Abstract:
A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel and an airless flexible tire with certain performance characteristics of a pneumatic tire. The rigid wheel includes a central portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting elements removably attached to a radially outer margin of the central portion. The tire is mounted on the wheel and engages the mounting elements such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements are separated radially from the wheel by a space. The tire is configured such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements flex inwardly toward the wheel when subject to ground engaging pressure, thereby minimizing ground penetration and soil disruption. The tire may include one or more tension elements embedded in the tire to increase the tire's strength and resilience.
Abstract:
A wheel and tire assembly for recreational vehicles, such as mountainboards, motorized carts and pedaled carts is provided. The tire comprises a tire made of substantially inelastic material that will not stretch under a load. Thus, the tire will flatten under a load to provide a high level of traction on soft and irregular surfaces, as well as on hard and flat surfaces. The tire includes protrusions on its inner diameter surface for securely engaging the wheel. The wheel includes a rim that supports the tire and includes protrusions for engaging the protrusions of the tire in an interdigitating manner. The interdigitating engagement of the protrusions on the tire with the protrusions on the wheel prevents slippage and rotation of the tire relative to the wheel. The wheel also includes support flanges that extend radially inward from the rim in order to protect the tire from damage as the tire deforms under a load.
Abstract:
Integral pneumatic tire and wheel assembly wherein the tire is molded upon and bonded to wheel to eliminate need for decorative separate wheel cover and also provides a limited and non-destructive run-flat capability.
Abstract:
An integral tire and rim assembly in which the tire is built and cured on the rim. The tire is a closed torus crown over-lap type having a pair of annular inextensible beads. The rim is an annular and axially continuous unitary rigid member with flanges that extend radially outwardly beyond the minimum diameter of the inextensible bead cores. A run-flat device is included in the tire cavity.
Abstract:
A seal arrangement for an oval tire and rim is disclosed including an oval tire having an annular base with a radially inner mounting surface and an air inlet passage therethrough, a supporting rim having a radially outer mounting surface disposed in facing relation with the inner mounting surface of the tire and with a valve opening therethrough alignable with the inlet passage, and a raised sealing device is localizably associated with one of the mounting surfaces for preventing the escape of pressurized air from the inlet passage and outwardly between the tire and the rim.