Who says you can’t reinvent the wheel?

from JoeUser Forums

 

Softwheel has done just that.

They invented a wheel whose spokes are shock absorbers as well as a dynamic suspension system.

What do I mean? I mean that the ‘spokes’ are shock absorbers which alter their length according to task:

What this means, is that the wheel can go over any type of surface with each wheel on essentially, an independent suspension and absorb the shocks of going over rocks and up or down stairs.

The way these shocks/spokes are connected?

That’s pretty cool in my book. Also, the chair doesn't have to take up as much room in a vehicle. Note how the wheels come off in the video.

This technology has been applied to bicycles as well as wheel chairs, and could be a really good innovation for mountain and trail bicycles.

 

 

 

Source:

http://www.softwheel.co.il/

85,491 views 28 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Excellent post Doc!!  Now  why can't it be taken a step further...say with a car? 

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Slick! Triumph Motorcycles had sprung hubs ages ago, but nothing as smooth as this.

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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Barb, A car weighs a lot more. But, there are cars which have independent suspension on each wheel, using a different mechanism because the wheels are tied (through differentials) to the drive shaft which powers them (not hands and arms):

 

 

Theoretically, the front and rear wheels could have those type of shocks/spokes, but I'm not aware how that would be superior to the current mechanism...

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Gotcha!  It was just a thought, thinking to all those potholes out there! 

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Lateral flex due to movement tolerances will render it useless in 'real' applications...;)

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

If I'm not mistaken the pictured suspension above or something very similar has been used on at least the Mars Rovers if not also the Moon Rovers.  This would give credence to Jafo's statement about real applications.  Like always though I expect to be proven wrong.  :-"

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 5

Lateral flex due to movement tolerances will render it useless in 'real' applications...
End of Jafo's quote

What are you referring to, Jafo? The wheelchair and bicycle exist already...

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 7


Quoting Jafo, reply 5
Lateral flex due to movement tolerances will render it useless in 'real' applications...

What are you referring to, Jafo? The wheelchair and bicycle exist already...
End of DrJBHL's quote
 

(Translation: Turning at speed would be for sh!+) There would be balance issues as well especially at higher rpms.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Or tanslation....you won't see it in a car anytime soon.....think 'unsafe at any speed' good old Ralph ...;)

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 9
tanslation
End of Jafo's quote
  

:typo:   ;P

 

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

At higher RPM's the wheels of a car rotates, the centrifugal force would prevent the Shocks from re-centering the hub and there for the rim (outer part the tire attaches to) would stay off center and cause the car to shake violently and or the operator to lose control. Using Shocks strong enough to compensate for the centrifugal force would basically negate their ability to absorb shock.

If you have ever had a flat at high speed, had a wheel that was not balanced properly or a tire go out of round, you have felt a small portion of what it would be like..

A cars wheel is machined to be as circular as possible to ensure the wheels at high RPM's spin with a minimal loss of rotational balance.  Even the lug bolts and studs are engineered to center the wheel on to the hub as much as possible.  Any major variance at high speed/RPM can be dangerous..

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

HG_E got part of it....the other part is that motor vehicles' wheels are subjected to lateral loading.  It's imperative the rim remains physically aligned to the hub/axle.

Lateral loads even apply to bikes.....

...entering turn 1 at Phillip Island at 346 kph on a MotoGP bike with wobbly-wheels would raise a GP rider to an even greater level of 'insane'....;)

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Well said Jafo. I didn't even think about the lateral loading during turns, I couldn't imagine how heavily that would change the slip angle much less the cornering coefficient as the tread rolls away from the road surface... What a nightmare ride that would be..

 

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Wizard1956, reply 8
(Translation: Turning at speed would be for sh!+) There would be balance issues as well especially at higher rpms.
End of Wizard1956's quote
I said all the above with far fewer keystrokes........... ;)

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Wizard1956, reply 14
I said all the above with far fewer keystrokes...........
End of Wizard1956's quote

 

Well... we used bigger words ;P ... and I never claimed to be short winded...  :-" :rofl:

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

:rofl: :pizza: :pizza:

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 12
...entering turn 1 at Phillip Island at 346 kph on a MotoGP bike with wobbly-wheels would raise a GP rider to an even greater level of 'insane'
End of Jafo's quote

But Marquez would STILL have his elbows down..... lol

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting BoXXi, reply 17

Quoting Jafo, reply 12...entering turn 1 at Phillip Island at 346 kph on a MotoGP bike with wobbly-wheels would raise a GP rider to an even greater level of 'insane'

But Marquez would STILL have his elbows down..... lol
End of BoXXi's quote

Yes....it was him...;)

All those people who declare their flavour of Motorsport superior/more impressive probably haven't worked out exactly what 346 kph is....and that it's done on 2 wheels ....and no roll cage....;)

Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top

The wheel remains the same, but the suspension is different. The wheel cannot remain a perfect circle while being compressed, so the rim of the wheel must be flexible to allow these spokes to absorb shock. If this works, being a bicycle rider, I am all for it.

 

77..................Out

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top

Might be good for a Segway.

Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting ob77, reply 19
If this works, being a bicycle rider, I am all for it.
End of ob77's quote

Bicycle rider? Voila:

 

BTW...it's also a nice video of the Tel-Aviv Boardwalk which goes the whole length of Tel-Aviv all the way to Jaffa (no, not to Jafo). 

 

Quoting Daiwa, reply 20

Might be good for a Segway.
End of Daiwa's quote

Don't see any reason it wouldn't work on one...

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Reciprocating motors and unfettered suspension don't get along well...and a cyclist is the biggest/worst issue.

There are reams of argument/development re bicycle suspension systems [no, not invented in Marin County] and I think I'll stick with the system I've ridden for 49 years [50 in a few months]... devised by possibly the most successful suspension engineer on the planet....ie.the Mini has won every single class/form of racing it has ever entered...;)

 

At the end of that video the rider likely gets off and is violently sea-sick....;p

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 22
and a cyclist is the biggest/worst issue.
End of Jafo's quote

The rider looked perfectly happy in the video from the website...didn't see a problem at all, and looks like it's be great for mountain biking as well...

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I would think it would work quite well for casual cycling. Racing or serious downhill runs, that may be another matter.

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Doc...you can see the hub bobbing up and down with pedal cadence...it's an absolute deal-breaker on a bike.

if the hub bobs up and down with pedal motion...so does the rider...;)