Wheel assembly including controllable operating response gas spring and related methods
AssigneeGacw Incorporated
InventorZoltan Kemeny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle and an outer rim surrounding the hub. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim. At least one gas spring may have a controllable operating response.
Claims32
A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising:
- an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle;
- an outer rim surrounding the hub and having a circular inner surface;
- a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim;
- at least one gas spring from the plurality thereof having a controllable operating response;
- and
- a disk coupled to and extending radially outward from said inner rim and spaced apart from said plurality of gas springs, said disk having a circular outer surface defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of the circular inner surface of the outer rim during operation of the vehicle, and said disk defining a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim during operation of the vehicle.
A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle having an axis of rotation, the wheel assembly comprising:
- an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle;
- an outer rim surrounding the hub and having a circular inner surface;
- a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim;
- at least one gas spring from the plurality thereof having a controllable operating response;
- a disk coupled to and extending radially outward from said inner rim and spaced apart from said plurality of gas springs, said disk having a circular outer surface defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of the circular inner surface of the outer rim during operation of the vehicle, and said disk defining a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim during operation of the vehicle;
- and
- a local controller coupled to said at least one gas spring and configured to control the operating response of said at least one gas spring.
A method of making a wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- operatively coupling a plurality of gas springs between an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle and an outer rim surrounding the hub to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim, the outer rim having a circular inner surface, and at least one gas spring from among the plurality thereof having a controllable operating response,
- coupling a local controller to the at least one gas spring to control the operating response of the at least one gas spring;
- and
- coupling a disk to extend radially outward from the inner rim and spaced apart from the plurality of gas springs, the disk having a circular outer surface defining a closeable gap with adjacent interior portions of the circular inner surface of the outer rim during operation of the vehicle, and the disk being coupled to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim during operation of the vehicle.
A method of operating a wheel assembly coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle, an outer rim surrounding the hub, the outer rim having a circular inner surface, a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim, at least one gas spring from among the plurality thereof having a controllable operating response, and a disk coupled to and extending radially outward from the inner rim and spaced apart from the plurality of gas springs, the disk having a circular outer surface defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of the circular inner surface of the outer rim during operation of the vehicle, and the disk defining a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim during operation of the vehicle, the method comprising:
- operating a local controller coupled to the at least one gas spring to control the operating response of the at least one gas spring and with the circular outer surface of the disk defining a closeable gap with adjacent interior portions of the circular inner surface of the outer rim.
A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising:
- an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle;
- an outer rim surrounding the hub and having a circular inner surface;
- a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim;
- at least one gas spring from the plurality thereof having a controllable operating response;
- and
- a disk coupled to and extending radially outward from said inner rim and spaced apart from said plurality of gas springs, said disk having a t-shaped cross section so that a circular outer surface defines a closable gap with adjacent portions of the circular inner surface of the outer rim during operation of the vehicle, and said disk defining a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim during operation of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.