Wheel assembly for an irrigation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9290059-B2
Application number	US-201414161151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2014
Priority date	Jan 22, 2014
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

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 include a set of traction lugs for gripping peaks of a corrugated pattern in the ground surface for improved traction.

First claim

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

1. A wheel assembly for traversing a path along a ground surface having a layer of soil, the wheel assembly comprising:
a central support having a plurality of outwardly protruding spokes that define a plurality of recesses therebetween; and
an airless flexible covering mounted on the central support and having a plurality of rigid sections each including an inwardly facing mounting boss for aligning with and engaging the outwardly protruding spokes, a plurality of flexible sections for aligning with the recesses, a plurality of primary traction lugs and a plurality of secondary traction lugs disposed on an outer surface of the airless flexible covering, each primary traction lug being configured to be substantially aligned with a center of one of the recesses, each secondary traction lug being spaced from the primary traction lugs and spaced from adjacent secondary traction lugs a greater distance than from the primary traction lugs,
the outwardly protruding spokes being configured to urge the rigid sections into the layer of soil when the rigid sections contact the ground surface and the recesses being configured to permit the flexible sections to flex inwardly towards the recesses when the flexible sections contact the ground surface so that the rigid sections and the flexible sections cooperatively form a corrugated track in the ground surface without urging the soil to side margins of the airless flexible covering,
the corrugated track having a plurality of valleys formed by the rigid sections and a plurality of spaced peaks formed by the flexible sections, and
the primary traction lugs and the secondary traction lugs being configured to grip the peaks when the flexible sections contact the ground surface.

2. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary traction lugs define a height greater than a height of the secondary traction lugs for maintaining the grip on the peaks.

3. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein each primary traction lug is adjacent at least one of the secondary traction lugs, each secondary traction lug being configured to turn slightly inward towards an adjacent primary traction lug for gripping a side of one of the peaks when the flexible section is urged into the recess.

4. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outwardly protruding spokes each present gradually curved outer edges for preventing the airless flexible covering from developing folds when the flexible sections contact the ground surface.

5. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wheel assembly is configured to automatically rotationally align itself with the corrugated track in the ground surface by slipping until the outwardly protruding spokes engage the valleys of the corrugated track.

6. The wheel assembly of claim 5 , wherein the outwardly protruding spokes are configured to retain the rotational alignment of the wheel assembly with the corrugated track by repeatedly engaging the valleys of the corrugated track.

7. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein each primary traction lug and each secondary traction lug has a middle section having a maximum width and two opposing ends having a minimum width.

8. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airless flexible covering includes a plurality of mounting bosses configured to engage the outwardly protruding spokes for maintaining a rotational alignment with the central support and for preventing the airless flexible covering from shifting laterally with respect to the central support.

9. The wheel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the mounting bosses include a gradually curving contour for reducing wear on the airless flexible covering.

10. The wheel assembly of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the airless flexible covering increases towards the mounting bosses for reducing wear near the mounting bosses.

11. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airless flexible covering has a width of 12.5 inches.

12. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the central support includes 10 outwardly protruding spokes.

13. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airless flexible covering is formed of molded rubber.

14. A support structure of an irrigation system for traversing a path along a ground surface having a layer of soil, the support structure comprising:
a first and a second wheel assembly, each wheel assembly including:
a central support having a plurality of outwardly protruding spokes defining a plurality of recesses therebetween; and
an airless flexible covering mounted on the central support and supported by the outwardly protruding spokes, the airless flexible covering including a plurality of primary traction lugs each configured to be substantially aligned with a center of one of the recesses and a plurality of secondary traction lugs spaced from the primary traction lugs and spaced from adjacent secondary traction lugs a greater distance than from the primary traction lugs, the primary traction lugs defining a height greater than a height of the secondary traction lugs for maintaining the grip on the peaks,
the outwardly protruding spokes being configured to urge the rigid sections into the layer of soil when the rigid sections contact the ground surface and the recesses being configured to permit the flexible sections to flex inwardly towards the recesses when the flexible sections contact the ground surface so that the rigid sections and the flexible sections cooperatively form a corrugated track in the ground surface, the corrugated track having a plurality of valleys formed by the rigid sections and a plurality of spaced peaks formed by the flexible sections, and
the primary traction lugs and the secondary traction lugs being configured to grip the peaks when the flexible sections contact the ground surface,

the central support of the first wheel assembly being configured to be rotationally synchronized with the central support of the second wheel assembly such that the outwardly protruding spokes of the second wheel assembly are configured to engage valleys formed by the outwardly protruding spokes of the first wheel assembly.

15. The support structure of claim 14 , wherein each central support is configured to automatically rotationally align itself with the corrugated track in the ground surface by slipping until the outwardly protruding spokes engage the valleys of the corrugated track.

16. The support structure of claim 14 , wherein the outwardly protruding spokes are configured to retain the rotational alignment with the corrugated track by repeatedly engaging the valleys of the corrugated track.

17. The support structure of claim 14 , wherein the primary traction lugs and the secondary traction lugs assist the outwardly protruding spokes in retaining rotational alignment with the corrugated track by gripping the peaks of the corrugated track.

18. The support structure of claim 14 , wherein the primary traction lugs define a height greater than a height of the secondary traction lugs for maintaining the grip on the peaks.

19. The support structure of claim 14 , wherein each primary traction lug is adjacent at least one of the secondary traction lugs, each secondary traction lug being configured to turn slightly inward towards an adjacent primary traction lug for gripping a side of one of the peaks when the flexible section is urged into the recess.

20. A wheel assembly for traversing a path alo

Assignees

• Lindsay Corp

Inventors

• Fredenburg Michael S
• Korus Thomas J

Classifications

• B60C11/0311 Primary

  Patterns comprising tread lugs arranged parallel or oblique to the axis of rotation · CPC title

• B60C7/00

  Non-inflatable or solid tyres (B60C1/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60C7/24

  characterised by means for securing tyres on rim or wheel body · CPC title

• B60B15/02

  Wheels with spade lugs · CPC title

• B60C7/18

  disposed radially relative to wheel axis · CPC title