Tire

Abstract

To provide a tire capable of suppressing side cut especially from a shoulder region of a tread to an outer surface of a side wall and maintaining good traction performance for a long period of time.SOLUTION: The tire 1 of the present invention includes a plurality of shoulder lateral grooves 13 disposed in each shoulder region 12 of the tread 4, and a shoulder block row 15 formed by arranging a plurality of shoulder blocks 14 in the tire circumferential direction C, wherein the shoulder blocks 14-1 are disposed on the outer surface of the side wall 3 located on at least one of the shoulder regions 12 in a positional relationship corresponding to a circumferential range 22 in which one shoulder block 14-1 and two shoulder lateral grooves 13, 13 are present. The pneumatic tire includes a side block row 25 composed of a plurality of side blocks 24 having a circumferential dimension Lb of a circumferential range 23 or more and raised outward from an outer surface of a side wall 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tire suitable for running on, for example, off-road surfaces. [Background technology]

[0002] Tires intended for running on off-road surfaces usually have the land portion that makes up the tread surface divided into multiple blocks by arranging multiple main grooves that extend around the tire circumference, and lateral grooves that extend between the main grooves and between the main grooves and the tread edges, etc., to form a block pattern on the tread surface.

[0003] When such tires are driven off-road, they are prone to a phenomenon known as side cuts, in which radial cracks appear on the side of the tire, particularly from the shoulder area of ​​the tread to the outer surface of the sidewall, due to collisions or contact with uneven surfaces such as stones of various shapes scattered on the road surface or sharp rocks.

[0004] When a side cut occurs on a tire, the damage gradually progresses as the vehicle continues to drive, and in the worst case scenario, the tire may puncture. As a result, the tire's service life is shortened, and the tire will need to be replaced sooner.

[0005] Patent Document 1, for example, discloses a conventional tire having such a block pattern. The tire includes a tread and a pair of buttress portions extending radially inward from both axial ends of the tread, with a protector row formed in at least one of the pair of buttress portions. The protector row includes pattern units, each including protectors protruding axially outward, arranged in the tire circumferential direction, with the pattern units including multiple types with different pitches, which are lengths in the tire circumferential direction, and the protectors of the multiple types of pattern units having substantially the same protector volume. According to the description in Patent Document 1, by arranging protectors (side blocks) in the buttress portions of this pneumatic tire, not only is traction on muddy ground improved, but the tire also has good cut resistance and good appearance, and in particular, can achieve improved uniformity.

[0006] The tire of Patent Document 1 states that the pattern units of the protectors (side blocks) and the tread pattern units (of the shoulder blocks) may be arranged so that they coincide in the circumferential direction of the tire, or they may be arranged so that they are offset from one another. Specifically, the drawings and examples of Patent Document 1 show cases in which the pattern units of the protectors (side blocks) and the tread pattern units (of the shoulder blocks) are arranged so that they coincide in the circumferential direction of the tire.

[0007] However, as in the tire of Patent Document 1, if the relative positional relationship between the pattern units of the protectors (side blocks) and the tread pattern units (of the shoulder blocks) is not specified, and the pattern units of the protectors (side blocks) and the tread pattern units (of the shoulder blocks) are arranged so that they coincide circumferentially, as in the drawings and examples of Patent Document 1, the tire sidewall portions located at the groove bottoms of the shoulder lateral grooves that define the shoulder blocks will have relatively lower rigidity than the tire sidewall portions located at the groove bottoms of the shoulder blocks.In addition, since the protectors (side blocks) are not located at the outer surface of the sidewall corresponding to the groove bottoms of the shoulder lateral grooves, there is a problem that, for example, when stones scattered on the road surface are angular, or when a vehicle is driven on an off-road surface under severe driving conditions such as a road with sharp rocks, if the sharp rocks collide with or come into contact with the sidewall of the tire, a side cut is likely to occur in the tire sidewall portion located at the groove bottom of the shoulder lateral groove. Furthermore, even if protectors (side blocks) are positioned at positions corresponding to the groove bottoms of the shoulder grooves, if the size (particularly the circumferential dimension) of the protectors (side blocks) is not appropriate, the rigidity of the tire sidewall portion corresponding to the groove bottoms of the shoulder grooves cannot be sufficiently increased, and there is a high possibility that the rubber of the side blocks themselves will chip. As a result, side cuts, which tend to occur on the tire sidewall portion corresponding to the groove bottoms of the shoulder lateral grooves, cannot be effectively suppressed. In addition, if rubber chipping occurs in the side blocks, traction performance on off-road surfaces such as muddy ground will decrease and the appearance of the tire will also deteriorate, which is undesirable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-93754 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a tire that can effectively suppress side cuts that tend to occur particularly from the shoulder region of the tread to the outer surface of the sidewall, even when traveling on off-road surfaces, thereby improving puncture resistance and maintaining good traction performance over a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The inventors discovered that even when traveling on off-road surfaces, for example, by providing a side block row on the outer surface of the sidewall located on the shoulder region side, which is composed of multiple side blocks of a size (particularly circumferential dimension Lb) that provides sufficient rigidity, in a positional relationship that corresponds to the circumferential range in which one shoulder block and the two shoulder lateral grooves that define this shoulder block are located, it is possible to effectively suppress side cuts that tend to occur, particularly from the shoulder region of the tread to the outer surface of the sidewall, thereby improving puncture resistance and maintaining good traction performance over a long period of time, and have completed the present invention.

[0011] Specifically, the tire of the present invention comprises a tread and a pair of sidewalls extending radially inward from both ends of the tread in the tire width direction, a pair of shoulder regions defined on the tread surface by a pair of tread edges and a pair of shoulder main grooves arranged spaced apart across the tire equatorial plane and extending along the tire circumferential direction, each shoulder region having a plurality of shoulder lateral grooves extending outward in the tire width direction from the shoulder main groove, and a shoulder block row formed by circumferentially arranging a plurality of shoulder blocks defined by the tread edges, shoulder main grooves, and shoulder lateral grooves, and wherein, when the tire is viewed developed on a plane, the tire comprises a side block row formed by a plurality of side blocks that are arranged circumferentially on the outer surface of the sidewall located on the side of at least one of the pair of shoulder regions in a positional relationship corresponding to the circumferential range in which one shoulder block and the two shoulder lateral grooves defining said one shoulder block are located, the side block row having a circumferential dimension equal to or greater than the circumferential range and protruding outward from the outer surface of the sidewall.

[0012] In this way, the tire of the present invention includes a side block row on the outer surface of the sidewall located near at least one of the pair of shoulder regions, the side block row being circumferentially aligned in a positional relationship corresponding to the circumferential range, the side block row having a circumferential dimension equal to or greater than the circumferential range, and the side block row being composed of a plurality of side blocks. This allows the tire sidewall portion located at the groove bottom of the shoulder lateral groove, which has relatively low rigidity and is prone to side cuts, to be effectively reinforced with sufficiently rigid side blocks while minimizing an increase in tire weight. As a result, even when traveling on off-road surfaces, side cuts that tend to occur, particularly from the shoulder region of the tread to the outer surface of the sidewall, are effectively suppressed, improving puncture resistance and maintaining good traction performance over a long period of time.

[0013] In the tire of the present invention, it is preferable that the circumferential dimension of each side block is greater than the circumferential range and that each side block is arranged in a positional relationship such that it overlaps with both shoulder blocks located on both sides of the shoulder block in the tire circumferential direction. In addition, it is more preferable that the circumferential overlap dimension of each side block with the two shoulder blocks is in the range of 5% to 20% of the circumferential dimension of each shoulder block.

[0014] By adopting these configurations, it is possible to more effectively suppress side cuts that tend to occur particularly from the shoulder region of the tread to the outer surface of the sidewall.

[0015] Furthermore, in the tire of the present invention, the side blocks preferably have a maximum height dimension from the outer surface of the sidewall in the range of 4 mm to 15 mm.

[0016] This effectively increases the rigidity of the side blocks while minimizing the increase in tire weight, thereby more effectively suppressing side cuts and better maintaining traction performance on off-road surfaces such as muddy ground for a long period of time.

[0017] Additionally, in the tire of the present invention, the shoulder block row is preferably configured by arranging two types of shoulder blocks having different block tread sizes alternately in the tire circumferential direction, and more preferably the two types of shoulder blocks are first shoulder blocks and second shoulder blocks whose tire widthwise outer end positions are located more inward in the tire widthwise direction than the tire widthwise outer end positions of the first shoulder blocks.

[0018] This allows the outer end positions of the first shoulder block and the second shoulder block, which are positioned adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction, to be offset from each other to create a step, thereby improving traction performance on off-road surfaces.

[0019] In addition, in the tire of the present invention, it is preferable that the first shoulder block (having a large block tread size) constitutes the two shoulder blocks located on both sides of the one shoulder block in the tire circumferential direction, and it is also preferable that the second shoulder block (having a small block tread size) constitutes the one shoulder block.

[0020] By adopting these configurations, it is possible to make the rigidity of the tire's sidewalls more uniform around the tire circumference while minimizing any increase in tire weight, thereby achieving a good balance between suppressing side cuts and providing good traction performance.

[0021] In addition, in the tire of the present invention, it is preferable that the tread has a center region defined by a pair of shoulder main grooves, a center main groove extending along the tire circumferential direction is arranged in the center region, and the center main groove and the pair of shoulder main grooves are arranged in a generally zigzag extending shape that communicates with each other, thereby providing two center block rows formed by arranging a plurality of defined center blocks in the tire circumferential direction.

[0022] This allows the tire to fully demonstrate good traction performance over a wide range of driving surfaces, including normal paved roads and unpaved off-road surfaces. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a tire that can effectively suppress side cuts that tend to occur particularly from the shoulder region of the tread to the outer surface of the sidewall, even when traveling on off-road surfaces, thereby improving puncture resistance and maintaining good traction performance over a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a development view of a portion from the tread to (a part of) the sidewall of a tire according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a half cross-sectional view in the width direction of the tire shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the relative positional relationship between the shoulder blocks and the side blocks in the tire according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relative positional relationship between the shoulder blocks and the side blocks in the tire circumferential direction C in a tire according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Next, embodiments of a tire according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a developed view of a portion from the tread to (a part of) the sidewall of a tire according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a half cross-sectional view in the width direction of the tire shown in Fig. 1. Note that hatching of the cross section is omitted in Fig. 2 to make the cross-sectional structure easier to understand.

[0026] The tire 1 of the present invention is a pneumatic tire (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "tire") that is suitable for use on vehicles that can travel on so-called off-road surfaces, including not only paved roads but also any terrain that a vehicle can enter, such as unpaved grass, gravel, sand, mud, and rocky areas. However, the tire 1 of the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and uses. Note that the "off-road surface" referred to here means any terrain that a vehicle can enter, such as unpaved grass, gravel, sand, mud, and rocky areas.

[0027] 2, the tire 1 of this embodiment includes a pair of beads 2 (only one bead is shown), a pair of sidewalls 3 (only one sidewall is shown) extending radially outward from each of the pair of beads 2, and a tread 4 (only half of which is shown) continuing to both radially outer ends of the pair of sidewalls 3. In other words, the pair of sidewalls 3 can be said to extend radially inward from both ends of the tread 4 in the tire width direction. The bead 2 includes an annular bead core 5 made of a rubber-coated steel cord or the like, and a bead filler 6 arranged radially outward of the bead core 5.

[0028] The tire 1 also includes a carcass 7 that is secured to the pair of bead cores 5 and extends in a toroidal shape as a whole, a belt 8 and a reinforcing belt 9 that are provided between the tread 4 and the carcass 7, and an inner liner 10 that is provided on the inner side of the carcass 7 to maintain air pressure.

[0029] The carcass 7 is shown as being made up of, for example, at least one carcass ply, and in Figure 1, two carcass plies 7a and 7c which are turn-up plies wound up to sandwich the bead core 5 and the bead filler 6, and one carcass ply 7b which is a down ply located between these carcass plies 7a and 7c and whose both ends do not reach the bead core 5. These carcass plies 7a to 7c are made up of carcass cords radially arranged at an angle of 75 to 90 degrees with respect to the tire equatorial plane EL, for example.

[0030] The belt 8 is disposed between the tread 4 and the carcass 7 to reinforce the carcass 7. The belt 8 is composed of at least two belt plies, two belt plies 8a and 8b in this embodiment, in which belt cords made of, for example, steel or organic fiber are laminated and arranged so as to extend in a direction intersecting the tire equatorial plane EL and be inclined. The belt plies 8a and 8b are desirably laminated and arranged in a positional relationship such that the belt cords are arranged at different inclinations relative to the tire circumferential direction C. In the tire of this embodiment, the belt cords of the belt plies 8a and 8b are desirably arranged so as to be inclined at an angle of 10 to 45° relative to the tire equatorial plane EL.

[0031] The tire of this embodiment is also provided with a reinforcing belt 9 disposed so as to cover a part or the entire outer surface of the belt 8. The reinforcing belt 9 is typically a rubberized cord layer in which cords are arranged substantially parallel (0 to 5 degrees) to the tire equatorial plane EL. In the tire of this embodiment, the reinforcing belt 9 is shown to be composed of two wide reinforcing plies 9a, 9b disposed so as to cover the entire outer surface of the belt 8, but it may also be composed of one or three or more wide reinforcing plies. The reinforcing belt 9 may also be composed of a pair of narrow reinforcing plies (not shown) made of narrow rubberized cord layers that cover only both ends of the belt, or may be composed of a combination of both a wide reinforcing ply and a pair of narrow reinforcing plies.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 1, the tread 4 has a pair of shoulder regions 12, 12 defined by a pair of tread edges Te, Te and a pair of shoulder main grooves 11, 11. The pair of shoulder main grooves 11, 11 are arranged spaced apart from each other across the tire equatorial plane EL and extend along the tire circumferential direction C.

[0033] Each shoulder region 12 is provided with multiple shoulder lateral grooves 13 extending outward in the tire width direction W from the shoulder main groove 11. The shoulder block row 15 is formed by arranging multiple shoulder blocks 14, defined by the tread edge Te, the shoulder main groove 11, and the multiple shoulder lateral grooves 13, in the tire circumferential direction C. In the tire 1 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the shoulder block row 15 is formed by alternatingly arranging two types of shoulder blocks 14a, 14b with different block tread surface sizes in the tire circumferential direction C. In this tire 1, the tire widthwise outer end of the first shoulder block 14a is located at the same position as the tread edge Te, and the tire widthwise outer end of the second shoulder block 14b is located more inward in the tire width direction W than the tire widthwise outer end of the first shoulder block 14a. However, the tire of the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the multiple shoulder blocks that make up the shoulder block row 15 can be composed of only one type of shoulder block with the same block tread size, or they can be composed of three or more types of shoulder blocks with different block tread sizes.

[0034] Furthermore, when the tire 1 of this embodiment is viewed in a plane as shown in Figure 1, (the tread surface and a part of the sidewall) of the tire 1 is laid out, at least one of the pair of shoulder regions 12, 12, that is, on the outer surface of the sidewalls 3, 3 located on the side of both shoulder regions 12, 12 in Figure 1, is provided with a side block row 25 consisting of a plurality of side blocks 24, 24, ... arranged side by side in the tire circumferential direction C in a positional relationship corresponding to the circumferential range 23 in which one shoulder block 14-1 and two shoulder lateral grooves 13, 13 defining one shoulder block 14-1 are located, and having a circumferential dimension Lb equal to or greater than the circumferential range 23 and protruding outward from the outer surface of the sidewall 3.

[0035] In the tire 1 of this embodiment, the outer surface of the sidewall 3 located on at least one shoulder region 12 side is provided with a side block row 25 composed of the side blocks 24, 24, etc., as described above. This allows the side block 24, which has sufficient rigidity, to reinforce the tire sidewall where the groove bottom of the shoulder lateral groove 13, which has relatively low rigidity and is prone to side cuts, while minimizing the increase in tire weight. Furthermore, in the tire 1 of this embodiment, when traveling on soft surfaces such as sandy or muddy ground, the tire sinks due to the weight of the vehicle, and the side block row 25 located on the sidewall 3 of the tire also comes into pseudo-contact with the ground. This allows the grooves 26 located between the side blocks 24, 24, etc. to enhance the ability to push away water, soil, sand, mud, etc. As a result, side cuts, which tend to occur particularly from the shoulder region 12 of the tread 4 to the outer surface of the sidewall 3, are effectively suppressed, improving puncture resistance and maintaining good traction performance over a long period of time.

[0036] Although Figure 1 shows an example in which side block rows 25 are provided on the outer surfaces of the sidewalls 3, 3 located on the sides of both shoulder regions 12, 12, it is sufficient to provide the above-mentioned side block rows 25 on at least one of the shoulder regions, more specifically, on the outer surface of the tire sidewall located on the outside of the vehicle, where collisions and contact with sharp rocks and the like on off-road road surfaces are more frequent.

[0037] Furthermore, it is preferable that the side blocks 24 have a circumferential dimension Lb greater than the circumferential range 23 and are arranged in a positional relationship such that they overlap in the tire circumferential direction C with both shoulder blocks 14-2, 14-3 located on both sides of one shoulder block 14-1 in the tire circumferential direction C (see FIGS. 1 and 3). By adopting this configuration, the tire sidewall portion located at the groove bottom of the shoulder lateral groove 13, where side cuts are likely to occur, is reinforced by the side blocks 24, which have sufficient rigidity, and the rigidity of the sidewall portion of the tire 1 from the shoulder region 12 of the tread 4 to the region of the sidewall 3 reinforced by the side blocks 24 is made uniform throughout the tire circumferential direction C. This makes the sidewall of the tire 1 less susceptible to damage from collision or contact with sharp edges of stones or rocks scattered on the road surface, thereby further suppressing side cuts.

[0038] 3 is a diagram illustrating the relative positional relationship between shoulder blocks 14A (for ease of explanation, the three shoulder blocks 14A shown in FIG. 3 are also labeled 14-1, 14-2, and 14-3) and side blocks 24A in the tire circumferential direction C in a tire 1A according to another embodiment (Example 1) of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, it is more preferable that the circumferential overlap dimensions b1 and b2 of the side blocks 24A with the two shoulder blocks 14-2 and 14-3 located on either side of one shoulder block 14-1 in the tire circumferential direction C be in the range of 5% to 20% of the circumferential dimensions a3 and a4 of the respective shoulder blocks 14-2 and 14-3. By setting the circumferential overlap dimensions b1, b2 of the side block 24 with the two shoulder blocks 14-2, 14-3 to be in the range of 5% to 20% of the circumferential dimensions a3, a4, the rigidity of the side block 24 can be effectively increased while minimizing the increase in tire weight, and the rigidity of the side portion of the tire 1 can be made more uniform throughout the entire circumferential direction C of the tire.

[0039] The maximum height h of the side blocks 24 protruding outward in the tire width direction is preferably in the range of 4 mm to 15 mm. By adopting this configuration, the side cut performance can be effectively improved while minimizing the increase in tire weight.

[0040] The maximum height dimension h of the side block 24 is the maximum value of the vertical distance measured from the outer surface 3a of the sidewall 3 to the outer surface 24a of the side block 24 along the profile line m of the tire T (see Figure 2).

[0041] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relative positional relationship in the tire circumferential direction C between shoulder blocks 14B of the tread 4 (for ease of explanation, the three shoulder blocks 14B shown in FIG. 3 are also labeled 14-1, 14-2, and 14-3) and side blocks 24B of the sidewall 3 in a tire 1B according to another embodiment (Example 2) of the present invention. In the tire 1B of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the shoulder block row 15 is preferably configured by arranging two types of shoulder blocks 14B1 and 14B2, each having different block widths, alternately in the tire circumferential direction C. In addition, of the two types of shoulder blocks 14B1 and 14B2, it is preferable that the tire widthwise outer end 28B1 of the first shoulder block 14B1 is aligned with the tread edge Te, and that the tire widthwise outer end 28B2 of the second shoulder block 14B2 is positioned more inward in the tire width direction W than the tire widthwise outer end 28B1 of the first shoulder block 14B1. For example, it is preferable that the tire width direction outer end 28B2 of the second shoulder block 14B2 be located inward in the tire width direction W by a distance c1 of 5 to 15 mm when measured along the tire width direction W from the position of the tire width direction outer end 28B1 of the first shoulder block 14B1.

[0042] This allows the outer end positions of the first shoulder block and the second shoulder block, which are positioned adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction, to be offset from each other to create a step, thereby further improving traction performance on off-road surfaces.

[0043] In addition, in the tire 1B shown in Figure 4, it is preferable that the first shoulder block 14B1 has a larger tread size than the second shoulder block 14B2 and constitutes two shoulder blocks 14-2, 14-3 located on either side of one shoulder block 14-1 in the tire circumferential direction C. It is also preferable that the second shoulder block 14B2 has a smaller tread size than the first shoulder block 14B1 and constitutes one shoulder block 14-1 located in a position where the circumferential dimension a5 of the second shoulder block 14B2 completely overlaps with the circumferential dimension Lb of the side block 24B arranged corresponding to the second shoulder block 14B2.

[0044] This makes it possible to make the rigidity of the tire sidewall more uniform across the tire circumferential direction C while minimizing the increase in tire weight, thereby achieving a good balance between suppressing side cuts and providing good traction performance.

[0045] 1, the tire 1 of this embodiment has a tread 4 including a center region 16 defined by a pair of shoulder main grooves 11, 11. The center region 16 includes a center main groove 17 extending along the tire circumferential direction C, and the center main groove 17 and the pair of shoulder main grooves 11, 11 are configured to extend in a generally zigzag pattern and communicate with each other, thereby defining a plurality of defined center blocks 18a, 18a, ... and a plurality of defined center blocks 18b, 18b, .... Two center block rows 19a, 19b are provided on both sides of the tire equatorial plane EL.

[0046] In addition, the tire 1 of this embodiment has a tread pattern in which the shoulder blocks 14, 14 located in different shoulder block rows 15, 15, and the center blocks 18a, 18b located in different center block rows 19a, 19b, respectively, are rotated 180° relative to each other, forming a so-called point-symmetric pattern.

[0047] A tire having such a tread pattern is suitable for use on a vehicle without limiting the wheels (left and right wheels) on which the tire is mounted, but as with tires in which the wheels on a vehicle are limited, the tread pattern may be linearly symmetrical with respect to the tire equatorial plane, or the tread patterns on both sides of the tire equatorial plane EL may be formed in different patterns rather than being symmetrical, and there are no particular limitations.

[0048] In the tire of this embodiment, the center blocks 18a, 18b located in the center region 16 are not limited to the above configuration, and may have any shape that can exhibit steering stability performance, including traction performance, on off-road surfaces.

[0049] The above-mentioned dimensional values ​​were measured under normal conditions with the tire mounted on a standard rim and inflated to the standard internal pressure without load. A standard rim is a rim specified for each tire by the standard system, including the standard on which the tire is based. For example, this is a standard rim for JATMA, a "Design Rim" for TRA, or a "Measuring Rim" for ETRTO. Furthermore, the standard internal pressure is the air pressure specified for each tire by the standard system, including the standard on which the tire is based. For JATMA, this is the maximum air pressure, for TRA, the maximum value listed in the "TIRE LOAD LIMITS AT VARIOUS COLD INFLATION PRESSURES" table, and for ETRTO, this is the "INFLATION PRESSURE."

[0050] The tire according to the present invention can be constructed in the same manner as a normal pneumatic tire, except that the shoulder region 12 of the tread 4 is constructed as described above. Therefore, any of the conventionally known materials, shapes, structures, manufacturing methods, etc. can be applied to the tire according to the present invention.

[0051] While the above describes an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and includes all aspects encompassed by the concept and scope of the claims. Various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, the tire 1 shown in FIG. 1 is formed with a tread pattern having so-called pitch variations, in which the shoulder blocks 14a, 14b arranged in the tire circumferential direction C are arranged at different pitches Pc in the tire circumferential direction C to reduce pattern noise, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and various modifications are possible. Furthermore, the tire shown in FIG. 1 is shown with sipes and narrow grooves 27 (FIG. 1) arranged on the tread surfaces of the shoulder blocks 14a, 14b, center blocks 18a, 18b, and side blocks 24 for reasons such as providing an edge effect. However, such configurations can be appropriately arranged or the number of sipes and narrow grooves can be increased as needed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1. Tires (pneumatic tires) 2 beads 3 Sidewall 4 Tread 5 bead core 6 Bead filler 7. Carcass 8. Belt 9 Reinforcement belt 10 Inner liner 11 Shoulder main groove 12 Shoulder area 13 Shoulder groove 14, 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14A~14E Shoulder Block 14B1 First Shoulder Block 14B2 Second Shoulder Block 15 Shoulder Block Row 16 Center Area 17 Center main groove 18a, 18b Center Block 19a, 19b Center Block Row 22 Ridge 23 Circumferential Range 24 Side Block 25 Side Block Row 26 Groove 27 Narrow groove 28, 28A, 28B1, 28B2, 28C~28E Outer ends of shoulder blocks in the width direction a1~a5 Circumferential dimensions of shoulder blocks b1, b2 Circumferential overlap dimension between side block and shoulder block c1 Distance in the tire width direction from the outer edge of the first shoulder block in the tire width direction C Circumferential direction of tire D Tire radial direction EL Tire Equatorial Plane h Maximum height of side block m Tire profile line Lb Circumferential dimension of side block Te tread edge W Tire width direction

Claims

1. a tire comprising a tread and a pair of sidewalls extending radially inward from both ends of the tread in the tire width direction, a pair of shoulder regions defined on the tread surface by a pair of tread edges and a pair of shoulder main grooves arranged spaced apart across the tire equatorial plane and extending along the tire circumferential direction, a plurality of shoulder lateral grooves arranged in each shoulder region and extending outward in the tire width direction from the shoulder main groove, and a shoulder block row defined by the tread edges, the shoulder main grooves, and the plurality of shoulder lateral grooves arranged in the tire circumferential direction, When the tire is viewed unfolded on a plane, the tire comprises a side block row made up of a plurality of side blocks arranged circumferentially on the outer surface of the sidewall located on the side of at least one of the pair of shoulder regions in a positional relationship corresponding to a circumferential range in which one shoulder block and two shoulder lateral grooves defining the one shoulder block are present, the side block row having a circumferential dimension equal to or greater than the circumferential range, and protruding outward from the outer surface of the sidewall.

2. 2. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential dimension of the side block is greater than the circumferential range, and the side block is arranged in a positional relationship such that the side block overlaps in the tire circumferential direction with both of two shoulder blocks located on both sides of the one shoulder block in the tire circumferential direction.

3. 3. The tire according to claim 2, wherein the side blocks have overlapping dimensions with the two shoulder blocks in the circumferential direction that are in the range of 5% to 20% of the circumferential dimensions of the respective shoulder blocks.

4. 4. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the side blocks have a maximum height dimension from the outer surface of the sidewall in the range of 4 mm to 15 mm.

5. The tire according to claim 1 , wherein the shoulder block row is formed by arranging two types of shoulder blocks having different block tread sizes alternately in the tire circumferential direction.

6. 6. The tire according to claim 5, wherein the two types of shoulder blocks are first shoulder blocks and second shoulder blocks whose outer ends in the tire width direction are located more inward in the tire width direction than the outer ends in the tire width direction of the first shoulder blocks.

7. The tire according to claim 6 , wherein the first shoulder block constitutes one of the two shoulder blocks located on both sides of the one shoulder block in the tire circumferential direction.

8. The tire according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the second shoulder block constitutes one of the shoulder blocks.

9. 9. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the tread includes a center region defined by the pair of shoulder main grooves, a center main groove extending circumferentially of the tire is disposed in the center region, and the center main groove and the pair of shoulder main grooves are arranged in a generally zigzag extending shape that communicates with each other, thereby defining two center block rows formed by arranging a plurality of defined center blocks in the tire circumferential direction.

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