Patent ID: 7004216

Claim:
A tread for a pneumatic tire, the tread comprising a tread surface having a plurality of grooves therein, the grooves having a base defining the depth of the groove relative to the tread surface, and opposing groove walls, a centerline equidistance from the opposing groove walls, the grooves extending in either a circumferential or a lateral direction of the tread, wherein at least one of the grooves has a plurality of spaced projections in the base of the groove, the projections extending from one groove wall to the opposing groove wall and inclined relative to the groove centerline at an angle of 10° to 50°, the projections having a pitch length measured at the groove centerline of 0.75–1.25 the projection length as measured along the groove centerline wherein the spacing between the projections is greater than the width of the projections.