Non-pneumatic support structure
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsCeyhan CELIK, Steven Amos EDWARDS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheel and tire assembly for a mobile vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes an inner central rim, a flexible ring mounted on the inner central rim, and a spoke structure extending between the inner central rim and the flexible ring. The spoke structure defines a plurality of cavities and alternating radially extending openings disposed concentrically about the inner central rim and allowing the flexible ring to deflect under load. The spoke structure further defines a plurality of triangular openings disposed at the flexible ring and between the cavities and the inlet openings.
Claims16
A wheel and tire assembly for a mobile vehicle comprising:
- an outer flexible ring mounted to an inner central rim;
- and
- a spoke structure extending radially between the central rim and the flexible ring,
- the spoke structure defining a plurality of closed cavities and an alternating plurality of radially extending openings disposed concentrically about the inner central rim and allowing the flexible ring to deflect under load, the spoke structure further defining a plurality of triangular openings disposed at the outer flexible ring and between the cavities and the inlet openings.
A method for non-pneumatically supporting a mobile vehicle comprising the steps of:
- rotating an inner central rim about a horizontal axis;
- mounting the inner central rim on to a flexible ring;
- extending a spoke structure axially and radially between the inner central rim and the flexible ring;
- defining a plurality of axially extending cavities and alternating radially extending openings concentrically about the inner central rim;
- defining a plurality of triangular openings disposed at the flexible ring and between the cavities and the inlet openings;
- and
- vertically loading the flexible ring such that the flexible ring and a part of the spoke structure adjacent to the flexible ring both deflect vertically.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.