Resilient tires and wheels – Tires – resilient – Wheel securing means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-01
2002-10-22
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Resilient tires and wheels
Tires, resilient
Wheel securing means
C152S323000, C301S064704
Reexamination Certificate
active
06467519
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel and tire mounting system, and in particular, a wheel and tire mounting system which securely mounts a tire to a wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wheels that traditionally have been used on garden equipment and children's toys consist of a tire mounted on a rim of a hub. Typically, the tire is produced of an elastic material such as rubber. The hub is normally produced of a rigid material such as plastic or metal. The hub may be a solid disk or may be composed of spokes radiating from a central hub to the rim. The tire is then mounted onto the rim.
One disadvantage in the art of garden and toy wheel construction is that the tire is normally only form-fit to the rim. As a result, the tire may experience radial movement or axial movement relative to the rim. In addition, the tire may experience rotational movement about the rim. Traditional wheels normally fail to provide means for limiting radial, axial or rotational movement of a tire relative to the rim.
Alternatively, a wheel may consist of a tireless wheel. In a tireless wheel system, the rim incorporates a tread material into it. In such an assembly, there is no additional tire mounted to the rim, as the rim itself replaces the necessity to have a separate tire with tread. Typically in a tireless wheel system, the tread material is produced of the same material as the hub and rim. The material normally is a plastic such as polyethylene or PVC.
A disadvantage of the tireless wheel system is the inability to replace the tread material (i.e. the surface contacting the ground) as the tread material is incorporated into the wheel/hub itself.
A second disadvantage of the tireless wheel is a less shock-absorbing wheel system when compared with a rubberized or elastic tire mounted to a wheel. The rubberized tire tends to absorb shock better than a solid tread surface composed of rigid plastic.
A third type of wheel used typically on toys such as in-line skates and skateboards, is a wheel having a hub composed of a first, rigid plastic and a tire formed of a second, more elastic material. The elastic material is permanently molded to the wheel. This system is manufactured by the process of melting the second plastic material and, pouring the melted plastic into a mold which comprises the hub. When the second material cures, a unified wheel and tire assembly is formed. A disadvantage of this system is that the tire cannot be replaced when the tread surface is worn. Since the tire is permanently incorporated into the wheel, one is not able to replace the tire without replacing both the wheel and tire.
One disadvantage of most wheels in the art is the lack of shock-absorbing features. Traditional wheels fail to include means for absorbing force applied to the wheel. Therefore, shocks and other forces applied to the wheel assembly are transferred through the wheel to the apparatus on which the wheel is mounted.
What is needed in the art is a wheel system which limits radial, axial and rotational movement of a tire relative to the rim upon which the tire is mounted. In addition, what is needed is the ability to replace the tire as the tire becomes worn.
What is also needed in the art is a wheel system which incorporates shock-absorbing means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a wheel system for securely mounting a tire to the rim of a hub. The wheel system limits radial deflection and axial movement of the tire relative to the rim. In addition, the present invention limits rotational movement of the tire about the rim. The wheel system includes a rim with radially extending slots which mate with complementary radially extending protuberances of a tire whereby securely mounting the tire to the rim.
The invention, in one form thereof, is a wheel for mounting a tire. The tire has a first and second inner sidewall surface, a tread surface, and a rim surface. A plurality of “T”-shaped protuberances extend radially from the rim surface. A sidewall width is defined between the first and second inner sidewall surfaces. The wheel includes a rim which has a mounting surface. A plurality of a pair of alternately “L”-shaped and inverse “L”-shaped members extend in a radial direction from the mounting surface and extend in an axial direction a distance no greater than the sidewall width. A slot is defined by the pair of alternately “L”-shaped and inversely “L”-shaped members. The slot is adaptedly dimensioned for slidingly receiving the “T”-shaped protuberances. The slot has a first and second slot end. In one further embodiment, a plurality of spokes radially extend between the rim and a hub. The spokes are formed of a material having elastic properties which absorb shocks. In an alternate embodiment, the first and second slot ends abut the first and second inner sidewall surfaces, respectively.
The invention, in another form thereof, is a wheel for mounting a tire having a first and second inner sidewall surface, a tread surface and a rim surface. From the rim surface, a plurality of “T”-shaped protuberances extend radially. A sidewall width is defined between the first and second inner sidewall surfaces. The wheel includes an inner rim and an outer rim. The outer rim is rotationally disposed about the inner rim. The outer rim has a mounting surface. A plurality of outer spokes extend radially from and attach the inner rim to the outer rim. The plurality of a pair of alternately “L”-shaped and inversely “L”-shaped members extend in a radial direction from the mounting surface and extend in an axial direction a distance no greater than the sidewall width. A slot is defined by the pair of alternately “L”-shaped members and inverse “L”-shaped members. The slot is adaptedly dimensioned for slidingly receiving the “T”-shaped protuberances. The slot has a first and second slot end. In one further embodiment, the plurality of outer spokes are formed of a material having elastic properties which absorb shock.
The invention, in yet another form thereof, is a tire mounting system. The system includes a tire having a first and second inner sidewall surface, a tread surface and a rim surface. A sidewall width is defined by a distance between the first and second inner sidewall surfaces. A plurality of “T”-shaped protuberances extend radially from the rim surface of the tire. The tire mounting system further includes a rim which has a mounting surface. A plurality of a pair of alternately “L”-shaped and inverse “L”-shaped members extend in a radial direction from the mounting surface of the rim and extend in an axial direction a distance no greater than the sidewall width. A slot is defined by the pair of alternately “L”-shaped members and inverse “L”-shaped members. The slot is adaptedly dimensioned for slidingly receiving the “T”-shaped protuberances. The slot has a first and second end. The tire is mounted to the rim such that the “T”-shaped protuberances mate in said slots. In one further embodiment, a plurality of spokes extend radially from and attach a hub to the rim. In a further, specific embodiment, the spokes are formed of material having elastic properties which absorb shock.
The present invention, in yet another embodiment thereof, is a tire mounting system. The tire mounting system includes a tire having a first and second inner sidewall surface, a tread surface and a rim surface. A sidewall width is defined between the first and second inner sidewall surfaces. A plurality of “T”-shaped protuberances extend radially from the rim surface of the tire. The tire mounting system also includes an inner rim and an outer rim. The outer rim is rotationally disposed about the inner rim. The outer rim has a mounting surface. The plurality of outer spokes radially extend from and attach the inner rim to the outer rim. A plurality of a pair of alternately “L”-shaped and inverse “L”-shaped members extend in a radial direction from the mounting surface and extend in an axial direction a distance no greater than the sidewall width. A slot i
Bellinger Jason R.
Knuth Randall J.
Morano S. Joseph
Unlimited Plastic Technologies, Inc.
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