# US 10,309,500 B2 · Roller made of compressible material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,500 B2 - Document ID: US10309500B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/146,966 - Filed: 2016-05-05 - Published: 2016-11-17 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-12 - Assignees: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty - Applicants: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty - Inventors: Norbert Lartigue; Pierre-Guillaume Phelut - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309500B2 ## CPC - F16H 13/10: Means for influencing the pressure between the members - B64C 25/405: {Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing} - F16D 3/50: with the coupling parts connected by one or more intermediate members (F16D3/16 takes precedence) - F16H 13/04: with balls or with rollers acting in a similar manner - F16H 55/32: Friction members - F16D 3/76: shaped as an elastic ring centered on the axis, surrounding a portion of one coupling part and surrounded by a sleeve of the other coupling part - Y02T 50/80: Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management - F16H: GEARING - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A drive roller (1) comprising a central hub (4), a body (5) extending around the central hub, the body (5) being made of a deformable material, a deformable band (8) extending over a circumference of the drive roller, and first rigid fins (17) and second rigid fins (18) arranged in alternation and extending radially inside the body (5). Each first fin presents a proximal end (17a) fastened to the central hub, and each second fin presents a distal end (18b) that extends in the proximity of the deformable band. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive roller comprising: a central hub; a body extending around the central hub, the body being made of a deformable material; a deformable band extending around the body over a circumference of the drive roller; and first rigid fins and second rigid fins arranged in alternation and extending radially inside the body between the central hub and the deformable band, each first fin presenting a proximal end fastened to the central hub, and each second fin presenting a distal end that extends in the proximity of the deformable band. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The roller according to claim 1, wherein the body has respective first cavities in a proximity of a distal end of each first fin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The roller according to claim 2, wherein the distal end of each first fin leads into the corresponding first cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The roller according to claim 2, wherein the first cavities are elliptical in shape with a long direction that extends radially. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The roller according to claim 1, wherein the deformable band includes reinforcement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The roller according to claim 5, wherein the reinforcement is woven. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The roller according to claim 5, wherein the reinforcement is made of metal or ceramic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The roller according to according to claim 1, the roller having two lateral flanks for preventing axial expansion of the deformable material forming the body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A drive system for driving a wheel in rotation, the drive system comprising: at least one drive roller according to claim 1, and a running track mounted on the wheel, the running track presenting obstacles in the form of undulations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The drive system according to claim 9, wherein a pitch of the second fins corresponds to a pitch of the undulations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The roller according to according to claim 1, wherein the first rigid fins and the second rigid fins are not fixed together. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The roller according to according to claim 1, wherein the second fins can move radially when a radial force Er is applied to the drive roller. ### Claim 13 A drive roller comprising: a central hub; a body extending around the central hub, the body being made of a deformable material; a deformable band extending around the body over a circumference of the drive roller; and first rigid fins and second rigid fins arranged in alternation and extending radially inside the body between the central hub and the deformable band, each first fin presenting a proximal end fastened to the central hub, and each second fin presenting a distal end that extends in the proximity of the deformable band, wherein the body has respective first cavities in the proximity of a distal end of each first fin, and wherein each first cavity is defined by a metal insert fastened to the distal end of the corresponding first fin. ### Claim 14 A drive roller comprising: a central hub; a body extending around the central hub, the body being made of a deformable material; a deformable band extending around the body over a circumference of the drive roller; and first rigid fins and second rigid fins arranged in alternation and extending radially inside the body between the central hub and the deformable band, each first fin presenting a proximal end fastened to the central hub, and each second fin presenting a distal end that extends in the proximity of the deformable band, wherein the body includes second cavities, each extending at a proximal end of a corresponding second fin. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The roller according to claim 14, wherein each second cavity (24) extends between the central hub and the proximal ends (17a) of two first fins (17). ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The roller according to claim 14, wherein the second cavities are filled at least in part with a hydraulic fluid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The roller according to claim 16, wherein the second cavities are in fluid flow connection. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The roller according to claim 17, wherein the fluid flow connection is made via a hydraulic manifold or a system of calibrated constrictions or a nozzle.