Patent ID: 6422299
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: F24F,F28D

Abstract:
A rotary wheel system comprising:a rotatable frame having a rotation axis; an energy transfer matrix comprising a plurality of removable, interchangeable media segments; the rotatable frame including: a hub assembly having a circular portion; a plurality of spokes radially extending from said circular portion of the hub assembly, in between which each media segment is located, each spoke generally having an I-beam cross-section with two spaced-apart flanges perpendicular to a center section; hub joint means for fastening each spoke to a portion of the circular portion of the hub assembly; a rim assembly, the rim assembly including a plurality of rim segments; rim joint fastening means for fastening each end of each rim segment to one of the plurality of spokes; each of the plurality of spokes further including two spaced-apart slots at an end of the center section, each slot having a fastening member fixed therein aligned so as to engage with the rim joint fastening means; each rim joint fastening means including a spoke rim bracket member having a surface interfacing with said end of the center section of a spoke; and the spoke rim bracket member having two spaced-apart apertures into which bolts are inserted for fastening the spoke rim bracket member to the fastening members in each center section slot; each rim joint fastening means further including a pair of rim segment retaining brackets, each being generally L-shaped with two spaced-apart apertures on one of a leg of each of the L-shaped rim segment retaining brackets through which fasteners are inserted to secure one end of one of the rim segments to the spoke rim bracket member and to secure one end of an adjacent rim segment to the spoke rim bracket member; wherein each media segment is compressed within a generally pie-shaped formed portion of the rotatable frame bounded by the hub assembly, two radially extending spokes and one of the rim segments.