Method of mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub

1. A method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub; the non-pneumatic tire defining axial, radial, and circumferential directions; the non-pneumatic tire having an annular shear band and a plurality of spokes, each spoke having a central spoke portion positioned along the axial direction between a pair of corresponding outer spoke portions, each central spoke portion and outer spoke portions having a radially-outer end connected with the annular shear band, each central spoke portion and outer spoke portions having a radially-inner end; the hub having a plurality of grooves spaced apart along the circumferential direction with each groove having a longitudinal axis extending along the axial direction; the method for mounting comprising:

placing the hub into a central opening defined by the non-pneumatic tire;

inserting the radially-inner ends of the central spoke portions into the grooves of the hub with one central spoke portion per groove;

deforming the annular shear band radially-inward towards the hub so as to decrease a distance along the radial direction between the annular shear band and the hub;

sliding the radially-inner ends of the corresponding outer spoke portions of at least one central spoke portion into one of the grooves circumferentially adjacent to a groove containing the radially-inner end of the at least one central spoke portion;

undeforming the annular shear band so as to increase the distance along the radial direction between the annular shear band and the hub;

rotating the tire and hub a predetermined amount; and

repeating the deforming, sliding, undeforming, and rotating until all of the outer spoke portions are connected to the hub.

2. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 1 , wherein the annular shear band comprises multiple reinforcing bands.

3. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 1 , wherein the rotating comprises rotating the tire and hub by an amount in the range of 20 degrees to 30 degrees.

4. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one central portion forms an angle in the range of 8 degrees to 12 degrees with the corresponding outer spoke portions after the sliding of the radially-inner ends of the corresponding outer spoke portions.

5. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one central portion forms an angle of 10 degrees with the corresponding outerspoke portions after the sliding of the radially-inner ends of the corresponding outer spoke portions.

6. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 1 , wherein the radially-outer ends of each central spoke portion is connected with the radially-outer ends of the corresponding outer spoke portions.

7. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 2 , wherein the annular shear band comprises a shear layer.

8. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 2 , further comprising welding an annular receiver to the hub and annular receiver to each other.

9. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 2 , wherein the plurality of spokes comprises inextensible reinforcements.

10. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 2 , wherein the central spoke portion and outer spoke portions of each spoke are joined together along the radially-outer end of each spoke.

11. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 1 , wherein each of the grooves has a cross-sectional shape configured for complementary receipt of the radially-inner ends.

12. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 1 , further comprising mounting the hub onto a support before the deforming.

13. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 12 , wherein the deforming comprises placing the tire onto a surface and moving the surface towards the hub.

14. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 13 , wherein the undeforming comprises moving the surface away from the hub.

15. The method for mounting a non-pneumatic tire onto a hub as in claim 14 , wherein moving the surface comprises extending or contracting a cylinder.