Wheel and tire assembly and method of assembly
AssigneeLindsay Corporation
InventorThomas J. Korus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel and an airless tire. The wheel includes a cylindrical rim portion that is parallel with an axis of rotation of the wheel and includes a transversely flat outer surface corresponding to at least eighty percent of the total width of the rim portion. The tire is mounted on the rim portion of the wheel and includes a cylindrical tire body presenting a transversely flat inner surface that engages the outer surface of the wheel. A plurality of traction lugs are spaced circumferentially around the tire and extend radially outwardly from the tire body. A plurality of drive lugs are spaced circumferentially around the tire, extend radially inwardly from the tire body and engage corresponding receptacles on the rim portion of the wheel.
Claims20
A wheel assembly comprising:
- a rigid wheel including a cylindrical rim portion that is parallel with an axis of rotation of the wheel and includes a transversely flat outer surface corresponding to at least eighty percent of the total width of the rim portion, the rim portion including a plurality of receptacles;
- an airless tire mounted on the rim portion of the wheel, the tire including—
- a cylindrical tire body presenting a transversely flat inner surface that engages the outer surface of the wheel and a transversely flat outer surface,
- a plurality of drive lugs spaced circumferentially around the tire and extending radially inwardly from the tire body and engaging the receptacles, and
- a plurality of traction lugs spaced circumferentially around the tire and extending radially outwardly from the tire body.
A wheel assembly comprising:
- a rigid wheel comprising a first axial side and a second axial side, each of the sides including—
- a flange for securing to the other side of the wheel, and
- a cylindrical rim portion presenting an inner edge and an outer edge, the inner edge connected to a radially outer edge of the flange, the cylindrical rim portion presenting a transversely flat outer surface between the inner edge and the outer edge, the outer surface being parallel with an axis of rotation of the wheel,
- the rim portion and the flange defining a plurality of receptacles;
- an airless flexible tire mounted on the wheel, the tire including—
- a cylindrical tire body with a width to thickness ratio between 8 and 20, the body presenting a transversely flat inner surface engaging the outer surface of the wheel,
- a plurality of drive lugs spaced circumferentially around the tire and extending radially inwardly from the tire body and engaging the receptacles, and
- a plurality of traction lugs spaced circumferentially around the tire and extending radially outwardly from the tire body;
- a first tension member embedded in a first axial side of the tire and extending longitudinally around the tire, the first tension member being more resilient than the tire body;
- and
- a second tension member embedded in a second axial side of the tire and extending longitudinally around the tire, the second tension member being more resilient than the tire body.
A method of assembling a wheel assembly, the method comprising:
- placing a first portion of a wheel in engagement with an airless tire such that a first plurality of drive lugs of the tire engage a plurality of receptacles of the first portion of the wheel;
- placing a second portion of a wheel in engagement with the airless tire such that a second plurality of drive lugs of the tire engage a plurality of receptacles of the second portion of the wheel;
- and
- removably fastening the first portion of the wheel to the second portion of the wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.