Spring tire or spring wheel

Abstract

A spring tire or spring wheel, comprising a hub (101), a retainer (103) for detachably mounting conical springs (102) onto the hub (101), and an elastic outer rim (104). The inner side surface of the retainer (103) is pressed against the conical springs (102) and is movably connected to the hub (101), and the outer side surface thereof is pressed against the inner diameter of the elastic outer rim (104). The retainer (103) is snap-fittedly connected to the hub (101), which helps users to more quickly replace spring members that have undergone elastic fatigue during use processes of wheels. The retainer (103) nests symmetrically opposite sides in a main body thereof onto both sides of the radial surface of the hub (101), thereby overcoming application limitations of poor lateral torsional resistance of springs in spring tires.

Description

A spring tire or spring wheel

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority based on the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on April 3, 2024, with application number: 2024104036951, and the name of the invention: "A spring tire or spring wheel". The content of the Chinese patent application is hereby introduced into the text of this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of tire accessories, in particular to a spring tire or a spring wheel. Background Art

[0004] Currently, most automobile tires are pneumatic. Pneumatic wheels offer load-bearing, shock-absorbing, and force-transmitting capabilities (acceleration, stopping, and directional changes), making them particularly suitable for a variety of vehicles, especially bicycles, motorcycles, cars, and trucks. The tire's shock-absorbing capabilities can also be used in other applications, such as carts for transporting medical equipment or sensitive electronic devices. However, pneumatic tires are susceptible to punctures from sharp objects, causing the vehicle to overturn, especially when repairing tires in the wild. Consequently, some non-pneumatic tires have emerged. For example, a steel wire is sandwiched between a rubber tire, combining the two. The steel wire deforms to reduce vibration, and the spokes on the wheel rim deform with the wire to achieve the desired vibration reduction. However, these spokes can only move vertically at the ground level and do not provide any vibration-reducing function elsewhere on the rim. Consequently, these tires cannot be replaced if damaged. While solid tires are impervious to punctures, they rely on compression in the area in contact with the ground to support loads. These tires are heavy and rigid, and lack the shock-absorbing capabilities of pneumatic wheels. While made more resilient, the aforementioned non-pneumatic wheels do not possess the load-bearing capacity or durability of pneumatic wheels.

[0005] To overcome these shortcomings, Chinese patent CN1284446A proposes a spring-loaded non-pneumatic wheel. This structure replaces the inner tube of an ordinary wheel with a radial coil spring and a spring plate steel ring. However, the spring on the inner radial surface of this structure is restricted by the inner and outer spring plate steel rings, resulting in poor axial torsional resistance and inability to effectively buffer and decompose the applied force. Once a local spring is damaged, the normal use of the entire component will be affected. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention provides a spring tire or a spring wheel, which is used to improve the technical deficiencies of the spring-type non-pneumatic wheels mentioned in the above background technology.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a spring tire or spring wheel, comprising a hub, a conical spring and an elastic outer rim, wherein the conical spring is pre-tightened and mounted on the hub via a retaining frame; the inner end face of the retaining frame presses against the conical spring, the inner side face is engaged with the hub, and the outer end face thereof abuts against the inner diameter of the elastic outer rim.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the retaining frame includes claws symmetrically embedded in the radial surface of the hub, shoulders perpendicular to the claws and with a height difference, and arms with two ends respectively connecting the claws and the shoulders.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the clamping shoulder presses the conical spring downwards, and the conical spring is a pre-compression spring. The conical spring accumulates elastic restoring force under the pressure of the clamping shoulder.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the clamping connection includes an inserting portion and a receiving portion, the inserting portion is a rib ring on the radial surface of the hub, and the receiving portion is a clamping strip on the clamping claw.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, there are two clamping strips, which are symmetrically arranged along the rib ring on the inner side of the clamping claw close to the hub.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the clamping connection includes an inserting portion and a receiving portion, the inserting portion is a U-shaped piece on the clamping claw, and the receiving portion is a second clamping groove provided on the radial surface of the hub.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the plug-in portion and the receiving portion are respectively provided with a limit member and a limit matching member;

[0014] When the plug-in portion and the receiving portion are engaged, the limiting member and the limiting matching member are in limiting cooperation.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the limiting member is an inserting block provided on the plug-in portion, and the limiting matching member is a slot provided on the receiving portion.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, a third slot for sleeve-engaging the conical spring is provided on the side of the clamping shoulder facing the conical spring.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the small end face ring of the conical spring is embedded in the first groove in the radial position of the hub, and the large end face is embedded in the third groove, and supports the shoulder with a predetermined initial compression force.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, a limiting clip is provided on the inner wall surface of the elastic outer rim facing the retainer, and adjacent limiting clips form a fourth slot, which is used to limit the relative swing of the retainer away from one end of the hub.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the base of the limiting clip is connected to the inner wall surface of the elastic outer rim, and the end portion extends toward the retaining frame;

[0020] The ends of the limit clamping strips are symmetrically provided with limit pairs, and the adjacent limit clamping strips are limitedly matched with the clamping shoulders on the retaining frame through the limit pairs arranged opposite to each other.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic outer rim is symmetrically formed into two petals, and the rear end faces are fused or connected into one body after installation.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the wheel further includes a fastening ring, which is arranged on the outside of the elastic outer rim and is used to fix the elastic outer rim on the wheel hub.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] The present invention provides a spring tire or spring wheel, in which a conical spring is detachably fixed to a wheel hub via a retainer. The retainer and the wheel hub are connected by a snap-fit ​​connection, which facilitates users to more quickly replace spring parts that have elastic fatigued during use of the wheel. The retainer has two symmetrical side surfaces of its main body embedded on both sides of the radial surface of the wheel hub, so as to solve the application limitation of the spring in the spring tire having poor lateral torsional resistance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG1 is an overall assembly diagram of a spring-type non-pneumatic wheel in the background art;

[0026] FIG2 is a partial enlarged view of a spring-type non-pneumatic wheel in the background art;

[0027] FIG3 is a front view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] FIG4 is an axial view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] FIG5 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] FIG6 is an enlarged view of the structure at position A1 in FIG5 ;

[0031] FIG7 is an enlarged view of the structure at position A2 in FIG5 ;

[0032] FIG8 is an assembly drawing of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] FIG9 is a front view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] FIG10 is a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] FIG11 is a side cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] FIG12 is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] FIG13 is an enlarged view of the structure at position A3 in FIG12 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention; it is obvious that the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "top / bottom," and the like, indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0040] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly stipulated and limited, the terms "installed", "provided with", "set / connected", "connected", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a wall-mounted connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. It can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. It can be the internal connection of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0041] Traditional pneumatic tires use air pressure as a medium to support the vehicle body, offering excellent tensile, bending, and impact resistance. However, when punctured by sharp external objects or otherwise damaged, they can no longer maintain their original pressure, causing the tire to lose its supporting function. The resulting degradation of vehicle handling and braking performance can also pose a significant safety hazard. To address this, non-pneumatic tires, which do not require inflation, have been introduced. These tires utilize elastic fillers or supports to replace the tire pressure, preventing accidents caused by air pressure loss or tire blowouts during driving. These non-pneumatic tires include solid tires, crush-type tires, and spring tires, with spring tires offering the most significant stress-bearing properties and durability. Referring to Figures 1-2, a spring-type non-pneumatic tire mentioned in the background art is shown (where 1 is a conventional wheel rim, 2 is an inner spring plate rim, 3 is an outer spring plate rim, 4 is a coil spring, 5 and 6 are fasteners, and 7 is wheel rubber). This spring-type non-pneumatic tire is based on an ordinary wheel, and uses radial coil springs 4 and spring plate steel rings 3 to replace the inner tube of an ordinary wheel to give the tire body a shock-absorbing effect. However, the springs on the radial surface of the structure are restricted by the inner and outer spring plate steel rings, resulting in poor axial torsional resistance and low radial coordination efficiency in the structural connection. It is unable to effectively buffer and decompose the force it receives, and there is also the phenomenon that once a local spring is damaged, the normal use of the entire component will be affected.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] To overcome the above-mentioned technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a spring wheel. Referring to Figures 3 to 8, the spring wheel includes a hub 101, and the hub 101 is evenly distributed with first retaining grooves 101-1 in the radial direction. One end of a conical spring 102 extends into the accommodating cavity of the first retaining groove 101-1, and the other end supports a retainer 103 in a direction away from the first retaining groove 101-1. The retainer 103 is provided with two symmetrical side surfaces, which are combined at a predetermined position along the height direction to form a main body of the retainer 103. The inner end surface of the retainer 103 is pressed onto the conical spring 102, and the side surface of the retainer 103 is engaged with the rib ring 101-2 on the radial surface of the hub 101. The outer end surface of the retainer 103 abuts against the inner diameter of the elastic outer rim 104.

[0044] The retainer 103 has two symmetrical side surfaces of its main body nested on either side of the radial surface of the hub 101 to address the application limitation of the aforementioned spring-loaded non-pneumatic tire, which suffers from poor axial torque resistance. Specifically, the retainer 103 comprises, from top to bottom, a clamping shoulder 103-1, a clamping arm 103-2, and a clamping claw 103-3. The clamping claw 103-3 is symmetrically embedded in the radial surfaces of the hub 101. One end of the clamping arm 103-2 is fixedly connected to the clamping claw 103-3, while the other end extends away from the clamping claw 103-3 to be fixedly connected to the clamping shoulder 103-1. The clamping shoulder 103-1 is arranged on a circumferential surface perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the clamping claw 103-3 and with a certain height difference. The outer surface of the clamping shoulder 103-1 abuts the inner diameter of the elastic outer rim 104, and its inner surface presses downwardly against the conical spring 102. The conical spring 102 embedded in the limited space formed by the first slot 101-1 and the retaining frame 103 is a pre-compression spring. The small end face of the conical spring 102 is embedded in the first slot 101-1, and the large end face is embedded in the third slot c on the inner side of the shoulder 103-1, and supports the shoulder 103-1 with a predetermined initial compression force.

[0045] Because the shoulder 103-1 of the retainer 103 presses against the conical spring 102 and is connected to the wheel hub 101 via the claw 103-3, this clamping connection can be disassembled and assembled without the need for auxiliary tools, making it more convenient and quick to replace the conical spring 102 that has experienced elastic fatigue during wheel use. The structure that implements this clamping connection includes a plug-in portion and a receiving portion. The plug-in portion is configured as a rib ring 101-2 on the radial surface of the wheel hub 101, and the receiving portion is configured as a clamping strip 103-31 on the claw 103-3. The clamping strips 103-31 are two and are symmetrically arranged along the rib ring 101-2 on the inner side of the claw 103-3 near the wheel hub 101. The detailed structure is shown in Figure 6. Two parallel first clamping strips 103-31, spaced a predetermined distance apart, are fixed to the inner side of the claw 103-3 on one side and extend toward the radial surface near the wheel hub 101 on the other side.

[0046] Considering that the dynamic loads experienced by the wheel during travel directly affect the engagement stability of the plug-in and receiving portions, this embodiment provides a limiter and a limiter mating member on the plug-in and receiving portions, respectively. The limiter is a plug block a provided on the plug-in, and the limiter mating member is a slot b provided on the receiving portion. When the plug-in and receiving portions are engaged, the plug block a penetrates into the slot b and engages with it, thereby securing the relative installation position of the housing 11 and preventing the plug-in and receiving portions from slipping relative to each other due to excessive external compressive force from the shoulder 111, which could lead to structural instability and damage of the retainer 103.

[0047] Limiting clips 104-1 are evenly distributed on the inner wall surface of the elastic outer rim 104 facing the retainer 103. The base of each limiting clip 104-1 is connected to the inner wall surface of the elastic outer rim 104, and its end extends toward the retainer 103. Adjacent limiting clips 104-1 form a fourth slot d for limiting the relative swing of the retainer 103 away from the end of the hub 101. Structurally, limiting pairs 104-2 are symmetrically provided at the ends of each limiting clip 104-1. Adjacent limiting clips 104-1 within the fourth slot d cooperate with the shoulder 103-1 on the retainer 103 through the opposing limiting pairs 104-2 to fix the relative position of the elastic outer rim 104 and the hub 101.

[0048] Example 2

[0049] 9 to 13 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a spring wheel comprising a hub 101, a conical spring 102, a retainer 103, an elastic outer rim 104, and a fastening ring 105. The difference from the first embodiment is that:

[0050] First, the elastic outer rim 104 described in this embodiment is symmetrical with two petals, and the rear end faces are fused or connected into one after installation. In addition, a fastening ring 105 is added. The fastening ring 105 is arranged on the outside of the elastic outer rim 104 and is used to fix the elastic outer rim 104 on the hub 101.

[0051] The second is that the form of the components of the clamping connection between the retaining frame and the wheel hub is different. Referring to Figure 13, the clamping connection also includes a plug-in part and a receiving part, but the plug-in part is constructed as a U-shaped part 103-32 on the claw 103-3, and the receiving part is constructed as a second clamping groove 101-2 arranged on the radial surface of the wheel hub 101. The relative positions on the claw 103-3 and the second clamping groove 101-2 are still respectively provided with a limited matching plug block a and a slot b.

[0052] The above description and embodiments are intended to explain the scope of protection of the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereto. Modifications, equivalent substitutions, or other improvements to the embodiments of the present invention or portions thereof that can be obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation based on the teachings of the present invention or the above embodiments, combined with common knowledge, ordinary technical knowledge in the field, and / or prior art, should all be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Industrial Applicability

[0053] The present invention provides a spring tire or spring wheel comprising a hub, a retainer for removably attaching a conical spring to the hub, and an elastic outer rim. The inner surface of the retainer presses against the conical spring and is movably connected to the hub, while its outer surface abuts the inner diameter of the elastic outer rim. The retainer employed in the present invention is connected to the hub via a snap-fit ​​connection, facilitating quick replacement of spring components that experience elastic fatigue during wheel use. The retainer's main body, with two symmetrical side surfaces nesting on either side of the radial surface of the hub, overcomes the application limitation of springs in spring tires, which suffer from poor lateral torsional resistance, thus possessing industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A spring tire or spring wheel, comprising a hub (101), a conical spring (102) and an elastic outer rim (104), characterized in that: The conical spring (102) is pre-tightened and mounted on the wheel hub (101) through a retaining frame (103); the inner end surface of the retaining frame (103) is pressed against the conical spring (102), the inner side surface of the retaining frame (103) is clamped with the wheel hub (101), and the outer end surface thereof is in contact with the inner diameter of the elastic outer wheel rim (104).

2. A spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The retainer (103) comprises claws (103-3) symmetrically embedded on the radial surface of the hub (101), a shoulder (103-1) perpendicular to the claws (103-3) and having a height difference, and arms (103-2) with two ends respectively connecting the claws and the shoulder.

3. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The clamping shoulder (103-1) presses the conical spring (102) downwards. The conical spring (102) is a pre-compression spring. The conical spring (102) accumulates elastic restoring force under the pressure of the clamping shoulder (103-1).

4. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping connection comprises an inserting portion and a receiving portion, the inserting portion is a rib ring (101-2) on the radial surface of the hub (101), and the receiving portion is a clamping strip (103-31) on the clamping claw (103-3).

5. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are two clamping strips (103-31), which are symmetrically arranged along the rib ring (101-2) and on the inner side of the clamping claw (103-3) close to the wheel hub (101).

6. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The clamping connection comprises an inserting portion and a receiving portion, the inserting portion being a U-shaped piece (103-32) on the clamping claw (103-3), and the receiving portion being a second clamping groove (101-2) provided on the radial surface of the hub (101).

7. A spring tire or spring wheel according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: The plug-in portion and the receiving portion are respectively provided with a limit member and a limit matching member; When the plug-in portion and the receiving portion are engaged, the limiting member and the limiting matching member are in limiting cooperation.

8. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 7, characterized in that: The limiting component is an inserting block (a) arranged on the plug-in portion, and the limiting matching component is a slot (b) arranged on the receiving portion.

9. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 3, characterized in that: A third clamping groove (c) for sleeve-engaging the conical spring (102) is provided on the side of the clamping shoulder (103-1) facing the conical spring (102).

10. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 9, characterized in that: The small end face ring of the conical spring (102) is embedded in the first clamping groove (101-1) at the radial position of the hub (101), and the large end face thereof is embedded in the third clamping groove (c), and supports the clamping shoulder (103-1) with a predetermined initial compression force.

11. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that: A limiting clamping strip (104-1) is provided on the inner wall surface of the elastic outer rim (104) facing the retaining frame (103), and adjacent limiting clamping strips (104-1) form a fourth clamping groove (d). The fourth clamping groove (d) is used to limit the relative swing of the retaining frame (103) away from one end of the wheel hub (101).

12. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 11, characterized in that: The base of the position-limiting clip (104-1) is connected to the inner wall surface of the elastic outer rim (104), and the end thereof extends toward the retaining frame (103); The end of the limiting clamping strip (104-1) is symmetrically provided with a limiting pair (104-2), and adjacent limiting clamping strips (104-1) are limitedly matched with the clamping shoulder (103-1) on the retaining frame (103) through the limiting pairs (104-2) arranged opposite to each other.

13. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic outer wheel rim (104) is symmetrical with two petals, and the rear end faces are fused or connected into one body after installation.

14. The spring tire or spring wheel according to claim 13, characterized in that: It also includes a fastening ring (105), which is arranged outside the elastic outer rim (104) and fixes the elastic outer rim (104) on the wheel hub (101).

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