Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
TITLE OF INVENTION
FARM IRRIGATION WHEEL
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
[0001] The invention relates generally to utility wheels and more
particularly, to wheels used
in farming applications, such as wheels used in conjunction with crop
irrigation equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] Currently, center pivot irrigation is a form of overhead
sprinkler irrigation, which uses
a machine having pipe segments arranged in linear arms, with sprinklers
positioned along the arms
which may be supported by trusses mounted on wheeled units with such units set
at several points
along the arms. In one version, the arms are driven in a circular pattern and
fed with water from a
pivot point at the center of the circle. For a center pivot to be used, the
terrain upon which it rotates
must be reasonably flat; but may move over an undulating surface. The arms
typically may be
between 1200 and 1600 feet in length forming a circle radius. These systems
may be water-
powered, hydraulic powered or electric motor-driven. The outermost wheels set
the pace of
rotation with a full circle made once every three days for example. The inner
wheels are auto-
controlled to keep the arms relatively linear during movement. Sprinkler sizes
are progressively
larger over the distance from the pivot point to the outer circumference of
the circle. Crops may
be planted in straight rows or in circles to conform to the travel of the
irrigation system.
[0003] Additionally, center-pivot irrigation typically uses less
water and require less labor than
furrow irrigation. This results in lower labor costs, reduces the amount of
soil tillage required, and
helps reduce water runoff and soil erosion. Less tillage also encourages more
organic materials
and crop residue to decompose back into the soil and reduces soil compaction.
Inflatable tires are
widely used on center-pivot irrigation rigs because they have excellent
performance on soft soil
and mud due to their compliance causing flattening as they roll in contact
with a surface. During
1
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
flattening the tire's footprint (contact surface) grows, thereby reducing
contact pressure and
reduced contact pressure reduces the tendency to sink into the ground ruts are
less pronounced.
[0004] Furthermore, current center pivot irrigation wheels lack
strength and durability in the
wheels because of pneumatic tires typically used. Moreover, current center
pivot irrigation wheels
also do not have any traction support for once the wheel has already entered a
rut. Pneumatic tires
in the irrigation application also require air pressure maintenance due to air
loss and typically have
rutting issues.
[0005] Therefore, there is a need to solve the problems described
above by proving a device
for improved traction for crop irrigation equipment.
[0006] The aspects or the problems and the associated solutions
presented in this section could
be or could have been pursued; 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 presented in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue
of their presence in
this section of the application.
BRIEF INVENTION SUMMARY
[0007] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of 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. Moreover, this
Summary is not
intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject
matter.
[0008] In an aspect, a wheel is provided, the wheel comprising: a
circular ring having: an
outer surface; and a rotational axis; and a plurality of lugs mounted in side-
by-side positions on
said outer surface of the circular ring, each lug having: a center rib, a
first leg and a second leg,
each leg extending from the center rib laterally and opposite of each other,
and a lug plate
adapted to connect the first leg to the center rib; wherein the plurality of
lugs forms a circular
pattern that is coaxial with the rotational axis. Thus, an advantage is that
the wheel will have
enhanced traction due to the lugs having a protruding lug plate to better grip
the driving surface.
Another advantage is that the lug plates may provide structural support to the
lugs, increasing
their 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
2
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
enclosed lug structures. Another advantage is that modular implementation of
the lugs may allow
for easy maintenance, repair, or replacement of said lugs as needed, rather
than replacement of
the whole wheel. Another advantage is that the disclosed wheel may utilize a
rim having
scalloped protrusions, wherein said scalloped protrusions allow for easier
manipulation of lugs
and provide enhanced load bearing capabilities to said wheel.
[0009] In another aspect, a wheel is provided, the wheel comprising:
a plurality of lugs
mounted in side-by-side positions to form a circular ring, each lug having: a
center rib, a first leg
and a second leg, each leg extending from the center rib laterally and
opposite of each other, and
a lug plate adapted to connect the first leg to the center rib. Again, an
advantage is that the wheel
will have enhanced traction due to the lugs having a protruding lug plate to
better grip the
driving surface. Another advantage is that the lug plates may provide
structural support to the
lugs, increasing their 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
modular
implementation of the lugs may allow for easy maintenance, repair, or
replacement of said lugs
as needed, rather than replacement of the whole wheel. Another advantage is
that the disclosed
wheel may utilize a rim having scalloped protrusions, wherein said scalloped
protrusions allow
for easier manipulation of lugs and provide enhanced load bearing capabilities
to said wheel.
[0010] In another aspect, a lug for use in a wheel is a provided,
the lug comprising: a center
rib; a first leg and a second leg, each leg extending from the center rib
laterally and opposite of
each other; and a lug plate adapted to connect the first leg to the center rib
Again, an advantage is
that an attached wheel will have enhanced traction due to the lug having a
protruding lug plate to
better grip the driving surface. Another advantage is that the lug plates may
provide structural
support to the lugs, thus increasing their strength while providing enhanced
traction between the
lug and a driving surface. Another advantage is that the 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.
[0011] The above aspects or examples and advantages, as well as
other aspects or examples
and advantages, will become apparent from the ensuing description and
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
3
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
[0012] For exemplification purposes, and not for limitation
purposes, aspects, embodiments
or examples of the invention are illustrated in the figures of the
accompanying drawings, in
which.
[0013] FIG. 1A illustrates a center pivot irrigation system as used
in farming, according to
an aspect.
[0014] FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a
wheel used in center
pivot irrigation systems, according to an aspect.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a further perspective view of the farm
irrigation wheel, according
to an aspect.
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a partial vertical section view of the
farm irrigation wheel,
according to an aspect.
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a front elevation view of the farm
irrigation wheel, according to an
aspect.
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a lug of the farm
irrigation wheel, according
to an aspect.
[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the farm irrigation
wheel, according to an
embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of the lug, according
to an embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 7B illustrates a perspective view of the lug, according
to an embodiment.
[0022] FIGs. 7C-7F illustrate a side view of the lug, according to
an embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 7G illustrates a perspective view of the lug, according
to an embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 711 illustrates a perspective semitransparent view of
the lug, according to an
embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the farm irrigation
wheel hub, according to an
embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the farm irrigation
wheel without the lugs
attached, according to an embodiment
[0027] FIG. 10A illustrates a perspective view of the farm
irrigation wheel during a von
Mises stress simulation, according to an embodiment.
4
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
[0028] FIG. 10B illustrates a perspective view of the farm
irrigation wheel during a von
Mises stress simulation, according to an embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 10C illustrates a perspective view of the farm
irrigation wheel during a
vibration simulation, according to an embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 11A illustrates a perspective view of a lug, according
to an embodiment.
[0031] FIG. 11B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a lug,
according to an embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 12A illustrates a perspective view of a farm irrigation
wheel attached to a center
pivot irrigation system, according to an embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 12B illustrates a perspective view of a farm irrigation
wheel attached to a center
pivot irrigation system, according to an embodiment.
[0034] FIGs. 13A-13E illustrates the perspective views of a
scalloped farm irrigation wheel,
according to an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] What follows is a description of various aspects, embodiments
and/or examples in
which the invention may be practiced. Reference will be made to the attached
drawings, and the
information included in the drawings is part of this detailed description. The
aspects, embodiments
and/or examples described herein are presented for exemplification purposes,
and not for limitation
purposes. It should be understood that structural and/or logical modifications
could be made by
someone of ordinary skills in the art without departing from the scope of the
invention. Therefore,
the scope of the invention is defined by the accompanying claims and their
equivalents.
[0036] It should be understood that, for clarity of the drawings and
of the specification, some
or all details about some structural components or steps that are known in the
art are not shown or
described if they are not necessary for the invention to be understood by one
of ordinary skills in
the art.
[0037] In the foregoing description, embodiments are described as a
plurality of individual
parts, and methods as a plurality of individual steps and this is solely for
the sake of illustration.
Accordingly, it is contemplated that some additional parts or steps may be
added, some parts or
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
steps may be changed or omitted, and the order of the parts or steps may be re-
arranged, while
maintaining the sense and understanding of the apparatus and methods as
claimed.
[0038] For the following description, it can be assumed that most
correspondingly labeled
elements across the figures possess the same characteristics and are subject
to the same structure
and function. If there is a difference between correspondingly labeled
elements that is not pointed
out, and this difference results in a non-corresponding structure or function
of an element for a
particular embodiment, example or aspect, then the conflicting description
given for that particular
embodiment, example or aspect shall govern.
[0039] FIG. 1A illustrates a typical center pivot irrigation
operation in progress. As
described in detail herein, a utility farm wheel ("wheel,- "farm wheel-) 10 as
used in this type of
irrigation as best illustrated in FIG. 1B is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the
wheel 10 may be an
assembly of individual parts that may be joined together in various ways. In
an embodiment, the
individual parts may include a ring 20, a pair of rims 30, one or two disk
portions 40, and a
plurality of identical lugs 50. In this embodiment, shown in FIG. 1B a
tensioning device 60B
typically either a tension band (not shown) or a tension cable may also be
used and may improve
the alignment of the lugs 50. The parts may be made of metal or other
materials providing
suitable tensile strength, elasticity, flexibility and other characteristics
as will be known by those
of skill in the mechanical arts and as described herein.
[0040] Additionally, the ring 20 may be manufactured by laser
cutting a flat strip of metal and
then rolling it to form a cylinder with ends overlapped and welded together.
Therefore, the ring
20 may have an outer surface 22 an inner surface 24 and a pair of opposing
edges 26. The ring 20
may have a pattern of through holes 28 in its surface as shown in FIG. 2. The
rims 30 may be
secured to the edges 26 of ring 20 by welding, for instance, and the ends of
legs 42 of disk
portion 40 may be secured to rim 30 using common hardware. The lugs 50 may be
bolted onto
the outer surface 22 as shown in FIG. 3. Each lug 50 may be mounted on ring 20
by a bracket
80, possibly of shaped sheet metal, and held in place by bolts 82 as shown.
The holes 28 may be
arranged in different patterns permitting lugs 50 to be arranged in
alternative configurations as
will be described. The wheel 10 has a central rotational axis ("wheel
rotational axis", "rotational
axis") 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the lugs 50, as sighted radially toward wheel
10 (see arrow R), are
rectangular in shape having a long axis 52 positioned centrally between its
opposing long sides,
6
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
and a short axis 54 positioned centrally between its opposing short sides. The
point where long
axis 52 and short axis 54 cross is a central point 56 of lug 50.
[0041] The lugs 50 may be fixed to the surface 22 such that long
axis 52 are parallel to wheel
rotational axis 12, see FIG. 1B. The lugs 50 may be placed in side-by-side
positions around ring
20 with their short axis 54 aligned colinearly and centered between opposing
edges 26, that is,
centered on ring 20; this is one mounting option. However, the lugs 50 may
alternately be
positioned on ring 20 in laterally offset positions (see FIG. 5) with respect
to each other to form a
continuously and possibly smoothly varying locus of the central points 56 as
shown in FIG. 4. In
an embodiment, the smoothly varying locus of central points 56, may execute a
sinusoidal curve
having a sinusoidal amplitude and a sinusoidal period. The sinusoidal
amplitude may be
varied by changing the magnitude of the lateral incremental positions of the
centers 56 of one lug
50 relative to the next. On the other hand, the distance about the
circumference of wheel 10 of a
single sinusoidal cycle may be varied by changing the circumferential width of
lugs 50. The
positions of the lugs 50 may be determined by the position of holes 28 in ring
20. Those of skill
in the art will be able to determine the locations of holes 28 to produce a
desired sinusoidal or
alternate arrangement of the lugs 50.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 5, each lug 50 may have an outwardly
directed roughly V-shape (as
sighted along the circumference of wheel 10). The two opposing legs 58 of said
V-shape diverges
from surface 22 on either side of axis 54 where the lug 50 is fastened to ring
20. During rotation
of wheel 10 each lug 50 contacts a surface upon which wheel 10 rides. Such
contact is initially
made by the extreme lateral ends of lug 50 along axis 52. Upon further wheel
rotation greater
weight is brought to bear on the legs causing the divergent angle to lessen
and cause greater
strain within lugs 50. A rib 57 extends in the direction of axis 52 across the
outfacing portion of
leg 50 and provides a means for wheel 10 to develop greater traction
especially in relatively soft
farm soil. At the ends of the legs of lug 50 are ribs 59 positioned orthogonal
to rib 57 in order to
limit sideways slippage of wheel 10.
[0043] The tensioning device 60B may be made of high-strength Nylon
cable or stainless-
steel band stock and may be fixed to lugs 50 on both left and right lateral
underside surfaces of
the legs by cleats 62 as shown in FIG. 1. The tensioning device 60B may allow
a gap between
adjacent lugs 50 to remain consistent and also may allow lugs 50 to be pre-
tensioned for a desired
stiffness, that is, drawing the divergence angle of the legs of lugs 50 away
from surface 22 to a
7
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
greater or lesser degree. This also enables adjacent lugs 50 to share and
transfer loads between
them which is important for sharing and distributing shock loads when
obstacles such as rocks
are encountered.
[0044] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the farm irrigation
wheel 10, according to an
aspect. In another embodiment, the individual parts may include a ring 20
(shown in FIG. 9), a
hub 70, a plurality of spokes 71, and a plurality of identical lugs 50A. As
shown, the farm
irrigation wheel 10 may have a hub 70, spokes ("fins") 71, lugs 50A, and a
ring 20. As described
herein, the disk portion 40, shown in FIG.2, may be broken up into hub 70 and
spokes ("fins") 71
components. Furthermore, having the hub 70 and the spokes 71 as separates
parts may allow for
better durability. Additionally, having each spoke 71 as a separate component
may allow for
easier maintenance. For example, if a spoke 71 were to be damaged, the single
spoke 71 may be
replaced without the need to replace the entire wheel 10. Again, instead of
legs 58 on a rim 30,
the farm irrigation wheel 10 may have a hub 70 with spokes 71, which may
provide additional
strength to the wheel and more traction.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 6, the spokes 71 may be concaved and attach
at alternating
locations. The spokes 71 of the wheel 10 can provide traction and help the
wheel not slip if it is
moving through an existing rut. Typically, wheel hubs and spokes only have a
purpose to handle
loads, while, as described herein, the spokes 71 may provide additional
traction. The spokes 71
may aid in traction, if necessary, by cutting into the ground surface (i.e.,
soil or dirt). For
example, if the wheel 10 begins to sink below ground level (i.e., in a 'rut or
'trench') the wheel
may continue to function due to the spokes 71.
[0046] The spokes ("fins") 71 may have a concave surface 71C to
increase their strength.
This allows for an increase in strength while keeping the metal very thin,
which may keep costs
down due to the spoke's 71 thin structure. Additionally, the spokes 71 allow
the center of gravity
of the wheel to be at the center of the hub at times, allowing the wheel 10 to
be well-balanced,
which will be described in more detail herein.
[0047] The wheel 10 is 'compliant' and may bend and flex to absorb
heavy loads.
Furthermore, both the spokes 71 and the lugs 50A may be compliant to allow for
the appropriate
flex in the wheel 10 to handle larger loads. Additionally, the outer surface
of the wheel may help
to reduce the formation of ruts and maintenance of traction in soft earth.
8
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
[0048] The lugs 50A may also have lug plates that are horizontal
and raised higher than the
lugs 50 shown in FIG. 5, the lugs 50A provide additional traction to the wheel
10. Furthermore,
the spokes 71 may provide traction for the wheel 10 if the wheel does sink in
the soil. The sine
wave of the ring 20 may further help with traction because the sine wave
pushing the soil
towards the center to provide more traction for the wheel 10. The geometric
shape of the spokes
71 may act as, for example, a person swimming, the spokes 71 help grip soil to
dig out of a hole
similar to arms while swimming. Furthermore, the spokes 71 may act as paddles
to help dig the
wheel 10 out of any soil or rut. Additionally, if the wheel 10 sinks in soft
soil, the spokes 71 act
similarly to the arms and hands of a swimmer to advance and move forward in
the alternating
arm or paddle like motion.
[0049] For example, a pair of the spokes 71 cut into the ground
evenly and push the wheel
upwards when necessary (i.e., in a rut). Current wheels do not usually have a
center traction
element that the spokes 71 provide. Moreover, the crossing and curvature of
each spoke 71 may
contribute to the traction, only when the wheel 10 has sunk into soft soil.
[0050] 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. The
changing width of
each spoke 71 may eliminate, or reduce, the resonance force. Each spoke 71 is
configured to
attach to the hub 70 by said spoke's narrow end 71B to help reduce the
resonance force reaching
the hub 70 as the vibrations move through the wheel 10. Reducing the resonance
force reaching
the hub 70 may help avoid deterioration of the wheel 10.
[0051] Additionally, the spokes 71 may act as shocks and absorb
vibration, stresses and loads
of the wheel, which increases the strength of the wheel 10 by adding a
compliant aspect to the
design. The concavity of the spokes 71 may increases the strength
geometrically speaking, which
will be discussed in more detail when referring to FIG. 10C. The concavity of
the spoke 71 may
be manufactured through metal forming. In another example, the concavity of
the spoke 71 may
be created during installation of the spokes 71 into the ring 20.
[0052] The wheel may be made of a low-grade carbon steel for cost
purposes, but a preferred
material may be spring steel. Spring steel may be preferred to control and
increase the elasticity
and compliance of the wheel 10 and lugs 50A. The geometry of the spokes 71 may
allow the
spokes 71 to flex, and the spokes 71 may interfere with each other once the
spokes 71 bend to a
certain point. For example, under a large load, immediately adjacent spokes 71
may support a
9
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
center flexing spoke 71. The two adject spokes 71 may provide the resistance
for the spoke 71
between them. While in a resting state, with no load applied the spokes 71 may
not be touching.
It should be noted the space between the spokes 71 is also narrowing as the
spokes 71 move
towards the hub 70 and are nearly touching before a load is applied.
[0053] FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of the lug, according
to an aspect. FIG. 7B
illustrates an interior view of the lug, according to an aspect. Additionally,
the lug shown in FIGs.
7A and 7B, the lugs 50A may have metal built into the lug 50A interior.
Moreover, a liquid rubber
may be overmolded onto the metal for additional strength and durability. The
metal interior may
allow the lug 50A to flex and twist, which is necessary in the typical abusive
farming environment.
For example, the lugs 50A may be made of spring steel, and may have the
additional rubber
overmold. Each lug 50A may be mounted on ring 20 by a bolt. The holes 28,
shown in FIG. 9,
may be arranged in different patterns permitting lugs 50A to be arranged in
alternative
configurations as will be described. The lugs 50A may have a flat portion with
bolt holes 93 to
allow the lugs 50A to easily secure to the ring 20.
[0054] A lug plate 91 extends in the direction of center rib 92
across the outfacing portion of
leg 50 and provides a means for wheel 10 to develop greater traction
especially in relatively soft
farm soil. At the ends of the legs of lug 50A are lug plate 91 positioned
orthogonal to center rib
92 in order to limit sideways slippage of wheel 10. It should be understood
that the lug 50A
could be built in other ways such as having, for example, a metal interior
frame with an
overmolded rubber coat.
[0055] The lugs 50A may have a lug plate 91 to further help with
traction while the wheel 10
is in use. The lug plates 91 and the center peak ("center rib") 92 on the lugs
50A may allow the
wheel 10 to have proper traction on the softer farming soils. Additionally,
the orientation of the
lugs 50A may further help with traction over the farming landscapes. One or
more bolt holes 93
may be provided on each lug to allow bolts to be used to secure the lug 50A to
the ring 20. As
shown, each of the plurality of lugs 50A may have opposing legs 95 forming a W-
shape with the
center rib 92, wherein the alignment of the outermost point of each center rib
92 may form a
sinusoidal pattern that is coaxial with the rotational axis 12. Moreover, the
lug plate 91 may
connect a lug leg 95 to lug center rib 92, while also being connected to the
flat portion 97 of the
leg 95. As described herein, the lug plate 91 may provide additional
structural support, while also
providing additional traction for the wheel 10. As another example, the lug
50A may have a lug
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
plate 91 on both sides of the center rib to provide additional traction and
support, shown in FIGs.
7C, 7F, and 7G.
[0056] Additionally, the lugs 50A may be positioned in an
alternating pattern, as shown in
FIG. 6. The lugs 50A may be oriented to have the lug plate 91 on one side
while the next
adjacent lug 50A may have the lug plate 91 on the opposing side. For example,
as shown in FIG.
6 lug 50B and lug 50C depict the alternating pattern of the lugs 50A
orientation along the ring
20. Each of the plurality of spokes 71 may be concaved and arranged in an
alternating pattern.
The alternating pattern may be, as shown, the top end 71A of each of the
plurality of spokes 71
being attached alternately to the first outer edge 20A or the second outer
edge 20B of the circular
ring 20 and the bottom end 71B of each of the plurality of spokes is attached
alternately to the
first side 75 or the second side 74 of the hub.
[0057] FIGs. 7C-7F illustrate a side view of the lug, according to
an embodiment. As
another example, the lug 50A may have a lug plate 91 on both sides of the lug,
shown in FIGs.
7C and 7F. Furthermore, as shown the lug plate 91 may not attach to the flat
portion 97.
Additionally, the lug plate 91 may have cutouts 98, for example, to lower
costs but maintain the
structural integrity of the lug 50A. Additionally, these cutouts 98 disposed
within each lug plate
91 may allow mud and debris to escape and not get stuck in the lug 50A. As
shown in FIGs. 7E
and 7F, the lugs 50A may have a solid structure disposed within the center rib
92, such that a
solid center rib 92 is present. As an example, the lug 50A may have a solid
center rib 92 to
provide additional strength. Also, as shown, the bolt holes 93 and bolts 94
may be in the center
of the lug 50A instead of positioned in the flat portions.
[0058] FIG. 7G illustrates a perspective view of the lug, according
to an embodiment. As
shown, lugs 50A may have a solid center rib 92. For example, the lug 50A may
be made of a
spring steel, while the interior 99 of the center rib 92 may be a rubber
material. Having spring
steel as the exterior of the lug 50A and as the material which is in contact
with the ground allows
the lugs 50A and wheel 10 to be more durable. Additionally, as shown in FIG.
7G, the lug plate
91 may have a triangular cross section, where the widest portion of the lug
plate 91 is where the
lug plate meets the flat portions 97. The triangular cross section of the lug
50A, as shown in FIG.
7G, may allow the lug plate 91 to be stronger. The wide bottom of the lug
plate 91 may help the
lug plate from breaking off during use. As described herein, the lug plate 91
allows for improved
traction between the wheel 10 and the ground. Furthermore, the highest point
of the lug 50A may
11
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
be the solid center rib 92, which would help when the wheel 10 may transverse
hard surfaces.
For example, this is due to the solid center rib 92 having a hard exterior
surface while having the
additional interior rubber support. Moreover, the solid center rib 92 being
the highest point of the
lug 50A may allow only the top surface of the center rib 92 to touch the
ground while on a harder
surface.
[0059] FIG. 71I illustrates a perspective semitransparent view of
the lug 50A, according to
an embodiment. As shown, the lug 50A may have a metal interior frame 100. The
metal interior
frame 100 may include wires made of spring steel and have an overmolded rubber
layer for
maximal compliancy. Also, as shown, the bolt holes 93 and bolts 94 may be in
the center of the
lug 50A instead of positioned in the flat portions. Again, the lug plates 91
allows for improved
traction for the wheel 10. For example, as shown, the metal interior frame 100
may be a plurality
of wire components to create the lug shape. Furthermore, the highest point of
the lug 50A may be
the center rib 92, which would help when the wheel 10 may transverse hard
surfaces, for
example, when on a road prior to the soft farming soil.
[0060] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the farm irrigation
wheel hub ("hub")70,
according to an embodiment. As shown, the hub 70 has a narrow end (-second
side") 74 and a
wider end ("first side") 75. The hub 70 may allow the farm irrigation wheel 10
to be attached to a
center pivot irrigation system, as shown in FIG. 1A. The hub 70 also allows
the alternating
pattern of the spokes 71 to be securely attached. As described herein, the
spokes 71 allow the
wheel 10 to have traction even if the wheel 10 becomes somewhat submerged in
the landscape.
[0061] FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the farm irrigation
wheel 10 without the lugs
50 attached, according to an aspect. The plurality of lugs (not shown) may be
mounted in side-
by-side positions to form a circular ring wherein each of the lugs has
laterally extending legs
forming a W-shape. The alignment of the outermost point of each center rib 92
may form a
sinusoidal pattern that is coaxial with the rotational axis 12. This alignment
of the lugs 50 may be
the result of the through holes 28 disposed on the outer surface 22 of the
ring 20 also being
arranged in a sinusoidal pattern that is coaxial with the rotational axis 12
The lugs may have an
outfacing rib aligned with the rotational axis 12 and a further outfacing rib
orthogonal to the
rotational axis. The lugs may be mutually offset around the circular ring in a
sinusoidal pattern to
further help with traction and wear and tear.
12
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
[0062] The ring 20 may have a pattern of through holes 28 in its
surface as shown in FIG. 2.
The spokes 70 maybe secured to ring 20 using support pieces 76, 77 and common
hardware
(e.g., bolts). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, the spokes 70 may be attached
to both the hub 70
and ring 20 by a combination of bolts 78 and support pieces 76, 77. For
example, as shown, the
spoke 70 may rest on a support piece 77 and have a bolt secure the spoke 71 to
the hub 70 by
penetrating the holes in all three components. Additionally, the support
pieces 76 and 77 may
follow the curvature of both the hub 70 and the ring 20 to be flush against
each surface,
respectively, allowing for more secure connection. As described herein, the
lugs 50A may have a
flat portion with bolt holes 93 to allow the lugs 50A to easily secure to the
ring 20. Additionally,
configuring the spokes 71 to be removable allows for a decrease of fatigue on
the wheel.
Moreover, the modular aspect of the wheel 10 may reduce shipping costs, while
also making
maintenance easier.
[0063] Furthermore, each spoke may attach to the peak 78 of the sine
wave of the ring 20. It
should be noted that when the spokes connect to the sinusoidal ring it
attaches to the peak 78 as
opposed to the valley 79 of the respective sinusoidal edge of the ring 20. It
should be noted the
alternating mounting of the spokes 71 contributes to the improved traction in
soil while
preserving a relatively light weight structure of the wheel. For example, the
spoke 71 may be
mounted with the top 71A on the first side 20A of the ring 20 and the bottom
71B attached to the
second side 74 of the hub 70. Additionally, for example, the adjacent the
spoke 71 may be
mounted with the top 71A on the second side 20B of the ring 20 and the bottom
71B attached to
the first side 75 of the hub 70. This alternating pattern may continue for the
entirety of the
mounting of the spokes 71. Moreover, the spokes 71 may be mounted with their
concave surface
facing outward, as shown in FIG. 9. The alternating spoke orientation may
allow for the weight
to always be distributed evenly and allow the center of gravity to be
perfectly balanced. It should
be noted the spokes 71 being built from a steel sheet provides the advantages
of the light weight
and lower cost of manufacturing the wheel 10. In another example, the wheel 10
may be made of
1020 steel.
[0064] Additionally, each spoke 71 attaching to the peak 78 of the
sinusoidal edge of the ring
20 may allow the wheel 10 to stay balanced even during hard or sharp turns.
For example, for
hard turns the peak 78 may support the weight more so and thus the spokes 71
and hub 70 may
compensate for the force. Moreover, because each spoke 71 crosses the center
and attaches to the
13
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
peak 78 the weight may be distributed evenly, which allows the wheel 10 to be
more balanced.
For example, while the wheel 10 is moving, the sine shape of the ring 20
shifting from left to
right puts the stress on the spoke 71 because it attaches to peak 78.
100651 FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B illustrates a perspective view of the
farm irrigation wheel
during a von Mises stress simulation, according to an embodiment. For example,
in a simulation
test, a 3D of the wheel 10 without the lugs 50A was evaluated for it is
strength under varying
conditions. During the von Mises Stress test simulation, the wheel 10 without
the lugs 50A had a
yield strength of 3.500e+08 N/m^2. Thus, the wheel 10 can withstand a typical
load and not
deform in any way. Additionally, this farm irrigation wheel 10 has a better
yield strength because
of the alternating spokes 71, while still being durable and providing
traction. As testing showed,
each wheel may withstand over 20,000 lbs. of force before breaking with a max
load is 6,000 lbs.
per wheel (12,000 lbs. per tower). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10A, the
darkest grey portion
of the gradient that corresponds to the lowest stress points on the wheel is
found on the
outermost portion of the wheel 10. This shows the ring 20 and hub 70
experience the least
amount of stress. The lightest portion of the gradient on the wheel is found
on the hub 70 - spoke
71 connection, meaning that said connection experienced the most stress of the
wheel elements.
However, as described herein, the stress the connection experienced was still
minimal even under
a large load. As shown in FIG. 10B, the lightest portion of the gradient found
on the wheel is on
the outer portion of the wheel 10, while under a larger load. This shows the
ring 20 may
experience some stress under heavy loads, while the hub 70 is relatively
stressless.
100661 FIG. 10C illustrates a perspective view of the farm
irrigation wheel 10 during a
vibration simulation, according to an embodiment. It should also be noted that
the wheel 10 may
further ensure the hub 70 does not experience a large amount of vibration from
the system.
Through analysis testing, it showed the vibrations stayed near the outer
portions of the wheel and
did not permeate to the hub 70 of the wheel 10. As shown in FIG. 10C, the
vibrations stay
towards the outer portion of the wheel 10 and do not reach the hub 70. 'The
wheel 10 was
specifically designed to keep the vibration from reaching the hub 70 of the
wheel 10. Typically,
the hub 70 is where the drivetrain and gearbox sit, which is the first major
part to fail on a pivot
machine. Furthermore, on-pneumatic wheels typically accelerate the
drivetrain's failure. The
alternating positions of the spokes, along with their shape further help to
ensure the vibrations do
not resonate to the center hub 70. The same spoke shape without concavity was
also tested in an
14
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
ansys computer simulation, the results showed the spoke with no concavity had
10x less strength.
Furthermore, the spokes 71 with a concave surface 71C may increase the
strength approximately
by ten times.
[0067] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10C the darkest grey portion of
the gradient that
corresponds to the greatest vibrational deformation is found on the outer most
portion of the
wheel 10. This means the most vibration is experienced near the ring 20 of the
wheel 10. The
black portion of the gradient is found on the hub 70, meaning the hub 70
experienced the
minimum amount of vibration of the wheel 10 elements.
[0068] FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B illustrate a perspective view and a
cross-sectional view of a
lug 50A, respectively, according to an aspect. As described hereinabove, a lug
50A for use in a
wheel 10 may be comprised of a center rib 92, a first leg 95A and a second leg
95B, each leg
extending from the center rib 92 laterally and opposite of each other, and a
lug plate 91 adapted
to connect the first leg 95A to the center rib 92. The first leg 95A and
second leg 95B may form a
W-shape with the centrally disposed center rib 92. In an embodiment, a lug 50A
may be provided
having a singular lug plate 91 with a rectangular cross section configured to
connect one of the
lug legs 95 to the center rib 92, but that utilizes two bolts 94 to secure to
the ring 20. The lug leg
that is connected to the lug plate 91 may be referred to as a first leg 95A,
while the other leg may
be referred to as a second leg 95B. Both the first leg 95A and the second leg
95B of a lug 50A
may each have a flat portion 97 in which a bolt hole 93 is disposed. A bolt 94
may travel through
each bolt hole, such as the bolt holes 93 of FIG. 7B, disposed within each of
the two flat portions
97 of the lug 50A to secure the lug 50A to the circular ring 20. The usage of
two bolts 94 to
attach said lug 50A to the ring 20 may be helpful in preventing rotation of
said lug 50A after
installation, as well as providing greater resistance to being broken off of
the wheel, when
compared to configurations that have a singular bolt 94. Alternative methods
of securing the lugs
50A to the circular ring 20 may also be implemented, including implementing
compression
fittings, magnets, or other suitable fasteners on the lugs 50A to secure them
to the ring 20. Some
alternative methods, including welding, may not require the usage or presence
of through holes
28 within the circular ring 20, but may increase assembly costs.
[0069] An overmolded rubber coat ("overmolded rubber layer", "rubber
coat") 110 may be
disposed on one or more surfaces of a metal interior frame 100 or may
completely surround and
encase said metal interior frame 100, in order to further strengthen and
protect lug 50A. The
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
metal interior frame 100 may be provided as a singular monolithic component,
such as a metal
plate, as in FIG. 11A-11B, as one or more separate wires, as in FIG. 7H, or in
any other form
capable of providing the required structural properties. The overmolded rubber
coat 110 may
cover only a portion of the lug, such as the bottom surface of the metal
interior frame 100, as
depicted in FIG 11A, or may cover the entire metal interior frame 100, as
depicted in FIG 11B.
As described hereinabove, an overmolded rubber layer 110 may occupy the
interior 99 of the
center rib 92 of the lug 50A, such that the bottom surface of the lug 50A is
flat between the two
flat portions 97 and a solid rubber body is disposed within the center rib 92.
The presence of the
solid rubber body disposed within the center rib 92 may further increase the
strength of said lug
50A.
[0070] The different styles of overmolded rubber layer 110 may
provide different benefits,
depending on which portions of the metal interior frame 100 are covered. As
described
previously, an overmolded rubber layer that occupies the interior 99 of the
center rib 92 may
provide a solid body structure within the center rib 92 interior 99, which may
increase the
strength of the lug 50A and allow it to withstand a greater force without
deforming or breaking.
Having an overmolded rubber layer provided only on the bottom surface of the
lug as described
hereinabove may leave the metal interior frame 100 exposed at the top, which
may have the
advantage of providing a durable external surface that contacts the ground.
Alternatively,
providing the overmolded rubber layer exclusively on the top surface of the
lug, such that the
overmolded rubber layer contacts the ground may help increase the friction
between the wheel
and the ground, enhancing the wheel's grip. The primary purpose of the
overmolded rubber layer
110 on the top surface of the lug may be to provide the hereinabove described
lug plate 91 to the
lug 50A, as the metal interior frame 100 may not have a comparable lug plate
structure of its
own. This lug plate 91 may help provide greater traction between an attached
wheel and a
driving surface. Finally, by completely encasing and sealing the metal
interior frame 100 within
an overmolded rubber layer 110, the advantages of increased structural
strength and enhanced
wheel grip may both be provided, along with the protection of the enclosed
metal interior frame
100 from the external elements, which may help increase the longevity metal
interior frame 100.
[0071] When implementing an overmolded rubber layer 110 on a lug
50A, the overmolded
rubber layer 110 may cover an entire surface of the metal interior frame 100,
such that the
overmolded rubber layer 110 and metal interior frame 100 have the same length
and width. In an
16
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
embodiment, an overmolded rubber layer 110 disposed on the bottom surface of a
metal interior
frame 100 may cover the entire bottom surface of said metal interior frame
100, such that the
length and width of these two layers are the same, as depicted in FIG. 11A. By
implementing an
overmolded rubber layer 110 that has the same length and width as the metal
interior frame 100
on a lug 50A, an entire surface of the frame metal interior frame 100 may be
protected without
significantly altering the lug 50A shape. Alternative embodiments in which the
overmolded
rubber layer 110 completely encases the metal interior frame 100 may require
the rubber layer
110 to be slightly wider and longer than the metal interior frame 100 in order
to completely
encase it, though this slight size differences may not significantly affect
the overall shape of the
lug 50A. The lugs may be implemented on the wheel in a modular capacity,
allowing for easy
maintenance, repair or replacement of each lug as needed.
[0072] In an embodiment, the overmolded rubber layer 110 may have
the same shape as the
metal interior frame 100. In such an embodiment, such as the lug 50A of FIG.
11B, the structure
of the lug 50A will have the benefit of enhanced structural stability for all
elements of the lug
50A, including the legs 95, center rib 92 and lug plate 91. In alternative
embodiments, the
geometries of the overmolded rubber layer 110 and the metal interior frame 100
may differ. As
seen FIG. 7H, the described lug, including the legs 95, center rib 92 and lug
plate 91 may be
formed by the overmolded rubber layer 110, while the metal interior frame 100
may be
comprised of three separate metal wire structures that do not share the
disclosed lug shape, as
seen in FIG 7H. Such an embodiment may be useful in limiting the amount of
metal needed to
form the lug, in applications in which greatly enhanced lug 50A strength is
not required or lighter
weight lugs are desirable.
[0073] In an embodiment, each lug secured to a wheel may have the
same dimensions. Each
lug may have a 15.75" length, 3.75" width and 3.75" height. With said lug
dimensions, a
standard farm wheel may fit 30 lugs around the outer surface of the ring of
said wheel. The
described configuration of this embodiment would be cost effective while
fitting within the
overall width parameters of the central pivot and lateral move irrigation
industries.
[0074] FIG. 12A and 12B illustrate perspective views of a farm
irrigation wheel 10 attached
to a center pivot irrigation system, according to an aspect. In an embodiment,
the individual parts
of a fann irrigation wheel 10 may include a circular ring 20, a rim 30
disposed within and attached to
the circular ring, and a plurality of identical lugs 50A. The wheel 10 may be
further comprising
17
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
of a hub 70 disposed within the rim 30 that is configured to engage with
suitable farming
equipment. The rim 30 and hub 70 may be formed as a singular monolithic piece,
which may
help to simplify the wheel's design and enhance the wheel's structural
integrity. The circular ring
20 may have an outer surface, such as outer surface 22 of wheel 10 in FIG 2.,
on which the lugs
50A are mounted, as well as rotational axis 12 shared with the wheel 10
itself. Unlike the
sinusoidally shaped edges of ring 20 described if FIG.9, the pair of opposing
edges 26 of ring 20
in FIG. 12A and FIG 12B of this embodiment are flat, such that ring 20 is
cylindrical with level,
circular edges 26.
[0075] It should be understood that while the opposite side of a
wheel 10 may not visible in a
specific figure, it can be assumed that said opposite side has the same
characteristics as the
visible side, unless otherwise noted. The rim 30 may be disposed within the
ring 20 and secured
or otherwise attached to the inner surface 24 of said ring 20 by the rim's
outer perimeter 31, such
that the rim 30 is parallel with and positioned equidistantly from both
opposing edges 26 of the
ring 20. A hub 70 disposed at the center of the rim 30 may be configured to
attach a center pivot
irrigation system, as shown in FIG. 1A. Each lug 50A may be bolted to the
outer surface of ring
20 as described hereinabove. A plurality of through holes 28 may be disposed
within the outer
surface of ring 20 such that each hole is centered (equidistantly disposed)
between the opposing
edges 26 of the ring 20, forming a circular pattern around the outer surface
of the ring 20 that
runs parallel with the opposing edges 26 of ring 20. Alternatively, two
circular patterns of
through holes 28 may be disposed within the outer surface of the ring 20, such
that each circular
pattern of through holes 28 is disposed a fixed distance away from a
corresponding opposing
edge 26 as well as around the outer surface of the ring 20.
[0076] As discussed hereinabove, the positions of the lugs 50A may
be determined by the
position of through holes 28 disposed on the outer surface of the ring 20. As
a result of the
circular pattern(s) of the through holes 28, the attached lugs 50A may also be
arranged in a
circular pattern around the outer surface of the ring 20, wherein each of the
plurality of lugs is
uniformly centered between the opposing edges 26 and around the circular ring
in a circular
pattern. The outermost point of each center rib 92 from each lug may form a
circular pattern that
is coaxial with the rotational axis 12 of the circular ring 20. Similarly, the
plurality of lugs 50A
themselves may also form a circular pattern around the outer surface 22 of the
ring 20, wherein
said circular pattern is coaxial with the rotational axis. Said circularly
arranged lugs 50A may
18
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
also be arranged in an alternating pattern, similarly to lug 50B and lug 50C
of FIG. 6, with the
first leg 95A of each lug disposed between the second legs 95B of the adjacent
lugs 50A, but
with all lugs 50A arranged circularly around the ring 20, as depicted in FIG.
12A. The lugs 50A
may be configured to attach to the other suitable wheels to provide the
necessary grip for the
desired application.
[0077] The wheel depicted in FIG 12A-12B provides an example of a
wheel that may be
implemented with the disclosed lugs 50A and is not intended to limit the scope
of wheels on
which said lugs may be implemented. Alternative wheels that may utilize the
disclosed lugs
includes the spoke-based wheels described hereinabove, as well as other spoke-
based wheels that
may suitably support the weight of an attached irrigation system. The
disclosed lugs and their
variations may be implemented on any wheel structure capable of provided the
necessary wheel
functionality to the aforementioned irrigation system, including wheels with
spokes 71, rims 30,
legs or other know wheel centers that connect the circular ring 20 to the
irrigation system. As
such, a wheel 10 intended for use with a farm irrigation system may be
comprised of a wheel
center, a circular ring 20 disposed around and attached to the wheel center
and a plurality of lugs
50A configured to attach to the circular ring 20. The described wheel center
may include a hub
70 or other comparable structure to facilitate the necessary attachment of the
wheel to the
corresponding piece of equipment. The ring 20 may be described as circular
purely on the basis
of its side profile, which is typically circular for the majority wheels in
many industries. The
outer surface of the circular ring may be provided in a variety of forms,
including the sinusoidal
and flat edged variants discussed hereinabove, as well as any other form that
allows for the
maintenance of the circular profile of the ring 20 to enable proper travel of
an attached structure.
[0078] FIG. 13A-13E illustrates the perspective views of a scalloped
farm irrigation wheel
("scalloped wheel") 120, according to an embodiment. The scalloped farm
irrigation wheel 120
of FIG. 13A-13E may be comprised of a ring 20, said ring being cylindrical in
shape. The ring
20 of the scalloped farm irrigation wheel 120 may have at least one pattern (-
set") of
sinusoidally arranged through holes 28, such that said through holes 28 are
disposed on its outer
surface 22, similar to ring 20 of FIG. 9. Unlike ring 20 of FIG. 9, the ring
20 of a scalloped
wheel 120 may have flat edges 26 comparable to the flat edges 26 of ring 20 in
FIG 12A, as seen
in FIG 13A-13E. The scalloped farm wheel 120 may be further comprised of a rim
30 nested
within the ring 20, said rim 30 having an outer perimeter 31 and a plurality
of scalloped
19
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
protrusions ("scalloped portions") 121. The term "scalloped protrusion" 121
may be used to
describe the pocket-like, alternating protrusions positioned on the rim 30, as
seen in FIG 13A-
13E. The scalloped protrusions 121 may be disposed on the outer perimeter 31
of said rim. The
outer perimeter 31 of the rim 30 may be configured to directly engage with the
inner surface 24
of the ring 20 such that the positioning of each scalloped portion 121
provides sufficient
clearance around each through hole 28 on the ring 20 to allow for easy
installation and removal
of wheel lugs using an appropriate tool. As can be seen in FIG 13A-13E, the
scalloped portions
are configured to provide space around any through holes adjacent to said
scalloped protrusions
121 to ease the process of installing or removing lugs from the scalloped
wheel. The rim 30
having scalloped protrusions 121 may be secured to the ring 20 by welding or
other suitable
methods, or monolithically integrated into the ring 20 during manufacturing,
such that rim 30
and ring 20 form a singular unified structure.
[0079] The scalloped protrusions 121 disposed on the rim 30 may
cause the outer perimeter
31 of said rim 30 to have a reciprocating lateral offset between the edges 26
of the ring 20 that
provides an increased contact surface between the rim 30 and ring 20, when
compared to the
previously disclosed rims 30 that lack said scalloped protrusions 121. This
increased contact
surface between the rim 30 and ring 20 may increase the structural integrity
of the scalloped
wheel 120 and allow it to withstand greater loads without becoming damaged or
deformed. This
reciprocating lateral offset of the outer perimeter 31 of the rim 30 may be
similar to the
arrangement of lugs described for FIG 4, in which the engagement surface
between the outer
surface 31 of the rim 30 and the ring 20 may execute a roughly sinusoidal
curve having an
amplitude and a period. This roughly sinusoidal curve of the engagement
surface between the
outer perimeter 31 of the rim 30 and the ring 20 may be coaxial with the
rotational axis 12 of the
wheel. By having a rim 30 that roughly follows the same pattern as the through
holes 28 and any
attached lugs (e.g., a sinusoidal pattern), said rim 30 may provide ample
support to a central
portion of each attached lug, thus providing greater structural integrity to
the scalloped wheel
120 when compared to alternative configurations in which the rim 30 does not
follow the same
pattern as the through hole 28, and thus any attached lugs.
[0080] The reciprocating lateral offset of the outer perimeter 31
may result in the distance
between the outer perimeter 31 and each edge 26 of the ring 20 being varied in
accordance with
the positioning of the nearby through holes 28, which will be described in
greater detail
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
hereinbelow. The "lateral" direction in the context of the "reciprocating
lateral offset" may refer
to the direction defined by the rotational axis 12 of the wheel. A hub 70 may
be disposed within
and secured to the rim 30, wherein said hub 70 is configured to engage with
the drivetrain of a
suitable vehicle assembly. Much like the prior disclosed wheels 10, the
disclosed scalloped
wheel 120 may be configured to rotate about a wheel rotational axis 12 to
facilitate vehicle
movement.
[0081] In order to more easily accommodate installation/removal of
lugs, such as lug 50A of
FIG. 12A, on the hereinabove described scalloped wheel 120, the orientation
and positioning of
the scalloped protrusions 121 disposed on the rim 30 may be configured such
that the rim 30
avoids blocking or impeding access to each through hole 28 of each pattern or
set of sinusoidally
arranged through holes on the ring 20. This may be done by having the
scalloped protrusions 121
arranged on the rim 30 such that the engagement surface between the outer
perimeter 31 of the
rim 30 and the ring 20 is sufficiently distant from each through hole 28 on
the ring 20, such that
an appropriate tool, such as a socket wrench or torque wrench, may be easily
maneuvered near
the through hole 28 to fasten/remove a bolt, screw or other comparable
fastener, securing a lug to
the ring 20, without having the rim 30 block or otherwise impede the
utilization of said tool. As
can be seen in FIG 13A-13E, the ring 20 may have two adjacent sets of
sinusoidally arranged
through holes 28 wherein said sets of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28
are configured to
engage with a plurality of lugs, such as lug 50A of FIG 7D, and each lug is
configured to attach
to the ring 20 using two bolts 94. The two adjacent sets of sinusoidally
arranged through holes
may be arranged such that a sinusoidal pattern defined by each set is in phase
with the sinusoidal
pattern of the other set. Both sets being "in phase" with each other would
indicate that the
maximum and minimum lateral offsets toward a specific edge 26, and thus the
maximum
amplitude/minimum amplitude of each sinusoidal pattern, would occur at the
same radial angles
of the wheel for both sets, as can be seen in FIG 13A-13E.
10082] Each lug may be configured to engage with a singular through
hole 28 from each set
of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28, such that upon installation, each
lug is parallel with
adjacent lugs, as seen in FIG 6. Much like the arrangement of lugs in FIG. 4,
any lugs secured to
the scalloped wheel 120 may be positioned on the outer surface of the ring 20
in laterally offset
positions (see FIG. 5) with respect to each other to form a continuously and
possibly smoothly
varying locus of the central points, wherein said lugs form a sinusoidal
pattern around the ring 20
21
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
of the scalloped wheel 120. As can be seen by the scalloped wheel 120 of FIG
13A-13E, the
scalloped portions 121 of the rim 30 may be configured such that the
engagement surface
between the ring 20 and rim 30 is always disposed between corresponding
adjacent through
holes of the two adjacent sets of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28. In
such an embodiment,
the positioning of the scalloped portions 121 may provide sufficient clearance
around each bolt
(not shown) traveling through each through hole 28, thus making it easier to
utilize tools
configured to ease the installation and uninstallation of lugs to and from the
ring 20.
[0083] It should be understood that modifications to the positioning
and size of the scalloped
protrusions 121 on the rim 30 of a scalloped wheel 120 may be made in order to
ease lug
installation for alternative scalloped wheel configurations. For example, an
alternative scalloped
wheel 120 may have a singular set of sinusoidally arranged through holes on
its ring 20,
similarly to how the through holes 28 are arranged on the ring 20 of FIG 9,
but wherein said ring
20 has flat edges 26. If a flat rim, such as rim 30 of wheel 10 in FIG 12A,
were utilized in a
wheel having a singular set of sinusoidally arranged through holes 28, a
portion of the through
holes 28 may be blocked by the positioning of said rim 30 or said through
holes may have
insufficient surrounding clearance around them to allow for proper utilization
of a tool for lug
manipulation. The scalloped portions 121 may be selectively positioned on the
rim 30 to avoid
said the rim 30 from blocking said through holes 28, similarly to what is seen
in FIG 13A, by
having the scalloped portions 121 laterally offset the outer perimeter 31 of
the rim 30 such that
the engagement of the outer perimeter 31 of the rim 30 with the ring 20 leaves
sufficient
clearance around the each through hole 28.
[0084] As described hereinabove, the outer perimeter 31 of the
scalloped rim 30 of FIG
13A-13E may have a reciprocating lateral offset that is roughly sinusoidal as
a result of the
positioning of the scalloped protrusions 121, and thus may need to engage with
the ring 20 such
that the roughly sinusoidal pattern of the outer perimeter 31 of the rim 30
does not block or
otherwise impede access to any through holes. In order to facilitate this
engagement, the roughly
sinusoidal pattern of the outer perimeter 31 may be sufficiently laterally
offset and in-phase with
the singular sinusoidal pattern of the through holes 28 in this alternative
embodiment. It should
be understood that the scalloped rim 30 may be associated with the lugs within
a wheel
assembly, due to the fact that the scalloped rim 30 and lugs may both be
secured to the ring 20 of
the scalloped wheel 120.
22
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
[0085] The disclosed hub 70 of the scalloped wheel 120 may be
configured to suitably
engage with the drivetrain of a center pivot irrigation system. Said hub 70
may be secured within
an inner perimeter 32 of the rim 30, through welding or comparable methods, or
monolithically
integrated into the rim 30. The disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be
compatible with two
common size variants of drive units utilized in the industry, including short
shaft drive unit and
long shaft drive unit variants. As a result of both of these drivetrain
variants having 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 said scalloped wheel 120 with
either drivetrain
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 drive unit of the short shaft drivetrain variant (not shown) and
prevents the scalloped
wheel 120 and said drive unit from colliding during operation. It should be
understood that the
term "built-in lateral offset" is referring to the lateral displacement (e.g.,
positioning along the
wheel rotational axis 12) of the hub 70 when compared to a central portion of
the ring 20,
wherein said central portion of the ring 20 is centrally disposed between the
edges 26 of the said
20. This built-in lateral offset 122 provides an even greater clearance
between the scalloped
wheel 120 and the drive unit of the long shaft drivetrain variant, thus
ensuring proper wheel 120
operation. The capability of the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 of FIG. 13A-13E
to be utilized
with either of the two driveshaft lengths (short or long) used in the industry
simplifies the
manufacture of said scalloped wheel 120 to a singular design for use with both
described
drivetrain variants.
[0086] The disclosed rim 30 of the scalloped wheel 120 may be
configured to allow the
scalloped wheel 120 to greatly resist deformation and damage while bearing a
heavy load. As a
result of the solid, unified rim 30 design and the reciprocating lateral
offset of the outer perimeter
31 of said rim 30, and thusly the laterally reciprocating interface between
the rim 30 and the ring
20 of the scalloped wheel 120, said scalloped wheel 120 may be capable of
supporting heavier
loads than wheels that utilize spokes or flat rims to attach the wheel hub 70
to the ring 20. The
reciprocating interface that results from the reciprocating lateral offset of
the outer perimeter 31
of the scalloped rim 30 provides a greater interface area between rim 30 and
the ring 20 when
compared to prior disclosed flat rims, thus enhancing the structural integrity
and load bearing
capabilities of the scalloped wheel 120. Similarly to the prior disclosed
spokes 71 of FIG. 6, the
23
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
disclosed scalloped protrusions 121 may also help increase each scalloped
wheel's engagement
with the ground while the wheel is partially submerged in softer soil, as a
result of the shape of
each scalloped protrusion increasing the attached wheel's surface area, thus
increasing the
scalloped wheel's traction with the ground when submerged. For example, each
scalloped
protrusion 121 may act like a paddle to help grip into the soil and dig out
the scalloped wheel
120 when it is submerged in soft or loose soil.
[0087] It should be understood that the disclosed scalloped rim 30
of FIG 13A-13E having
scalloped protrusions 121, and thus a reciprocating outer perimeter 31, may be
utilized within
any of the rings 20 disclosed herein, as long as the interface between the
scalloped rim 30 and
the ring 20 is appropriately configured to provide sufficient clearance around
each through hole
28 on said ring 20 to allow for suitable access to the lugs for installation
or uninstallation. The
rim 30 and ring 20 of the disclosed scalloped wheel 120 may be secured to each
other through
the usage of welding or other suitable attachment methods known in the
industry. The disclosed
scalloped wheel 120, as well as each of the hereinabove described wheels 10,
may also be
manufactured as a monolithic body through manufacturing techniques such as
injection molding.
As with all wheels 10 described herein, the disclosed parts and components of
scalloped wheel
120 may be made of metal or other known materials having suitable tensile
strength, elasticity,
flexibility and other characteristics to achieve the wheels intended purpose.
The disclosed
configuration of the scalloped rim 30 seen in FIG 13A-13E may be desirable in
applications that
require a wheel having enhanced load bearing capabilities and maintaining said
wheel's ability to
provide traction when partially submerged in looser soil, while ensuring the
rim 30 leaves
sufficient clearance around each through hole 28.
[0088] It should be understood that the term "circular pattern" may
also be used to describe
the through hole 28 arrangement, and thus a resulting lug arrangement,
depicted in FIGs 13A-
13E, wherein the through holes 28 are arranged sinusoidally around the outer
surface 22 of the
ring 20 such that said arrangement is depicted as circular from a side profile
view, similarly to
what is seen in FIGs 13C-13D, and sinusoidal from a front profile view,
similarly to what is seen
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 through hole 28 arrangement)
depicted in FIGs.
12A-12B, wherein the lugs 50A, and thus the corresponding through holes 28,
are arranged
linearly around the outer surface of the ring 20, such that said arrangement
is depicted as circular
24
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
from a side profile view and linear from a front profile view. The pattern of
through holes 28
depicted in FIGs 9 and 13A-13E, and thus the pattern of the correspondingly
attached lugs, may
be more specifically referred to as a "sinusoidal pattern". Similarly, the
pattern of lugs 50A
depicted in FIGs 12A-12B, and thus the corresponding pattern of through holes
28 used to
secure them, may be more specifically referred to as a "linear pattern". As
such, both the
"sinusoidal pattern" and the "linear pattern" described herein should be
understood to be
different types of "circular patterns".
[0089] It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of 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 those elements are
in physical
contact with one another. The term "or" is inclusive, meaning and/or. The
phrases "associated with''
and "associated therewith," as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to
include, be included within,
interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to
or with, be
communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be
bound to or with,
have, have a property of, or the like.
100901 Further, as used in this application, "plurality" means two
or more. A "set" of items may
include one or more of such items. Whether in the written description or the
claims, the terms
"comprising," "including," "carrying," "having," "containing," "involving,"
and the like are to be
understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only
the transitional
phrases "consisting of' and "consisting essentially of," respectively, are
closed or semi-closed
transitional phrases with respect to claims.
[0091] If present, use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second,"
"third," etc., 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 used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain
name from another
element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish
the claim elements. As
used in this application, "and/or" means that the listed items are
alternatives, but the alternatives
also include any combination of the listed items.
[0092] Throughout this description, the aspects, embodiments or
examples shown should be
considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus or
procedures disclosed or
claimed. Although some of the examples may involve specific combinations of
method acts or
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
WO 2022/187833
PCT/US2022/070926
system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements
may be combined in
other ways to accomplish the same objectives.
[0093] Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with
one aspect, embodiment
or example are not intended to be excluded from a similar role(s) in other
aspects, embodiments
or examples.
[0094] Aspects, embodiments or examples of the invention may be
described as processes,
which are usually depicted using a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure
diagram, or a block
diagram. Although a flowchart may depict the operations as a sequential
process, many of the
operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the
order of the operations
may be re-arranged. With regard to flowcharts, it should be understood that
additional and fewer
steps may be taken, and the steps as shown may be combined or further refined
to achieve the
described methods.
[0095] If means-plus-function limitations are recited in the claims,
the means are not intended
to be limited to the means disclosed in this application for performing the
recited function but are
intended to cover in scope any equivalent means, known now or later developed,
for performing
the recited function.
[0096] Claim limitations should be construed as means-plus-function
limitations only if the
claim recites the term "means" in association with a recited function.
[0097] If any presented, the claims directed to a method and/or
process should not be limited
to the performance of their steps in the order written, 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.
[0098] Although aspects, embodiments and/or examples have been
illustrated and described
herein, someone of ordinary skills in the art will easily detect alternate of
the same and/or
equivalent variations, which may be capable of achieving the same results, and
which may be
substituted for the aspects, embodiments and/or examples illustrated and
described herein, without
departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of this
application is intended to
cover such alternate aspects, embodiments and/or examples. Hence, the scope of
the invention is
defined by the accompanying claims and their equivalents. Further, each and
every claim is
incorporated as further disclosure into the specification.
26
CA 03209643 2023- 8- 24
