Patent US4950030A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4950030A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Wheel for a track laying vehicle
Assignee: Wachovia Capital Finance Corp Central
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Filing: 1989-09-14
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Granted: 1990-08-21
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Expires: 2009-09-14
Abstract
Abstract A road wheel for a track laying vehicle comprising a metallic disc and rim part wherein the rim portion of the part is of toroidal geometry. An elastomeric tire tread is bonded to the outer surface of the rim part and has a cylindrical outer face adapted for engagement with the track treads of the track laying vehicle. The cross sectional thickness of the metallic disc and rim part is substantially uniform throughout the same. The rim portion has a radially in-turned flange at the free end thereof extending at an acute angle to the axis of the road wheel. The disc portion merges with the rim portion integrally through a bend portion and extends radially inwardly a given distance to provide a track lug wear surface. The disc portion also has a reverse bend offset axially toward the outer free edge of the rim portion to provide clearance for track guide lugs in the operation of said wheel. The rim portion has a radius of curvature taken in radial cross section in a plane including the wheel axis generally equal to the radius of the disc-rim wheel part measured in a plane at right angles to the wheel axis from the wheel axis to the other curved surface of the rim part. The tire tread has axially opposite sloping side walls inclined in a radially inward divergent relationship to one another. A method of making the road wheel is also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Leslie M. Kindel
- 👤 Iqbal S. Rai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:34
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60B; B60B3/00; B60B3/002; B60B3/005; B60B3/007; B60B3/008; B60B3/02; B62; B62D; B62D55/00; B62D55/08; B62D55/14; B60B2310/00; B60B2310/20; B60B2310/206; B60B2310/212; B60B2310/228; B60B2310/30; B60B2310/321; B60B2310/50; B60B2310/56; B60B2360/00; B60B2360/10; B60B2360/102; B60B2360/50; B60B2900/00; B60B2900/10; B60B2900/111; B60B2900/30; B60B2900/321; B60Y; B60Y2200/00; B60Y2200/20; B60Y2200/254; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/80; Y02T10/86
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A support wheel for a vehicle comprising a disc part and a rim part, said rim part having a rim portion of toroidal geometry, said rim portion toroidal geometry being defined by a radially outermost surface of said rim portion having a uniform radius of curvature taken in radial cross section in a plane including the axis of rotation of said wheel and being symmetrical about a radially outermost apex of said toroidal rim portion, said rim portion being joined to and extending generally axially from the radially outermost portion of said disc part and having at least one free end portion spaced axially of si wheel remote from said radially outermost disc portion, and a non-pneumatic elastomeric tire tread having a curved inner surface complimentarily matching and being bonded to said outermost surface of the rim portion and centered on ad also being symmetrical about the apex of said toroidal rim portion, said tire tread having a smooth, circumferentially continuous cylindrical outer face adapted for engagement with a hard, flat supporting surface for the vehicle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
A support wheel for a vehicle comprising a disc part and a rim part, said rim part having a rim portion of toroidal geometry, said rim portion toroidal geometry being defined by a radially outermost surface of said rim portion having a uniform radius of curvature taken in radial cross section in a plane including the axis of rotation of said wheel and being symmetrical about a radially outermost apex of said toroidal rim portion, said rim portion being joined to and extending generally axially from the radially outermost portion of said disc part and having at least one free end portion spaced axially of si wheel remote from said radially outermost disc portion, and a non-pneumatic elastomeric tire tread having a curved inner surface complimentarily matching and being bonded to said outermost surface of the rim portion and centered on ad also being symmetrical about the apex of said toroidal rim portion, said tire tread having a smooth, circumferentially continuous cylindrical outer face adapted for engagement with a hard, flat supporting surface for the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A wheel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cross sectional thickness of said rim portion is substantially uniform throughout the same.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A wheel as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rim portion has a radially in-turned flange at said one free end thereof extending convergently toward said disc portion at an acute angle to the axis of the road wheel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A wheel as set forth in claim 3 wherein said radially in-turned flange angle ranges between about 35° to 55°.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
160 words
A wheel as set forth in claim 4 for use as a road wheel with a track laying vehicle having track treads which define the hard flat supporting surface for the vehicle, said tire tread being adapted for engagement with the track laying vehicle track treads, and wherein said disc portion merges with said rim portion integrally through a bend portion and extends radially inwardly a given distance to provide a track lug wear surface, said disc portion having a reverse bend portion merging with said wear surface portion and being offset axially toward the outer free edge of the rim portion to provide clearance for track guide lugs in the operation of said wheel, said reverse bend portion also merging with a wheel hub mounting portion in the central area of said disc part, said wheel hub mounting portion being offset axially farther from the free end of said rim port than said radially extending disc wear surface portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A road wheel as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tire tread has axially opposite sloping side walls inclined in a radially inward divergent relationship to one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A road wheel as set forth in claim 6 wherein the one of said tire tread side walls closest to the wheel hub mounting said disc-rim part terminates at its radially inwardly edge with a slight axially outward offset from the junction of the rim portion with the disc portion of said part.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A road wheel as set forth in claim 6 wherein said side walls slope at an angle to the axis of the wheel ranging from about 3° to 7°.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A wheel as set forth in claim 2 wherein said radius of curvature is generally equal to the radius of the disc-rim wheel part measured in a plane at right angles to the wheel axis from the wheel axis to said outer curved surface of said rim portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
The wheel as set forth in claim 2 wherein said tire tread has axially opposite side walls extending radially inwardly from said tread outer face to respective junctions with said rim portion outermost surface, and wherein the ratio of the minimum thickness of said tire tread radially of the wheel to the maximum radial dimension of said tread measured from said cylindrical outer face of the tread to the junction of the side walls of the tread with the rim portion of the disc-rim part is approximately 1:2.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A wheel as set forth in claim 10 wherein the ratio of the uniform radius of curvature of said radially outermost surface of said rim portion to the maximum axial dimension of said tire tread is in the range of about 11.12:6.81 to about 4.35:3.66.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
A wheel as set forth in claim 4 wherein said wheel is adapted for use as a road wheel on a track laying vehicle having track treads which define the supporting surface for the vehicle, said tire tread being adapted for engagement with the track treads of the track laying vehicle and said cylindrical outer face of said tire tread is adapted for engagement with the treads of the track of the track laying vehicle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
124 words
The wheel as set forth in claim 12 wherein said tire tread has axially opposite side walls extending radially inwardly from said tread outer face to respective junctions with said rim outermost surface, wherein the ratio of the minimum thickness of said tire tread radially of the wheel to the maximum radial dimension of said tread measured from said cylindrical outer face of the tread to the junction of the side walls of the tread wit the rim portion of the disc-rim part is approximately 1:2 and wherein the ratio of the uniform radius of curvature of said radially outermost surface of said rim portion to the maximum axial dimension of said tire tread is in the range of about 11.12:6.81 to about 4.35:3.66.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The wheel as set forth in claim 13 wherein said radius of curvature is generally equal to the radius of the disc-rim wheel part measured in a plane at right angles to the wheel axis from the wheel axis to said outer curved surface of said rim portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The wheel as set forth in claim 13 wherein said tire tread side walls are inclined in a radially inward divergent relationship to one another.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
The wheel as set forth in claim 11 wherein said disc and rim parts are formed integrally as one piece from sheet metal, said rim portion extending generally axially in only one direction from the radially outermost portion of said disc part to said one free end portion so as to be cantilevered from said disc part.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The wheel as set forth in claim 13 wherein said disc and rim parts are formed integrally as one piece from sheet metal, said rim portion extending generally axially in only one direction from the radially outermost portion of said disc part to said one free end portion so as to be cantilevered from said disc part.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
The wheel as set forth in claim 15 wherein said disc and rim parts are formed integrally as one piece from sheet metal, said rim portion extending generally axially in only one direction from the radially outermost portion of said disc part to said one free end portion so as to be cantilevered from said disc part.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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FR2564040A1
Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-08-20 | 1994-02-19 | 1994-08-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-08-20 | 1998-02-19 | 1998-08-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-08-20 | 2002-02-19 | 2002-08-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |