Wheel with an in-wheel suspension system, and suspension member thereof. Wheel includes: stationary member including an axis, rotary member rotatable about the axis, and selective suspension system. The selective suspension system has at least one suspension member positioned between the stationary member and the rotary member, thereby providing a fixed distance therebetween, and retains the fixed distance when stressed up to a threshold value, and recoverably alters the fixed distance when stressed over the threshold value. The suspension member includes: cylindrical housing, piston slidably movable in the cylindrical housing, and compression spring whose first end is connected to the piston and second end is connected to the housing. The compression spring, when fully relaxed or compressed under the threshold value, maintains the housing and piston at a normally fixed distance. Applicable to wheelchairs and bicycles, among other self-propelled and powered vehicles.

A wheel connectable to a vehicle. The wheel includes a stationary member having an axis, a rotary member rotatable about the axis, and at least one support member positioned between the stationary member and the rotary member, thereby providing a normally fixed distance therebetween. The support member is adapted to retain the distance when stressed up to a threshold value and to recoverably alter the distance when stressed over the threshold value.

A wheel includes an outer wheel ring, a hub at least one support device supporting the outer wheel ring on the hub, and an adjustment device configured to adjust the hub relative to the outer wheel ring, wherein the support device has multiple support elements which extend between the hub and the wheel ring, and wherein the support elements are arranged three-dimensionally such that the hub can be adjusted in five degrees of freedom relative to the outer wheel ring.

A wheel assembly for a vehicle may include an inner rim to be coupled to the vehicle, and an outer rim surrounding the inner rim. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. Each of the gas springs may include a gas cylinder body, and a gas piston including a hollow piston shaft and an enlarged piston head coupled thereto. The enlarged piston head may be slideably moveable within the gas cylinder body and define first and second gas cylinder chambers on opposing first and second sides of the enlarged piston head. The enlarged piston head may have an orifice therethrough permitting gas flow between the first gas cylinder chamber and the hollow piston shaft.

A wheel assembly for a vehicle may include an inner rim to be coupled to the vehicle, and an outer rim surrounding the inner rim. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. Each of the gas springs may include a gas cylinder body, and a gas piston including a hollow piston shaft and an enlarged piston head coupled thereto. The enlarged piston head may be slideably moveable within the gas cylinder body and define first and second gas cylinder chambers on opposing first and second sides of the enlarged piston head. The enlarged piston head may have an orifice therethrough permitting gas flow between the first gas cylinder chamber and the hollow piston shaft.

A wheel with a suspension system being connectable to a vehicle, like a wheel chair. The wheel includes a hub and a rim rotatable about the axle of the hub. Between the hub and the rim, a number of support members is located. The support members are adapted to retain the distance when stressed up to a threshold value and recoverly alter the distanced when stressed over this threshold value. Exemplary support members are spring elements, damping strokes by compression if the support member is compressed or elongated. The spring elements may be preloaded.

A wheel with a suspension system being connectable to a vehicle, like a wheel chair. The wheel includes a hub and a rim rotatable about the axle of the hub. Between the hub and the rim, a number of support members is located. The support members are adapted to retain the distance when stressed up to a threshold value and recoverly alter the distanced when stressed over this threshold value. Exemplary support members are spring elements, damping strokes by compression if the support member is compressed or elongated. The spring elements may be preloaded.

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 inner rim, 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. Each of the gas springs may include a gas cylinder having an inner surface, and a piston movable within the gas cylinder. The piston may include a shaft, a piston head coupled to the shaft and having at least one recess therein, and at least one biasing member within the at least one recess. Each gas spring may also include at least one damping member adjacent the at least one biasing member and within the at least one recess to frictionally engage the inner surface of the gas cylinder.

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 inner rim, 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. Each of the gas springs may include a gas cylinder having an inner surface, and a piston movable within the gas cylinder. The piston may include a shaft, a piston head coupled to the shaft and having at least one recess therein, and at least one biasing member within the at least one recess. Each gas spring may also include at least one damping member adjacent the at least one biasing member and within the at least one recess to frictionally engage the inner surface of the gas cylinder.

A hub mechanism includes a hub body and multiple piston assemblies. The hub body defines multiple piston chambers and multiple piston hole sets, each piston hole set includes multiple piston holes, and each piston chamber is communicated with the corresponding piston hole set's multiple piston holes. The outer peripheral wall of the hub body is used for connecting to the driving buffer assembly. Each piston assembly includes a piston plate and multiple piston unit columns, with multiple piston unit columns arranged in parallel and connected to the piston plate. The piston plate of each piston assembly is located within the corresponding piston chamber and is slidably connected to the hub body. The multiple piston unit columns correspond one-to-one with the multiple piston holes of the respective piston hole sets, with each piston unit column being slidably connected to the hub body.