Traction wheel apparatus with non-uniform tread teeth

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a wheel apparatus that includes a rim module coupleable to an axle and a solid tire module that extends from the rim module. The solid tire module includes a plurality of tread teeth that form a peripheral edge. The peripheral edge forms at least a portion of a tire profile. Each tread tooth of the plurality of tread teeth has a spatial specification that includes a circumferential width, a radial height, an edge shape, and a circumferential gap width. The spatial specifications of the plurality of tread teeth are non-uniform. In one embodiment, the solid tire module has a non-circular rotational trace. In another embodiment, at least a circumferential region of the peripheral edge comprises a sequence of tread teeth having sequentially increasing radial height.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wheel apparatus, comprising:
 a rim module coupleable to an axle; and   a solid tire module extending from the rim module, the solid tire module comprising a plurality of tread teeth that form a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge forming at least a portion of a tire profile, wherein each tread tooth of the plurality of tread teeth comprises a spatial specification comprising a circumferential width, a radial height, an edge shape, and a circumferential gap width, wherein the spatial specifications of the plurality of tread teeth are non-uniform.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the solid tire module comprises a non-circular rotational trace. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a circumferential region of the peripheral edge comprises a sequence of tread teeth having sequentially increasing radial height. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge of the solid tire module comprises a first circumferential region and a second circumferential region, wherein the first circumferential region comprises tread teeth that have a first average radial height and the second circumferential region comprises tread teeth that have a second average radial height, wherein the first average radial height is at least 1.5 times the second average radial height. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge of the solid tire module comprises a first circumferential region and a second circumferential region, wherein the first circumferential region comprises tread teeth and the second circumferential region is substantially lacking tread teeth. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the solid tire module is detachably coupled to the rim module. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one wing extending axially from at least one side of the solid tire module, wherein each wing comprises an axial breadth. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one wing comprises a sequence of wings having sequentially increasing axial breadth. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tread teeth further comprises a terrain gripping feature. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rim module is attached to an existing wheel rim. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein bores extend axially through the solid tire module. 
     
     
         12 . A wheel system, comprising:
 a terrain engagement subsystem mountable to a vehicle, the terrain engagement subsystem comprising:
 a power module operably connectable with a power source, the power module engaged with 
 an axle, wherein the axle is rotatably driven via the power module, and 
 an actuation mechanism that controls whether a wheel apparatus is in drive-mode or passive-mode; 
   the wheel apparatus comprising:
 a rim module coupled to the axle; and 
 a solid tire module extending from the rim module, the solid tire module comprising a plurality of tread teeth that form a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge forming at least a portion of a tire profile, wherein each tread tooth of the plurality of tread teeth comprises a spatial specification comprising a circumferential width, a radial height, an edge shape, and a circumferential gap width, wherein the spatial specifications of the plurality of tread teeth are non-uniform. 
   
     
     
         13 . The wheel system of  claim 12 , wherein the rim module is a first rim module and the solid tire module is a first solid tire module, the wheel system further comprising a second rim module and a second solid tire module comprising a plurality of tread teeth that form a peripheral edge, wherein each tread tooth of the plurality of tread teeth comprises a spatial specification comprising a circumferential width, a radial height, an edge shape, and a circumferential gap width, wherein the spatial specifications of the plurality of tread teeth are non-uniform. 
     
     
         14 . The wheel system of  claim 13 , wherein the spatial specification of the plurality of tread teeth of the first solid tire module are substantially the same as, and aligned with, the spatial specification of the plurality of tread teeth of the second solid tire module. 
     
     
         15 . The wheel system of  claim 13 , wherein the spatial specification of the plurality of tread teeth of the first solid tire module are substantially the same as, but counter-aligned with, the spatial specification of the plurality of tread teeth of the second solid tire module. 
     
     
         16 . The wheel system of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one paddle axially extending between the first and second solid tire modules. 
     
     
         17 . The wheel system of  claim 12 , wherein the actuation mechanism of the terrain engagement-subsystem comprises an extension arm that extends the solid tire module into contact with terrain in drive-mode and retracts the solid tire module from contact with the terrain in passive-mode. 
     
     
         18 . The wheel system of  claim 17 , wherein the extension arm positions the solid tire module between existing axles of the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 terrain engagement subsystem mounted to a vehicle, the terrain engagement subsystem comprising:
 a power module operably connectable with a power source, the power module engaged with 
 an axle, wherein the axle is rotatably driven via the power module, and 
 an actuation mechanism that controls whether a wheel apparatus is in drive-mode or passive-mode; 
   the wheel apparatus comprising:
 a rim module coupled to the axle; and 
 a solid tire module extending from the rim module, the solid tire module comprising a plurality of tread teeth that form a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge forming at least a portion of a tire profile, wherein each tread tooth of the plurality of tread teeth comprises a spatial specification comprising a circumferential width, a radial height, an edge shape, and a circumferential gap width, wherein the spatial specifications of the plurality of tread teeth are non-uniform; and 
   a controller apparatus comprising:
 a rotational trace module that receives spatial dimensions regarding the wheel apparatus and generates rotational trace data; 
 a rotational analysis module that receives the rotational trace data and generates a reduced oscillation strategy; and 
 an actuation module that receives the reduced oscillation strategy and sends actuation commands to the terrain engagement subsystem. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the controller apparatus further comprises a traction feedback module and a traction analysis module, wherein the traction feedback module detects powertrain conditions and sends a powertrain condition report to the traction analysis module, wherein the traction analysis module receives the powertrain condition report and generates a traction control strategy, wherein the actuation module considers the reduced oscillation strategy and the traction control strategy when sending actuation commands to the powertrain system.