A puncture resistant wheel apparatus, and method of use, for safely climbing obstacles are disclosed herein. A plurality of wheel apparatuses is mounted on a vehicle (e.g. a wheelchair, cart, mountain bicycle, etc.) to enable it to safely traverse obstacles, such as a flight of stairs, road curbs, etc. without slipping, and while creating a smoother ride. Each wheel apparatus comprises: a tire comprising a plurality of teeth sections separated via a thin space to grip an obstacle edge between the teeth; a circular rim attachable to the tire inner surface via T-joints, and a plurality of evenly spaced spokes extending to a central hub; and two hoop rings, mounted on opposing tire sidewalls. The center of each tire tooth section further comprises an elastic unit, comprising a vertical spring and two horizontal springs that further act to dampen the vibrational and jarring forces exerted on the wheel apparatus.

An airless tire includes a cylindrical tread ring having a ground contact surface, a hub disposed radially inward of the tread ring and a plurality of spokes each connecting the tread ring to the hub. The hub includes a disk portion to be fixed to an axle and a cylindrical portion extending in an axial direction of the tire from a radially outer portion of the disk portion. The cylindrical portion includes a radially inner surface being provided with a circumferentially extending projection protruding radially inwardly.

An airless tire includes a cylindrical tread ring having a ground contact surface, a hub disposed radially inward of the tread ring and a plurality of spokes each connecting the tread ring to the hub. The hub includes a disk portion to be fixed to an axle and a cylindrical portion extending in an axial direction of the tire from a radially outer portion of the disk portion. The cylindrical portion includes a radially inner surface being provided with a circumferentially extending projection protruding radially inwardly.

An airless tire includes an inner wheel including flanges having fin fastening holes, an outer wheel receiving the inner wheel and including a tread part molded into the outer surface of a drum with at least one of through holes and irregularities to be united with the drum, with the inner periphery of the tread part embedded in the through holes or irregularities, a middle wheel including elastomers, a peripheral part having fin fastening holes and formed on the inner periphery of the elastomers, and ribs in the middle of the elastomers, a fixing device attaching the inside of the outer wheel to the outside of the middle wheel and then detachably uniting the middle wheel and the outer wheel, and coupling fins that allow the inner wheel and the middle wheel to be detachably held together by being inserted through the fin fastening holes and the fin fastening holes.

The disclosure addresses a series of interactions between wheels and a number of different replaceable tire segments to cover the wheels. The disclosure teaches more than one way to engage the one or more tire segments to wheels and to form seams between ends of the one or more tire segments. The tire segments may be removed and replaced so that the wheels and wheel bearing may be used longer than the useful life of the tire segments.

The disclosure addresses a series of interactions between wheels and a number of different replaceable tire segments to cover the wheels. The disclosure teaches more than one way to engage the one or more tire segments to wheels and to form seams between ends of the one or more tire segments. The tire segments may be removed and replaced so that the wheels and wheel bearing may be used longer than the useful life of the tire segments.

A tire may comprise a hub and a plurality of discrete traction elements coupled to the hub. Each of the traction elements may comprise a backing plate and an elastomeric material bonded to the backing plate. Circumferentially adjacent traction elements may axially overlap.

An apparatus and method of assembling a radially outer portion of a nonpneumatic wheel onto a hub (100) having a plurality of slots (150) extending along an axis, each of the slots (150) arranged in a frustoconical orientation extending from the first end (632) to the second end (634) such that the distance between the slots is greater at the first end than at the second end.

An apparatus and method of assembling a radially outer portion of a nonpneumatic wheel onto a hub (100) having a plurality of slots (150) extending along an axis, each of the slots (150) arranged in a frustoconical orientation extending from the first end (632) to the second end (634) such that the distance between the slots is greater at the first end than at the second end.

A wheel for a non-motorized vehicle (e.g., a shopping cart) can include a housing assembly and a tread assembly. The housing assembly can be configured to sealingly house electronics or other components. The tread assembly can removably mate with the housing assembly such that the electronics or other components remain closed and/or sealed within the housing assembly when the tread assembly is mated or unmated with the housing assembly.