Wheel assembly for a roller coaster
AssigneeThe Wheel Thing, Inc.
InventorsAidan J. Bradley, Kevin T. Parent
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire assembly for a wheeled vehicle has a ring-shaped integrally formed outer tire member made of relatively hard and relatively rigid material, and a ring-shaped integrally formed inner tire member. The inner tire member is made of a resilient material that is essentially incompressible but rather easily deformable, and has protuberances and recesses formed in its circumferential surface to allow for both radial compression and lateral expansion of its material, thereby ensuring resilient support of the outer tire member.
Claims22
A wheel assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:
- a generally ring-shaped integrally formed outer tire member having a circumferential inner surface that is convexly shaped in a lateral direction;
- a generally ring-shaped integrally formed inner tire member having a circumferential outer surface that is concavely shaped in a lateral direction;
- the outer tire member being made of relatively hard and relatively rigid material, and the inner tire member being made of resilient material, such that the inner tire member may be deformed in order to position it inside the outer tire member with the convex inner surface of the outer tire member in interfitting relation to the concave outer surface of the inner tire member;
- a hub assembly having an outer circumferential surface;
- the inner tire member having an inner circumferential surface that is supported upon the hub assembly in engaging relationship with the outer circumferential surface of the hub assembly;
- and
- the hub assembly having securing means for maintaining a radially outward force upon the inner circumferential surface of the inner tire;
- whereby the outer tire sustains the wear of a running surface upon which the vehicle may be supported, while the inner tire provides resilient support to the outer tire as well as a smooth ride for the vehicle.
A generally ring-shaped outer tire member for a wheel assembly, being integrally formed of relatively hard and relatively rigid material so as to sustain the wear of a running surface upon which a vehicle may be supported, the outer tire member having a circumferential inner surface that is convexly shaped in a lateral direction and a circumferential outer surface that is concavely shaped in a lateral direction;
- so that an inner tire member having a laterally concave outer circumferential surface and made of resilient material may be deformed in order to position it inside the outer tire member with the convex inner surface of the outer tire member in interfitting relation to the concave outer surface of the inner tire member.
A wheel assembly for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:
- a generally ring-shaped integrally formed outer tire member having a laterally convex circumferential inner surface;
- a generally ring-shaped integrally formed inner tire member of substantially uniform thickness throughout its lateral width, having a laterally convex inner surface and concave outer surface;
- the outer tire member being made of relatively hard and relatively rigid material, and the inner tire member being made of resilient material, such that the inner tire member may be deformed in order to position it inside the outer tire member with the convex inner surface of the outer tire member in interfitting relation to the concave outer surface of the inner tire member;
- and
- a hub assembly adapted to engage and support the laterally convex inner circumferential surface of the inner tire and maintain a radially outward force thereon.
A tire assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
- generally ring-shaped inner and outer tire members arranged in an interfitting engagement, and a hub assembly that supports the interior of the inner tire member;
- the inner tire member being made of a resilient material and having protuberances and recesses formed in at least one of its circumferential surfaces to permit radial compression and lateral expansion of the resilient material;
- and
- the hub assembly being made of metal with an interior air chamber and having air inlet openings near its radial center and air outlet openings near its radial periphery so as to permit air flow in a radially outward direction within the air chamber of the hub assembly to take away heat that is generated by the continuing deformation of the resilient material of the inner tire member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.