An airless tire includes an inner wheel including flanges having fin fastening holes, an outer wheel receiving the inner wheel and including a tread part molded into the outer surface of a drum with at least one of through holes and irregularities to be united with the drum, with the inner periphery of the tread part embedded in the through holes or irregularities, a middle wheel including elastomers, a peripheral part having fin fastening holes and formed on the inner periphery of the elastomers, and ribs in the middle of the elastomers, a fixing device attaching the inside of the outer wheel to the outside of the middle wheel and then detachably uniting the middle wheel and the outer wheel, and coupling fins that allow the inner wheel and the middle wheel to be detachably held together by being inserted through the fin fastening holes and the fin fastening holes.

An airless tire includes an inner wheel including flanges having fin fastening holes, an outer wheel receiving the inner wheel and including a tread part molded into the outer surface of a drum with at least one of through holes and irregularities to be united with the drum, with the inner periphery of the tread part embedded in the through holes or irregularities, a middle wheel including elastomers, a peripheral part having fin fastening holes and formed on the inner periphery of the elastomers, and ribs in the middle of the elastomers, a fixing device attaching the inside of the outer wheel to the outside of the middle wheel and then detachably uniting the middle wheel and the outer wheel, and coupling fins that allow the inner wheel and the middle wheel to be detachably held together by being inserted through the fin fastening holes and the fin fastening holes.

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 inner rim. The wheel assembly may include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim and tread assemblies carried by the outer rim.

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. Gas springs may be operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim and permitting relative movement therebetween. The wheel assembly may also include a sensor configured to sense the relative movement between the inner and outer rims.

The present invention provides an annular beam of monolithic construction of one homogeneous material and a related efficient, low-cost non-pneumatic tire. Specific geometric design, combined with nonlinear elastomer physical properties, enable the suppression of all reinforcing belts, continuous fibers, or other strengthening layers in the annular beam. The annular beam consists of at least two bands that are continuous in the circumferential direction and connected by a web geometry. The non-pneumatic tire consists of the annular beam, a ground contacting portion, a central wheel, and a plurality of web spokes that connect the wheel and beam. When the tire is loaded to a design load against a flat surface over a design contact length, a contact area of essentially uniform pressure is produced, while the load is transmitted from the beam to the hub via tension in the web spokes. The tire can be economically manufactured.

The present invention provides an annular beam of monolithic construction of one homogeneous material and a related efficient, low-cost non-pneumatic tire. Specific geometric design, combined with nonlinear elastomer physical properties, enable the suppression of all reinforcing belts, continuous fibers, or other strengthening layers in the annular beam. The annular beam consists of at least two bands that are continuous in the circumferential direction and connected by a web geometry. The non-pneumatic tire consists of the annular beam, a ground contacting portion, a central wheel, and a plurality of web spokes that connect the wheel and beam. When the tire is loaded to a design load against a flat surface over a design contact length, a contact area of essentially uniform pressure is produced, while the load is transmitted from the beam to the hub via tension in the web spokes. The tire can be economically manufactured.

A system for adjusting the compliance of a wheel is provided. In one embodiment, wheel segments are adjusted, causing the stiffness of the wheel to change. Such adjustments can be made while the wheel is rotating, allowing the wheel compliance to be changed while a vehicle is in motion.

A system for adjusting the compliance of a wheel is provided. In one embodiment, wheel segments are adjusted, causing the stiffness of the wheel to change. Such adjustments can be made while the wheel is rotating, allowing the wheel compliance to be changed while a vehicle is in motion.

A non-pneumatic wheel having one or more features for protecting edges of a support structure located radially between a wheel hub and an annular shear band. A softer material is provided along certain edges of the support structure for providing resistance to damages from incidental impact. One or more electrically conductive features may also be provided to reduce or prevent the accumulation of electrical charge on a vehicle using the non-pneumatic wheel.

A non-pneumatic wheel having one or more features for protecting edges of a support structure located radially between a wheel hub and an annular shear band. A softer material is provided along certain edges of the support structure for providing resistance to damages from incidental impact. One or more electrically conductive features may also be provided to reduce or prevent the accumulation of electrical charge on a vehicle using the non-pneumatic wheel.