Patent ID: 10259179

Abstract:
A method manufactures a wheel and tire assembly for a vehicle by extruding a sprocket from a first polymer; sliding the sprocket over a drum; forming a layer by wrapping a ply around inflatable bladders; transferring the ply and bladders to the sprocket; positioning the bladders and ply to correspond to curved indentations of the sprocket; inflating the bladders to tension to position the ply; extruding a ring from a second polymer; sliding the ring over the drum; positioning the bladders and ply to correspond to curved indentations of the ring; forming cylindrical cavities by the curved indentations of the sprocket and ring; securing a layer about an outer surface of the ring; deflating the bladders; contracting the drum; removing the bladders and drum from a complete structure including the sprocket, ply, ring and the layer; curing the complete structure; and mounting the complete, cured structure on a vehicle wheel.