WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY

摘要

A wheel assembly including a rigid wheel and a flexible tire. The rigid wheel includes a radially outer rim wall, a plurality of mounting elements, and a plurality of inflatable spacers between the mounting elements. The flexible tire may be mounted on the mounting elements of the rigid wheel such that portions of the flexible tire between the mounting elements are separated from the outer rim wall by spaces between the mounting elements and are configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure. The inflatable spacers limit the amount of inward flex of the inwardly flexible portions of the flexible tire.

主权项

1. A wheel assembly comprising:
a rigid wheel including an outer rim wall having a plurality of spaced apart mounting elements extending radially outwardly from the outer rim wall; a flexible tire mounted on the mounting elements such that the flexible tire is supported by the mounting elements and is separated from the outer rim wall by a plurality of spaces, portions of the flexible tire located between the mounting elements being configured to flex inwardly when subjected to ground engaging pressure; and a plurality of inflatable spacers, each inflatable spacer being positioned between the flexible tire and the outer rim wall intermediate the mounting elements and configured to limit an amount of inward flex of the flexible tire depending on an amount of air in the inflatable spacers.