A foldable wheel includes a double hub, a rim with rubberized sectors, and spokes pivotly connecting each hub with the sectors of the rim. The sectors of the rim can be figured, starting from an extended condition of forming the wheel in which the hubs are mutually approached, in a collapsed condition in which the hubs are mutually spaced apart along the wheel axis. The spokes are pivoted to the hubs substantially on the wheel axis and in the collapsed condition the sectors of the rim extend longitudinally between the two hubs.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a bearing device for wheels, the bearing device for wheels being configured so as to reduce an amount of deformation of an opening of an outer member while minimizing an increase of an overall the weight, thus preventing a deterioration in rolling fatigue life. A bearing device for wheels is provided with: an outer member having double-row outer rolling surfaces; a hub ring having a wheel mounting flange and having a small-diameter stepped section; and an inner member constituted by at least one inner ring press-fitted over the small-diameter stepped section, the inner member having double-row inner rolling surfaces facing the double-row outer rolling surfaces. A band-shaped section having a predetermined band width and protruding radially by a protrusion amount is formed on at least a part of the wheel mounting flange-side outer peripheral portion of the opening of the outer member.

A wheel bearing for a motor vehicle is provided with an outer ring, an inner ring arranged at least partially inside the outer ring, and with a longitudinal axis extending in the axial direction of the outer ring and of the inner ring from a vehicle inner side to a vehicle outer side. The inner ring is provided with a flange section on its end facing the vehicle inner side having a first section at the point that is farthest from axial center of the outer ring, and with a second section which forms a contact surface for attaching a brake disk. The flange section is formed stepped in such a way, so that the contact surface for attaching the brake disk is arranged offset relative to the section of the flange section at the farthest point from the axial center of the outer ring in the axial direction toward the vehicle inner side, and so that an at least a partially circumferential projection is located on the side opposite the contact surface for attaching the brake disk.

A caster whose overall height can be reduced. A caster includes a wheel, a wheel support portion having a plate shape provided with an opening where the wheel is disposed and rotatably supporting the wheel, and a swivel mechanism portion that holds an outer peripheral portion of the opening in the wheel support portion in a horizontally swivelable manner.

Embodiments of wheel spoking systems and methods of manufacturing and installing. An electrically motorized wheel can include a wheel rim, a wheel hub, and a plurality of wheel spokes connecting the wheel rim to the wheel hub wherein first and second ends of each of the plurality of wheel spokes are connected to the wheel rim and a curved portion of each of the plurality of wheel spokes interface with curved spoke pockets of the wheel hub.

An eddy current magnetic braking device includes two outer elements surrounding a central element in relative movement with respect to the two outer elements, the central element being made of an electrically conductive material, the two outer elements having first faces facing opposite second faces of the central element and each of the two outer elements including plural magnets for emitting, via the first faces, a magnetic flow that generates in the central element eddy currents when the two outer elements are in relative movement. The plural magnets are arranged in such a way that the two outer elements attract each other. The central element has a thickness such that a skin effect is generated from each face of the central element over more than half the thickness of the central element over at least a range of possible relative speeds of the central element relative to the two outer elements.

A braking device includes one or more stationary elements and one movable element that is movable with respect to the one or more stationary elements, the moveable element being made of an electrically conductive material, one or the one or more stationary elements including magnets capable of generating eddy currents in the movable element, when the one or more stationary elements and the movable element are in relative movement. The magnets include first magnets and second magnets disposed alternating, the first magnets having a first magnetization vector and each of the second magnets having a second magnetization vector, and the magnets have widths such that the first magnets are spaced apart in pairs by a first distance that is less than a second distance separating the second magnets in pairs, and the length of the second magnets being around 70% of the length of the first magnets.

A spare wheel assembly comprising a tire and a rim to which the tire is attached is disclosed. The rim includes a center mounting plate having a center bore, inner and outer opposed flanges, and a disk between the center bore and the flanges. The disk includes a pair of elongated, curved slots formed on opposite sides of the center bore. Each of the slots is an ergonomically-formed hand hold for receiving fingers of an operator's hand. The inner and outer opposed flanges of the rim define perimeters of the rim between which the tire is held. The curved slots are concentric with respect to the perimeter of the outer flange and with respect to the center bore. A centerline is formed radially through the assembly. The disk is positioned on one side of the centerline and the mounting plate is positioned on the other side of the centerline.