Patents by Inventor Derek Hird

Derek Hird has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240383280
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire for a wheeled tower of an in-field irrigation system has a circular array of hollow cavities within the tire body. In cross-sectional planes lying normally of the rotational axis, each cavity has a circumferentially elongated cross-section of greater circumferential length than radial width. Bulbous and concavely rounded terminuses of each cavity impart a dumbbell shaped cavity profile that omits stress failure points. The cavity width tapers in an axially inward direction toward a midplane of the tire, where the cavity width is narrowest. In use, collapse of the cavity at its narrow midpoint squeezes accumulate mud out from the cavities in self-cleaning fashion. The outer circumference of the tire features sloped areas whose axial measure decreases toward the midplane. In use of the tire, the sloped areas draw mud inwardly toward the midplane and self-fill the ground beneath the tire, and thereby lessening overall rut formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventor: Derek Hird
  • Publication number: 20240123769
    Abstract: Segmented tires employ segments featuring cooperating recesses and protrusions at opposing sides thereof for mating of the segments with one another in the assembled tire body. Cleated tires with embedded cleats of greater rigidity than the tire body material provide improved traction in muddy or other slippery conditions while the compressible tire body smooths out the ride harshness of the tire. Mounting elements are also embedded within the segments of the tire body for secure mounting and reliable retention of the segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Derek Hird, Jose M. Vechina, Eric E. Bittner
  • Patent number: 11724551
    Abstract: Segmented tires employ segments featuring cooperating recesses and protrusions at opposing sides thereof for mating of the segments with one another in the assembled tire body. Cleated tires with embedded cleats of greater rigidity than the tire body material provide improved traction in muddy or other slippery conditions while the compressible tire body smooths out the ride harshness of the tire. Mounting elements are also embedded within the segments of the tire body for secure mounting and reliable retention of the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: 1434882 Alberta Ltd.
    Inventors: Derek Hird, Jose M. Vechina, Eric E. Bittner
  • Publication number: 20180361799
    Abstract: Segmented tires employ segments featuring cooperating recesses and protrusions at opposing sides thereof for mating of the segments with one another in the assembled tire body. Cleated tires with embedded cleats of greater rigidity than the tire body material provide improved traction in muddy or other slippery conditions while the compressible tire body smooths out the ride harshness of the tire. Mounting elements are also embedded within the segments of the tire body for secure mounting and reliable retention of the segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Derek Hird, Jose M. Vechina, Eric E. Bittner
  • Publication number: 20170036482
    Abstract: A tireless steel wheel for a skid steer features a cylindrical drum, a set of cleats projecting externally from the drum, a hub plate inside the drum an at intermediate location between opposing ends thereof, frustoconical walls flaring outward from opposing sides of the hub plate toward the respective ends of the drum, and annular end plates joining the wider ends of the frustotonical walls to the drum at the opposing ends thereof. The hub plate is offset from an axial center of the drum, and the frustoconical walls are unequal to one another in their angle of taper. The annular walls prevent the wheels from digging into the ground, and the frustoconical walls prevent material accumulation inside the wheels. The offset position of the hub plate provides flexible mounting options to accommodate varying dimensional characteristics of different skid steer models and bucket sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Derek Hird, Phil Bernardin