Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Societe Detechnologie Michelin

Cyril Guichon

Matthieu Durat

Sébastien Fugier

Daniel Fabing

Claude Audebert

Damon Lee Christenbury

Alain Vidal

Sebastien Fugier

Ronald Hobart Thompson

Derick Lonell Harris

Ryan Michael Gaylo

Benjamin E Ebel

Jean-Francois Salvan

Eric Berger

Daniel Rey

Jean-François Salvan

Jean-Luc Rieu

Jean-Louis Cocural

Sébastian Fugier

Bruno Martin

Ed Gliss

A tire () for driving on ice, comprising: a tread () having a rolling surface with a groove, a stud () with a part () thereof projecting from the rolling surface and having a minimum cross section Sm; a conduit (-) that forms, on the rolling surface of the tire, two opposing edges (), the conduit opening into the groove and/or onto a lateral face of the tread; wherein, for each stud, the sum of the mean cross sections Sn of the conduits, each mean cross section Sn being measured at right angles to one of the opposing edges formed by the conduit, is greater than or equal to half the minimum cross section Sm of that part of the stud that projects from the tread.

Tire for driving on ice

A tire having a tread with a novel groove structure for enhanced wet and snow traction is provided. The groove includes an upper portion and a lower portion that can provide enhanced wet and snow traction over various stages of tread wear without unnecessary compromise to the tread rigidity. The lower portion includes one more voids for the accumulation and/or evacuation of fluids.

Tire tread having groove with internal voids

A tire () for driving on ice, comprising: a tread () having a rolling surface configured to come into contact with the ground when the tire is rolling along; at least one stud () having a longitudinal axis (A-A), a part of the stud projecting from the rolling surface, the intersection between the stud and the plane tangential to the portion of the rolling surface around the stud forming a contour C, that part of the stud that projects from the rolling surface having a minimum cross section Sm, Sm corresponding to the smallest cross section of the said part in any plane containing the radial direction that passes through the point of intersection between the longitudinal axis of the stud and the plane tangential to the portion of the rolling surface around the stud; at least one recess () in the tread forming, on the rolling surface, a contour G, the recess being associated with the stud in that the minimum distance D between the contours C and G is less than or equal to 1 cm; in which, for each stud, the sum of the volumes Vn of the recesses associated with the stud, expressed in mm, is greater than or equal to the product of the minimum cross section Sm of that part of the stud that projects from the tread, expressed in mm, multiplied by a length of 50 mm.

A tire with certain tread features and a method for manufacturing the tread for such a tire are provided. More particularly, a tire and method for manufacturing a tire having a tread portion with sipes that can be of minimal thickness and varying geometries, densities, and profiles may be provided. The sipes can also be hidden until after a period of tread wear has occurred.

Tire tread with sipes and a method for the manufacture of a tire tread with sipes

A tire tread having a plurality of ribs delimited by cut-outs, each having a generally parallelepipedal shape and having a length (L) and a width (W), the width (W) being determined between a first lateral face and a second lateral face of the rib, the width (W) being less than the length (L), at least one rib having at least one cavity placed inside the rib, the cavity extending mainly in the length (L) of the rib. The tread having an incision extending mainly in the length (L) of the rib, the incision emerging on the first lateral face of the rib and the incision emerging in the cavity while forming an opening, the length (Lo) of the opening determined in the length (L) of the rib corresponding at least to 80% of the length (Lc) of the cavity determined in the length (L) of the rib.

Tyre tread having cavities and incisions

Stud () for a tire (), the tire comprising a tread () made of rubber mix, the stud having an axis (A-A) and two axial ends and comprising: a first part () configured to come into contact with the ground when the stud is fitted to the tire and the tire is rolling along the ground, this first part being positioned at one of the axial ends of the stud; a head () configured to anchor the stud into the tread of the tire, the head being positioned at the other axial end of the stud; and a body () connecting the said first part and the head of the stud, the mean diameter of the body being smaller than the mean diameter of the head of the stud, these diameters being measured at right angles to the axis of the stud; in which the head comprises at least one recess () opening onto the surface of the head, the recess being configured to be filled with rubber mix of the tread so as to provide additional anchorage for the stud in the tread.

Tire stud provided with recesses configured to improve its retention in the tire

A tire () for driving on ice, comprising: a tread () having a rolling surface configured to come into contact with the ground when the tire is rolling along, and two lateral faces (), this tread comprising at least one groove () in the rolling surface; at least one stud () having a longitudinal axis (), a part () of the stud projecting from the rolling surface, the intersection between the stud and the plane tangential to the portion of the rolling surface around the stud forming a contour C, that part of the stud that projects from the rolling surface having a minimum cross section Sm, Sm corresponding to the smallest cross section of the said part in any plane containing the radial direction that passes through the point of intersection between the longitudinal axis of the stud and the plane tangential to the portion of the rolling surface around the stud; at least one conduit (-) that forms, on the rolling surface of the tire, at least two opposing edges (), the minimum distance D between the conduit and the contour C being less than or equal to 1 cm, the conduit opening into the groove and/or onto a lateral face of the tread; wherein, for each stud, the sum of the mean cross sections Sn of the conduits, each mean cross section Sn being measured at right angles to one of the opposing edges formed by the conduit, is greater than or equal to half the minimum cross section Sm of that part of the stud that projects from the tread.

Tire tread

A method for producing a mold lining (G) intended for the manufacture of tires comprising tread blocks that have incisions in them and studs. A mold lining is produced by positioning lamella (L, L, L, L, L, L) of substantially equivalent shape and length on the parts of the lining (G) that are intended to mold the rubber blocks. In a next step, the material of the lining (G) and of the lamella (L, L, L, L, L, L) contained in a cylindrical space located at each of the sites intended to accept pins capable of molding the housings for the studs is removed radially, and an insert supporting a pin is positioned in the hole obtained beforehand.

Growing community of inventors

Greer, SC, United States of America

Cyril Guichon