Non-Pneumatic Tire Wheel Assembly With Tapered Locking Ring Mount
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-pneumatic tire designs face challenges in securely and removably attaching to wheels due to material differences between polymeric spokes and wheels, often relying on adhesives which may not provide a reliable or serviceable connection.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a wheel with an outer surface featuring tapers that extend from the inboard to the outboard side, allowing for a secure and removable mounting of the non-pneumatic tire using a locking ring that abuts the wheel and inner liner, enabling easy service and replacement without adhesives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If adhesives are used to bond polymeric spokes to the wheel, then the connection between different materials is achieved, but the reliability and serviceability of the connection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding system (adhesives) with a mechanical bonding system (interlocking tapers and locking features). The tapered surfaces on the wheel and corresponding features on the polymeric spokes create a mechanical interlock that is more reliable and serviceable than adhesive bonds, allowing for potential disassembly and reassembly without degradation of connection strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If adhesives are used to bond polymeric spokes to the wheel, then the connection between different materials is achieved, but the ease of repair and replacement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wheel into separable components with standardized tapered interfaces. The locking ring and tapered features allow the wheel to be disassembled into modular segments (wheel rim, locking ring, and polymeric spokes) that can be independently inspected, repaired, or replaced. This segmentation enables serviceability without requiring complete wheel replacement or complex adhesive removal procedures.
3Reliability
If a secure mounting system is implemented, then the reliability of tire attachment is improved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple mounting functions into an integrated locking ring assembly that simultaneously provides: (1) mechanical interlocking through tapered surfaces, (2) retention through the locking ring, and (3) centering through the conical geometry. This merging of functions achieves secure tire attachment without requiring separate complex subsystems for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel assembly for a non-pneumatic tire includes a wheel including an inboard side, an outboard side, and an outer surface, the outer surface including at least one taper extending from the inboard side to the outboard side, and a locking ring configured to abut against at least one of the inboard side and the outboard side of the wheel and to secure the non-pneumatic tire to the wheel.