Wheel Assembly, Method of Manufacture and Use Thereof

Abstract

A wheel assembly and method of assembling the same for use with an airless or non-pneumatic tyre. The assembly includes a rim member and at least one locking or retaining member. The rim member includes a first portion at least part of which is adapted to be attached to an axle in use, and at least part of the locking member is configured to detachably attach to at least part of the first portion of the rim member. Attachment to the rim member assists in retaining the tyre in position on rim member and/or the wheel assembly in use.

Claims

1. A wheel assembly or apparatus suitable for use with an airless or non-pneumatic tyre, said assembly including: a rim member and at least one locking or retaining member, said rim member including a first portion at least part of which is adapted to be attached to an axle in use, and at least part of said locking member is configured to detachably attach to at least part of the first portion of the rim member, wherein attachment to the rim member assists in retaining the tyre in position on rim member and/or the wheel assembly in use.

2. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first portion of the rim member is substantially flat or planar disc.

3. (canceled)

4. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rim member includes one or more second portions which depend from the first portion and provide one or more locations on which at least part of an airless or non-pneumatic tyre can be engaged and/or attached in use.

5. (canceled)

6. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first portion includes one or more formations for attachment to a vehicle axis including one or more apertures through which the rim member can be screwed or bolted to an axle.

7. (canceled)

8. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first portion includes formations for attaching the locking member to the same including one or more apertures through which the rim member can be screwed or bolted to the locking member.

9. (canceled)

10. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the locking member has corresponding formations adapted to align and/or engage with the one or more formations on the rim member.

11. A wheel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the locking member is a substantially flat or planar member.

12. A wheel assembly according to claim 11 wherein the locking member is a disc or ring wherein a further part of said locking member extends beyond an edge or the circumference of the first portion and/or beyond the second portions.

13. (canceled)

14. A wheel assembly according to claim 12 wherein the diameter or radius of the locking member is greater than the diameter or radius of at least the first portion of the ring member.

15. A wheel assembly according to claim 4 wherein the second portion forms a round, circular or substantially cylindrical surface onto which a tyre can be mounted and the rim member second portions form one or more rib portions.

16. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rim member includes one or more second portion or rib portions to engage with at least part of the tyre in use.

17. (canceled)

18. A wheel assembly according to claim 16 wherein the one or more second portions depend substantially inwardly from the first portion of the rim member.

19. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said one or more second portions of the rim member depend inwardly substantially parallel to or adjacent to the axis of the axle on which the wheel assembly and/or rim member is mounted or connected to.

20. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the assembly includes a support portion forming part of, and/or is attached to, the rim member and is a ring or disc.

21. (canceled)

22. A wheel assembly according to claim 20 wherein the support portion is attached to or of engages with at least part of the second portion or rib portions of the rim member.

23. A wheel assembly according to claim 22 wherein the support portion is attached to the second portion a spaced distance from the first portion of the rim member and at least part of the second portion or rib portions extend between the first portion and the support portion.

24. A wheel assembly according to claim 23 wherein the assembly includes a polymeric overmoulding engaged with and/or is attached to the second portion or rib portions.

25-26. (canceled)

27. A wheel assembly according to claim 24 wherein the over-moulding includes a polymer substantially harder than the tyre.

28. A wheel assembly according to claim 27 wherein a relatively softer polyurethane outer tyre is moulded around the harder inner.

29-34. (canceled)

35. A wheel assembly according to claim 28 wherein the inner tyre or over-moulding is polyurethane, polycarbonate, acrylic, abs, nylon and/or polyester moulding or over-moulding.

36. A wheel assembly according to claim 28 wherein the tyre inner or over-moulding includes one or more ridges extending substantially coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the axle, said ridges are wedge shaped and become thinner or taper as they extend towards the end or the axle and/or outer face of a tyre.

37-40. (canceled)

Description

[0054] Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the following figures wherein;

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a complete wheel assembly with tyre in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0056] FIG. 2 shows the wheel assembly with the outer tyre removed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

[0057] FIG. 3 shows the welded rim hard over-mould in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0058] FIG. 4 shows the welded rim in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0059] FIG. 5 shows a hard polyurethane over-mould in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

[0060] FIG. 6 shows a locking ring in accordance with one aspect of the invention; and

[0061] FIGS. 7a and 7b show how the rear tyre support, centre disc and removable locking ring can all be cut from one sheet in accordance with one aspect of the invention.

[0062] Turning initially to FIG. 1 which depicts a complete wheel assembly 2, which is shown with a tyre 4 fitted to the assembly. The tyre 4 in this example is a polyurethane tyre suitable for use on a fork lift truck wheel. The assembly 2 also includes a locking plate 6 which is attached to the outside of the wheel rim 8. The locking plate is used to keep or retain the tyre on the rim in use. The plate 6 is removed in the event the tyre needs changing or replacing due to wear, however the skilled person will appreciate that the wheel manufacture and/or construction disclosed herein is efficient enough to warrant replacement of the entire wheel rather than changing the tyre.

[0063] The tyre construction is in this example formed from two layers, the inner layer being moulded from a harder or toughter polyurethane elastomer, typically circa Shore 70D. This has two functions: 1) to achieve the high dimensional accuracy required for fit to tyre. This has the benefit of eliminating secondary operations to the rim & 2) adds additional strength & integrity. The outer moulding is typically a softer polyurethane construction. FIG. 2 shows the wheel 2 with the outer tyre removed. The rim 8 is shown and the hard elastomeric over-moulding tyre layer 4 is visible. The wedge shaped ridges formed from the hard polyurethane are visible and FIG. 3 shows the same view with the outer locking disc or ring 6 removed. FIG. 5 shows the hard inner or over-moulding in isolation and FIG. 6 shows the locking ring 6 is isolation also.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows the construction of the rim or hub 8 in more detail. The outer portion of the hub includes several inner apertures 10 for receiving bolts to attach the wheel to an axle (not shown). The skilled person will appreciate that the design of the present invention will permit axles having these features, so effectively there could be no rim, just a shaped axle/axle housing, tyre & locking ring. The rim 8 also includes outer apertures 12 through which the locking ring 6 is bolted and an inner ring 14 against which the tyre abuts. In this example the inner ring is attached to the main body of the rim 6 via a number of ribs 16, however the skilled person will appreciate that a substantially cylindrical or curved surface could be used to attach the inner ring 14 to the rib body. The advantage this particular example has is that the rim is strong and relatively light.

[0065] The rim is typically constructed from metal sections, typically steel, welded together. The inner ring 14, outer locking ring 6 and rim 6 body can be punched or cut, preferably laser cut, from a single sheet of material. FIGS. 7a and 7b shown the location of such pieces on a substantially planar sheet of material. The interlocking projections or lugs on the rim and locking ring ensure that once cut the outer ring need only be rotated (15 degrees in this example) such that the apertures 12 align and the pieces bolted together.

[0066] In this example if the rim is treated/coated appropriately, the polyurethane will bond to it giving additional strength. The polyurethane over-moulding also affords significant protection to the rim and offers opportunities for colours, moulded logos etc.