2938results about "Rims" patented technology

An Assembly of a pneumatic tire and a rim and a sound suppressing body used for the assembly, the assembly wherein the sound suppressing body having a volume (V2) of 0.4 to 20% of the total volume (V1) of a tire inside hollow and formed of a sponge material extending in circumferential direction is installed in the tire inside hollow formed by the tire and the rim; the sound suppressing body comprising a tire side sound suppressing body having a bottom face fixed to the tire or a rim side sound suppressing body having a bottom face fixed to the rim, wherein the area gravity of the tire side sound suppressing body main part exceeding the bead base line of the rim side sound suppressing body is positioned in an area ranging form the middle point of a height form a reference plane to the trip of the sound suppressing body to the reference plane.

A journal for coupling a wheel to an axle is configured to be mounted in a bore of the wheel. The journal defines a reception space for receiving an axle. A locking element is pivotally mounted on the journal from a release position in which the axle is removable from the reception space and secured position in which a tooth of the locking element is engaged with a groove in the axle. When the tooth of the locking element is engaged in the groove withdrawal of the axle is prevented.

A non-pneumatic wheel assembly is provided. More particularly, a non-pneumatic wheel assembly is provided having a removable hub i.e., a hub that may be separated from the remainder of the wheel assembly. The hub may be reused and other portions of the non-pneumatic wheel assembly replaced as needed. In addition, the hub may be constructed from a different material than used for other portions of the non-pneumatic wheel.

Provided is a non-pneumatic wheel (100) for a vehicle, and a wheel (100), suspension (200; 200-1), and tire (300) used therein that are capable of ensuring driving stability because there is no air chamber between a wheel (100) and a tire (300) to blowout. They are also capable of ensuring good road holding, preventing standing waves, reducing brake fade and cornering force, providing good handling and ride comfort, staying quiet when rolling, and are economical and environmentally friendly. The non-pneumatic wheel (100) includes a wheel (100), a shock absorbing member (220; 220-1) coupled to an outer periphery of the wheel (100) and absorbing or attenuating noise and vibration due to external shock, a plurality of resilient members (230; 230-1; 230-2) arranged around and coupled to an outer periphery of the shock absorbing member (220; 220-1) in a radial direction and having a plurality of resilient rings (230-1a) that are resiliently deformed in response to an external force, resilient links (240) respectively coupled to the resilient rings (230-1a) to evenly transmit external shock to the resilient rings (230-1a), rail plates (270) to which sliders (261) formed at both ends of the resilient links (240) are slidably coupled, and a tire (300) having a plurality of coupling grooves (321) formed along an inner periphery such that the rail plates (270) are inserted into the coupling grooves (321).

A spoke system includes at least three rim pivots, at least three hub pivots, and plural shafts each extending along a substantially linear path between a rim pivot and a hub pivot, each path being substantially aligned with the center of a rim pivot and the center of a hub pivot. Each shaft includes an integral rim end forming a loop around a rim pivot and an integral hub end forming a loop around a hub pivot. The present invention also includes a tensioning system for biasing the inner vertices away from the outer vertices, thereby tensioning the continuous spoke. The path of each shaft may be substantially aligned with the center of a rim pivot and the center of a hub pivot so that a tension along the length of the shaft will not produce a moment about the rim pivot or the hub pivot. The tensioning system may include plural tensioning mechanisms, with each tensioning mechanism including a clevis with a base attached to the hub and two arms extending from the base, a reaction pin extending between the two arms, a hub attachment pin extending through a central portion of a vertex, a pusher pad engaging the hub attachment pin, and a tension adjusting screw engaging the reaction pin and biasing the pusher pad so as to bias the hub attachment pin and the vertex, thereby tensioning the shafts.

Improvements in torque transmitting wheels are disclosed. The improvements afford more balanced torque transmission as between the proximal spokes, adjacent to a torque transmitting member, such as a sprocket, sprocket cluster or disc for a brake, and the distal spokes which are opposite from the torque transmitting member. A wheel according to the present invention is provided with radially oriented proximal spokes and tangentially oriented distal spokes. This shifts the majority of the torque transmission task to the distal spokes which, in a torque transmitting wheel, are under less tension than proximal spokes under static conditions. A torque transmitting member is mounted on the hub, adjacent the proximal hub flange, and the distance from the proximal hub flange to a plane through the proximal edge of the rim is substantially less than the corresponding distance from the distal hub flange. The torque transmitting member is mounted so that, when it is rotated in a first direction, the rotation is always transmitted to the hub. A plurality of the spoke members radially connect the rim to the proximal hub flange while a second plurality thereof tangentially connect the rim to the distal hub flange so that more of any torque applied to the torque transmitting member is transmitted through the tangentially oriented, distal spoke members than through the radially oriented, proximate spokes.

A lug stud and lug nut monitoring system, method, and components for a vehicle may have a lug stud, a lug nut, at least one sensor, and an indicator. The lug stud has a shank. The lug nut is constructed to fasten on the shank. The sensor can be carried by the lug stud, by the lug nut, or by both the lug stud and the lug nut. The sensor takes at least one measurement. The indicator communicates with the sensor in order to determine a value based on the measurement, and to alert an operator of the vehicle if and when the value reaches a predetermined relationship to a reference value.

A plastic wheel (22) and wheel mounting sleeve (27, 27a, 27b, 27c) used to releasably secure the wheel (22) onto an axle (23). The wheel mounting sleeve (27) preferably includes two resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered fingers (46, 47) which are cantilevered from and extend axially in opposite directions on the sleeve (27). An axle-engaging shoulder (42) is provided on a radially inwardly extending lug (55) on one finger (46), while a wheel-engaging shoulder (43) is provided on a radially outwardly extending lug (61) on the other resilient finger (47). The respective shoulders (42, 43) cooperate with oppositely facing shoulders (58, 62) so as to releasably latch the sleeve (27) to the axle (23) and the wheel (22) to the sleeve (27). Assembly can be accomplished without any tools and a screwdriver can be used to disassemble the components. Alternative sleeves (27a, 27b, 27c) include an annular rib (101) which mates with an annular bore recess (102) to further limit relative movement between the sleeve (27a, 27b, 27c) and the wheel (22).

A structure for a bicycle wheel includes at least two tubes for improving the stiffness, strength, aerodynamics and aesthetics of the wheel. The wheel may be designed as a rim type with traditional spokes, or as one piece wheel with attached spoke legs. Preferably, the tubes are separated at various locations to form apertures.

A hub for aligning a plurality of spokes on a spoked wheel. The hub has a cylindrical hub sleeve and a hub axis extending centrally through the hub sleeve. The hub includes a flange-type hub head disposed at one end of the hub sleeve and extending circumferentially about the hub axis. The hub head defines a plurality of guide slots, each of the plurality of spoke guide slots being dimensioned and configured to receive and orient each of the plurality of spokes along a radial plane of the hub head such that the plurality of spokes define a plurality of tangent lines around an imaginary circle centered at the hub axis and that the tangent lines form a polygon centered at the hub axis.

An improved connecting system for tensile elements, including a longitudinal tensile element having an end portion and a cross-section thereof, a deformable connecting element; a bracing element, and a tensile axis of applied tensile load along said longitudinal tensile element. The deformable connecting element surrounds the cross section of the longitudinal tensile element and the deformable connecting element is joined to the longitudinal tensile element by means of plastic deformation of said deformable connecting element. The deformable connecting element is connected to the bracing element.

A method of coating a vehicle wheel to increase wear and corrosion resistance of the vehicle wheel, includes the steps of providing a vehicle wheel and applying a wear and corrosion resistant coating onto a surface of the vehicle wheel. The coating is applied to at least a tire bead retaining flange of the vehicle wheel. The coating is of particular use with vehicle wheels made of forged aluminum. The coating is selected from tungsten carbide, optionally including cobalt or chrome, a nickel-based superalloy, aluminum and silicon carbide, or stainless steel.The coating is typically applied to a thickness of about 0.004-0.01 inch. The surface of the vehicle wheel may be prepared by mechanically abrading the surface or chemically etching the surface of the vehicle wheel. The coating may be applied by cold spraying, thermal spraying, or triboelectric discharge kinetic spraying and other similar processes.

A wheel retention nut includes a body having a front face and a rear face. A central bore with internal threads extends through the body. A first outer perimeter of a first diameter is positioned adjacent to the front face. The first outer perimeter defines a polygon adapted to receive a wrench. A second outer perimeter of a second diameter, which is larger than the first diameter, is positioned adjacent to the rear face. The second outer perimeter is sized to retain an eccentrically rotating wheel.

An apparatus for allowing pre-assembly of a wheel and wheel spacer and a method of using the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus provides a structure within the hub of a molded plastic wheel and a structure on a spacer segment for engagement of the two parts. A variety of embodiments are described in which the spacer can easily be snapped, screwed, or pressed into the wheel. This allows pre-assembly of the spacer and wheel so that when needed, a spacer need not be found or acquired, but is readily available to the user.

The vehicle wheel includes an outer rim hoop with means for holding a tire, a plurality of spoke portions, and a central hub assembly. The central hub assembly includes an axle assembly and a hub shell that is rotatable about the axle. The hub shell includes at least two axially spaced outer flanges for attachment with the spokes. The spokes are connected at their outer ends to the rim hoop and at their inner ends to their respective outer flange. Firm attachment between the spoke and the outer flange is achieved by engaging of a portion of the spoke with a cavity formed within at least one of the rim and the outer flange. Also disclosed are attachment arrangements that include an intermediate connection member to facilitate attachment between the spoke and the cavity.

Wheels and methods of making wheels are disclosed including an inner portion and a tread mechanically coupled to the inner portion. The tread may be mechanically coupled to the inner portion on an inside and an outside of the wheel. The inner portion may include a rim including a plurality of apertures. The inner portion may be high density polyethylene and the tread may be thermoplastic elastomer.

A spoked wheel is described that uses flexible spokes having a termination on each end that couple with a rim using nipples. The flexible spokes are supported mid-span by a hub flange cradle that transfers torque from the hub to the rim via two sub-spokes. The hub flange cradle determines whether a sub-spoke is tangential or radial. A plurality of spokes may be used on each side of the wheel. Spoke tensegrity couples the hub to the rim.

A track frame or undercarriage is made to support a rubber track on suitable guide rollers. A tensioning roller is provided as one of the guide rollers on the interior of the track and is mounted on a pivoting bracket. The pivoting bracket moves the tensioning roller to a working position for creating tension in the track. An actuator provides a known force on the pivoting bracket to move the tensioning roller to its working position, using a controlled pressure applied to the actuator. Drive sprockets for the track are mounted onto a drive case that is mounted to the frame through pivoting linkages such that the drive case and the drive sprocket can be held in a working position and retracted away from the track. The position of the tensioning roller is maintained within set limits of retractions during use, by providing a stop to limit the amount that the tensioning roller can retract.

An idler having an axis of rotation. The idler may include a hub with a flange. A plurality of rim members are positioned along a perimeter of the flange and have generally axially facing, opposite side surfaces. At least one of the side surfaces has a first interlocking formation. A clamping plate is connected to the flange. The clamping plate has a second interlocking formation coupled with the first interlocking formation. A dampening member interposes the first and second interlocking formations.

There is presented a system and method for providing aircraft runway guidance. One delineated runway alert system for a host aircraft comprises: a processor for executing one or more instructions that implement one or more functions of the runway alert system; a data storage device including geographical runway information; a receiver for obtaining current location data of the host aircraft; an apparatus to provide a current heading of the host aircraft; a data entry device for receiving data indicating a desired runway; memory for storing the one or more instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the runway alert system to: receive the identity of the desired runway; provide an indicia of: the desired runway; and the position of the host aircraft in relation to the desired runway.