Airless Tire Assembly Flexing Inwardly to Reduce Soil Disturbance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic tires used in mobile irrigation systems and similar equipment require frequent maintenance, which is inconvenient due to their location in remote areas, and alternatives like tireless wheels cause excessive ground disturbance.
Innovation Solution
A wheel and tire assembly featuring a rigid wheel with a flexible, airless tire that flexes inwardly in response to ground pressure, minimizing soil disturbance and eliminating the need for air maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pneumatic tires are used, then the wheel assembly provides good ground contact and reduces ground penetration, but the tires require periodic maintenance including air pressure adjustment and repair
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the pneumatic air chamber from the tire structure, extracting the source of maintenance problems (air pressure loss, punctures) while retaining the flexible outer tire component that provides ground contact. This creates an airless tire that eliminates the need for air pressure adjustment and repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the tire from pneumatic (air-filled) to solid flexible material, fundamentally altering how the tire maintains its shape and provides ground contact. The flexible material inherently resists deformation and maintains structural integrity without requiring air pressure.
2Reliability
If tireless wheels are used, then tire maintenance and repair are eliminated, but the wheels are rigid and cause greater ground penetration and soil disturbance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible tire shell made of elastomeric or polymeric material that covers the rigid wheel. This flexible shell conforms to ground contours, distributes load over a larger area, and reduces ground penetration and soil disturbance while maintaining the maintenance-free advantage of airless construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel assembly combines a rigid wheel core (providing structural strength and maintenance-free operation) with a flexible tire material layer (providing ground contact and reducing soil disturbance). This composite structure integrates the advantages of both rigid and flexible designs.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible airless tire is used, then ground penetration and soil disturbance are minimized, but the tire structure must accommodate flexing inwardly in response to ground pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the airless tire with inherent flexibility that allows dynamic deformation in response to ground pressure. The flexible material naturally flexes inwardly when contacting the ground and returns to its original shape when pressure is released, accommodating terrain variations without complex mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the viscoelastic properties of flexible materials that change their stiffness and deformation characteristics based on applied pressure and temperature. This allows the tire to be rigid enough for structural support yet flexible enough for ground conforming, reducing soil disturbance without adding structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible airless tire assembly reduces ground penetration and soil disturbance while eliminating the need for air maintenance, providing a durable and low-maintenance solution for agricultural and similar applications.
Implementation Method 1
A central portion of the tire is configured to flex inwardly between the rim portions of the wheel in response to ground engaging pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel and an airless tire configured to present some performance characteristics of a pneumatic tire. The wheel includes a pair of radially outermost axially spaced rim portions, each rim portion including a transversely flat outer surface extending at least partially around the circumference of the wheel. The tire is mounted on the wheel such that the tire engages the outer surfaces of the rim portions of the wheel. A central portion of the tire is configured to flex inwardly between the rim portions of the wheel in response to ground engaging pressure, thus minimizing ground penetration and soil disturbance during use.