Patent ID: 9033013
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: B60C

Abstract:
1. A tire having a tread, the tread comprising: a plurality of laterally spaced, circumferentially extending continuous ribs defining grooves, each groove having oppositely facing sidewalls and a bottom surface, a first set of stone bumpers alternating with spaces between adjacent stone bumpers, each stone bumper of the first set projecting laterally from one of the sidewalls of at least one groove and having an end extending towards the other sidewall of the at least one groove without extending beyond a centerline of the at least one groove, a second set of stone bumpers alternating with spaces between adjacent stone bumpers, each stone bumper of the second set projecting from the other sidewall of the at least one groove and having an end extending towards the one sidewall of the at least one groove without extending beyond the centerline of the at least one groove, the stone bumpers of the first set of stone bumpers being arranged opposite the spaces of the second set of stone bumpers of said at least one groove, the ends of the first set of stone bumpers circumferentially overlapping the ends of the second set of stone bumpers, wherein each stone bumper of the first and second sets of stone bumpers: wherein the first and second sets of stone bumpers are arranged closer to the bottom surface of the at least one groove than to a road engaging surface of the ribs, and wherein an entire portion of said at least one groove located between the road engaging surface and the first and second set of stone bumpers is free of stone bumpers.