Multipiece road wheel
AssigneeHutchinson
InventorsPeter Hobe, Lars Johan Resare, Christopher Renson, Olivier Noblanc, Michael Hartman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A road wheel for a tracked vehicle includes a first rim half and a second rim half operatively connected to the first rim half. The first rim half includes at least a first portion that is angled away from the second rim half. The second rim half includes at least a first portion that is angled away from the first rim half. A hollow cavity is formed between the first portion of the first rim half and the first portion of the second rim half.
Claims20
A road wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
- a first rim half;
- a second rim half operatively connected to the first rim half,
- a wear ring operatively connected to one of the first rim half and the second rim half;
- at least one spacer positioned between the first rim half and the second rim half;
- and
- at least one fastener that extends through the wear ring, the first rim half, the at least one spacer, and the second rim half,
- wherein the first rim half comprises at least a first portion that is angled away from the second rim half,
- wherein the second rim half comprises at least a first portion that is angled away from the first rim half,
- wherein a hollow cavity is formed between the first portion of the first rim half and the first portion of the second rim half, and
- wherein the first rim half or the second rim half comprises a flange formed integral with the respective first rim half or the second rim half and that extends from an outer radial edge of the first rim half or the second rim half to support an elastomeric pad.
A road wheel assembly, comprising:
- an elastomeric pad;
- and
- a road wheel, comprising:
- a first rim half;
- a second rim half operatively connected to the first rim half,
- a wear ring operatively connected to one of the first rim half and the second rim half;
- at least one spacer positioned between the first rim half and the second rim half;
- and
- at least one fastener that extends through the wear ring, the first rim half, the at least one spacer, and the second rim half,
- wherein the elastomeric pad is adhered onto the road wheel,
- wherein the first rim half comprises at least a first portion that is angled away from the second rim half,
- wherein the second rim half comprises at least a first portion that is angled away from the first rim half,
- wherein a hollow cavity is formed between the first portion of the first rim half and the first portion of the second rim half, and
- wherein the first rim half or the second rim half comprises a flange formed integral with the respective first rim half or the second rim half and that extends from an outer radial edge of the first rim half or the second rim half to support the elastomeric pad.
A method of manufacturing a road wheel for a tracked vehicle, comprising:
- forging a first rim half;
- forging a second rim half;
- and
- operatively connecting the first rim half to the second rim half thereby establishing a hollow cavity defined between the first rim half and the second rim half,
- wherein the first rim half or the second rim half comprises a flange formed integral with the respective first rim half or the second rim half and that extends from an outer radial edge of the first rim half or the second rim half to support an elastomeric pad, and
- wherein the road wheel further comprises a wear ring operatively connected to one of the first rim half and the second rim half, at least one spacer positioned between the first rim half and the second rim half, and at least one fastener that extends through the wear ring, the first rim half, the at least one spacer, and the second rim half.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.