Resilient tires and wheels – Tires – resilient – Pneumatic tire or inner tube
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-14
2001-07-03
Johnstone, Adrienne C. (Department: 1733)
Resilient tires and wheels
Tires, resilient
Pneumatic tire or inner tube
C152S209190, C152SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253815
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an opaque article and the method of making the opaque article. Specifically, the present invention relates to design patterns on opaque articles such as tires.
Tires typically include indicia on the sidewalls. Indicia can include, for example, letters, numbers, symbols, designs etc. The indicia help identify the manufacturer of the tire. Often, the indicia is difficult to discern on the black background of the tire sidewall. Tire manufacturers have endeavored to increase the visibility of the indicia on the sidewall of tires using numerous techniques.
One method of increasing the visibility of the indicia on the tire sidewall involves raising at least a portion of the indicia from the rest of the sidewall. U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,525 demonstrates this method. The patent discloses the outline of the indicia as being raised from the tire sidewall.
Another method of increasing the visibility of the indicia on the tire sidewall involves the use of colored indicia. Colored indicia set on a black tire background certainly increase the visibility of the indicia. The use of colored indicia, however, can complicate the manufacturing process. In addition, tires with colored indicia tend to require increased maintenance from the tire owner as compared to tires without colored indicia.
Another method of increasing the visibility of the indicia on the tire sidewall involves using serrations, or striae. The serrations change the amount of light reflected or deflected from the tire sidewall. The variation in light reflection or deflection enhances the visibility of the indicia. Several patents typify this method. U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,856 discloses the use of serrations on a flat portion of the tire sidewall to define the outline of the indicia. U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,758 discloses the use of two sets of serrations angled with respect to one another. The first set of serrations defines the decorative band around the tire sidewall. The second set of serrations, superimposed over the first set of serrations, forms the indicia.
The aforementioned methods of increasing visibility, while suitable in many instances, still do not provide a strong contrast to the indicia through a wide range of illumination and viewing angles. Clearly, there is room for improvement in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an opaque article having clearly visible indicia thereon.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an opaque article having indicia thereon that is in strong contrast to the background.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an opaque article having indicia thereon clearly visible through a wide range of illumination angles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an opaque article having indicia thereon clearly visible through a wide range of viewing angles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tire having clearly visible indicia thereon.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tire sidewall having clearly visible indicia thereon.
These and other objects are achieved in one aspect of the present invention by an opaque article having a surface and substantially asymmetric striae extending along the surface. A portion of the striae reside in a first area, while another portion of the striae reside in a second area. The striae in the first area have an orientation. The striae in the second area have an orientation substantially opposite the striae in the first area. The first area striae and the second area striae create an optical contrast therebetween at a wide range of viewing angles and illumination angles.
These and other objects are achieved in a second aspect of the present invention by a tire, comprising: a pair of annular beads, each disposed on a respective side of a midcircumferential plane; a carcass ply having a middle portion flanked by ends, each of the ends anchored to one of the bead members; a belt ply positioned radially outward of the middle portion of the carcass ply; a tread portion positioned radially outward of the belt ply; a pair of sidewalls flanking the tread portion and extending towards the bead members and outward of the carcass ply; a surface; and a substantially asymmetric striae extending along the surface. A portion of the striae reside in a first area and have an orientation. Another portion of the striae reside in a second area and have an orientation substantially opposite the striae in the first area. The first area striae and the second area striae create an optical contrast therebetween at a wide range of viewing angles and illumination angles.
These and other objects are achieved in a third aspect of the present invention by a sidewall of a tire, comprising: an annular surface; and a design on the annular surface. The design comprises: a first portion having substantially asymmetric striae extending therealong, the striae having an orientation; and a second portion having substantially asymmetric striae extending therealong, the striae having an orientation substantially opposite the striae in the first portion. The first portion and the second portion of the design create an optical contrast therebetween at a wide range of viewing angles and illumination angles.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4198774 (1980-04-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 4625101 (1986-11-01), Hinks et al.
patent: 4655546 (1987-04-01), Nagasaka et al.
patent: 4823856 (1989-04-01), Roberts
patent: 5263525 (1993-11-01), Yamashita
patent: 5303758 (1994-04-01), Clementz et al.
patent: 5645660 (1997-07-01), Attinello et al.
patent: 5645661 (1997-07-01), Clementz et al.
patent: 91 02 607 U (1991-06-01), None
patent: 0 611 668 A1 (1994-08-01), None
patent: 2 412 426 (1979-07-01), None
patent: 2 557 512 (1985-07-01), None
Kemp Preston Butler
Ramsey Todd Stanton
Csontos Alan A.
Farrell Martin
Johnstone Adrienne C.
Michelin Recherche et Techniques S.A.
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