Wheel and tire assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969218-B2
Application number	US-201615378348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2016
Priority date	Apr 25, 2012
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A wheel assembly comprising a rigid wheel including a radially outer rim wall presenting a polygonal shape with a plurality of outermost vertices connecting a plurality of planar faces, and a flexible tire mounted on the outer rim wall. The tire is supported by the vertices of the rim wall and is separated from the rim faces by a space, portions of the tire located between the vertices being configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure.

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 comprising:
a rigid wheel including an inner hub and a plurality of spoke elements fixedly extending radially outwardly from the hub, each spoke element presenting a planar outer face; and
an outer flexible airless tire mounted on the spoke elements of the rigid wheel such that the outer flexible airless tire is supported by the spoke elements, the outer flexible airless tire having a substantially transversely flat inner side, portions of the outer flexible airless tire located between the spoke elements being configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure, portions of the outer flexible airless tire proximate the planar outer faces being separated from the planar outer faces by a plurality of spaces and configured to flex inwardly towards the planar outer faces in response to ground engaging pressure.

2. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein each spoke element presents a planar radial portion.

3. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hub presents an outer diameter that is less than 75% of the outer diameter of the rigid wheel.

4. A mobile irrigation system tower comprising:
a structure for supporting an irrigation system conduit; and
a plurality of wheel assemblies supporting the structure, each wheel assembly including
a rigid wheel including an inner hub and a plurality of spoke elements fixedly extending radially outwardly from the hub, each spoke element presenting a planar outer face; and
an outer flexible airless tire mounted on the spoke elements of the rigid wheel such that the outer flexible airless tire is supported by the spoke elements, the outer flexible airless tire having a substantially transversely flat inner side, portions of the outer flexible airless tire located between the spoke elements being configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure, portions of the outer flexible airless tire proximate the planar outer faces being separated from the planar outer faces by a plurality of spaces and configured to flex inwardly towards the planar outer faces in response to ground engaging pressure.

5. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 4 , wherein each outer flexible airless tire includes a plurality of traction lugs extending radially outwardly from an outer side of the outer flexible airless tire.

6. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 5 , wherein the traction lugs are spaced circumferentially around the outer flexible airless tire and located on the portions of the outer flexible airless tire configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure.

7. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 4 , wherein each hub presents an outer diameter that is less than 75% of the outer diameter of the rigid wheel.

8. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 4 , wherein each spoke element presents a planar radial portion.

9. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 8 , wherein the planar outer face and the planar radial portion form a T-shaped cross section.

10. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 8 , wherein the planar radial portion includes a proximal end and a distal end, the planar radial portion annularly widening from the proximal end to the distal end.

11. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 4 , wherein each rigid wheel assembly further comprises a plurality of spacers, the spacers being positioned between the outer faces and portions of the outer flexible airless tire proximate the outer faces and being configured to limit the amount of inward flex of the portions of the outer flexible airless tire proximate the outer faces.

12. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 4 , wherein the inner hub and the spoke elements include a plurality of apertures and the wheel assembly further comprises a plurality of fasteners configured to be inserted through the apertures of the spoke elements and the inner hub for attaching the spoke elements to the inner hub.

13. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 4 , wherein the inner hub includes an inner hub ring and a disc-shaped radial wall for attaching the spoke elements thereto.

14. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 13 , wherein the spoke elements are equally spaced from each other.

15. The mobile irrigation system tower of claim 14 , wherein the wheel assembly includes six spoke elements.

16. A mobile irrigation system tower comprising:
a structure for supporting an irrigation system conduit; and
a plurality of wheel assemblies supporting the structure, each wheel assembly including—
a rigid wheel including an inner hub presenting an outer diameter that is less than 75% of the outer diameter of the rigid wheel and a plurality of spoke elements equally spaced from each other and fixedly extending radially outwardly from the hub, the spoke elements each including a planar outer face and a planar radial portion, the planar outer face and the planar radial portion forming a T-shaped cross section;
an outer flexible airless tire mounted on the spoke elements of the rigid wheel such that the outer flexible airless tire is supported by the spoke elements, the outer airless tire having a substantially transversely flat inner side, portions of the outer flexible airless tire located between the spoke elements being configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure; and
a plurality of spacers positioned between the outer faces and portions of the outer flexible airless tire proximate the outer faces and being configured to limit the amount of inward flex of the portions of the outer flexible airless tire proximate the outer faces.

Assignees

• Lindsay Corp

Inventors

• Korus Thomas J
• Pfrenger Jochen

Classifications

• Y10T152/10

  Tires, resilient · CPC title

• B60B3/04

  with a single disc body not integral with rim {, i.e. disc body and rim being manufactured independently and then permanently attached to each other in a second step, e.g. by welding} · CPC title

• A01G25/092

  movable around a pivot centre · CPC title

• B60C7/24

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

• B60B15/025

  with non-cylindrical shape · CPC title