove portion in one of the shoulder zones, wherein the transversal grooves are circumferentially distributed in groups alternately extending from the axially-opposite shoulder zones, wherein the groups of transversal grooves define a plurality of substantially-continuous tread portions in the equatorial zone, wherein each substantially-continuous tread portion ends at an equatorial groove portion of a same transversal groove of an axially-opposed group of transversal grooves, wherein each of the transversal grooves ends at a predetermined distance from the equatorial groove portion of a longest transversal groove of the axially-opposed group of transversal grooves so that all of the transversal grooves end within the equatorial zone, wherein each substantially-continuous tread portion comprises a width wider than an adjacent transversal groove, and wherein the substantially-continuous tread portions alternately extend from opposite shoulder zones towards the equatorial plane of the tire to form a substantially-continuous grid.