VEHICLE TIRES

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle tire with a decorative sidewall hatching on at least one sidewall consisting of a plurality of adjacent ribs which, in their course along straight lines, have kinks and thus change their direction several times, forming hatched surface elements in which the ribs run in straight lines.

[0002] Such a vehicle tire is known, for example, from EP 2 842 766 B1. The tire has a decorative sidewall pattern on at least one sidewall, consisting of a hatching pattern made up of numerous ribs running side by side, in particular largely parallel to each other, which form a basic hatching pattern. Ribs originating from the basic hatching pattern are deflected at uniformly large angles and thus form locally confined hatched areas that interrupt the basic hatching pattern and simulate three-dimensional shapes or bodies. In this way, it is possible to reproduce or simulate a multitude of three-dimensional geometries or three-dimensional bodies.

[0003] From EP 3 390 113 A1, a vehicle tire is known with a decorative sidewall hatching on at least one sidewall consisting of parallel, straight ribs forming surface elements that are identical regular or irregular n-gons. The surface elements connect directly to one another via common outer surfaces. The ribs extend straight and radially from a central area of ​​each surface element to the surface surfaces, with the ribs directly abutting each other at the surface surfaces. This sidewall hatching is intended to create visually uniform light and shadow effects.

[0004] JP 2020 100 371 A discloses a vehicle tire with a decorative sidewall hatching pattern consisting of circular sector-shaped, hatched surface elements. These include surface elements oriented 180° relative to each other and adjacent along their circular radii. Within each surface element are straight ribs that fan out from the center of the circle. Such a sidewall hatching pattern is intended to contribute minimally to air resistance while driving and to be crack-resistant.

[0005] JP 2022 006 410 A discloses a vehicle tire with a decorative sidewall hatching pattern consisting of cuboid and parallelogram-shaped hatched surface elements, each featuring parallel and straight ribs. Each cuboid surface element, in combination with two adjacent parallelogram-shaped surface elements, simulates a cube, with the rib orientation differing between each of these elements. This sidewall hatching is intended to provide an enhanced decorative effect and good visibility, effectively concealing any irregularities on the sidewall.

[0006] From JP 5 364 556 B2, a vehicle tire with decorative sidewall hatching consisting of parallelogram-shaped surface elements is known, wherein three surface elements, two of which are provided with hatching of parallel and straight ribs and one of which is smooth, simulate a cube. This sidewall hatching is also intended to conceal irregularities on the sidewall.

[0007] EP 3 612 340 A1 discloses a vehicle tire with a decorative sidewall hatching consisting of cuboid or hexagonal hatched surface elements, each of which is provided with parallel ribs, wherein the ribs in adjacent surface elements have different orientations.

[0008] The invention is based on the objective of providing a decorative sidewall hatching that conveys a spatial or three-dimensional impression not only locally, but over a significantly larger area, in particular over the entire surface of the decorative sidewall hatching, and is therefore particularly well suited to concealing any unevenness in the tire sidewalls.

[0009] The problem set out in the invention is solved by the fact that the side wall hatching is composed of pattern elements arranged in the circumferential direction of the side wall, identically shaped and radially oriented, with largely identical ribs, wherein the pattern elements are each laterally bounded by two radially extending ribs that are parallel or largely parallel to each other and run in a largely uniform zigzag pattern, wherein the kinks of the ribs are formed along connecting lines between the projecting corners and between the re-entering corners of the two ribs laterally bounding the respective pattern element, such that the surface elements are radially successive irregular quadrilaterals in which the ribs run in a fan-like manner.

[0010] A sidewall hatching pattern designed according to the invention comprises identically designed pattern elements, each consisting of hatched surface elements across its entire area, optionally including portions of hatched surface elements at the edges. The specific design of these elements, featuring fan-like ribs that either converge or diverge but are identical in design, can create a three-dimensional or spatial impression over any desired circumference of the sidewall. The achievable spatial or three-dimensional effect is primarily enhanced by the fan-like pattern creating darker and lighter areas, particularly at the creases. The sidewall hatching thus produces unique light and shadow effects, resulting in varying degrees of reflection, which effectively conceals irregularities in the tire sidewalls.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the ribs' kinks are formed at the connecting lines between the projecting corners of one lateral rib and the radially following projecting corners of the other lateral rib, as well as at connecting lines between the retracting corners of one lateral rib and a retracting corner of the other lateral rib that follows in the same radial direction, as mentioned above. This results in two largely identical rectangular surface elements rotated 180° relative to each other. Consequently, a particularly striking three-dimensional effect is achieved, along with a characteristic fan-like arrangement of the ribs within the surface elements, creating especially noticeable light and shadow effects.

[0012] Further special features contribute to the three-dimensional and plastic effect of the pattern elements and thus the hatching of the side walls.

[0013] According to one of these designs, the ribs in the pattern elements originate from a common base level and have an essentially triangular cross-section with tip areas with a width of 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm and lateral flanks that run at an angle of 20° to 45° relative to a perpendicular to the base level.

[0014] The orientation of the zigzag sections of the lateral ribs of the pattern elements is also important in relation to the three-dimensional effect. In this respect, it is advantageous if the zigzag sections of the lateral ribs form external angles with each other at the re-entrant corners and internal angles with each other at the projecting corners, with the internal and external angles being largely equal and measuring between 100° and 160°, depending on the chosen zigzag shape.

[0015] A particularly striking fan-like pattern of the ribs is characterized by their spacing. In this regard, it is preferred that the ribs at the base level, at their kinks along the connecting lines between the re-entrant corners, have a spacing of up to 0.20 mm, i.e., a very small spacing. In some cases, there may be no spacing at all between the ribs, with adjacent ridges even partially overlapping. Such areas along the ribs appear particularly dark. At their kinks along the connecting lines between the projecting corners, the ribs at the base level preferably have a constant or largely constant spacing of 0.30 mm to 0.60 mm.

[0016] In the case of a particularly striking three-dimensional side wall design, the side wall hatching, formed on one or more, in particular, circular-shaped side wall sections, covers at least one eighth of the side wall surface.

[0017] Further features, advantages and details of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, which illustrates an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 1 a circumferential section of a vehicle tire's sidewall with a decorative sidewall hatching consisting of repeating hatched pattern elements, Fig. 2 an enlarged base pattern of a pattern element, Fig. 3 an enlarged section along line III-III of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 an enlarged section along line IV-IV of the Fig. 2 .

[0018] Fig. 1Figure 1 schematically shows a projection onto the plane of a circumferential section of a side wall 1 of a vehicle tire, which is a tire of any design, in particular a radial tire, and furthermore a tire of any type, in particular a tire for passenger cars, light trucks or commercial vehicles.

[0019] Since the sidewall 1 of a vehicle tire has an annular shape, the mutual distances or dimensions of radially extending components of the sidewall hatching change accordingly. This fact is partly taken into account in the following description and in the patent claims by using the term "largely".

[0020] The in Fig. 1The depicted circumferential section of the sidewall 1 contains a sidewall section 1a designed as a segment of a circular ring, on which a decorative sidewall hatching 2 is formed. The sidewall section 1a has a radial width that, depending on the tire dimensions, is on the order of 1.00 cm to 50.00 cm and is, in particular, a component of an overall design that circumferentially surrounds the sidewall 1 in a circular pattern, so that the sidewall hatching 2 can be formed at several points around the circumference. Radially within the sidewall section 1a, there are usually smooth sidewall areas, which are, in particular, marked with tire-identifying data.

[0021] How Fig. 1As shown, the side wall hatching 2 is composed of a multitude of pattern elements 3 that are consecutive in the circumferential direction and immediately adjoin one another, and therefore repeat themselves in this way. A multitude here means at least two pattern elements 3, but in particular significantly more than two pattern elements 3, for example five to thirty pattern elements 3 in each side wall section 1a.

[0022] The design of a basic pattern 3' underlying a pattern element 3 shows Fig. 2 The basic pattern 3' consists of a radially extending series of alternating surface elements 4, 5, which are hatched with ribs 6, 7 extending continuously over all surface elements 4, 5.

[0023] For example Fig. 3 and Fig. 4As shown, the ribs 6, 7 extend from a base level 8 and have a substantially triangular cross-section with tip areas having a width b of 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm and lateral flanks that run at an angle β of 20° to 45° relative to a perpendicular to the base level 8. Preferably, all elevations 6, 7 in the sample elements 3 are identical with respect to their cross-sectional design.

[0024] The basic pattern 3' is bounded laterally by a rib 6 on each side as a "side edge", with the two ribs 6 each running radially in corresponding and largely regular zigzag shapes - with zigzag sections 6a of largely equal length. The two ribs 6 may also be offset from each other slightly in the radial direction, in particular by up to 3.00 mm.

[0025] The mutual distance of the two ribs 6 is chosen in particular such that a pattern element 3 extends over 3° to 5° of a circle.

[0026] As a result of the zigzag shape, the two ribs 6, viewed with respect to their mutual course, exhibit re-entrant corners E e and projecting corners E v. Along straight connecting lines between the projecting corners E v of one rib 6 and the radially following projecting corners E v of the other rib 6, as well as along straight connecting lines between the re-entrant corners E e of one rib 6 and the radially following re-entrant corners E v of the other rib 6, there are kinks in the course of the ribs 6, 7 forming the basic pattern 3', such that the aforementioned surface elements 4, 5 are irregular quadrilaterals. In the re-entering corners E e, the zigzag sections 6a enclose external angles α with each other; in the projecting corners E v, the zigzag sections 6a enclose internal angles α with each other, which are largely equal in size and, depending on the chosen zigzag shape, measure between 100° and 160°.

[0027] The shape of the surface elements 4, 5 is thus basically determined by the course of the ribs 6, 7, whereby the surface elements 4, 5 are largely identical in design and each follow the other rotated by 180° relative to the other.

[0028] How Fig. 3As shown, the ribs 6, 7 exhibit a constant or largely constant mutual spacing a 1 of 0.30 mm to 0.60 mm at their kinks along the connecting lines between the projecting corners E v and at the base level 8. From these kinks, the ribs 6, 7 fan out to the subsequent kinks along the connecting lines between the re-entrant corners E e. Because the connecting lines between the corners E v and the corners E e have different inclinations relative to the radial direction, some of the projections 7 near re-entrant corners E e are only very close to each other or have no mutual spacing at all. In these areas, adjacent projections 6, 7 can also partially overlap, as shown in the sectional view in Fig. 4as can be seen on the left. The mutual distance a 2 of ribs 6, 7 at the kinks between the re-entrant corners E e is therefore less than the mutual distance a 1 ( Fig. 3 ) at their kinks along the connecting lines between the projecting corners E v and is in particular up to 0.20 mm.

[0029] The consecutive pattern elements 3 in Fig. 1 are each sections of the in Fig. 2 basic pattern 3' shown, so that partial areas of surface elements 4, 5 are present at the edge edges of the circular ring section. Reference symbol list

[0030] 1 Side wall 1a Side wall section 2 Side wall hatching 3 Pattern element 3' Base pattern 4, 5 Surface element 6, 7 Rib 6a Zigzag section 8 Base level E e Recessed corner E v Projecting corner a 1 , a 2 Spacing b Width α Interior or exterior angle β Angle

Claims

1. Vehicle tyre having decorative sidewall hatching (2) on at least one sidewall (1), said hatching comprising a multiplicity of ribs (6, 7) which run next to one another and have bend points in their path along straight lines and in this way change their direction multiple times so as to form hatched surface elements (4, 5) in which the ribs (6, 7) in each case run straight, characterized in that the sidewall hatching (2) is made up of pattern elements (3) which follow one another directly in the circumferential direction of the sidewall (1), are of identical design and are oriented in the radial direction and which have largely correspondingly formed ribs (6, 7), wherein the pattern elements (3) are delimited laterally in each case by two ribs (6) running in the radial direction and running parallel or largely parallel to one another and in a largely uniformly zigzagging manner, wherein the bend points of the ribs (6, 7) are formed along connecting lines between the projecting corners (Ev) and between the recessed corners (Ee) of the two ribs (6) that laterally delimit the respective pattern element (3), in such a way that the surface elements (4, 5) are irregular quadrilaterals which follow one another in the radial direction and in which the ribs (6, 7) in each case run in a fan-like manner.

2. Vehicle tyre according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bend points of the ribs (6, 7) are formed on the connecting lines between the projecting corners (Ev) of the one lateral rib (6) and the projecting corners (Ev) of the other lateral rib (6) that follow in the radial direction and on connecting lines between the recessed corners (Ee) of the one lateral rib (6) and the recessed corners (Ev) of the other lateral rib (6) that follow in the same radial direction, as stated, so that in each case two largely identically formed quadrilateral surface elements (4, 5) that are rotated through 180° with respect to one another follow one another.

3. Vehicle tyre according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ribs (6, 7) in the pattern elements (3) proceed from a common base level (8) and have a substantially triangular cross section with tip regions having a width (b) of 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm and have lateral flanks which extend at an angle (ß) of 20° to 45° relative to a perpendicular to the base level (8).

4. Vehicle tyre according to one or more of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the zigzag portions (6a) of the lateral ribs (6) include outer angles (α) with one another at the recessed corners (Ee) and include inner angles (α) with one another at the projecting corners (Ev), said angles being largely the same size and, according to the selected zigzag shape, 100° to 160°.

5. Vehicle tyre according to one or more of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, at their bend points along the connecting lines between the recessed corners (Ee), the ribs (6,7) have at the base level (8) a mutual spacing (a2) of up to 0.20 mm.

6. Vehicle tyre according to Claim 5, characterized in that some mutually adjacent elevations (6, 7) overlap.

7. Vehicle tyre according to one or more of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, at their bend points along the connecting lines between the projecting corners (Ev), the ribs (6, 7) have at the base level (8) a constant or largely constant mutual spacing (a1) of 0.30 mm to 0.60 mm.

8. Vehicle tyre according to one or more of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sidewall hatching (2) is formed on one or more in particular circular-ring-shaped sidewall portion(s) (1a) and overall covers at least one eighth of the sidewall surface.