Patent ID: 7025100

Claim:
A pneumatic tire comprising a tread portion provided between an axially inner circumferential main groove and an axially outer circumferential main groove with a circumferential row of middle tread elements which are circumferentially divided by lateral main grooves, wherein the axially inner circumferential main groove is disposed in a tread center zone having a width of 30% of a ground contacting width between tread edges, and the axially outer circumferential main groove is disposed outside the tread center zone, each of the middle tread elements divided into four elemental blocks having different configurations, by three splitting grooves which are: a longitudinal splitting groove extending between the lateral grooves; an axially inner lateral splitting groove extending axially outwardly from the axially inner circumferential main groove beyond the longitudinal splitting groove and terminating before the axially outer circumferential main groove; and an axially outer lateral splitting groove extending axially inwardly from the axially outer circumferential main groove beyond the longitudinal splitting groove and terminating before the axially inner circumferential main groove, and the lateral main grooves include an axially inner lateral main groove and an axially outer lateral main groove which are connected with each other forming a junction, and at the junction, the axially inner lateral main groove and axially outer lateral main groove are circumferentially shifted from each other to form a narrow orifice.