CN117279789A - Agricultural irrigation wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

A wheel having an annular ring is provided. The annular ring has a rotational axis and an outer surface. A plurality of lugs are mounted in a side-by-side position on the outer surface of the annular ring. Each of the plurality of lugs has: a central rib, first and second legs, and a bracket plate adapted to connect the first leg to the central rib, each leg extending laterally from the central rib and opposite each other. The outermost point of each center rib may form a circular pattern coaxial with the axis of rotation. The wheel may have a rim nested within the annular ring, the rim having a plurality of alternating scalloped projections, wherein the rim is configured to provide adequate clearance for a tool during lug assembly and removal while increasing the load carrying capacity of the wheel.

Description

Agricultural irrigation wheel

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to utility wheels, and more particularly to wheels for use in agricultural applications, such as wheels for use with crop irrigation equipment.

Background

Currently, center pivot irrigation is a form of top-spray (overhead sprinkler) irrigation that uses a machine with pipe segments arranged in linear arms, with the spray heads positioned along the arms, which can be supported by trusses mounted on wheeled units that are placed at several points along the arms. In one version, the arms are driven in a circular pattern and fed from a pivot point at the center of the circle. In order to use a central pivot, the terrain over which it rotates must be fairly flat; but may also be moved over undulating surfaces. The length of the arms is typically between 1200 and 1600 feet, forming a radius of a circle. These systems may be water-functional, hydraulically powered, or motor driven. The outermost wheel sets the pace of rotation, for example, completing a full turn every three days. The inner wheel is automatically controlled so that the arm remains relatively linear during movement. The spray head size gradually increases over the distance from the pivot point to the periphery of the circle. Crops can be planted according to straight lines or circles so as to adapt to the travel of an irrigation system.

Furthermore, central pivot point irrigation generally requires less water and requires less labor than trench irrigation. This reduces labor costs, reduces the amount of soil cultivation required, and helps reduce runoff and soil erosion. Less cultivation also promotes more organics and crop residues to break down back into the soil and reduces soil hardening. Inflatable tires are widely used in central pivot point irrigation devices because of their excellent performance in soft soils and slurries (flattening out due to their compliance when rolling on contact surfaces). During flattening, the footprint (contact surface) of the tire will increase, reducing the contact pressure, which will reduce the tendency to sink into the ground, making rutting less noticeable.

Further, current center pivot irrigation wheels lack wheel strength and wheel durability due to the common use of pneumatic tires. Furthermore, once the wheel has entered the rut, the current center pivot irrigation wheel does not have any traction support.

Pneumatic tires in irrigation applications also require air pressure maintenance due to air loss and often present rut problems.

Accordingly, there is a need to address the above-described problems by demonstrating an improved traction device for crop irrigation equipment.

Various aspects or problems presented in this section and related solutions may be or may have been discussed (published); they are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches set forth in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their presence in this section of this application.

Disclosure of Invention

This summary presents some concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, this summary is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In one aspect, a wheel is provided that includes an annular ring having an outer surface; a rotation shaft; and a plurality of lugs mounted in a side-by-side position on the outer surface of the annular ring, each lug having a central rib, a first leg and a second leg (each leg extending laterally from the central rib and opposite each other), and a lug plate adapted to connect the first leg to the central rib; wherein the plurality of lugs form a circular pattern coaxial with the rotational axis. Thus, one advantage is that, as the lugs have protruding lugs, the wheel will have enhanced traction, thereby better gripping the running surface. Another advantage is that the support plate may provide structural support to the support plate, thereby increasing its strength. Another advantage is that each lug may be provided with an overmolded rubber layer which may increase lug strength and durability, enhance lug grip, and/or protect internally enclosed lug structures.

Another advantage is that the modular implementation of the lugs may allow for convenient maintenance, repair or replacement of the lugs as required, rather than replacing the entire wheel. Another advantage is that the disclosed wheel may utilize a rim with scalloped projections that allow easier handling of the lugs and provide enhanced load bearing capability for the wheel.

In another aspect, a wheel is provided that includes a plurality of lugs mounted in a side-by-side position to form a circular ring, each lug having a central rib, a first leg and a second leg (each leg extending laterally from the central rib and opposite each other), and a lug plate adapted to connect the first leg to the central rib. Also, one advantage is that, as the lugs have protruding lugs, the wheels will have enhanced traction, thereby better gripping the running surface. Another advantage is that the support plate may provide structural support to the support plate, thereby increasing its strength. Another advantage is that each lug is provided with an overmolded rubber layer which may increase lug strength and durability, enhance lug grip, and/or protect internally enclosed lug structures. Another advantage is that the modular implementation of the lugs may allow for convenient maintenance, repair or replacement of the lugs as required, rather than replacing the entire wheel. Another advantage is that the disclosed wheel may utilize a rim with scalloped projections that allow easier handling of the lugs and provide the wheel with enhanced load bearing capability. In another aspect, a bracket for use in a wheel is provided, the bracket comprising a central rib; a first leg and a second leg, each leg extending laterally from the central rib and opposite each other; and a bracket plate adapted to connect the first leg to the central rib. Also, one advantage is that the attached wheel will have enhanced traction as the lugs have protruding lugs to better grip the drive surface. Another advantage is that the support plate may provide structural support to the support bracket, thereby increasing its strength, while providing enhanced traction between the support bracket and the running surface. Another advantage is that the lugs may be provided with an overmolded rubber layer which may increase lug strength and durability, enhance lug grip, and/or protect internally enclosed lug structures.

The above aspects or examples and advantages, as well as other aspects or examples and advantages, will become apparent in the following description and drawings.

Drawings

For purposes of illustration and not limitation, an aspect, embodiment, or example of the invention is illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a center pivot irrigation system for agriculture according to one aspect.

FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a wheel for use in a center pivot irrigation system, according to one aspect.

Fig. 2 illustrates another perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel according to an aspect.

Fig. 3 illustrates a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a farm irrigation wheel according to an aspect.

Fig. 4 illustrates a front elevation view of a farm irrigation wheel according to an aspect.

Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a bracket of a farm irrigation wheel according to an aspect.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a farm irrigation wheel according to an embodiment.

Fig. 7A shows a perspective view of a bracket according to one embodiment.

Fig. 7B illustrates a perspective view of a bracket according to one embodiment.

Fig. 7C-7F illustrate side views of lugs according to one embodiment.

Fig. 7G illustrates a perspective view of a bracket according to one embodiment.

Fig. 7H illustrates a semi-transparent perspective view of a bracket according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel hub according to one embodiment.

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel without an attached lugs according to one embodiment.

Fig. 10A shows a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel during von Mises (von Mises) stress simulation according to one embodiment.

Fig. 10B illustrates a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel during von mises stress simulation according to one embodiment.

Fig. 10C illustrates a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel during vibration simulation according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11A illustrates a perspective view of a bracket according to one embodiment.

FIG. 11B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a bracket according to one embodiment. Fig. 12A illustrates a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel attached to a center pivot irrigation system according to one embodiment.

Fig. 12B illustrates a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel attached to a center pivot irrigation system according to one embodiment.

13A-13E illustrate perspective views of a scalloped agricultural irrigation wheel according to one embodiment.

Detailed Description

Various aspects, embodiments, and/or examples of the invention are described below. Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, and the information contained therein is a part of this detailed description. The aspects, embodiments, and/or examples described herein are for purposes of illustration and not limitation. It is to be understood that structural and/or logical modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

It should be appreciated that for clarity of illustration and description, some or all details of structural components or steps known in the art have not been shown or described if not necessary for a person of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention.

In the above description, the embodiments are described as a plurality of individual components and the method is described as a plurality of individual steps, which are for illustration only. Accordingly, it is contemplated that adding some components or steps, changing or omitting some components or steps, and rearranging the order of the components or steps may be performed while maintaining the meaning and understanding of the claimed apparatus and method.

In the following description, it may be assumed that most of the correspondingly labeled elements in the various figures have the same characteristics and are subject to the same structure and function. If there is an unspecified difference between the respective labeled elements and the difference results in that the structure or function of the elements of a particular embodiment, example or aspect does not correspond, then the conflict description for that particular embodiment, example or aspect shall prevail.

Figure 1A illustrates a typical center pivot shaft irrigation operation in progress. As described in detail herein, a multi-purpose agricultural vehicle wheel ("wheel", "agricultural vehicle wheel") 10 for this type of irrigation is provided, best shown in fig. 1B. As shown in fig. 2, the wheel 10 may be an assembly of individual components joined together in various ways. In one embodiment, a single component may include a ring 20, a pair of rims 30, one or both disc-shaped portions 40, and a plurality of identical lugs 50. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B, a tensioning device 60B (typically a tensioning band (not shown) or tensioning cable) may also be used and may improve alignment of lugs 50. The components may be made of metal or other materials that provide suitable tensile strength, elasticity, flexibility, and other characteristics that are well known to those skilled in the mechanical arts and described herein.

In addition, the ring 20 may be formed by laser cutting a flat metal strip, which is then rolled to form a cylindrical shape with overlapping ends and welded together. Thus, the ring 20 may have an outer surface 22, an inner surface 24, and a pair of opposing edges 26. As shown in fig. 2, the ring 20 may have a pattern of through holes 28 on its surface. For example, the rim 30 may be secured to the rim 30 by welding to the rim 26 of the ring 20, and the ends of the legs 42 of the disc portion 40 may be secured to the rim 30 using conventional hardware. As shown in fig. 3, lugs 50 may be bolted to outer surface 22. As shown, each lug 50 may be mounted to the ring 20 by a bracket 80 (which may be a profiled metal sheet) and held in place by bolts 82. The holes 28 may be arranged in different patterns, enabling the lugs 50 to be arranged in alternative configurations, as will be described below. The wheel 10 has a central rotational axis ("wheel rotational axis", "rotational axis") 12. As shown in fig. 2, the lifting lug 50 is rectangular in shape, seen radially toward the wheel 10 (see arrow R), having a major axis 52 centrally located between its opposite long sides and a minor axis 54 centrally located between its opposite short sides. The point where major axis 52 and minor axis 54 intersect is the center point 56 of bracket 50.

The lugs 50 may be secured to the surface 22 such that the long axis 52 is parallel to the wheel axis of rotation 12, see fig. 1B. The lugs 50 may be placed in a side-by-side position about the ring 20 with their minor axes 54 aligned collinearly and centered between the opposing edges 26, i.e., centered on the ring 20; this is an installation solution. However, lugs 50 may be alternately positioned at laterally offset positions relative to one another on ring 20 (see FIG. 5) to form a continuous and smoothly varying trajectory (locus) of center point 56 as shown in FIG. 4. In one embodiment, the smoothly varying trajectory of the center point 56 may be implemented as a sinusoidal curve having a sinusoidal amplitude and sinusoidal period. The sine amplitude may be varied by varying the magnitude of the lateral incremental position of the center 56 of one lug 50 relative to the center of the next lug. On the other hand, the circumferential distance of the wheel 10 for a single sinusoidal cycle may be varied by varying the circumferential width of the lugs 50. The position of the lugs 50 may be determined by the position of the holes 28 in the ring 20.

Those skilled in the art will be able to determine the location of the holes 28 to produce the desired sinusoidal or alternating arrangement of lugs 50. As shown in fig. 5, each lug 50 may have a generally V-shape (as viewed along the circumference of the wheel 10) directed outwardly. The two opposite legs 58 of the V diverge from the surface 22 on either side of the shaft 54 (where the lugs 50 are fastened to the ring 20). During rotation of the wheel 10, each lug 50 is in contact with the surface on which the wheel 10 is located. This contact is initially made through the most lateral end of the lugs 50 along the axis 52. As the wheel rotates further, the legs will be caused to bear more weight, resulting in a reduced divergence angle and greater stress in the lugs 50. The ribs 57 extend through the outward portions of the legs 50 in the direction of the axis 52 and provide a means for the wheel 10 to create greater traction, especially in relatively soft agricultural soils. At the ends of the legs of lugs 50, ribs 59 are positioned normal to ribs 57 so as to limit sideslip of wheel 10.

As shown in fig. 1, tensioner 60B may be made of high strengthCables or stainless steel strips, and may be secured to lugs 50 on the bottom surfaces of the left and right sides of the legs by cleats 62. Tensioning device 60B may maintain a consistent gap between adjacent lugs 50 and may also pre-tension lugs 50 to achieve a desired stiffness even though the legs of lugs 50 diverge away from surface 22 at a greater or lesser angle. This also enables load sharing and transfer between adjacent lugs 50, which is important for sharing and distributing impact loads when encountering obstacles such as rock.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a farm irrigation wheel according to an embodiment. In another embodiment, the various components may include a ring 20 (as shown in FIG. 9), a hub 70, a plurality of spokes 71, and a plurality of identical lugs 50A. As shown, agricultural irrigation wheel 10 may have a hub 70, spokes ("fins") 71, lugs 50A, and ring 20. The disc portion 40 shown in fig. 2 may be broken down into an assembly of a hub 70 and spokes ("fins") 71, as described herein. Furthermore, having the hub 70 and spokes 71 as separate components may allow for better durability. Furthermore, having each spoke 71 as a separate component may also allow for convenient maintenance. For example, if the spokes 71 are damaged, a single spoke 71 may be replaced without replacing the entire wheel 10. Also, instead of the legs 58 on the rim 30, the agricultural irrigation wheel 10 can have a hub 70 with spokes 71, which can provide additional strength and more traction to the wheel.

As shown in fig. 6, the spokes 71 may be recessed and attached at alternating positions. The spokes 71 of the wheel 10 may provide traction and assist the wheel in not slipping as it moves through existing ruts. Typically, the wheel hub and spokes have only the effect of handling the load, and the spokes 71 may provide additional traction as described herein. The spokes 71 may assist traction by cutting into the ground (i.e., soil or earth) if necessary. For example, if the wheel 10 begins to sink below ground level (i.e., in a "rut" or "trench"), the wheel 10 may continue to function due to the spokes 71.

Spokes ("fins") 71 may have recessed surfaces 71C to increase their strength. This allows for increased strength while keeping the metal very thin, which may reduce costs due to the thin construction of the spokes 71. Furthermore, the spokes 71 allow the center of gravity of the wheel to be located at the center of the hub at times, thereby allowing the wheel 10 to be well balanced, as will be described in detail herein.

The wheel 10 is "compliant" and can flex and bend to absorb heavy loads. In addition, both spokes 71 and lugs 50A may be compliant to allow the wheel 10 to flex properly to handle larger loads. In addition, the outer surface of the wheel may help reduce rutting in the soft soil and maintain traction.

The lugs 50A may also have lugs that are horizontal and rise higher than the lugs 50 shown in fig. 5, the lugs 50A providing additional traction to the wheel 10. In addition, spokes 71 may provide traction to wheel 10 if the wheel does sink in the soil. The sinusoidal waveform of the ring 20 may further assist traction because the sinusoidal waveform pushes the soil toward the center, providing more traction for the wheel 10. The geometry of the spokes 71 may act like a swimming person, for example, the spokes 71 may help to grip the soil to dig a hole, similar to an arm when swimming. In addition, spokes 71 may act as paddles that help to dig wheel 10 out of any soil or rut. Furthermore, if the wheel 10 is submerged in soft soil, the spokes 71 act like the swimmer's arms and hands, advancing and moving forward with similar movements of alternating arms or paddles.

For example, a pair of spokes 71 cut evenly into the ground and push the wheel upward when necessary (i.e., in ruts). Current wheels typically do not have a central traction element provided by spokes 71. In addition, the intersection and curvature of each spoke 71 may facilitate traction only when the wheel 10 is trapped in soft soil.

As shown, each spoke 71 may have a narrow end 71B and a wider end 71A, and each wider end 71A may be mounted to a sinusoidal peak 78 on the ring 20. Varying the width of each spoke 71 may eliminate or reduce the resonance force. Each spoke 71 is configured to be attached to the hub 70 by its narrow end 71B to help reduce the resonant forces reaching the hub 70 as vibrations move through the wheel 10. Reducing the resonant force reaching the hub 70 may help avoid degradation of the wheel 10.

In addition, the spokes 71 may act as shock absorbers and absorb vibrations, stresses and loads of the wheel, which increases the strength of the wheel 10 by increasing the design in terms of compliance. The recessing of spokes 71 may add strength from a geometric point of view, as will be discussed in more detail with reference to fig. 10C. The recess of the spoke 71 may be manufactured by metal forming. In another example, the recess of the spoke 71 may be formed when the spoke 71 is installed into the ring 20.

For cost reasons, the wheels may be made of low-grade carbon steel, but the preferred material may be spring steel. Spring steel may be preferred to control and increase the resilience and compliance of the wheel 10 and lugs 50A. The geometry of the spokes 71 may allow the spokes 71 to bend and once the spokes 71 bend to some extent, the spokes 71 may interfere with each other. For example, under a relatively large load, the immediately adjacent spokes 71 may support the middle curved spokes 71. Two force-bearing (object) spokes 71 may provide resistance to the spoke 71 therebetween. When in a rest state, the spokes 71 may not contact when no load is applied. It should be noted that when the spokes 71 move toward the hub 70 and nearly contact before the load is applied, the space between the spokes 71 also narrows.

Fig. 7A illustrates a perspective view of a bracket according to one aspect. Fig. 7B illustrates a perspective view of a bracket according to one aspect. In addition, the lugs shown in fig. 7A and 7B, the lugs 50A may have metal built into the lugs 50A. In addition, liquid rubber may be overmolded onto the metal to increase strength and durability. The metal interior may allow the lugs 50A to bend and twist, which is necessary in typical harsh agricultural environments. For example, lugs 50A may be made of spring steel and may have additional rubber overmolding. Each lug 50A may be mounted to the ring 20 by bolts. As shown in fig. 9, the holes 28 may be arranged in a different pattern, allowing the lugs 50A to be arranged in other configurations, as will be described. The lugs 50A may have flat portions with bolt holes 93 to allow the lugs 50A to be easily secured to the ring 20.

The support plate 91 extends through the outward portion of the leg 50 in the direction of the center rib 92 and provides a means for the wheel 10 to create greater traction, especially in relatively soft agricultural soil. At the ends of the legs of the lugs 50A, lugs 91 are positioned normal to the central rib 92 so as to limit the sideslip of the wheel 10. It should be appreciated that lugs 50A may be constructed in other ways, such as having a metal inner frame with an overmolded rubber coating, for example.

The lugs 50A may have lugs 91 to further assist traction when the wheel 10 is in use. The central peaks ("central ribs") 92 on the support plate 91 and support 50A may allow the wheel 10 to have proper traction on softer agricultural soil. In addition, the orientation of lugs 50A may further facilitate traction on agricultural terrain. One or more bolt holes 93 may be provided on each lug to allow bolts to be used to secure lug 50A to ring 20. As shown, each of the plurality of lugs 50A may have opposing legs 95 forming a W-shape with the central rib 92, wherein alignment of the outermost points of each central rib 92 may form a sinusoidal pattern coaxial with the rotational axis 12. In addition, the bracket plate 91 may connect the bracket leg 95 to the bracket center rib 92 while also being connected to the flat portion 97 of the leg 95. The carrier plate 91 may provide additional structural support while also providing additional traction to the wheel 10, as described herein. As another example, lugs 50A may have lugs 91 on both sides of the central rib to provide additional traction and support, as shown in fig. 7C, 7F and 7G.

In addition, lugs 50A may be positioned in an alternating pattern, as shown in fig. 6. The lugs 50A may be oriented with a lug 91 on one side and the next adjacent lug 50A may have a lug 91 on the opposite side. For example, as shown in fig. 6, lugs 50B and 50C depict an alternating pattern of lugs 50A orientation along the ring. Each of the plurality of spokes 71 may be concave and arranged in an alternating pattern. The alternating pattern may be, as shown, that the top end 71A of each of the plurality of spokes 71 is alternately attached to the first outer edge 20A or the second outer edge 20B of the annular ring 20, and the bottom end 71B of each of the plurality of spokes is alternately attached to the first side 75 or the second side 74 of the hub.

Fig. 7C-7F illustrate side views of lugs according to one embodiment. As another example, the lugs 50A may have lugs 91 on both sides of the lugs, as shown in fig. 7C and 7F. Further, as shown, the bracket plate 91 may not be attached to the flat portion 97. In addition, the bracket plate 91 may have cutouts 98, for example, to reduce cost but maintain the structural integrity of the bracket 50A. In addition, the cutouts 98 provided in each of the support plates 91 allow mud and debris to be discharged without becoming lodged in the support 50A. As shown in fig. 7E and 7F, lugs 50A may have a solid structure disposed within central rib 92 such that there is a solid central rib 92. As an example, lugs 50A may have a solid central rib 92 to provide additional strength. In addition, as shown, bolt hole 93 and bolt 94 may be centered in bracket 50A rather than being positioned in a flat portion.

Fig. 7G illustrates a perspective view of a bracket according to one embodiment. As shown, lugs 50A may have a solid center rib 92. For example, lugs 50A may be made of spring steel, while interior 99 of center rib 92 may be a rubber material. The use of spring steel as the outer and ground-contacting material of the lugs 50A allows the lugs 50A and wheel 10 to be more durable. Further, as shown in fig. 7G, the fulcrum 91 may have a triangular cross section, wherein the widest portion of the fulcrum 91 is where the fulcrum meets the flat portion 97. As shown in fig. 7G, the triangular cross-section of the bracket 50A may allow the bracket plate 91 to be stronger. The wide bottom of the support plate 91 may help the support plate not to break during use. As described herein, the support plate 91 allows for improved traction between the wheel 10 and the ground. Further, the highest point of lugs 50A may be a solid center rib 92, which will help when the wheel 10 may traverse hard surfaces. For example, because the solid center rib 92 has a hard outer surface with additional internal rubber support. In addition, the solid center rib 92 is the highest point of the lugs 50A, which may allow only the top surface of the center rib 92 to contact the ground when on a harder surface.

Fig. 7H illustrates a semi-transparent perspective view of a bracket 50A according to one embodiment. As shown, the lugs 50A may have a metal inner frame 100. The metal inner frame 100 may comprise steel wire made of spring steel and have an overmolded rubber layer to obtain maximum compliance. In addition, as shown, bolt hole 93 and bolt 94 may be centered in bracket 50A rather than being positioned in a flat portion. Also, the support plate 91 allows improved traction of the wheel 10. For example, as shown, the metal inner frame 100 may be a plurality of wire assemblies to form a bracket shape. Further, the highest point of lugs 50A may be a center rib 92, which will help when the wheel 10 may traverse hard surfaces, such as on roads in front of soft agricultural soil.

Fig. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel hub ("hub") 70 according to one embodiment. As shown, the hub 70 has a narrow end ("second side") 74 and a wider end ("first side") 75. As shown in fig. 1A, the hub 70 may allow the agricultural irrigation wheel 10 to be attached to a center pivot irrigation system. Hub 70 also allows for an alternating pattern of spokes 71 for firm attachment. As described herein, the spokes 71 allow the wheel 10 to have traction even if the wheel 10 is submerged to some extent in the terrain.

Fig. 9 illustrates a perspective view of an agricultural irrigation wheel 10 without an attached lugs 50 according to one aspect. A plurality of lugs (not shown) may be mounted in a side-by-side position to form a circular ring, with each lug having laterally extending legs to form a W-shape. The arrangement of the outermost points of each center rib 92 may form a sinusoidal pattern coaxial with the axis of rotation 12. This alignment of lugs 50 may be the result of throughbores 28 provided on outer surface 22 of ring 20 also being arranged in a sinusoidal pattern coaxial with axis of rotation 12. The lugs may have an outwardly facing rib aligned with the axis of rotation 12 and another outwardly facing rib orthogonal to the axis of rotation. The lugs may be offset from one another in a sinusoidal pattern around the annular ring to further aid in traction and wear and tear.

As shown in fig. 2, the ring 20 may have a pattern of through holes 28 on its surface. Spokes 70 may be secured to ring 20 using supports 76, 77 and conventional hardware such as bolts. Further, as shown in fig. 9, the spokes 70 may be attached to the hub 70 and the ring 20 by a combination of bolts 78 and supports 76, 77. For example, as shown, the spokes 70 may rest on the support 77 and secure the spokes 71 to the hub 70 by passing bolts through holes in all three components. In addition, the supports 76 and 77 may be flush with each surface along the curvature of the hub 70 and ring 20, respectively, allowing for a more secure connection. As described herein, lugs 50A may have flat portions with bolt holes 93 to allow lugs 50A to be easily secured to ring 20. Furthermore, configuring the spokes 71 to be removable allows for reduced fatigue on the wheel. In addition, the modular aspect of the wheel 10 may reduce transportation costs while also making maintenance easier.

In addition, each spoke may be attached to a peak 78 of the sine wave of ring 20. It should be noted that when the spoke is connected to the sinusoidal ring, it is attached to the peak 78 of the corresponding sinusoidal edge of the sinusoidal ring 20 instead of the valley 79. It should be noted that the alternate mounting of spokes 71 helps to improve traction in the soil while maintaining a relatively light weight construction of the wheel. For example, the spokes 71 can be mounted with the top portion 71A on the first side 20A of the ring 20 and the bottom portion 71B attached to the second side 74 of the hub 70. Further, for example, adjacent spokes 71 may be mounted with the top portion 71A on the second side 20B of the ring 20 and the bottom portion 71B attached to the first side 75 of the hub 70. This alternating pattern may continue throughout the installation of spokes 71. Further, as shown in fig. 9, the spokes 71 may be installed with their concave surfaces facing outward. The alternating orientation of the spokes allows for an even weight distribution throughout and for a complete balancing of the center of gravity. It should be noted that the spokes 71 are constructed from steel plates, which provides the advantages of light weight and low manufacturing cost of the wheel 10. In another example, the wheel 10 may be made of 1020 steel.

In addition, each spoke 71 attaches to a peak 78 of the sinusoidal edge of the ring 20, which may allow the wheel 10 to remain balanced even during hard or tight turns. For example, in hard turns (hard turns), the peaks 78 may support a greater amount, so the spokes 71 and hub 70 may compensate for the force. Furthermore, since each spoke 71 passes through the center and attaches to the peak 78, the weight may be evenly distributed, which allows the wheel 10 to be more balanced. For example, as the wheel 10 moves, the sinusoidal shape of the ring 20 moving from left to right exerts a force on the spokes 71 because it is attached to the peaks 78.

Fig. 10A and 10B illustrate perspective views of an agricultural irrigation wheel during von Mises (von Mises) stress simulation according to one embodiment. For example, in a simulation test, a three-dimensional model of the wheel 10 without the lugs 50A is evaluated for its strength under different conditions. During von mises stress test simulation, wheel 10 without lug 50A has a yield strength of 3.500e+08n/m 2. Thus, the wheel 10 can withstand typical loads without any deformation. In addition, such an agricultural irrigation wheel 10 has better yield strength due to the alternating spokes 71 while still being durable and providing traction. Tests have shown that each wheel can withstand forces in excess of 20,000 pounds before breaking, with a maximum load of 6,000 pounds per wheel (12,000 pounds per tower). Further, as shown in fig. 10A, the darkest gray portion of the gradient corresponding to the lowest stress point on the wheel is located at the outermost portion of the wheel 10. This indicates the minimum stress to which the ring 20 and hub 70 are subjected. The shallowest part of the gradient on the wheel occurs at the hub 70-spoke 71 connection, which means that the connection is subjected to the greatest stresses of the wheel element. However, as described herein, the stress experienced by the connection is minimal even under high loads. As shown in fig. 10B, at a large load, the shallowest portion of the gradient that exists on the wheel is on the outboard portion of the wheel 10. This indicates that under heavy loads, the ring 20 may be subjected to some stress while the hub 70 is relatively unstressed.

Fig. 10C illustrates a perspective view of the agricultural irrigation wheel 10 during vibration simulation according to an embodiment. It should also be noted that the wheel 10 may further ensure that the hub 70 does not withstand significant vibrations from the system. Analytical testing has shown that vibrations remain near the outboard portion of the wheel and do not penetrate the hub 70 of the wheel 10. As shown in fig. 10C, the vibrations stay toward the outer portion of the wheel 10 and do not reach the hub 70. The wheel 10 is specifically designed to not allow vibrations to reach the hub 70 of the wheel 10. Typically, the hub 70 is where the drive train and gearbox are located, which is the primary main component of the pivoting machine that fails. In addition, failure of the drive train is often accelerated on pneumatic wheels. The alternating positions of the spokes and their shape further help ensure that vibrations do not resonate to the central hub 70. The same dishing-free spoke shape was also tested in ANSYS computer simulation and the results indicated that dishing-free spoke strength was 10 times lower. In addition, the spoke 71 with the concave surface 71C can improve strength by about 10 times.

Further, as shown in fig. 10C, the darkest gray portion of the gradient corresponding to the maximum vibration deformation is located at the outermost portion of the wheel 10. This means that the ring 20 of the wheel 10 is subjected to the greatest vibration in the vicinity thereof. The black portion of the gradient appears on the hub 70, which means that the hub 70 is subjected to a minimal amount of vibration of the components of the wheel 10.

Fig. 11A and 11B illustrate perspective and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a bracket 50A according to one aspect. As described above, the lugs 50A for use in the wheel 10 may be composed of the center rib 92, the first and second legs 95A and 95B, and the lug plate 91 adapted to connect the first leg 95A to the center rib 92, each of which extends laterally from the center rib 92 and is opposite to each other. The first and second legs 95A, 95B may form a W-shape with the centrally disposed center rib 92. In one embodiment, the lugs 50A may be provided with a single lug plate 91 having a rectangular cross section configured to connect one of the lug legs 95 to the central rib 92, but secured to the ring 20 with two bolts 94. The support leg connected to the support plate 91 may be referred to as a first leg 95A, and the other leg may be referred to as a second leg 95B. The first and second legs 95A, 95B of the bracket 50A may each have a flat portion 97 in which the bolt holes 93 are disposed. Bolts 94 may pass through each bolt hole (e.g., bolt holes 93 of fig. 7B) provided in each of the two flat portions 97 of bracket 50A, thereby securing bracket 50A to annular ring 20. The use of two bolts 94 to secure the lugs 50A to the ring 20 may help prevent rotation of the lugs 50A after installation and provide greater resistance to removal from the wheel than a single bolt 94 arrangement. Alternative methods of securing the lugs 50A to the annular ring 20 may also be implemented, including applying compression fittings, magnets, or other suitable fasteners to the lugs 50A to secure them to the ring 20. Some alternative methods, including welding, may not require the presence or use of through holes 28 in the annular ring 20, but may increase assembly costs.

An overmolded rubber layer ("overmolded rubber layer", "rubber coating") 110 may be disposed on one or more surfaces of the metal inner frame 100, or may completely encase and encase the metal inner frame 100 to further strengthen and protect the lugs 50A. The metal inner frame 100 may be provided as a single unitary component, such as a metal plate as in fig. 11A-11B, as one or more separate wires as in fig. 7H, or any other form capable of providing the desired structural characteristics. The overmolded rubber coating 110 may cover only a portion of the lugs, such as the bottom surface of the metal inner frame 100, as shown in fig. 11A, or may cover the entire metal inner frame 100, as shown in fig. 11B. As described above, the overmolded rubber layer 110 may occupy the interior 99 of the central rib 92 of the lug 50A such that the bottom surface of the lug 50A is flat between the two flat portions 97, while a solid rubber body is disposed within the central rib 92. The presence of a solid rubber body disposed within the central rib 92 may further increase the strength of the lugs 50A.

Different styles of overmolded rubber layers 110 may provide different benefits depending on which portions of the metal inner frame 100 are covered. As previously described, the overmolded rubber layer occupying the interior 99 of the center rib 92 may provide a strong body structure within the interior 99 of the center rib 92, which may increase the strength of the lugs 50A and allow it to withstand greater forces without deforming or breaking. As described above, providing an overmolded rubber layer on only the bottom surface of the lugs may expose the metal inner frame 100 at the top, which may have the advantage of providing a durable outer surface in contact with the ground. Alternatively, the provision of an overmolded rubber layer exclusively on the top surface of the lugs brings the overmolded rubber layer into contact with the ground, which may help to increase the friction between the wheel and the ground, thereby enhancing the grip of the wheel. The primary purpose of the overmolded rubber layer 110 on the top surface of the lugs may be to provide the lugs 91 described above for lugs 50A, as the metal inner frame 100 itself may not have a similar lug structure. Such a support plate 91 may help provide more traction between the attached wheel and the drive surface. Finally, by completely encasing and sealing the metal inner frame 100 within the overmolded rubber layer 110, the advantages of both increased structural strength and enhanced wheel grip may be provided, as well as protecting the enclosed metal inner frame 100 from external factors, which may help to extend the useful life of the metal inner frame 100.

When the overmolded rubber layer 110 is applied on the lugs 50A, the overmolded rubber layer 110 may cover the entire surface of the metal inner frame 100 such that the overmolded rubber layer 110 and the metal inner frame 100 have the same length and width. In one embodiment, the overmolded rubber layer 110 disposed on the bottom surface of the metal inner frame 100 may cover the entire bottom surface of the metal inner frame 100 such that the lengths and widths of the two layers are the same, as shown in fig. 11A. By applying over-molded rubber layer 110 on lugs 50A, which has the same length and width as metal inner frame 100, the entire surface of frame metal inner frame 100 can be protected without significantly changing the shape of lugs 50A. In alternative embodiments where the overmolded rubber layer 110 completely encapsulates the metal inner frame 100, it may be desirable for the rubber layer 110 to be slightly wider and longer than the metal inner frame 100 in order to completely encapsulate the metal inner frame, although such minor dimensional differences may not significantly affect the overall shape of the lugs 50A. The lugs may be applied to the wheel in a modular manner, allowing for easy maintenance, repair or replacement of each lug as required.

In one embodiment, the overmolded rubber layer 110 may have the same shape as the metal inner frame 100. In such an embodiment, such as the lug 50A of fig. 11B, the structure of the lug 50A would have the advantage of enhanced structural stability, which applies to all elements of the lug 50A, including the leg 95, the center rib 92, and the lug plate 91. In alternative embodiments, the geometry of the overmolded rubber layer 110 and the metal inner frame 100 may be different. As shown in fig. 7H, the lugs, including the legs 95, center rib 92 and lug plate 91, may be formed from an overmolded rubber layer 110, while the metal inner frame 100 may be composed of three separate wire structures that do not share the disclosed lug shape, as shown in fig. 7H. Such an embodiment may help limit the amount of metal required to form the lugs in applications where it is not necessary to significantly strengthen the lugs 50A or where a lighter weight lug is desired.

In one embodiment, each lug affixed to the wheel may be the same size. Each lug may have a length of 15.75 inches, a width of 3.75 inches, and a height of 3.75 inches. . By virtue of the lug dimensions, a standard agricultural vehicle wheel can be fitted with 30 lugs around the outer surface of the wheel's ring. The configuration of the present embodiment will be cost effective while conforming to the overall width parameters of the center pivot and side-to-side mobile irrigation industries

Fig. 12A and 12B illustrate perspective views of an agricultural irrigation wheel 10 attached to a center pivot irrigation system according to one aspect. In one embodiment, the various components of the agricultural irrigation wheel 10 may include an annular ring 20, a rim 30 disposed within and attached to the annular ring, and a plurality of identical lugs 50A. The wheel 10 may further include a hub 70 disposed within the rim 30, the hub configured to engage with suitable agricultural equipment. The rim 30 and the hub 70 may be formed as a single, unitary piece, which may help simplify the design of the wheel and enhance the structural integrity of the wheel. The annular ring 20 may have: an outer surface, such as outer surface 22 of wheel 10 in fig. 2, on which lugs 50A are mounted; and a rotating shaft 12 shared with the wheel 10 itself. Unlike the sinusoidal shaped edges of the ring 20 depicted in fig. 9, the pair of opposing edges 26 of the ring 20 in fig. 12A and 12B of this embodiment are flat, such that the ring 20 is cylindrical with a horizontal circular edge 26.

It should be appreciated that while the opposite side of the wheel 10 may not be visible in the particular figures, the opposite side may be considered to have the same features as the visible side, unless otherwise noted. The rim 30 may be disposed within the ring 20 and fixedly secured or otherwise attached to the inner surface 24 of the ring 20 by the rim's peripheral edge 31 such that the rim 30 is positioned parallel to and equidistant from the two opposing edges 26 of the ring 20. As shown in fig. 1A, a hub 70 disposed at the center of rim 30 may be configured to attach to a center pivot irrigation system. As described above, each lug 50A may be bolted to the outer surface of ring 20. A plurality of through holes 28 may be disposed within the outer surface of the ring 20 such that each hole is centered (equidistantly disposed) between the opposing edges 26 of the ring 20, thereby forming a circular pattern around the outer surface of the ring 20 that runs parallel to the opposing edges 26 of the ring 20. Alternatively, two circular patterns of through holes 28 may be provided in the outer surface of the ring 20, such that each circular pattern of through holes 28 is provided at a fixed distance from the corresponding opposing edge 26 and surrounds the outer surface of the ring 20.

As described above, the position of lugs 50A may be determined by the position of through holes 28 provided on the outer surface of ring 20. Due to the circular pattern of through holes 28, the attached lugs 50A may also be arranged in a circular pattern around the outer surface of the ring 20, with each of the plurality of lugs being uniformly centered between the opposing edges 26 and surrounding the circular ring in a circular pattern. The outermost point of each central rib 92 from each lug may form a circular pattern coaxial with the axis of rotation 12 of the ring 20. Similarly, the plurality of lugs 50A may themselves form an annular pattern about the outer surface 22 of the ring 20, wherein the annular pattern is coaxial with the axis of rotation. The annularly arranged lugs 50A may also be arranged in an alternating pattern, similar to lugs 50B and lugs 50C in fig. 6, with the first leg 95A of each lug disposed between the second legs 95B of adjacent lugs 50A, but with all lugs 50A arranged circularly about the ring 20, as shown in fig. 12A. The lugs 50A may be configured to attach to other suitable wheels to provide the grip required for the desired application.

The wheels depicted in fig. 12A-12B provide examples of wheels that may be applied with the disclosed lugs 50A, and are not intended to limit the scope of wheels on which the lugs may be applied. Alternative wheels that can utilize the disclosed lugs include the spoke-based wheels described above, as well as other spoke-based wheels that can properly support the weight of an attached irrigation system. The lugs and variations thereof disclosed may be applied to any wheel structure capable of providing the necessary wheel functions for the irrigation system described above, including wheels with spokes 71, rims 30, legs or other known wheel centers that connect the annular ring 20 to the irrigation system. Thus, a wheel 10 intended for use with an agricultural irrigation system may be comprised of a wheel center, an annular ring 20 disposed about and attached to the wheel center, and a plurality of lugs 50A configured to be attached to the annular ring 20. The wheel center may include a hub 70 or other similar structure to facilitate the necessary attachment of the wheel to the counterpart of the equipment. The ring 20 may be described as circular purely in terms of its side profile, which is generally circular for most wheels in many industries. The outer surface of the ring may be provided in a variety of forms including the sinusoidal and flat edge variants discussed above, as well as any other form that allows the circular profile of the ring 20 to be maintained so as to enable normal travel of the attachment structure. Fig. 13A-13E illustrate perspective views of a scalloped agricultural irrigation wheel ("scalloped wheel") 120 according to one embodiment. The scalloped agricultural irrigation wheel 120 of fig. 13A-13E can be comprised of a ring 20 that is cylindrical in shape. The ring 20 of the scalloped agricultural irrigation wheel 120 can have at least one pattern ("set") of sinusoidal arranged through holes 28 such that the through holes 28 are disposed on the outer surface 22 thereof, similar to the ring 20 of fig. 9. Unlike the ring 20 of fig. 9, the ring 20 of the scalloped wheel 120 may have a flat edge 26 comparable to the flat edge 26 of the ring 20 of fig. 12A, as shown in fig. 13A-13E. The scalloped agricultural wheel 120 may further be comprised of a rim 30 nested within the ring 20, the rim 30 having a peripheral edge 31 and a plurality of scalloped protrusions ("scalloped portions") 121.

As shown in fig. 13A-13E, the term "scalloped protrusions" 121 may be used to describe alternating protrusions in the form of pockets positioned on the rim 30. The scalloped protrusions 121 may be provided on the outer peripheral edge 31 of the rim. The peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 may be configured to directly engage the inner surface 24 of the ring 20 such that the positioning of each scalloped portion 121 around each through-hole 28 on the ring 20 provides sufficient clearance to allow for easy assembly and disassembly of the wheel lugs using a suitable tool. As can be seen in fig. 13A-13E, the scalloped portions are configured to provide space around any through-hole adjacent to the scalloped projection 121 to facilitate the process of assembling or disassembling a lug from a scalloped wheel. The rim 30 with scalloped protrusions 121 may be affixed to the ring 20 by welding or other suitable method, or may be integrally integrated into the ring 20 during manufacture such that the rim 30 and the ring 20 form a single unified structure.

The scalloped protrusions 121 provided on the rim 30 may provide a reciprocating lateral offset of the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 between the edges 26 of the ring 20, which provides an increased contact surface between the rim 30 and the ring 20 when compared to the previously disclosed rim 30 lacking the scalloped protrusions 121. Such increased contact surface between the rim 30 and the ring 20 may increase the structural integrity of the scalloped wheel 120 and allow it to withstand greater loads without damage or deformation. This reciprocal lateral offset of the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 may be similar to the arrangement of lugs described for fig. 4, wherein the engagement surface between the outer surface 31 of the rim 30 and the ring 20 may be embodied as a generally sinusoidal curve having a certain amplitude and period. Such a generally sinusoidal curve of the engagement surface between the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 and the ring 20 may be coaxial with the axis of rotation 12 of the wheel. By having a rim 30 that generally follows the same pattern (e.g., sinusoidal pattern) as the through holes 28 and any attachment lugs, the rim 30 may provide sufficient support for the central portion of each attachment lug, thereby providing greater structural integrity to the scalloped wheel 120 than alternative configurations in which the rim 30 does not follow the same pattern as the through holes 28 and any attachment lugs thereby.

The reciprocal lateral offset of the peripheral edge 31 may cause the distance between the peripheral edge 31 and each edge 26 of the ring 20 to vary depending on the positioning of the nearby through holes 28, as will be described in greater detail below. "lateral" in the context of "reciprocating lateral offset" may refer to a direction defined by the axis of rotation 12 of the wheel. The hub 70 may be disposed within and affixed to the rim 30, wherein the hub 70 is configured to engage a drive train of a suitable vehicle component. Much like the previously disclosed wheel 10, the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be configured to rotate about the wheel axis of rotation 12 to facilitate movement of the vehicle.

To more easily accommodate the assembly/disassembly of lugs on the scalloped wheel 120 described above (e.g., lugs 50A of fig. 12A), the orientation and positioning of the scalloped protrusions 121 provided on the ring 30 may be configured such that the ring 30 avoids blocking or impeding access to each of the pattern or each set of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28 on the ring 20. This can be accomplished by: the scalloped protrusions 121 are arranged on the rim 30 such that the distance between the engagement surface between the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 and the ring 20 and each through hole 28 on the ring 20 is sufficiently large that an appropriate tool, such as a socket wrench or torque wrench, can be easily maneuvered close to the through hole 28 to tighten/remove bolts, screws or other similar fasteners to secure the lugs to the ring 20 without the rim 30 blocking or otherwise impeding the use of the tool. As can be seen in fig. 13A-13E, the ring 20 may have two sets of adjacent sinusoidally arranged through holes 28, wherein the sets of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28 are configured to engage with a plurality of lugs, such as lugs 50A in fig. 7D, and each lug is configured to be attached to the ring 20 using two bolts 94. The two adjacent sets of sinusoidally arranged vias may be arranged such that the sinusoidal pattern defined by each set of vias is in phase with the sinusoidal pattern of the other set of vias. The two sets being "in phase" with each other means that the maximum and minimum lateral offsets towards a particular edge 26, and thus the maximum amplitude/minimum amplitude of each sinusoidal pattern, will occur at the same radial angle of the two sets of wheels, as shown in fig. 13A-13E.

Each lug may be configured to engage a single through-hole 28 in each set of sinusoidally arranged through-holes 28 such that, when assembled, each lug is parallel to an adjacent lug, as shown in fig. 6. Much like the arrangement of lugs in fig. 4, any lugs affixed to the scalloped wheel 120 may be positioned on the outer surface of the ring 20 in laterally offset positions relative to one another (see fig. 5) to form a continuous and smoothly varying trajectory of the center point, wherein the lugs form a sinusoidal pattern around the ring 20 of the scalloped wheel 120. As can be seen from the scalloped wheel 120 in fig. 13A-13E, the scalloped portion 121 of the rim 30 may be configured such that the engagement surface between the ring 20 and the rim 30 is always disposed between corresponding adjacent through holes of two adjacent sets of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28. In such embodiments, the positioning of scalloped portions 121 may provide sufficient clearance around each bolt (not shown) passing through each through-hole 28 to more easily utilize a tool configured to facilitate assembly and disassembly of lugs to and from ring 20.

It should be appreciated that the positioning and size of the scalloped protrusions 121 on the rim 30 of the scalloped wheel 120 may be modified to facilitate the mounting of the lugs for alternative scalloped wheel configurations. For example, an alternative scalloped wheel 120 may have a single set of sinusoidal through holes on its ring 20, similar to the arrangement of through holes 28 on ring 20 in fig. 9, but wherein the ring 20 has a flat edge 26. If a flat rim is used in a wheel having a single set of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28, such as rim 30 of wheel 10 in fig. 12A, a portion of the through holes 28 may be blocked by the positioning of the rim 30 or the through holes may have insufficient circumferential clearance therearound such that a tool cannot be properly used for a holding operation. The scalloped portions 121 may be selectively positioned on the rim 30 to avoid the rim 30 blocking the through holes 28, similar to that shown in fig. 13A, by laterally offsetting the scalloped portions 121 from the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 such that the engagement of the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 with the ring 20 leaves sufficient clearance around each through hole 28.

As described above, the peripheral edge 31 of the scalloped rim 30 of fig. 13A-13E may have a generally sinusoidal reciprocating lateral offset due to the positioning of the scalloped projections 121 and thus may need to engage with the ring 20 such that the generally sinusoidal pattern of the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30 does not block or otherwise interfere with access to the through-hole. To facilitate such engagement, in this alternative embodiment, the generally sinusoidal pattern of the peripheral edge 31 may be sufficiently laterally offset and in phase with the single sinusoidal pattern of the through-holes 28. It should be appreciated that because both the scalloped rim 30 and the lugs may be affixed to the ring 20 of the scalloped wheel 120, the scalloped rim 30 may be associated with lugs within the wheel assembly.

The hub 70 of the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be configured to properly engage with the drive train of a center pivot irrigation system. The hub 70 may be secured in the inner peripheral edge 32 of the rim 30 by welding or the like, or may be integrally integrated into the rim 30. The disclosed scalloped wheel 120 is compatible with two common variation-sized drive units used in the industry, including variations of a short axis drive unit and a long axis drive unit. Since both driveline variants have the same stud pattern, the disclosed stud through holes 72 in the hub 70 of the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be suitably arranged to allow engagement of the scalloped wheel 120 with either driveline variant. The disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be provided with a built-in lateral offset 122 between the hub 70 and the ring 20 that provides lateral clearance between the scalloped wheel 120 and the drive unit of a stub shaft drive train variation (not shown) and prevents the scalloped wheel 120 and the drive unit from crashing during operation. It should be understood that the term "built-in lateral offset" refers to lateral displacement of the hub 70 (e.g., positioned along the wheel axis of rotation 12) when compared to the central portion of the ring 20, wherein the central portion of the ring 20 is centrally disposed between the edges 26 of the hub 70. This built-in lateral bias 122 provides greater clearance between the scalloped wheel 120 and the drive unit of the long-shaft drive train variation, thereby ensuring proper wheel 120 operation. The ability of the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 of fig. 13A-13E to be used with either of the two drive shaft lengths (short or long) used in the industry simplifies the manufacture of the scalloped wheel 120 to a single design for use with both described driveline variants.

The disclosed rim 30 of the scalloped wheel 120 may be configured to allow the scalloped wheel 120 to greatly resist deformation and damage when supporting heavy loads. Because of the solid, unitary rim 30 design and the reciprocating lateral offset of the peripheral edge 31 of the rim 30, and thus the lateral reciprocating interface between the rim 30 of the scalloped wheel 120 and the ring 20, the scalloped wheel 120 may be able to support heavier loads than a wheel utilizing a spoke or flat rim to attach the wheel hub 70 to the ring 20. The reciprocating interface created by the reciprocating lateral offset of the peripheral edge 31 of the scalloped rim 30 provides a greater interface area between the rim 30 and the ring 20 than previously disclosed flat rims, thereby enhancing the structural integrity and support capability of the scalloped wheel 120. Similar to the previously disclosed spokes 71 of fig. 6, the disclosed scalloped protrusions 121 also help to increase the engagement of each scalloped wheel with the ground when the wheel is partially submerged in softer soil, because the shape of each scalloped protrusion increases the surface area of the attached wheel, thereby increasing the traction of the scalloped wheel with the ground when submerged. For example, when the scalloped wheel 120 is submerged in soft or loose soil, each scalloped protrusion 121 may help to grab the soil and dig out the scalloped wheel 120 like a paddle.

It should be appreciated that the scalloped rim 30 disclosed in fig. 13A-13E has scalloped projections 121 and thus reciprocating peripheral edges 31, which can be used in any of the rings 20 disclosed herein, provided that the interface between the scalloped rim 30 and the ring 20 is properly configured to provide sufficient clearance around each through hole 28 on the ring 20 to allow proper access to the lugs for assembly or disassembly. The rim 30 and ring 20 of the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be affixed to each other by welding or other suitable attachment methods known in the art. Each of the disclosed scalloped wheels 120 and the wheels 10 described above may also be manufactured as a single piece by manufacturing techniques such as injection molding. As with all of the wheels 10 described herein, the components and assemblies of the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be made of metal or other known materials having suitable tensile strength, elasticity, flexibility, and other characteristics to achieve the intended purpose of the wheel. The disclosed configuration of scalloped rim 30 as seen in fig. 13A-13E may be desirable in applications requiring the wheel to have enhanced load bearing capability and the ability to maintain the wheel to provide traction when partially submerged in relatively loose soil while ensuring that rim 30 leaves sufficient clearance around each through hole 28.

It should be understood that the term "circular pattern" may also be used to describe the arrangement of through holes 28, and the resulting lugs arrangement, as shown in fig. 13A-13E, wherein through holes 28 are sinusoidally arranged around outer surface 22 of ring 20 such that the arrangement is circular in side cross-section, similar to that shown in fig. 13C-13D, and sinusoidal in front cross-section, similar to that shown in fig. 13E. It should also be understood that the term "circular pattern" may be used to describe the type of lug arrangement (and corresponding arrangement of through holes 28) described in fig. 12A-12B, wherein lugs 50A, and thus corresponding through holes 28, are arranged linearly about the outer surface of ring 20 such that the arrangement is depicted as circular in side cross-sectional view and linear in front cross-sectional view. The pattern of through holes 28 depicted in fig. 9 and 13A-13E, and correspondingly attached lugs patterns therefrom, may be more specifically referred to as "sinusoidal patterns". Also, the pattern of lugs 50A depicted in fig. 12A-12B, and thus the pattern of corresponding through holes 28 for securing them, may be more specifically referred to as a "linear pattern. Thus, the "sinusoidal pattern" and "linear pattern" described herein are understood to be different types of "circular patterns".

It may be beneficial to define certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term "couple" and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not there is physical contact between the elements. The term "or" is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases "associated with" and derivatives thereof may refer to the inclusion, interconnection, inclusion within, connection or association with, coupling or association with, may be in communication, mating, interleaving, juxtaposition, proximity, binding or combination of therewith, having or having properties, or the like.

Further, in this application, "plurality" means two or more. A "set" of items may include one or more such items. In the written description and in the claims, the terms "comprising," "including," "carrying," "having," "containing," "involving," and the like are to be construed as open-ended, i.e., to mean including, but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, with respect to the claims.

Use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second," and "third," in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed. These terms are only used as labels to distinguish one claim element having a particular name from another element having the same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim element. As used herein, "and/or" means that the listed items are alternatives, but alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.

In this specification, the aspects, embodiments, or examples shown should be considered as examples and not limitations of the disclosed or claimed apparatus or processes. Although some examples may refer to particular combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that these acts and these elements may be combined in other ways to achieve the same objectives.

Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one aspect, embodiment or example are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other aspects, embodiments or examples.

Aspects, embodiments, or examples of the invention may be described as a process which is usually depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of the operations may be rearranged. With respect to the flow diagrams, it should be appreciated that additional and fewer steps may be taken and the illustrated steps may be combined or further refined to implement the described methods.

If a device is recited in a claim with a functional limitation, the device is not intended to be limited to the device disclosed in the present application for performing the recited function, but is intended to cover within scope any equivalent device now known or later developed for performing the recited function.

Claim limitations should be interpreted as means-plus-function limitations, only if the claim recites the term "means" in connection with the function.

The claims directed to a method and/or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, if any, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Although various aspects, embodiments, and/or examples have been shown and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the same and/or equivalent implementations, and that the various aspects shown and described herein could be substituted for those that would be achieved with the same results without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present application is intended to cover such alternative aspects, embodiments, and/or examples. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. In addition, each claim is incorporated into the specification as a further disclosure.

Claims (20)

1. A wheel, comprising:

a torus, the torus having:

an outer surface; and

a rotation shaft; and

a plurality of lugs mounted in a side-by-side position on the outer surface of the annular ring, each lug having:

a central rib, first and second legs, and a bracket plate adapted to connect the first leg to the central rib, each leg extending laterally from the central rib and opposite each other;

wherein the plurality of lugs form a circular pattern that is coaxial with the axis of rotation.

2. The wheel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of through holes formed on the outer surface, the plurality of through holes forming a sinusoidal pattern around the outer surface, the sinusoidal pattern being coaxial with the rotational axis.

3. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the circular pattern is a sinusoidal pattern.

4. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lugs are arranged in an alternating pattern such that a first leg of each lug is disposed between a second leg of an adjacent lug.

5. The wheel of claim 1, wherein each lug of the plurality of lugs has an overmolded rubber layer.

6. The wheel of claim 1, further comprising a rim nested within the annular ring, the rim having a plurality of alternating scalloped projections on an outer peripheral edge of the rim.

7. The wheel of claim 6, wherein the scalloped projection is configured to provide clearance around each of a plurality of through holes provided on an outer surface of the ring.

8. A wheel, comprising:

a plurality of lugs mounted in a side-by-side position to form a circular ring, each lug having:

A central rib, first and second legs, and a bracket plate adapted to connect the first leg to the central rib, each leg extending laterally from the central rib and opposite each other.

9. The wheel of claim 8, wherein the plurality of lugs are arranged in an alternating pattern such that a first leg of each lug is disposed between a second leg of an adjacent lug.

10. The wheel of claim 8, further comprising a rim associated with the plurality of lugs, the rim having a plurality of scalloped projections.

11. A bracket for use in a wheel, the bracket comprising: a center rib;

a first leg and a second leg, each extending laterally from the central rib and opposite each other; and

a bracket plate adapted to connect the first leg to the central rib.

12. The bracket of claim 11, further comprising a bolt hole disposed in the planar portion of the first leg and a bolt hole disposed in the planar portion of the second leg.

13. A bracket according to claim 11, further comprising a bolt hole provided in the centre of the bracket.

14. A bracket according to claim 11, further comprising a bracket plate adapted to connect the second leg to the central rib.

15. A bracket according to claim 11, further comprising a cutout provided in each bracket plate.

16. A bracket according to claim 11, wherein each bracket plate has a triangular cross section.

17. A bracket according to claim 11, wherein the first and second legs form a W-shape with the central rib.

18. A holder according to claim 11, wherein the holder has an overmolded rubber layer.

19. A bracket according to claim 11, wherein the bracket is made of rubber and reinforced by an internally disposed metal internal frame.

20. A bracket according to claim 19, wherein the metal inner frame is a unitary, monolithic structure.