Wheel assembly including rotationally offset axle attachment assemblies and related methods

A wheel assembly for coupling to an axle comprising:

• an outer rim;
• a plurality of distal inboard attachment points coupled to the outer rim and a plurality of distal outboard attachment points coupled to the outer rim and rotationally offset from the plurality of distal inboard attachment points;
• an inboard axle attachment assembly comprising an inboard medial portion to be coupled to the axle and a plurality of angularly spaced inboard arms extending outwardly from the inboard medial portion and defining proximal inboard attachment points;
• an outboard axle attachment assembly rotationally offset from the inboard axle attachment assembly and comprising an outboard medial portion to be coupled to the axle and a plurality of angularly spaced outboard arms extending outwardly from the outboard medial portion and defining proximal outboard attachment points;
• a plurality of inboard gas springs with associated integral hydraulic dampers, each coupled between respective ones of the distal inboard attachment points and the proximal inboard attachment points;
• and
• a plurality of outboard gas springs with associated integral hydraulic dampers, each coupled between respective ones of the distal outboard attachment points and the proximal outboard attachment points;
• the plurality of inboard gas springs and the plurality of outboard gas springs being coupled so that each inboard gas spring radially crosses a respective outboard gas spring;
• each of the plurality of inboard and outboard gas springs with associated integral hydraulic dampers comprising
• a first cylinder body and a second cylinder body slidable therein,
• a first seal carried by an end of the second cylinder body defining first and second gas chambers within the first cylinder body,
• a shaft extending within the first cylinder body and into the second cylinder body defining a hydraulic fluid chamber within the second cylinder body, and
• an enlarged orifice body coupled to the shaft defining a hydraulic damper with the second cylinder body.

A method of making a wheel assembly for coupling to an axle comprising:

• coupling a plurality of distal inboard attachment points to an outer rim and a plurality of distal outboard attachment points coupled to the outer rim and rotationally offset from the plurality of distal attachment points;
• coupling an inboard axle attachment assembly to the axle, the inboard axle attachment assembly comprising an inboard medial portion to be coupled to the axle and a plurality of angularly spaced inboard arms extending outwardly from the inboard medial portion and defining proximal inboard attachment points;
• coupling an outboard axle attachment assembly to the axle, the outboard axle attachment assembly being rotationally offset from the inboard axle attachment assembly and comprising an outboard medial portion to be coupled to the axle and a plurality of angularly spaced outboard arms extending outwardly from the outboard medial portion and defining proximal outboard attachment points;
• coupling each of a plurality of inboard gas springs, between respective ones of the distal inboard attachment points and the proximal inboard attachment points;
• and
• coupling each of a plurality of outboard gas springs, between respective ones of the distal outboard attachment points and the proximal outboard attachment points;
• the plurality of inboard gas springs and the plurality of outboard gas springs being coupled so that each inboard gas spring radially crosses a respective outboard gas spring;
• each of the plurality of inboard and outboard gas springs comprising
• a first cylinder body and a second cylinder body slidable therein,
• a first seal carried by an end of the second cylinder body defining first and second gas chambers within the first cylinder body,
• a shaft extending within the first cylinder body and into the second cylinder body defining a hydraulic fluid chamber within the second cylinder body, and
• an enlarged orifice body coupled to the shaft defining a hydraulic damper with the second cylinder body.