Patent ID: 7143798
Filing Date: 2006-12-05
Classification: B60C,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A pneumatic tire comprising a tread and shoulders adjacent the tread, the tread comprising a central region and a pair of opposing side regions, the tread further comprising a circumferentially extending rib in the central region, and a plurality of steeply slanted grooves inclined at an angle relative to the circumferential direction of the tire in each side region, the tread having a tread surface at the outermost surface of the tread and a tread depth defined at the base of the grooves, wherein the steeply slanted grooves in each side region initiate at the junction of the central region and the side regions and terminate in the shoulders, the adjacent steeply slanted grooves meeting to form circumferentially adjacent tread blocks, the blocks extending from the central region to the shoulders, and a chamfer located at the axially innermost point of the blocks, the chamfers extending into the junction of the steeply slanted grooves, wherein the lateral edges of the rib have a plurality of laterally oriented edges and circumferentially extending edges extending substantially straight between the laterally oriented edges at the tread surface when the tread is un-worn, the laterally oriented edges on each side of the rib being circumferentially offset from the laterally oriented edges on the opposing side of the rib, and extending from each laterally oriented edge toward the circuniferentially adjacent laterally oriented edge is a chamfer, the chamfer circumferentially extending along the lateral edge of the rib, the rib having an almost straight configuration at the tread depth and wherein the block chamfer in each side region and the rib chamfer located on the adjacent lateral edge of the rib are axially adjacent.