Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

3M Innovative Properties Company

The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Jeremy J Jacobs

Dominic J Julian

Christopher D Grote

Edward Leonard Weaver, Ii

Patrick J Bonifas

John R Elrod

Michael Joseph Nickel

Sean T Cavanagh

Todd Schimmoeller, Jr

Robert J Drake

Ryan J Schimmoeller

Chelsea L Schuessler

Pingtian Li

James R Fleckner

Kurt Utrup

Daniel T Strohscher

Kurt D Utrup

Ryan Schimmoeller

Tire

Tire tread

A tire includes first and second laterally spaced sides and a tread interposed between the first and second sides. The tread includes a tread surface having at least one groove therein, the at least one groove including facing, first and second sidewalls separated by a groove bottom surface. A first pocket region of recessed serrations extends over at least a portion of the first sidewall and a second pocket region of recessed serrations extends over at least a portion of the second sidewall. The serrations of the first and second pocket regions are staggered in a circumferential direction relative to one another.

Tire tread including serrations in recessed pockets of groove sidewall

Different sized, first and second domes are stacked, one atop the other on the surface of a rib or tread block of a tire. The lower, first dome spans a larger area of the tread. In one embodiment, the first dome covers the entire tread block or extends laterally across a rib. The upper, second dome is located on top of the first dome and spans only a portion of the first dome. The domes are either concentric or offset, or can be elliptical with the major axes of the ellipses oriented such that the major axes are optimized for a specific tread block or rib geometry. The major axes of the ellipses may be oriented parallel to or perpendicular to an axis of stiffness of the tread block or rib.

Dual dome convex tire tread block or tread rib

A visual wear indicating feature is incorporated into the tread pattern to provide progressive, incremental indications to the customer regarding the amount of useable tread remaining on the tire.

Visual wear indicator

Provided are orthopedic, dual density pressure pads designed to transfer pressure onto a focused anatomical structure; typically through the assistance of a device that applies a perpendicular or downward force. The pad includes an outer layer including a relatively soft material and an interior support including a rigid material, with the interior support typically having a substantially greater hardness than the outer layer.

Dual density pressure pad

Growing community of inventors

Findlay, OH, United States of America

Jeremy J Jacobs