초록 ▼

A road wheel for a tracked vehicle is provided with a circular mounting flange having a dished wall extending radially outwards and circumferentially therefrom, a peripheral rim having a first edge and a second edge with the rim connected to an outer edge of the dished wall at an intermediate region

A road wheel for a tracked vehicle is provided with a circular mounting flange having a dished wall extending radially outwards and circumferentially therefrom, a peripheral rim having a first edge and a second edge with the rim connected to an outer edge of the dished wall at an intermediate region of the rim, and a first lip extending from the first edge. Another road wheel for a tracked vehicle is provided with a mounting flange, a peripheral rim, at least one inner dished wall, at least one outer dished wall offset from the inner dished wall along the flange, and at least two connector walls with each connector wall extending between the inner dished wall, outer dished wall, and the peripheral rim.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A tire assembly for a tracked vehicle comprising: an inner tire layer forming a first tube sized to substantially cover and contact an outer surface of a rim of a wheel;an outer tire layer forming a second tube having a treadless outer surface adapted to contact a track of a vehicle;at least one

1. A tire assembly for a tracked vehicle comprising: an inner tire layer forming a first tube sized to substantially cover and contact an outer surface of a rim of a wheel;an outer tire layer forming a second tube having a treadless outer surface adapted to contact a track of a vehicle;at least one carcass layer interposed between and in contact with the inner and outer tire layers, the at least one carcass layer comprising first and second outer fabric layers and a central fabric layer interposed therebetween, the carcass layer providing tensile and impact strength to prevent crack propagation from reaching the inner tire layer of the tire assembly thereby prolonging the useful life of the tire assembly and reducing the frequency of replacement of the tire assembly;a first elastomer layer separating the first fabric layer and the central fabric layer; anda second elastomer layer separating the second fabric layer and the central fabric layer;wherein the inner and outer tire layers encapsulate the carcass layer to protect it from an environment of use. 2. The tire assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one carcass layer is constructed from a fabric. 3. The tire assembly of claim 2 wherein a fiber in the fabric includes at least one of polyester, nylon, steel, aramid, and para-aramid. 4. The tire assembly of claim 2 wherein the fabric is single ply. 5. The tire assembly of claim 2 wherein the fabric is multiple ply. 6. The tire assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one carcass layer has a weave having a first fiber direction and a second fiber direction generally orthogonal to the first fiber direction. 7. The tire assembly of claim 6 wherein the first fiber direction is generally aligned with a rotational direction of the wheel. 8. The tire assembly of claim 6 wherein the first fiber direction is offset from a rotational direction of the wheel. 9. The tire assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner tire layer has a stiffer compliance than the outer tire layer. 10. The tire assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer tire layer includes one of a natural rubber and a synthetic rubber; and wherein the inner tire layer includes one of a natural rubber and a synthetic rubber. 11. A wheel assembly for a tracked vehicle comprising: a wheel having a circular mounting flange with a wall extending radially outwards and circumferentially therefrom, and a peripheral rim connected to an outer edge of the wall, the peripheral rim having an outer surface; anda tire having: an inner layer forming a first tube sized to substantially cover and contact the outer surface of the peripheral rim,at least one intermediate fabric carcass layer bonded to an outer surface of the inner layer, the at least one carcass layer comprising first and second outer fabric layers and a central fabric layer interposed therebetween,a first elastomer layer separating the first fabric layer and the central fabric layer, and a second elastomer layer separating the second fabric layer and the central fabric layer, andan outer layer forming a second tube and bonded to an outer surface of the at least one carcass layer, the outer layer having a smooth, treadless, outer surface adapted to contact a track of a vehicle;wherein the at least one intermediate carcass layer provides tensile and impact strength to prevent crack propagation from reaching the inner layer of the tire thereby prolonging the useful life of the tire and reducing the frequency of replacement of the tire; andwherein the inner and outer tire layers encapsulate the carcass layer to protect it from an environment of use. 12. A method of forming a tire assembly for a wheel of a tracked vehicle comprising: providing an inner tire layer as a first tube about a rim of a wheel, the inner tire layer sized to substantially cover and contact an outer surface of the rim;positioning an outer tire layer about the inner tire layer as a second tube with a larger diameter than the first tube, the outer tire layer having a smooth, treadless, outer surface adapted to contact a track of a vehicle;interposing at least one carcass layer between the inner and outer tire layers and in contact with the inner and outer tire layers, the at least one carcass layer providing tensile and impact strength to prevent crack propagation from reaching the inner tire layer of the tire assembly thereby prolonging the useful life of the tire assembly and reducing the frequency of replacement of the tire assembly, the at least one carcass layer comprising first and second outer fabric layers and a central fabric layer interposed therebetween; andseparating the first fabric layer and the central fabric layer with a first elastomer layer, and separating the second fabric layer and the central fabric layer with a second elastomer layer;wherein the inner and outer tire layers encapsulate the carcass layer to protect it from an environment of use. 13. The tire assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner tire layer is solid and the outer tire layer is solid. 14. The tire assembly of claim 1 wherein a radial thickness of the outer tire layer is greater than a radial thickness of the inner tire layer. 15. The tire assembly of claim 1 wherein a radial thickness of the outer tire layer is substantially equal to a radial thickness of the inner tire layer. 16. The wheel assembly of claim 11 further comprising a wear ring positioned adjacent to an outer edge of the wall and adapted to interface with a guide of the tracked vehicle. 17. The wheel assembly of claim 11 wherein the wheel is a first wheel and the tire is a first tire, the wheel assembly further comprising: a second wheel having a circular mounting flange with a wall extending radially outwards and circumferentially therefrom, and a peripheral rim connected to an outer edge of the wall, the peripheral rim having an outer surface; anda second tire having: an inner layer sized to substantially cover and contact the outer surface of the peripheral rim,at least one intermediate fabric carcass layer bonded to an outer surface of the inner layer, the at least one intermediate fabric layer adapted to provide tensile and impact strength to prevent crack propagation from reaching the inner layer of the tire thereby prolonging the useful life of the tire and reducing the frequency of replacement of the tire, andan outer layer bonded to an outer surface of the at least one carcass layer, the outer layer having a smooth, treadless, outer surface adapted to contact a track of a vehicle;wherein the mounting flange of the first wheel is connected to the mounting flange of the second wheel thereby forming a gap therebetween to interact with a guide on the track of the vehicle. 18. The wheel assembly of claim 11 wherein the inner tire layer is solid and the outer tire layer is solid; and wherein a radial thickness of the outer layer is greater than a radial thickness of the inner layer.