Wheel for a support structure
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsCeyhan Celik, Steven Amos Edwards, Arun Kumar Byatarayanapura Gopala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheel assembly for a tire includes a circular hub member for securing to a rotatable axle of a vehicle, a first rim piece for engaging the hub member, a second rim piece for engaging the first rim piece, and a plurality of cylindrical sleeves for engaging both the first rim piece and the second rim piece. The first rim piece has cylindrical first shafts each engaging a first end of one of the sleeves. The second rim piece has cylindrical second shafts each engaging a second opposite end of one of the sleeves. An outer cylindrical surface of each sleeve engages a separate and distinct part the tire.
Claims21
A wheel assembly for a tire comprising:
- a circular hub member for securing to a rotatable axle of a vehicle;
- a first rim piece for engaging the hub member;
- a second rim piece for engaging the first rim piece;
- and
- a plurality of cylindrical sleeves for engaging both the first rim piece and the second rim piece, the first rim piece having cylindrical first shafts each engaging a first end of one of the sleeves, the second rim piece having cylindrical second shafts each engaging a second opposite end of one of the sleeves, an outer cylindrical surface of each sleeve engaging a separate and distinct part of the tire.
A non-pneumatic tire and wheel assembly comprising:
- a tire having an outer tread band and a plurality of loops extending radially inward, a circular hub member for securing to a rotatable axle of a vehicle;
- a first rim piece for engaging the hub member;
- a second rim piece for engaging the first rim piece;
- and
- a plurality of cylindrical sleeves for engaging both the first rim piece and the second rim piece, the first rim piece having cylindrical first shafts each engaging a first end of one of the sleeves, the second rim piece having cylindrical second shafts each engaging a second opposite end of one of the sleeves, an outer cylindrical surface of each sleeve engaging a respective spoke loop of the tire, wherein the first shafts and the second shafts have serrated cylindrical surfaces for securely fixing the sleeves to the first shafts and second shafts,
- wherein the first shafts and the second shafts have serrated cylindrical surfaces for securely fixing the sleeves to the first shafts and second shafts.
A method for supporting a vehicle load, the method comprising the steps of:
- axially engaging first ends of cylindrical sleeves by serrated first shaft members of a first rim piece;
- axially engaging second ends of the cylindrical sleeves by serrated second shaft members of a second rim piece;
- axially and radially engaging loop members of a tire assembly by outer cylindrical surfaces of the cylindrical sleeves;
- and
- inserting each of a plurality of bolt members through one first bore hole in the first rim piece and one axially aligned corresponding second bore hole in the second rim piece.
A non-pneumatic tire and wheel assembly comprising:
- a tire having an outer tread band and a plurality of loops extending radially inward, a circular hub member for securing to a rotatable axle of a vehicle;
- a first rim piece for engaging the hub member;
- a second rim piece for engaging the first rim piece;
- and
- a plurality of cylindrical sleeves for engaging both the first rim piece and the second rim piece, the first rim piece having cylindrical first shafts each engaging a first end of one of the sleeves, the second rim piece having cylindrical second shafts each engaging a second opposite end of one of the sleeves, an outer cylindrical surface of each sleeve engaging a respective spoke loop of the tire, wherein the first shafts and the second shafts have serrated cylindrical surfaces for securely fixing the sleeves to the first shafts and second shafts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.