Abstract: Bearing structure (6) has identical bearing elements (61) in tension outside contact patch (A) with the ground and in compression in the contact patch (A). Bearing elements (61) are filamentary and are connected to radially inner face (23) of radially outer structure of revolution (2) by radially outer fabric (71) and to radially outer face (33) of radially inner structure of revolution (3) by radially inner fabric (72), respectively. Furthermore, mean surface density D of bearing elements (61) per unit area of radially outer structure of revolution (2), expressed in 1/m2, is at least equal to (S/SE)*Z/(A*Fr), where S is area, in m2, of radially inner face (23) of radially outer structure of revolution (2), SE is connecting area, in m2, of radially outer fabric (71) with radially inner face (23) of radially outer structure of revolution (2), Z is nominal radial load, in N, A is area of contact with the ground, in m2, and Fr is the force at break, in N, of bearing element (61).

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to minimize decline in endurance, while improving vibration performance. The spokes of an airless tire are provided, as an integrated unit, with an outside annular portion joined to the inside peripheral surface of a tread ring, an inside annular portion joined to the outside peripheral surface of a hub, and a spoke plate portion of constant thickness providing linkage therebetween. The radial inner edge and the radial outer edge of the center plane of thickness of the spoke plate portion are respectively diagonal with respect to a tire axial-direction line. The intersection line at which the center plane of thickness intersects a plane that is at a right angle to the tire axial-direction line constitutes a straight line. The spoke length, which is the length from the radial inner edge to the radial outer edge along the intersection line, is constant for any given location in the tire axial direction.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire for a vehicle is disclosed. The non-pneumatic tire includes a tread, a rim part, inside and outside annular bands, a spoke member, and a pair of protective films. The tread comes into contact with a road surface. The rim part is connected to the axle of a vehicle. The inside and outside annular bands are disposed between the tread and the rim part, and are coaxially spaced apart from each other. The spoke member includes supports disposed in a predetermined pattern and configured to connect the inside and outside annular bands, and openings defined by the supports. The pair of protective films are disposed at both ends of the tire in the widthwise direction of the tire, and prevents foreign substances from infiltrating into the openings of the spoke member. The protective films are made of the same material as the spoke member and integrated with the spoke member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an annular beam of monolithic construction of one homogeneous material and a related efficient, low-cost non-pneumatic tire. Specific geometric design, combined with nonlinear elastomer physical properties, enable the suppression of all reinforcing belts, continuous fibers, or other strengthening layers in the annular beam. The annular beam consists of at least two bands that are continuous in the circumferential direction and connected by a web geometry. The non-pneumatic tire consists of the annular beam, a ground contacting portion, a central wheel, and a plurality of web spokes that connect the wheel and beam. When the tire is loaded to a design load against a flat surface over a design contact length, a contact area of essentially uniform pressure is produced, while the load is transmitted from the beam to the hub via tension in the web spokes. The tire can be economically manufactured.

Abstract: An airless tire has a tread ring having a footprint, a hub positioned on a radially inner side of the tread ring and formed to be fixed to an axle, and a spoke connecting the tread ring and the hub and having a tread connection portion connected to an inner-circumferential surface of the ring and a hub connection portion connected to an outer-circumferential surface of the hub. The ring and the tread connection portion of the spoke satisfy 0?E1?0.5, 0<E2?1.0 and 0?E3<0.3, where E1, E2 and E3 represent ratios of first, second and third regions on the inner-circumferential surface of the ring and the first, second and third regions are divided based on a tire axial component length of the tread connection portion measured at a point in a circumferential direction of the ring.

Abstract: Embodiments of collapsible wheels and methods of making collapsible wheels are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: An interlocking, compressible spoke wheel system having a ring of paired spokes. The locking of left and right spokes into pairs provides improved tire displacement under loads. The left and right half wheels formed by sets of left spokes and right spokes. enable a novel mounting system for the wheel rim or tire to attach to the spoke system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a non-pneumatic tire with a reinforcing member. The non-pneumatic tire includes a tread part which comes into contact with the ground, a rim part which is coupled to an axle, an outer annular band part which forms an interface with an inner surface of the tread part, an inner annular band part which forms an interface with the rim part, a spoke part which is disposed between the outer annular band part and the inner annular band part and functions as a support, a connector which connects spokes of the spoke part to each other, and a reinforcing member which has a plate wire structure. The non-pneumatic tire can effectively and sufficiently withstand the weight of a vehicle. Further, the performance of the tire is balanced with respect to the contact area, the displacement extent and the resistance to rolling.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic wheel assembly includes a wheel, a shock absorbing member coupled to an outer periphery of the wheel and absorbing or attenuating noise and vibration due to external shock, a plurality of resilient members arranged around and coupled to an outer periphery of the shock absorbing member in a radial direction and having a plurality of resilient rings that are resiliently deformed in response to an external force, resilient links respectively coupled to the resilient rings to evenly transmit external shock to the resilient rings, rail plates to which sliders formed at both ends of the resilient links are slidably coupled, and a tire having a plurality of coupling grooves formed along an inner periphery such that the rail plates are inserted into the coupling grooves.

Abstract: Embodiments of collapsible wheels and methods of making collapsible wheels are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: A system for adjusting the compliance of a wheel is provided. In one embodiment, wheel segments are adjusted, causing the stiffness of the wheel to change. Such adjustments can be made while the wheel is rotating, allowing the wheel compliance to be changed while a vehicle is in motion.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic wheel with reinforcement bands that provide structural support for the wheel and a method of manufacture of such a wheel are described. The reinforcement band forms part of an annular reinforcement structure that includes foam spacers positioned between the annular reinforcement band. The foam can be a reticulated foam into which a matrix material such as a polyurethane is introduced. The matrix material can also be used to form one or more features of the non-pneumatic wheel such as spokes, a mounting band, and a hub.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved spoke edge geometry for a non-pneumatic or hybrid tire that is less prone to fatigue when used. The present invention also provides a way to manufacture such geometry in a mold, In particular the spoke edge geometry is provided with a reduced cross-section that reduces the bending stresses locally and allows a unique mold construction that changes the placement and orientation of potential flash and reduces other potential molding flaws when a liquid such as polyurethane is introduced into the cavity of the mold to form a spoke. This change results in a reduction in the possibility of a stress riser being found near the edge of the spoke, enhancing the durability of the tire.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic wheel is provided having a continuous loop reinforcement assembly that can support a load and have performance similar to pneumatic tires. Various configurations of a non-pneumatic wheel, including variations of the continuous loop reinforcement assembly, are provided. One or more resilient spacers can be positioned with the continuous loop reinforcement assembly and can be configured for the receipt of a matrix material.

Abstract: A wheel assembly includes a rim, a rib surrounding and radially spaced apart from the rim, and a resilient member that engages the rib. The resilient member is tied to the rim, such that the rim is resiliently held in relation to the round rib at least in part by tension in the resilient member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shock absorbing wheel with shock absorbing properties, the wheel comprises a hub, arms and a rim. The hub comprises radial junctions between the arms and the hub, additionally the rim comprises radial junctions between the arms and the rim, wherein between the radial junctions of the hub and the rim the arms are arranged with a substantially sinusoidal shaped form. The arms further comprise a first, a second, a third and a fourth section, wherein in the first section, the arms extend from the radial junctions between the arms and the hub in a first radial direction A, and in the forth section, the arms extend from the radial junctions between the arms and the rim in a second radial direction B. The sinusoidal shaped form is arranged in the second and the third sections of the arms. The present invention is said to provide for a cost effective wheel with good shock absorbing properties.

Abstract: There is described a suspension wheel comprising a substantially rigid rim, a substantially rigid hub disposed concentrically within the rim to define an annular space between the rim and the hub, the hub being adapted for connection to an axle for the wheel, and suspension members disposed in the annular space and connected to the rim and the hub to allow the rim to move in one or both of the horizontal and vertical directions relative to the hub in response to an input to the rim.

Abstract: A suspension for a wheel rotatably mounted about an axle, comprising means to resiliently support the axle from movement in the plane of the wheel's rotation in response to an input to the wheel.

Abstract: A shock absorbing wheel assembly. In a first embodiment, the wheel assembly comprises a rigid hub adapted to be mounted on an axle, a first relatively elastic material concentrically mounted over and affixed to the hub and an annular wheel having a first outer diameter comprised of a second relatively inelastic material overlying and affixed to the outer perimeter of the first relatively elastic material. The first relatively elastic material is preferably a toroid comprised of a closed cell foam. In a second embodiment, the wheel assembly is a compound wheel comprising, in combination, the first embodiment of the wheel assembly wherein the first embodiment is elastically compressible, coaxially mounted adjacent to a relatively noncompressible second wheel having a second outer diameter that is less than the first outer diameter.

Abstract: An elastic wheel includes a disk (1) secured to an axle hub, a rim (12) for mounting a tire, and an elastic member (10) arranged between the inner peripheral surface of the rim (12) and the outer peripheral surface of the disk (1). The elastic wheel is separable either between an outer peripheral surface portion (2) and a radial disk portion (3) of the disk (1), or between the inner peripheral surface of the rim (12) and the elastic member (10), or at both locations. This construction ensures long-lasting passenger comfort, anti-vibration performance and noise-suppression performance of the elastic wheel and allows optimization of these characteristics depending on applications of the wheel even during its use. The elastic wheel facilitates rim assembly as well as core mounting. Also, in cases where rubber is used to serve as the elastic member in the elastic wheel, vulcanization can be carried out without using an integrated rim unit, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of vulcanization apparatus.

Abstract: The frame of an in-line skate (FIG. 8B) supports a wheel (10), allowing a skater to effectively slow down and stop, using an athletic stance that skiers on snow and ice skaters on ice use. The wheel (10) has a hub (20A), allowing a wheel to rotate around the axle (13A) vertically and at an inclination. The hub has axle roller bearings (23B). The wheel (10) includes friction band surfaces (11A) on the sides of the wheel. When rotating at an inclination the wheel's friction surface contacts a friction surface (11B), inside the wheel-well or an axle friction surface or a combination thereof to slow or brake the wheel. The wheel (10) assembly includes self-aligning springs (14A/B). Individual parts can be technically designed to allow various model solutions that will satisfy the abilities of a beginner to an expert. The wheel assembly frame can be attached to an in-line skate, an in-line skateboard, a downhill in-line ski and a downhill in-line skateboard.

Abstract: A resilient wheel structure having a rim and a hub interconnected by spokes, wherein the rim is sufficiently stiff to distribute a load to all of the spokes, and wherein the wheel is able to absorb loads in both the radial and axial directions. The rim comprises an inner and outer rim portion supported by ribs, that are located co-radially with curved spokes that allow tension and compression. The wheel structure being optimally used on a mobile robot.

Abstract: A new class of non-pneumatic tires is proposed, comprising an exterior torus and an interior torus and in the space between them a waveform undulating ribbon like structure having a constant wavelength and the undulating direction being perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the tire, an example of this class of non-pneumatic tires being where the undulations are in the form of a succesion of semicircular modules alternating one after another in the space between the two toruses;the new class of non-pneumatic tires has a superior capability for fatigue and load compared with the prior art.

Abstract: A skate including a chassis formed by an upper horizontal plate solidly joined to the sole of a shoe by fasteners and a lower part running perpendicular to the plate and including at least one lateral flange on which the wheels are disposed by transverse axles solidly joined to the chassis, constituting a rolling train, each of the wheels having a hub in fixed rotation, which is disposed on the axle and which supports a bearing interpolated between the hub and a tire. The hub of the wheel is equipped with an arrangement which allows for its angular deflection relative to its median horizontal plane. The arrangement for angular deflection includes the transverse axle which is horizontally off-center in relation to the virtual center of the wheel which can cooperate by abutment with a fixed axle solidly joined to the chassis which passes through it, and which supports an elastic recoil device.

Abstract: The wheel includes a central hub suitable for mounting to an axle and a rigid annular outer rim supported on the hub by a plurality of elastomeric support assemblies to impart integral springing to the wheel, the elastomeric support assemblies including an annular elastomeric member located at its first and second ends by first and second mounting members one of which preferably is cup shaped to engage with the outer surface of the end of the elastomeric member and the other of which includes a frusto conical member to engage with the inside of the other end of the elastomeric member.