A wheel for a vehicle, such as a forklift (e.g., an electric forklift) or another material-handling vehicle, in which the wheel comprises a tire (e.g., a non-pneumatic tire) and may be designed to enhance its use and performance and/or use and performance of the vehicle, including, for example, to exhibit less rolling resistance, be more energy-efficient and/or allow the vehicle to travel faster and/or with improved ride comfort. For instance, elastic deformation of the wheel as it rolls may be better managed (e.g., reduced), which may improve thermal behavior of the wheel and/or may be combined with ways to better distribute or dissipate heat (e.g., by increasing thermal conductivity).

A wheel for a vehicle, such as a forklift (e.g., an electric forklift) or another material-handling vehicle, in which the wheel comprises a tire (e.g., a non-pneumatic tire) and may be designed to enhance its use and performance and/or use and performance of the vehicle, including, for example, to exhibit less rolling resistance, be more energy-efficient and/or allow the vehicle to travel faster and/or with improved ride comfort. For instance, elastic deformation of the wheel as it rolls may be better managed (e.g., reduced), which may improve thermal behavior of the wheel and/or may be combined with ways to better distribute or dissipate heat (e.g., by increasing thermal conductivity).

The present invention is directed to airless tires. Exemplary airless tires include a hub configured for attachment to an axle and includes a hub support extending away from the hub. Such exemplary airless tires also include a heel configured around the hub and connected at a distal end of the hub support, whereby the heel includes an elastomer base oriented in a ring around a circumference of the hub support. Such exemplary airless tires also include elastomeric tubes extending radially outward from the heel. Other exemplary airless tires include a centerless hub assembly configured for attachment to an axle and a heel configured around the centerless hub assembly. The heel in such exemplary airless tires includes an elastomer base oriented in a ring around a circumference of the centerless hub assembly. These other exemplary airless tires include elastomeric tubes extending radially outward from the heel.

A non-pneumatic tire includes a plurality of axially adjacent wheel portions. Each wheel portion has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a flexible, interconnected web extending between the inner ring and the outer ring. The flexible, interconnected web includes a plurality of web sectors disposed circumferentially about the tire to form a generally annular web. Each of the plurality of web sectors is hingedly connected to a pair of oppositely adjacent web sectors.

The present invention is directed to airless tires. Exemplary airless tires include a hub configured for attachment to an axle and includes a hub support extending away from the hub. Such exemplary airless tires also include a heel configured around the hub and connected at a distal end of the hub support, whereby the heel includes an elastomer base oriented in a ring around a circumference of the hub support. Such exemplary airless tires also include elastomeric tubes extending radially outward from the heel. Other exemplary airless tires include a centerless hub assembly configured for attachment to an axle and a heel configured around the centerless hub assembly. The heel in such exemplary airless tires includes an elastomer base oriented in a ring around a circumference of the centerless hub assembly. These other exemplary airless tires include elastomeric tubes extending radially outward from the heel.

A tire having a central axis and a radius further includes a circumferential tread having a convex cross-section. The convex cross-section is defined by a radius that is less than a maximum radius of the tire. A pair of sidewalls extends from opposite sides of the circumferential tread. Each of the pair of sidewalls has a concave cross-section that is defined by a radius that is greater than a maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the circumferential tread.

A tire having a central axis and a radius further includes a circumferential tread having a convex cross-section. The convex cross-section is defined by a radius that is less than a maximum radius of the tire. A pair of sidewalls extends from opposite sides of the circumferential tread. Each of the pair of sidewalls has a concave cross-section that is defined by a radius that is greater than a maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the circumferential tread.

A non-pneumatic tire includes beads, apexes, an inner liner, a cushion ply, a tread rubber, sidewall rubbers, and a first carcass ply; and further includes sidewall support layers and a crown support layer. The sidewall support layers are located at the locations of sidewalls and interposed between the inner liner and the first carcass ply. The crown support layer is located at the location of a crown, and interposed between the inner liner and the first carcass ply or between the first carcass ply and the cushion ply. Both ends of the crown support layer respectively extend toward the sidewalls and are partly overlapped with the sidewall support layers.

A non-pneumatic tire having a block type reinforcement configuration includes: a tread unit that forms an outer portion of the tire and comes in contact with a road surface; a wheel unit that is connected to an axle; a spoke unit that is formed between the tread unit and the wheel unit; and a block type reinforcement unit that includes a block formed inside the tread unit in the circumferential direction of the tread unit, and a plurality of reinforcing members formed in the block to correspond to the shape of the block.

A non-pneumatic tire having a block type reinforcement configuration includes: a tread unit that forms an outer portion of the tire and comes in contact with a road surface; a wheel unit that is connected to an axle; a spoke unit that is formed between the tread unit and the wheel unit; and a block type reinforcement unit that includes a block formed inside the tread unit in the circumferential direction of the tread unit, and a plurality of reinforcing members formed in the block to correspond to the shape of the block.