A wheel assembly including a cover portion permanently attached to a wheel. The wheel includes a wheel central hub portion, a wheel outer peripheral rim portion, a plurality of wheel spoke portions extending between the wheel central hub portion and the wheel outer peripheral rim portion, and a plurality of wheel turbine openings disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of wheel spoke portions. A cover portion is configured to overlie a portion of the wheel portion. The cover portion is configured to overlie one or more of the wheel central hub portion; the plurality of wheel spoke portions, and the plurality of turbine openings or the wheel outer periphery. An adhesive is disposed between an outboard surface of the wheel and the inboard surface of the cover portion to permanently secure the cover portion to the wheel portion. When the cover portion is secured to the wheel, substantial portions of the plurality of wheel spokes, the wheel central hub, or wheel outer periphery remain exposed.

A method in accordance with the present invention retreads an air maintenance tire. The method comprises the steps of: grinding remaining tread material from a tire casing for a worn air-maintenance tire; temporarily securing a contoured piece around a structure secured to the inner surface of the tire casing; placing a tread on the tire casing; inflating a bladder within an internal cavity of the tire casing and around the contoured piece whereby the bladder does not contact the structure; securing the tread to the tire casing; deflating the bladder; separating the tire casing and tread secured to the tire casing from the bladder; and removing the contoured piece from the tire casing.

A positioning device for keeping a monitoring device for tyres of vehicle wheels in an installation condition, includes: two separate active portions, each having a main surface the shape of which matches that of a respective portion of an outer surface of a monitoring device, said separate active portions being adapted to cooperate with at least base portions of said monitoring device so that, when said positioning device is associated with said monitoring device, the base portions of said monitoring device are maintained at a given mutual distance by said active portions.

A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel and an airless flexible tire with certain performance characteristics of a pneumatic tire. The rigid wheel includes a central portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting elements removably attached to a radially outer margin of the central portion. The tire is mounted on the wheel and engages the mounting elements such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements are separated radially from the wheel by a space. The tire is configured such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements flex inwardly toward the wheel when subject to ground engaging pressure, thereby minimizing ground penetration and soil disruption. The tire may include one or more tension elements embedded in the tire to increase the tire's strength and resilience.

A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel and an airless flexible tire with certain performance characteristics of a pneumatic tire. The rigid wheel includes a central portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting elements removably attached to a radially outer margin of the central portion. The tire is mounted on the wheel and engages the mounting elements such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements are separated radially from the wheel by a space. The tire is configured such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements flex inwardly toward the wheel when subject to ground engaging pressure, thereby minimizing ground penetration and soil disruption. The tire may include one or more tension elements embedded in the tire to increase the tire's strength and resilience.

An aerodynamically optimized drag-reduction apparatus and method for optimal minimization of the drag-induced resistive forces upon a terrestrial vehicle, where the drag-induced resistive moments on wheel surfaces pivoting about the stationary point of ground contact are reduced, and the vehicle propulsive forces needed to countervail the resistive forces on the wheel are reduced. The drag reduction apparatus includes: a streamlined fairing or wind deflector positioned on a vehicle to shield the faster moving upper wheel surfaces from headwinds; an engine exhaust pipe disposed on a vehicle whereby exhaust gases deflect headwinds to shield the faster moving upper wheel surfaces of an automotive wheel; an automotive spoked wheel having streamlined oval-shaped wheel spokes; a wheel assembly with a streamlined tailfin rotatably attached to a wheel spoke; a wheel with a tapered spoke having a thin aerodynamic profile near the rim and tapering to a round profile toward the central hub; and a tire having streamlined tread blocks arranged in an aerodynamic pattern.

A method for installing a monitoring device in a tire for vehicle wheels, includes: providing a monitoring device including: an electronic unit; a connecting member having an upper structure and a lower structure that, in cooperation, define a housing for the electronic unit, the lower structure including two base portions mutually separated by a separation region, each of the base portions having a respective base surface associable with an inner surface of a tire. The method further includes providing a positioning device including two separate active portions, each having a main surface in the shape of which matches that of a respective portion of an outer surface of the monitoring device, the separate active portions being adapted to cooperate with at least the base portions; associating the positioning device with the monitoring device to keep the monitoring device in an installation condition in which the base portions are maintained at a given mutual distance by the active portions; fastening the base portions to the inner surface of the tire; and removing the positioning device.

A method and apparatus for shielding critical faster-moving upper wheel surfaces from headwinds reduces vehicle propulsive counterforces needed to countervail mechanically magnified upper wheel drag forces combined with drag forces on the apparatus itself. The apparatus includes various upper wheel fairings of FIGS. 1-6. Each fairing shields a critical primary vehicle-drag-inducing upper wheel surface from headwinds otherwise impinging thereon.

The method for the manufacture of a spoke for spoked wheels including a step of forming a head of the spoke at a longitudinal end of the shank thereof by equipment for the plastic deformation of the end of the shank, wherein the plastic deformation is obtained by maintaining the shank in relative rotation to the equipment.

A vehicle exhaust pipe disposed for gases ejected therefrom to divert headwinds from otherwise impinging directly upon critical faster-moving upper wheel surfaces reduces vehicle propulsive counterforces needed to countervail mechanically magnified upper wheel drag forces upon the primary vehicle-drag-inducing upper wheel surfaces.