A wheel and tire assembly for a mobile vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes an inner central rim, a flexible ring mounted on the inner central rim, and a spoke structure extending between the inner central rim and the flexible ring. The spoke structure defines a plurality of cavities and alternating radially extending openings disposed concentrically about the inner central rim and allowing the flexible ring to deflect under load. The spoke structure further defines a plurality of triangular openings disposed at the flexible ring and between the cavities and the inlet openings.

A method for manufacturing a wheel hub (300) for a non-pneumatic wheel (100). A sheet (332) of material may be folded, cut, bent, and otherwise processed to form portions of the desired wheel hub(300). The wheel hub (300) may be connected with an annular band (108) through load supporting members (106) that can be selectively connected and disconnected from the hub (300).

A wheel and tire assembly for a mobile vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes an inner central rim, a flexible ring mounted on the inner central rim, and a spoke structure extending between the inner central rim and the flexible ring. The spoke structure defines a plurality of cavities and alternating radially extending openings disposed concentrically about the inner central rim and allowing the flexible ring to deflect under load. The spoke structure further defines a plurality of triangular openings disposed at the flexible ring and between the cavities and the inlet openings.

A wheel and tire assembly for a mobile vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes an inner central rim, a flexible ring mounted on the inner central rim, and a spoke structure extending between the inner central rim and the flexible ring. The spoke structure defines a plurality of cavities and alternating radially extending openings disposed concentrically about the inner central rim and allowing the flexible ring to deflect under load. The spoke structure further defines a plurality of triangular openings disposed at the flexible ring and between the cavities and the inlet openings.

A cassette for a bicycle may include a plurality of sprocket portions joined together into a single unit. The cassette may include a cavity formed in the large end of the cassette. A related manufacturing method may include joining a first generally planar sprocket portion having a plurality of connector portions extending transverse to the plane of the first sprocket portion, to a second generally planar sprocket portion, e.g., by fusing at least one of the connector portions to the second sprocket portion.

A wheel and tire assembly for a mobile vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes an inner central rim, a flexible ring mounted on the inner central rim, and a spoke structure extending between the inner central rim and the flexible ring. The spoke structure defines a plurality of cavities and alternating radially extending openings disposed concentrically about the inner central rim and allowing the flexible ring to deflect under load. The spoke structure further defines a plurality of triangular openings disposed at the flexible ring and between the cavities and the inlet openings.

A wheel assembly for traversing a path along a ground surface having a layer of soil, the wheel assembly comprising a central support and an airless flexible covering mounted on the central support and having a plurality of rigid sections and a plurality of flexible sections. The outwardly protruding spokes urge the rigid sections into the layer of soil when the rigid sections contact the ground surface. The flexible sections flex inwardly when the flexible sections contact the ground surface so that the rigid sections and the flexible sections cooperatively form a corrugated pattern in the ground surface without urging the soil to side margins of the airless flexible covering, the corrugated pattern having a plurality of valleys formed by the rigid sections and a plurality of peaks formed by the flexible sections.

A cassette for a bicycle may include a plurality of sprocket portions joined together into a single unit. The cassette may include a cavity formed in the large end of the cassette. A related manufacturing method may include joining a first generally planar sprocket portion having a plurality of connector portions extending transverse to the plane of the first sprocket portion, to a second generally planar sprocket portion, e.g., by fusing at least one of the connector portions to the second sprocket portion.