Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Brian Joseph Keefe

Nicholas Mailhiot

Virgile Ayglon

Daniel McEachern Hicks

Ronald Cress

Saliou Dieng

Bobby McClellon

Jason John Schoenmaker

Shannon Martell Mauck

Wayne Davis

A heavy truck tire tread () is provided that has a tread groove () that is not oriented completely in the longitudinal direction so as to extend in both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction. The tread groove is at least partially defined by a leading edge wall and a trailing edge wall and a bottom surface. A stone ejector () engages either the leading edge wall or the trailing edge wall but not both the leading edge wall and the trailing edge wall. The stone ejector faces the non-engaged leading edge wall or the trailing edge wall. Also, the tread has an average void depth that does not go past a twenty percent line (). The twenty percent line () is twenty percent of a full void depth () located from the outer surface of the tread, and the average void depth does not include decouple grooves and tread outboard from them.

Truck tire tread with angled ribs having stone ejectors

A heavy truck tire tread with a rib () located between first () and second () tread grooves. A shoulder block () is adjacent the rib and at a shoulder edge of the tread, and a decouple groove () is present that decouples the shoulder block from the rib. The decouple groove is spaced from and free from engagement with the shoulder edge, and extends at least twice as long in the longitudinal direction than in the lateral direction. The width of the decouple groove is less than widths of the first and second tread grooves. The tread has an average void depth that does not go past a twenty percent line, where the twenty percent line is twenty percent of a full void depth located from an outer surface of the tread, and where the average void depth does not include decouple grooves and tread outboard from the decouple grooves.

Average void depth truck tire with angled ribs having decoupled shoulder blocks

Tire

Tire tread

Trading card holder

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Brian Joseph Keefe