Reinforced resilient support for a non-pneumatic tire

1. A non-pneumatic tire defining axial, radial, and circumferential directions, the tire comprising:

an annular band;

a hub positioned radially inward of the annular band;

a plurality of a resilient, composite structures extending between the annular band and the hub, each composite structure having opposing lateral sides along the axial direction and comprising:

a continuous support membrane extending along the axial direction between the opposing lateral sides and forming a radially-inner support leg and a radially-outer support leg, the radially-outer support leg having a non-zero angle with the radially-inner support leg, the radially-inner support leg having a radially-inner end, the radially-outer support leg having a radially-outer end;

a central reinforcement connected with the radially-inner support leg and the radially outer support leg;

a radially-inner joint connected with the radially-inner support leg and separating the radially-inner end from the hub;

a radially-outer joint connected with radially-outer support leg and incorporated with the annular band, the radially-outer joint separating the radially-outer end from the annular band; and

wherein the radially-inner support leg and radially-outer support leg are movable relative to each other.

2. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the support membrane comprises a plurality of reinforcements.

3. The non-pneumatic of claim 2 , wherein the support membrane comprises a plurality of elongate reinforcements positioned adjacent to each other along the axial direction and extending along the radial direction from the radially-inner support leg to the radially-outer support leg.

4. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 3 , wherein the support membrane further comprises an elastomeric material surrounding the plurality of elongate reinforcements.

5. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 2 , wherein the support membrane comprises a fiber reinforced plastic.

6. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 5 , further comprising an elastomer surrounding the fiber reinforced plastic.

7. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the support membrane forms a radius of curvature between the radially-inner support leg and the radially-outer support leg.

8. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-inner joint, and the radially-outer joint, each compromise an elastomeric material.

9. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-inner joint, and the radially-outer joint, each extend continuously along an axial direction of the tire.

10. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the continuous support membrane defines a central reinforcement side and an opposing, leg joint side; wherein the central reinforcement is positioned on the central reinforcement side of the continuous support membrane; wherein the radially-inner joint and the radially-outer joint are positioned on the leg joint side of the continuous support membrane.

11. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-outer joint defines a radially-outer connecting surface incorporated with an annular band of the tire.

12. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-inner joint defines a radially-inner connecting surface incorporated with a hub of a wheel.

13. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , further comprising an elastomeric covering positioned onto the radially-inner support leg and the radially-outer support leg.

14. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-outer joint defines a radially-outer connecting surface incorporated with the annular band of the tire, the annular band having a tread surface incorporated therein.

15. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the central reinforcement extends continuously along the axial direction between the opposing lateral sides of the composite structure.