A deformable wheel with non-pneumatic load bearing intended to equip a vehicle for rolling under extreme conditions such as those encountered on the moon and on Mars, includes a hub, a laminated annular strip including a plurality of concentric ferrules which are assembled with the interposition of interposing layers each composed of a material whose Young's modulus is 600,000 to 1,000 times lower than that of the ferrules, and a plurality of metal cables. Each cable connects the hub to the laminated strip while being fixed, on the one hand by an external end to the laminated strip, and on the other hand by an internal end to the hub by means of an elastic member making it possible to modulate the radial stiffness of the cables. Each elastic member is associated with an abutment able to limit its deformation.

A deformable wheel with non-pneumatic load bearing intended to equip a vehicle for rolling under extreme conditions such as those encountered on the moon and on Mars, includes a hub, a laminated annular strip including a plurality of concentric ferrules which are assembled with the interposition of interposing layers each composed of a material whose Young's modulus is 600,000 to 1,000 times lower than that of the ferrules, and a plurality of metal cables. Each cable connects the hub to the laminated strip while being fixed, on the one hand by an external end to the laminated strip, and on the other hand by an internal end to the hub by means of an elastic member making it possible to modulate the radial stiffness of the cables. Each elastic member is associated with an abutment able to limit its deformation.

[Technical Field] The present invention relates to a wheel deformation mechanism and a structure of a vehicular shock-absorbing device using the mechanism. [Technical Problem] In the conventional suspension device, there are problems that a vibration damping effect for an in-wheel motor vehicle is too low to alleviate an impact on the wheel and that a mounting space is required on the vehicle body side. There is a problem that since the conventional tire is poor in ability to absorb distortion of a contact patch caused by turning, the contact patch of the wheel is subjected to horizontal friction at the time of direction change. [Solution] An expansion and contraction mechanism as shown in FIG. 1 that connects two rotors and a band-shaped tread by a movable arm is incorporated in a wheel, [Main Use of Invention] The vehicle wheel is expanded and contracted by a rotation speed difference between the two rotors so as to control the posture of the vehicle body.

[Technical Field] The present invention relates to a wheel deformation mechanism and a structure of a vehicular shock-absorbing device using the mechanism. [Technical Problem] In the conventional suspension device, there are problems that a vibration damping effect for an in-wheel motor vehicle is too low to alleviate an impact on the wheel and that a mounting space is required on the vehicle body side. There is a problem that since the conventional tire is poor in ability to absorb distortion of a contact patch caused by turning, the contact patch of the wheel is subjected to horizontal friction at the time of direction change. [Solution] An expansion and contraction mechanism as shown in FIG. 1 that connects two rotors and a band-shaped tread by a movable arm is incorporated in a wheel, [Main Use of Invention] The vehicle wheel is expanded and contracted by a rotation speed difference between the two rotors so as to control the posture of the vehicle body.

Segmented wheels offer advantages in storage space of closely packed segments as compared to whole wheels. Individually damaged or worn segments may be replaced in the field with little or no need for jacks or cranes to support the rest of the vehicle, and entire wheels may be replaced or reconfigured from one tread type to another by swapping out segments not in contact with the ground and then driving the vehicle a distance which is a fraction of the circumference of its wheels to expose the remaining segments for retrofit. Segments may be freely supported by rigid or compliant spokes or may be bound together by straps or designed to interlock with adjacent segments. Embodiments of the invention may be made in any size range including applications for bicycles, agricultural machinery, cars, trucks and mining machinery and vehicles.

Segmented wheels offer advantages in storage space of closely packed segments as compared to whole wheels. Individually damaged or worn segments may be replaced in the field with little or no need for jacks or cranes to support the rest of the vehicle, and entire wheels may be replaced or reconfigured from one tread type to another by swapping out segments not in contact with the ground and then driving the vehicle a distance which is a fraction of the circumference of its wheels to expose the remaining segments for retrofit. Segments may be freely supported by rigid or compliant spokes or may be bound together by straps or designed to interlock with adjacent segments. Embodiments of the invention may be made in any size range including applications for bicycles, agricultural machinery, cars, trucks and mining machinery and vehicles.

A method of mounting a non-pneumatic tire (102) onto a hub (300) to provide a non-pneumatic wheel (100). Certain portions of spokes (106) of the non-pneumatic tire (102) are connected to grooves (318) along the hub (300). The tire (102) is repeatedly rotated and deformed to allow the remaining portions of the spokes (106) to be connected with the grooves (318) in order to fully mount the non-pneumatic tire (102) onto the hub (300).

A method of mounting a non-pneumatic tire (102) onto a hub (300) to provide a non-pneumatic wheel (100). Certain portions of spokes (106) of the non-pneumatic tire (102) are connected to grooves (318) along the hub (300). The tire (102) is repeatedly rotated and deformed to allow the remaining portions of the spokes (106) to be connected with the grooves (318) in order to fully mount the non-pneumatic tire (102) onto the hub (300).

A non-pneumatic tire (11), includes: a mount body (111) that is mounted on a shaft (S); an outer cylindrical body (113) encircling the mount body from outside thereof in a radial direction of the tire; connecting members (115) arranged in a circumferential direction of the tire therebetween and connecting the mount body and the outer cylindrical body such that the mount body and the outer cylindrical body are resiliently movable relative to each other; and a cylindrical tread portion (116) encircling the outer cylindrical body from outside thereof in the radial direction of the tire. In addition, the outline of a cross-section of an outer surface (116c) of a central area (129) of the tread portion taken in a width direction of the tire is a curved line bulging outward in the radial direction of the tire, and the central area includes at least a tire equator (E).

A non-pneumatic tire (11), includes: a mount body (111) that is mounted on a shaft (S); an outer cylindrical body (113) encircling the mount body from outside thereof in a radial direction of the tire; connecting members (115) arranged in a circumferential direction of the tire therebetween and connecting the mount body and the outer cylindrical body such that the mount body and the outer cylindrical body are resiliently movable relative to each other; and a cylindrical tread portion (116) encircling the outer cylindrical body from outside thereof in the radial direction of the tire. In addition, the outline of a cross-section of an outer surface (116c) of a central area (129) of the tread portion taken in a width direction of the tire is a curved line bulging outward in the radial direction of the tire, and the central area includes at least a tire equator (E).