Energy return wheel systems and methods

A vehicle wheel assembly, the wheel assembly comprising:

• a cartridge adapted to be coupled to a wheel rim between first and second outer rim edges, the cartridge comprising:
• a chamber portion having a plurality of spaced protrusions;
• a resilient member disposed over the plurality of spaced protrusions;
• an actuator disposed over the resilient layer;
• and
• a traction layer disposed over the actuator;
• wherein the actuator is adapted to compress the resilient layer at least partially into the chamber portion when the wheel assembly is loaded with a weight.

A wheel assembly comprising:

• a traction layer disposed over an actuator, the traction layer and actuator each having a plurality of holes disposed therethrough, the traction layer holes in alignment with the actuator holes;
• a chamber portion adapted to be coupled to a wheel rim, the chamber portion having inner and outer edges defining a recessed bottom therebetween, the recessed bottom having a plurality of spaced protrusions extending therefrom;
• and
• a resilient member disposed between the chamber portion and the actuator;
• wherein the resilient member is adapted to stretch into the chamber portion between the spaced protrusions, and is adapted to stretch at least part way into the actuator holes over the spaced protrusions.