Patent Publication Number: US-2012042997-A1

Title: Blast Resistant Wheel and Vehicle

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a wheel for an armored motor vehicle, specifically one that has improved resistance to land mines and improvised explosive devices deployed on the path of the motor vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Traditional theory suggests that the blast energy of a mine, specifically a shaped mine, is directed upwards from the mine in a conical shape. Specifically, the traditional theory states that the high pressure explosive gasses accelerate the soil or sand under which it is buried upwards. This accelerated soil or sand can be referred to as “ejecta.” However, new research suggests that when a traditional mine is buried beneath the ground, the shockwave generated by the explosives results in a cylindrical column of ejecta on either side, and ahead of, an upward column of expanding gas. These columns typically have less than a 5 degree deviation in any direction. When a wheel of a vehicle triggers the detonation of a land mine or improvised explosive device, the shockwave travels through the wheel and into the vehicle and may cause significant damage (as verified by high speed videos and new simulation programs). 
     Efforts to reduce the shockwave transferred to the vehicle body have included the use of inserts having a high acoustic speed placed within a wheel tire of a wheeled vehicle and between tracks of a tracked vehicles. One such example of this is U.S. Patent Publication US 2006/0272491 by Joynt (“the &#39;491 publication”). The &#39;062 patent discloses a landmine protection system including one or more wave guide members. While this land mine protection system may help reduce the transfer of blast energy to the body of the vehicle, additional measures as set forth hereinafter may be effective at increasing the reduction of shock transfer to the vehicle. Further, the system of the &#39;491 publication may not be compatible with run-flat tire systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a wheel for a land vehicle. The wheel may include a mounting flange configured to secure the wheel to the land vehicle and a rim. The wheel may further include a hollow tire configured to be mounted about the rim and wherein the hollow tire and the rim define a space. The wheel may still further include one or more high velocity of shock balls disposed within the space. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a wheel for a land vehicle. The wheel may include a mounting flange and a rim. The wheel may further include a tire and an internal tire support having an inside wall and an outside wall and one or more high velocity of shock elements extending axially across the support. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary armored vehicle equipped with the wheel of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view the wheel depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of an alternate arrangement of the wheel of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a second alternate arrangement of the wheel of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of a wheel in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the wheel of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of an alternate arrangement of the wheel of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     In accordance with the invention, there is provided a blast-resistant wheel for an armored land vehicle. In the context of the present invention the phrase “blast-resistant”means that the vehicle is particularly resistant to penetration by either the blast energy or material propelled by the blast energy from a land mine that explodes beneath the wheel. In the context of the present invention the phrase “land vehicle” means a vehicle intended primarily to propel itself on the surface of the ground by wheels, or a combination of wheels and tracks. 
     As here embodied, and depicted in  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  10  may include a body  12  formed of sheet materials with a front end  14 , a rear end  16 , a first bottom portion  18 , a top portion  20 , a left side portion  22 , a right side portion (not shown), and a centerline (not shown) along the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle  10  approximately half way between the right and left sides of the vehicle. 
     As broadly embodied in  FIG. 1 , vehicle  10  may further include at least one wheel  30 . While the embodiment depicted is a 4×4 (4 wheels total×4 wheels driven), the present invention is not limited thereto. The invention can be used in a 6×6 configuration, or any number or combination of driven and/or non-driven wheels. The invention may also be used for vehicles driven by a combination of wheels and tracks. Wheel  30  may be connected to vehicle  10  by an axle  34 . In the context of the present invention, wheel  30  may be suitable for any position on vehicle  10 , such as for example, front, middle, or rear, or left or right, without limitation. As depicted in  FIG. 2 , wheel  30  may include a mounting flange  42 , a rim  44 , and a tire  46 . Mounting flange  42  may be configured to detachably fix wheel  30  to axle  34 . Mounting flange  42  may include any known system for wheel mounting known in the art, such as, for example, one or more holes for accepting lug bolts. Rim  44  may be configured to seat tire  46 .  FIG. 2  depicts a more detailed view of wheel  30 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , tire  46  may be a hollow tire, and may be configured to be filled with, and seated by, fluid pressure, i.e. a pneumatic tire. Tire  46  may have a tread  48  that may be integral with tire  46 , may be detachably fixed to tire  46 , or may include both an integral and a detachably fixed component. Tire  46  may include opposed sidewalls  47 A and  47 B. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , tire  46  and rim  44  may define a space  50 . Space  50  may include one or more balls  52  having a high velocity of shock. Balls  52  are depicted in  FIG. 2  as spherical. However, it is contemplated that balls  52  may be any shape including, but not limited to, egg-shaped, disc-shaped, or cylindrical. In the context of this invention, high velocity of shock may be defined as a material having greater than 4000 meters per second (“mps”) acoustic speed, including, but not limited to, steel-aluminum at approximately 5000 mps, glass at approximately 6,000 mps, and ceramic at approximately 7,000-8,000 mps. These numbers are representative only, and it is contemplated that other materials may be used, that the materials, and combinations of the materials mentioned may have different acoustic speeds. The acoustic speed of balls  52  may preferably be greater than approximately 6000 mps. As depicted in  FIG. 2 , it is contemplated that any number of balls  52  may be disposed within space  50 . Balls  52  may preferably be 1 inch in diameter. However, it is contemplated that balls  52  may be any appropriate diameter. In this manner, if one or more balls  52  are greater than 1 inch in diameter, fewer balls  52  may be included. Similarly, if one or more balls  52  is smaller than 1 inch in diameter, a greater number of balls  52  may be included. One or more balls  52  may not be secured within space  50  and may be free to move within space  50 . Alternatively, balls  52  may be secured to an inner surface of tire  46  and/or rim  44  via an additional layer of material. It is contemplated that each of one or more balls  52  may be a different size and material from one another. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  depict alternative arrangements of wheel  30 . As depicted in  FIG. 3 , wheel  30  may include an insert  60  fixed to rim  44 . Insert  60  may include a high velocity of shock material and may be configured to enclose at least one high velocity of shock guide  62 . Alternatively, as depicted in  FIG. 4 , insert  60  may enclose one or more balls  52 , which may have a high velocity of shock. It may be preferred that a plurality of balls  52  are used and that balls  52  may be different in size and composition from one another. Insert  60  may enclose a liquid (not shown), or a combination of balls  52  and liquid. The liquid may be a high velocity of shock liquid. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 3 , space  50  of wheel  30  may include a liquid  64  having a high velocity of shock. As depicted in  FIG. 3 , liquid  64  may entirely cover some or all of the one or more balls  52 . Further as depicted in  FIG. 3 , insert  60  may reduce the volume of space  50  and may result in a lower volume of liquid  64  needed to cover some or all of the one or more balls  52 . It is contemplated that any combination of the embodiments of  FIGS. 2-4  may be used, and may include, but not be limited to, different combinations of balls  52 , liquid  64 , insert  60 , and guide  62 . 
     When a mine explodes below vehicle  10 , soil ejecta may be launched in streams approximately straight up into contact with vehicle  10 . In a situation where wheel  30  initiates the explosion (e.g., a pressure triggered mine), soil ejecta may be launched into contact with wheel  30 , specifically tread  48  of tire  46 . When the soil ejecta contacts wheel  30 , tire  46  may compress and sidewalls  47 A and  47 B may flatten and may result in deflection of soil ejecta away from vehicle  10 . Further, when the explosion occurs, shock may be transferred through wheel  30  into vehicle  10 . When the shockwave or shockwaves pass through one or more balls  52 , liquid  64 , insert  60 , and/or guide  62 , the shockwave rapidly accelerates and may cause the high velocity of shock materials to be rapidly directed into contact with sidewalls  47 A and  47 B, rim  44 , and/or mounting flange  42 , and away from vehicle  10  (the balls  52  may contact sidewalls  47 A and  47 B because the shockwave travels faster though balls  52  and the liquid in the insert  60  than through the air, so the shockwave is directed to the sidewall rubber faster than it would be by the air or through the rubber tire itself). At least a portion of fragments of sidewalls  47 A and  47 B, rim  44 , and/or mounting flange  42 , and high velocity of shock material within wheel  30  may also be directed away from vehicle  10 . 
       FIGS. 5-7  depict a second embodiment of wheel  30 . Wheel  30  may include a run-flat or other reinforcement mechanism  70 . Run-flat mechanism  70  may provide support for vehicle  10  in the event of a failure of tire  46 . Run-flat mechanism  70  is depicted in  FIGS. 5-7  as having an inner diameter part  71  and an outer diameter part  72 . It is contemplated that run-flat mechanism  70  may be approximately a single width A or B, or a combination of width A and B, as known in the art. Further, it is contemplated that run-flat mechanism  70  may not have a uniform width, and instead may increase or decrease in width. Run-flat mechanism  70  may have an inner wall  74  and an outer wall  76 . Run-flat mechanism  70  may include one or more elements  78  having a high velocity of shock that may extend axially across outer diameter  72 , and beyond inside wall  74  and outside wall  76 . Although  FIGS. 5-7  depict elements  78  extending beyond inside wall  74  and outside wall  76 , it is contemplated that elements  78  may extend flush with inside wall  74  and outside wall  76 , may extend beyond only one of inside wall  74  and outside wall  76 , may terminate inside run-flat mechanism  70  before at least one of inside wall  74  and outside wall  76 , or any combination of the above. Element  78  is depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6  as being disposed parallel to the surface on which the land vehicle operates. However, as depicted in  FIG. 7 , element  76  may be disposed at any angle relative to the surface. While  FIGS. 5-7  depict element  76  as being disposed axially across the outer diameter  72 , it is contemplated that element  76  may be disposed through any portion of run-flat mechanism  70 . At least one high velocity of shock element  78  may be disposed about a circumference of run-flat mechanism  70 . While elements  78  are depicted as being disposed approximately equally spaced about the circumference, it is contemplated that any other spacing pattern, or no pattern, may be used. 
     When a mine explodes below vehicle  10 , soil ejecta may be launched in streams straight up into contact with vehicle  10 . In a situation where wheel  30  initiates the explosion, soil ejecta may be launched into contact with wheel  30 , specifically tread  48  of tire  46 . When the soil ejecta contacts wheel  30 , tire  46  may compress and sidewalls  47 A and  47 B may flatten and may result in deflection of soil ejecta away from vehicle  10 . Further, when the explosion occurs, shock may be transferred through wheel  30  into vehicle  10 . When the shockwave or shockwaves pass through high velocity of shock element  78 , the shockwave rapidly accelerates causing the high velocity of shock material to be rapidly directed into contact with sidewalls  47 A and  47 B and away from vehicle  10 . At least a portion of fragments of sidewalls  47 A and  47 B may be directed away from vehicle  10 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the orientation of high velocity of shock element  78  may be used to effect the direction of the shockwave such as, for example, towards an inside or an outside of tire  46 , and more specifically, to a specific location along the inside or outside of tire  46 . 
     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.