An off-highway vehicle may include an off-highway vehicle frame and a motor carried by the off-highway vehicle frame. The off-highway vehicle may also include wheel assemblies rotatably coupled to the off-highway vehicle frame without an intervening vehicle suspension and at least some of the wheel assemblies being driven by the motor. Each of the wheel assemblies may include an inner rim coupled to the hub, an outer rim surrounding the inner rim, and gas springs coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner and outer rims.

An off-highway vehicle may include an off-highway vehicle frame and a motor carried by the off-highway vehicle frame. The off-highway vehicle may also include wheel assemblies rotatably coupled to the off-highway vehicle frame without an intervening vehicle suspension and at least some of the wheel assemblies being driven by the motor. Each of the wheel assemblies may include an inner rim coupled to the hub, an outer rim surrounding the inner rim, and gas springs coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner and outer rims.

A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle, an outer rim surrounding the hub, and gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension permitting relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. The wheel assembly may also include a sidewall cover assembly that includes an inner sidewall cover coupled to the inner rim and extending radially outward toward the outer rim. The sidewall cover assembly may also include an outer sidewall cover coupled to the outer rim and extending radially inward toward the inner rim and in sliding overlapping relation with the inner sidewall cover permitting relative movement between the inner sidewall cover and the outer sidewall cover.

A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle, an outer rim surrounding the hub, and gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension permitting relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. The wheel assembly may also include a sidewall cover assembly that includes an inner sidewall cover coupled to the inner rim and extending radially outward toward the outer rim. The sidewall cover assembly may also include an outer sidewall cover coupled to the outer rim and extending radially inward toward the inner rim and in sliding overlapping relation with the inner sidewall cover permitting relative movement between the inner sidewall cover and the outer sidewall cover.

An adjustable airless tire with an air sac within a wheel includes an air sac located within a wheel to transfer a load of a vehicle from a ground contacting area of a tire to whole walls of the tire through a plurality of spoke structure of rods that connect with the walls of the air sac and the tire. A sensor detects a tension of the tire and a variation of a tension during driving. A control component adjusts the tension of the tire according the load of the vehicle and road conditions to improve its fuel efficiency, comfortability, controllability and safety. A rim of the wheel keeps an appropriate distance from the tire to limit the maximal level of upward movement of the rods. A transversely curved tire mounted to the rim of the wheel to form closed space between the tire and the wheel.

An adjustable airless tire with an air sac within a wheel includes an air sac located within a wheel to transfer a load of a vehicle from a ground contacting area of a tire to whole walls of the tire through a plurality of spoke structure of rods that connect with the walls of the air sac and the tire. A sensor detects a tension of the tire and a variation of a tension during driving. A control component adjusts the tension of the tire according the load of the vehicle and road conditions to improve its fuel efficiency, comfortability, controllability and safety. A rim of the wheel keeps an appropriate distance from the tire to limit the maximal level of upward movement of the rods. A transversely curved tire mounted to the rim of the wheel to form closed space between the tire and the wheel.

This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, the wheel having a hub and a rim concentrically mounted to the hub, a plurality of deformable chambers (6) disposed outwardly of the rim, each chamber extending about a discreet portion of the wheel and containing a transition substance (15), and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) within each chamber (6) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.

This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, the wheel having a hub and a rim concentrically mounted to the hub, a plurality of deformable chambers (6) disposed outwardly of the rim, each chamber extending about a discreet portion of the wheel and containing a transition substance (15), and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) within each chamber (6) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.

This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, a deformable chamber (6) containing a transition substance (15) comprising jamming particles and an interstitial gas, and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state by evacuation of the interstitial gas in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.

This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, a deformable chamber (6) containing a transition substance (15) comprising jamming particles and an interstitial gas, and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state by evacuation of the interstitial gas in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.