TIRE WITH VARIABLE NUMBER OF LATERAL BLOCKS PER PITCH

A tire (10) for a vehicle is disclosed. The tire (10) comprises a circumferential tread portion (11) comprising a tread pattern exhibiting at least a first pitch pattern (20) and a second pitch pattern (22). In one aspect, each of said first and second pitch patterns (20, 22) comprises a center block (26) and two side block alignments (28) which are inclined with respect to one another and extend from the center block (26), the first pitch pattern (20) including a first pitch length (Li) and a first number of blocks (30), the second pitch pattern (22) including a second pitch length (L), which is shorter than the first pitch length(L), and a second number of blocks (32) which is greater than the first number of blocks (30). In another aspect, the first pitch pattern (20) has a first pitch length (Li) and a first number of first tread elements (30) arranged in a V shaped pattern across the lateral width of the tread portion (11), the second pitch pattern (22) has a second pitch length (L), which is shorter than the first pitch length (L), and a second number of second tread elements (32) arranged in a V shaped pattern across the lateral width of the tread portion (11). In yet another aspect, the first pitch pattern (20) includes a first group of identical blocks (30) which comprise a first center block (26) and two side block alignments (28) which are inclined with respect to one another, and a first number of identical blocks (30); and the second pitch pattern (22) includes a second group of identical blocks (32) which comprise a second center block (26) adjacent to the first center block (26), two side block alignments (28) which are inclined with respect to one another, and a second number of identical blocks (32), the second number of identical blocks (32) being greater than the first number of identical blocks (30).