Hutchinson, Sa

Peter Hobe

Olivier Noblanc

Christopher Renson

Larry K Rogers

Olivier Marsaly

Lars Johan Resare

Michael G Hartman

Larry W Stuck

Daniel T Bruder

Aysel Poyrazli

A wheel rim for a vehicle including a first rim portion including a first wheel flange, a second rim portion threadedly connected to the first rim portion, and a second wheel flange held on the first rim portion.

Thread-together wheel rim

A road wheel for a tracked vehicle includes a first rim half and a second rim half operatively connected to the first rim half. The first rim half includes at least a first portion that is angled away from the second rim half. The second rim half includes at least a first portion that is angled away from the first rim half. A hollow cavity is formed between the first portion of the first rim half and the first portion of the second rim half.

Multipiece road wheel

The presently claimed invention relates to a road wheel comprising a mounting disc, a dish-shaped transitional wall having an outer edge, a rim with an annular cylindrical wall attached along a first rim edge to the outer edge of the transitional wall, and a stiffening flange attached to the rim along a second rim edge opposite the first rim edge wherein the flange provides radial support to the second rim edge of the cylindrical wall to resist deflection.

Road wheel

This invention describes a system to maintain equal pressure in a pair of dual tires, and also incorporates a valve mechanism that will prevent one dual wheel tire from going flat in the event the other dual wheel tire experiences a rapid air loss. Dual wheels are typically mounted on the vehicle hub with both wheel disc faces in direct contact with each other. To ensure equal pressure in both tires, this invention has air passageways machined into the wheels such that the air passageways meet at the interface between the wheels where the wheel disc faces are in direct contact. These junctions are sealed by a rubber seal or gasket. Both tires can then be inflated or deflated simultaneously through a standard air valve located on either wheel. Where a dual wheel arrangement requires the use of an intermediate piece between the dual wheels, air passageways can connect the two-piece wheels via intermediate air passageways going through the common intermediate piece. A dual pressure equalizing valve is connected to the air passageways and embedded into the wheels or intermediate piece.

Dual wheels with internal air passageways

The instant invention is a pressure release safety system for a multi-piece wheel rim and tubeless tire combination, teaching designs for automatically relieving/releasing pressure as part of its disassembly. In this invention, fastening elements used to hold together portions of a wheel rim are provided with a blocking device or devices that prevents loosening and/or removal of fastening elements until said blocking device is first moved from a blocking position, where movement of the blocking device from its blocking position directly or indirectly opens or requires the opening of a pressure relief channel or channels&#x2014;allowing, enabling and effecting depressurization of the sealed pressure vessel. When applied in the context of a tubeless two-piece wheel/tire assembly, the invention advantageously may include a blocking or safety device (typically in the form of a ring) that covers all or a critical portion of the nuts/studs that hold the two piece wheel together. The act of removing the safety ring so as to access and remove the nuts from the studs to disassemble the wheel, opens an air channel in communication with the tire interior so as to allow pressure to escape from the tire interior.

Wheel disassembly safety device

This wheel has features allowing both integrated and non-integrated Central Tire Inflation (CTI) systems to be installed, without the need for a specialized manifold, adapter, or unique wheel to accommodate each specific system. Thus, a single, light-weight wheel in accordance with this invention can accept either non-integrated or integrated CTI valves, allowing the wheels of the invention to be used on newer vehicles with integrated CTI systems, as well as on older vehicles with non-integrated (external) CTI systems. In addition, a wheel with both integrated and non-integrated Central Tire Inflation (CTI) systems is much simpler to assemble since the valve mounts directly to the wheel and no brackets are required, unlike prior two-piece bolt-together wheels.

Growing community of inventors

Levittown, PA, United States of America

Peter Hobe