Embodiments of collapsible wheels and methods of making collapsible wheels are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Embodiments of collapsible wheels and methods of making collapsible wheels are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

In a non-pneumatic tire according to the present invention, a plurality of curved portions (21d to 21f and 22d to 22f) curved in a tire circumferential direction are formed on elastic coupling plates (21 and 22) in an extending direction in which the elastic coupling plates (21 and 22) extend in a tire side view when the non-pneumatic tire 1 is viewed from a tire width direction, curvature directions of the curved portions (21d to 21f and 22d to 22f) adjacent to each other in the extending direction are opposite to each other, the size or thickness in the tire width direction and a transverse section area of the elastic coupling plates (21 and 22) are the minimum at one of a plurality of inflection portions (21g, 21h, 22g, and 22h) positioned between curved portions adjacent to each other in the extending direction of the elastic coupling plates (21 and 22), and the size or thickness in the tire width direction and the transverse section area of the elastic coupling plates (21 and 22) gradually decrease in the extending direction from opposite sides toward one inflection portion (21h and 22h).

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.

[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.

The present invention provides a non-pneumatic tire which is provided with an attachment body (11) attached to an axle, a ring-shaped body (13) which surrounds the attachment body (11) from the outside in a tire radial direction, and a coupling member (15) which displaceably couples the attachment body (11) and the ring-shaped body (13), wherein the coupling member (15) is formed of a synthetic resin material and a reinforcing member is embedded in the coupling member (15).

The present invention provides a non-pneumatic tire which is provided with an attachment body (11) attached to an axle, a ring-shaped body (13) which surrounds the attachment body (11) from the outside in a tire radial direction, and a coupling member (15) which displaceably couples the attachment body (11) and the ring-shaped body (13), wherein the coupling member (15) is formed of a synthetic resin material and a reinforcing member is embedded in the coupling member (15).

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

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