WHEEL INCLUDING TREAD

• US 20100052412A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geo Plastics, Co.
• Original Assignee: Geo Plastics, Co.
• Inventors: Morris, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 301/64.701
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/1681 one layer penetrating at one or more areas through another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/04 Rotational or centrifugal casting, i.e. coating the inside of a mould by rotating the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/02 of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles B29C35/0227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1657 using means for adhering or bonding the layers or parts to each other mechanical anchoring B29C37/0082
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/065 HDPE, i.e. high density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2221/003 Thermoplastic elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/322 made wholly of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/001 Lightweight wheels, e.g. for strollers or toys
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 5/02 made of synthetic material

Abstract

Wheels and methods of making wheels are disclosed including an inner portion and a tread mechanically coupled to the inner portion. The tread may be mechanically coupled to the inner portion on an inside and an outside of the wheel. The inner portion may include a rim including a plurality of apertures. The inner portion may be high density polyethylene and the tread may be thermoplastic elastomer.

Claims

1. A wheel comprising:

an inner assembly including a rim generally formed around a hub, the rim including a cross-section having a first side, a second side generally opposite the first side, a ground-facing surface, and a hub-facing surface; and

an outer assembly comprising a material different from that of the inner assembly, the outer assembly mechanically coupled through the rim at the first and second sides of the rim, the outer assembly at least partially covering the ground-facing surface of the rim and extending below the hub-facing surface of the rim, the hub-facing surface of the rim being generally devoid of the material of the outer assembly.

2. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the hub-facing surface of the rim is substantially devoid of the material of the outer assembly.

3. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the hub-facing surface of the rim is completely devoid of the material of the outer assembly.

4. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the inner assembly comprises high density polyethylene (HDPE) and the outer assembly comprises rubber or rubber-like material.

5. The wheel of claim 4, wherein the rubber or rubber-like material comprises thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

6. The wheel of claim 4, wherein the rubber or rubber-like material comprises thermoplastic urethane (TPU).

7. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the rim includes a plurality of apertures through the first side of the rim, and wherein the outer assembly overlaps the rim and extends through the plurality of apertures on the first side of the rim.

8. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the rim includes a plurality of apertures through the second side of the rim, and wherein the outer assembly extends through the plurality of apertures on the second side of the rim, the outer assembly defining a plurality of buttons on an inner portion of the rim on the second side of the rim.

9. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the rim includes a first plurality of apertures through the first side of the rim and a second plurality of apertures through the second side of the rim, the first plurality of apertures radially offset from the second plurality of apertures.

10. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the rim includes a flange proximate to the first side of the rim.

11. The wheel of claim 10, wherein the rim includes a plurality of ribs transverse to the flange.

12. The wheel of claim 11, wherein the rim includes a plurality of partially annular ribs transverse to the flange and substantially orthogonal to the ribs.

13. The wheel of claim 11, wherein the outer assembly is mechanically coupled through the rim at the first side of the rim between at least some of said ribs.

14. The wheel of claim 13, wherein the outer assembly is mechanically coupled through the rim at the second side of the rim radially inward from said ribs.

15. The wheel of claim 11, wherein the at least some of the ribs have different radial thicknesses.

16. The wheel of claim 10, wherein the rim includes a first plurality of apertures through the flange and a second plurality of apertures through the second side of the rim, the first plurality of apertures radially offset from the second plurality of apertures.

17. The wheel of claim 10, wherein the flange includes a lip extending towards the first side of the rim, and wherein the outer assembly at least partially overlaps the lip.

18. The wheel of claim 1, wherein a radial width of the outer assembly at the second side of the rim is greater than a radial width of the outer assembly at the first side of the rim.

19. The wheel of claim 1, wherein a ratio of weight of the outer assembly to weight of the inner assembly is less than about 0.5:

1.

20. The wheel of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a radial width of the outer assembly on the second side of the rim to a radius of the wheel is between about 0.1:

1 and about 0.4;

1.

21. The wheel of claim 1, further comprising a hub assembly configured to secure the wheel on an axle.

22. A method of manufacturing a wheel, the method comprising:

molding a first material into a first part of the wheel, the first part comprising a hub and a rim, the rim including a cross-section having a first side, a second side generally opposite the first side, a ground-facing surface, and a hub-facing surface;

molding a second material into a second part of the wheel, wherein molding the second material comprises mechanically coupling the second part of the wheel through the rim at the first and second sides of the rim, wherein, after molding the second material, the second material at least partially covers the ground-facing surface of the rim, the second material extends below the hub-facing surface of the rim, and the hub-facing surface of the rim is generally devoid of the second material.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein molding the first material comprises injection molding the first material, wherein the first part is a unitary piece.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein molding the second material comprises injection molding the second material.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein molding the second material comprises weaving molten second material through the first side of the rim and forming a button proximate to the second side of the rim.

26. A wheel comprising:

an inner piece comprising high density polyethylene (HDPE); and

an outer piece mechanically coupled to the inner piece, the outer piece comprising thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or thermoplastic urethane (TPU).

27. The wheel of claim 26, wherein the inner piece comprises a rim and a hub, a cross-section of the rim having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a ground-facing surface, and a hub-facing surface, wherein the outer piece is mechanically coupled through the rim at the first and second sides of the rim, wherein the outer piece at least partially covers the ground-facing surface of the rim, wherein the outer piece extends below the hub-facing surface of the rim, and wherein the hub-facing surface of the rim is generally devoid of the TPE or TPU.

28. The wheel of claim 26, wherein a ratio of weight of the outer piece to weight of the inner piece is less than about 0.5:

1.

29. The wheel of claim 26, wherein a ratio of weight of the outer piece to weight of the inner piece is between about 0.1:

1 and about 0.4;

1.

30. An injection-molded wheel comprising:

a plastic inner section; and

an outer section comprising a different material than the inner section, the outer section mechanically coupled to the inner section, wherein a ratio of weight of the outer section to weight of the inner section is less than about 0.5;

1.

31. The wheel of claim 30, wherein a ratio of weight of the outer section to weight of the inner section is between about 0.1:

1 and about 0.4;

1.

32. The wheel of claim 30, wherein the inner piece comprises a rim and a hub, a cross-section of the rim having a first side, a second side generally opposite the first side, a ground-facing surface, and a hub-facing surface, wherein the outer section is mechanically coupled through the rim at the first and second sides of the rim, wherein the outer section at least partially covers the ground-facing surface of the rim, wherein the outer section extends below the hub-facing surface of the rim, and wherein the hub-facing surface of the rim is generally devoid of material of the outer section.

33. A wheel comprising:

a hub; and

a rim generally formed around the hub, the rim comprising;

a plurality of generally hollow features; and

a flange disposed radially outward of the generally hollow features.

34. The wheel of claim 33, wherein the flange is proximate to an inside of the rim.

35. The wheel of claim 33, wherein the flange comprises a lip extending towards a side of the rim.

36. The wheel of claim 35, wherein the rim further comprises a plurality of riblets disposed radially inward of the lip.

37. The wheel of claim 33, wherein the rim further comprises a plurality of ribs generally transverse to the flange.

38. The wheel of claim 33, wherein the rim includes a cross-section having a first side, a second side generally opposite the first side, a ground-facing surface, and a hub-facing surface and wherein the wheel further comprises an outer assembly comprising a material different from that of the inner assembly, the outer assembly mechanically coupled through the rim at the first and second sides of the rim, the outer assembly at least partially covering the ground-facing surface of the rim and extending below the hub-facing surface of the rim, the hub-facing surface of the rim being generally devoid of the material of the outer assembly.