Wheel assembly including tapered wedge gas spring attachment assemblies and related methods

A wheel assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• an inner rim to be coupled to the vehicle;
• an outer rim surrounding the inner rim;
• a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim;
• a plurality of attachment assemblies, each comprising
• an attachment bracket coupled to a corresponding one of the inner and outer rims and defining spaced apart first and second fastener-receiving tapered wedge passageways,
• a fastener extending through the spaced apart first and second fastener-receiving tapered wedge passageways and coupling a corresponding gas spring to the attachment bracket,
• first and second tapered wedges carried by the fastener and engaging the respective first and second fastener-receiving tapered wedge passageways upon securing of the fastener, and
• first and second threaded nut pairs carried by opposing ends of the fastener;
• and
• a tread carried by the outer rim.

A method of coupling a plurality of gas springs between an inner rim and an outer rim of a wheel assembly, the method comprising:

• coupling an attachment bracket to a corresponding one of the inner and outer rims and defining spaced apart first and second fastener-receiving tapered wedge passageways;
• positioning a fastener through the spaced apart first and second fastener-receiving tapered wedge passageways to couple a corresponding gas spring to the attachment bracket;
• and
• securing the fastener so that first and second tapered wedges carried by the fastener engage the respective first and second fastener-receiving tapered wedge passageways.