Wheel assembly including rigid cover ring and slotted wedge based fastener assemblies and related methods

A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising:

• an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle;
• an outer rim surrounding the inner rim;
• an outer ring coupled to the outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of the inner rim;
• a rigid cover ring coupled to the outer rim and extending radially inward toward the inner rim;
• a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim;
• and
• a plurality of fastener assemblies, each coupling respective adjacent wheel assembly components and comprising
• a fastener,
• a lock washer carried by the fastener and having a sloped surface, and
• a slotted wedge carried by the fastener and comprising a frusto-conical body having a slot therein, the slotted wedge having a sloped surface slidably engaging the sloped surface of the lock washer to permit relative rotation so that loosening from a fully tightened position exposes a gap therebetween, and to define, with the lock washer, a self-tightening washer-wedge assembly.

A method of making a wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• coupling a plurality of gas springs between an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle and an outer rim surrounding the inner rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim;
• coupling a rigid cover ring to the outer rim and extending radially inwardly toward the inner rim;
• and
• using a plurality of fastener assemblies to couple respective adjacent wheel assembly components;
• each fastener assembly comprising a fastener, a lock washer carried by the fastener and having a sloped surface, and a slotted wedge carried by the fastener and comprising a frusto-conical body having a slot therein, the slotted wedge having a sloped surface slidably engaging the sloped surface of the lock washer to permit relative rotation so that loosening from a fully tightened position exposes a gap therebetween.