A damper assembly for a bicycle wheel assembly may include a first damper configured to be disposed about a hub assembly of the bicycle wheel assembly. The first damper is configured to apply a damping force against a spoke segment of at least one spoke of a plurality of spokes of the bicycle wheel assembly. The first damper includes a first end applying the damping force against the spoke segment.

A method of manufacturing a lightweight wheel with high strength flexible spokes of the present invention, includes providing a rim and hub, and a plurality of lightweight, flexible and resilient spokes between the rim and hub made of fibrous material that causes the spokes to be both lighter in weight and stronger than comparable steel spokes. The wheel includes a nipple within the rim that receives the high strength spoke and allows for flexibility in adapting the spoke to wheels having differing shapes and sizes.

An adjustable airless tire system includes spring-loaded shock absorbers to provide suspension to absorb impact energy and damp spring oscillations; and a metallic hawser loop to transfer the impact energy from the spring-loaded shock absorbers of the ground contact surface of the tire to whole spring-loaded shock absorbers within the tire to maximize their suspension potential. A control component adjusts a tension and a size of the ground contact surface of the tire according to the road conditions, which improve its oil efficiency, comfortability, controllability and safety. An enhanced rim of a wheel keeps an appropriate distance from the tire to protect the spring-loaded shock absorbers and provide limited moving ability for the vehicle if the airless system loses their functions. A curved tire forms a closed space between the tire and the rim to prevent foreign objects from sticking between them.

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 and an outer rim surrounding the hub. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim. The wheel assembly may also include hydraulic dampers operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim.

This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, the wheel having a hub and a rim concentrically mounted to the hub, a plurality of deformable chambers (6) disposed outwardly of the rim, each chamber extending about a discreet portion of the wheel and containing a transition substance (15), and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) within each chamber (6) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.

This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, a deformable chamber (6) containing a transition substance (15) comprising jamming particles and an interstitial gas, and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state by evacuation of the interstitial gas in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.

An axle system includes an axle stub and a clamping unit, the axle stub being formed in a substantially rotationally symmetrical manner about a stub axis, the clamping unit in an assembled state transmitting a clamping force to the axle stub, the clamping unit and the axle stub in the assembled state being secured non-positively to prevent movement relative to one another.

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.

A wheel assembly may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of 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 and permitting relative movement therebetween. The wheel assembly may also include a rigid inboard cover ring coupled to an inboard side of the outer rim and extending radially inward toward the inner rim. A flexible inboard seal may be coupled between the rigid inboard cover ring and the inner rim.

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 and an outer rim surrounding the hub. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension for relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. The wheel assembly may also include a disk coupled to the inner rim. The wheel assembly may also include inboard lateral stops carried by an inboard interior surface of the outer rim, and outboard lateral stops carried by an outboard interior surface of the outer rim so that the inboard lateral stops and the outboard lateral stops cooperate to limit relative lateral movement of the disk and the outer rim.