1542results about "Spoked wheels" patented technology

A compliant wheel includes a compliant band and a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and inward from the reinforced compliant band for attachment to a hub. The compliant band bends to comply with a contact surface and to envelope obstacles. The web spokes transmit load forces between the compliant band and the hub through tension in the web spokes not connected to the ground contacting portion of the wheel. The outer surface of the compliant band may be formed to include a tread, or a separate tread band may be attached.

By providing a plurality of cooperating, foldable panel members in combination with a plurality of foldable wheel assemblies, a unique wagon or cart construction is attained which is capable of being folded into a small, compact area, whenever desired, and then quickly and easily deployed into a fully erected and operational position, which enables virtually any desired object to be easily transported. In addition, in the preferred construction of this invention, an automatically deployed structural supporting member is incorporated into the wagon / cart for providing inherent strength and rigidity to the wagon / cart when fully erected. In this way, heavy objects previously incapable of being transported are capable of being accommodated with ease.

A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.

A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.

A shear band that may be used as part of a structurally supported wheel is provided. More particularly, a shear band constructed from resilient, cylindrical elements attached between inextensible members is described. In certain embodiments, the shear band may be constructed entirely or substantially without elastomeric or polymer-based materials. Multiple embodiments are available including various arrangements of the cylindrical elements between the members as well as differing geometries for the cylindrical elements.

An omnidirectionally moving wheel includes multiple rotating bodies and a wheel, wherein each rotating body has a flexibility to be able to bend a rotational axis, is bent to encircle an outer circumference of the wheel in a ring-like shape, and is compressed in a direction of the rotational axis of each rotating body to be disposed on the wheel in a manner to allow rotation centered around each rotating body's secured rotational axis extending along a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the wheel.

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.

A mobile communication device with security mechanisms is provided for enabling wireless personal information transfer with increased security. In another embodiment of the invention, a mobile communication device is used to confirm a transaction.

The present invention relates to an airless tire, and includes first and second bands that face each other with a distance interposed therebetween, a plurality of spokes that connect the first band to the second band and are provided at intervals, and first and second connecting members that connect the adjacent spokes. The spoke includes a first member of which one end is curved from the first band toward the second band, and a second member of which one end is curved from the second band toward the first band. The other ends of the first and second members are connected to each other, and the first and second members are curved in opposite directions.

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.

Specially conceived for vehicles which have to be displaced over ferromagnetic surfaces, like the iron or steel walls of large tanks for example, it is incorporated by the combination of a hollow rim (1-1′) and a tyre (4) of an elastomer or similar material, which define a cylindrical chamber (8) inside which a magnetic annulus (9) runs, materialized in a permanent magnet of adequate strength, with the particularity that said magnetic annulus (9) has a substantially smaller diameter than that of the cited chamber (8), so that it is capable of carrying out a planetary motion inside the same, maintaining a permanently tangential condition with the tyre (4) at the point in which the latter is in contact at all times with the ferromagnetic surface over which the vehicle is displaced, achieving maximum adherence at said point. In this way it is managed to improve the grip of the wheel on said surface, overcome possible obstacles of the same, lighten the wheel and increase safety through not requiring an electricity supply.

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 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.

The present invention relates to an airless tire which supports load by an internal structure of the tire, comprising: an outboard tire; a plurality of spokes connected to the inside surface of the outboard tire; and a column foot for increasing the contact area of the spokes and the outboard tire. Therefore, localized bending deformation caused by the stress formed by the spokes can be prevented, uniformity of the airless tire can be improved, and the radial run-out performance is improved.

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 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.

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.

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 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.