Idler wheel with tapered webbing
An idler wheel may include an annular rim portion, an annular hub portion configured to be positioned about an axle, a webbing extending from an outer surface of the hub portion to an inner surface of the rim portion, the webbing including a first radius portion converging with the inner surface of the rim portion, a second radius portion converging with the outer surface of the hub portion, a taper transition point, and a first tapered portion between the first radius portion and the taper transition point. The idler wheel may further include a second tapered portion between the second radius portion and the taper transition point.
1 . An idler wheel, comprising:
an annular rim portion;
an annular hub portion configured to be positioned about an axle;
a webbing extending from a surface of the hub portion to a surface of the rim portion, the webbing including:
a first radius portion converging with the surface of the rim portion;
a second radius portion converging with the surface of the hub portion;
a taper transition point;
a first tapered portion between the first radius portion and the taper transition point, wherein the first tapered portion tapers in thickness from an end of the first radius portion to the taper transition point; and
a second tapered portion between the second radius portion and the taper transition point, wherein the second tapered portion tapers in thickness from an end of the second radius portion to the taper transition point;
wherein the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion each taper in an axial direction of the idler wheel towards the taper transition point to form a concave profile of the webbing between the hub portion and the rim portion.
2 . The idler wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first tapered portion has a first thickness at the end of the first radius portion and the taper transition point has a second thickness; and
wherein a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is between 1.1 and 1.75.
3 . The idler wheel of claim 2 , wherein the second tapered portion has a third thickness at the end of the second radius portion; and
wherein a ratio of the third thickness to the second thickness is between 1.33 and 2.0.
4 . The idler wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first tapered portion has a first thickness at the end of the first radius portion and the first radius portion has a first radius; and
wherein a ratio of the first thickness to the first radius is between 1.15 and 2.13.
5 . The idler wheel of claim 1 , wherein the second tapered portion has a third thickness at the end of the second radius portion and the second radius portion has a second radius; and
wherein a ratio of the third thickness to the second radius is between 0.5 and 0.9.
6 . The idler wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first tapered portion has a first thickness at the end of the first radius portion between about 20 mm and about 26 mm and the taper transition point has a second thickness between about 15 mm and about 18 mm.
7 . The idler wheel of claim 6 , wherein the second tapered portion has a third thickness at the end of the second radius portion between about 20 mm and about 30 mm.
8 . An idler wheel, comprising:
an annular rim portion;
an annular hub portion configured to be positioned about an axle;
a webbing extending from a surface of the hub portion to a surface of the rim portion, the webbing including:
a taper transition point between the surface of the hub portion and the surface of the rim portion;
a first tapered portion between the surface of the hub portion and the taper transition point, wherein the first tapered portion tapers substantially linearly in thickness toward to the taper transition point; and
a second tapered portion between the surface of the rim portion and the taper transition point, wherein the second tapered portion tapers substantially linearly in thickness toward to the taper transition point;
wherein the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion each taper in an axial direction of the idler wheel towards the taper transition point to form a concave profile of the webbing between the hub portion and the rim portion.
9 . The idler wheel of claim 8 , wherein the first tapered portion is tapered at a first angle between about 4 degrees and about 6 degrees relative to a central axis of the webbing.
10 . The idler wheel of claim 9 , wherein the second tapered portion is tapered at a second angle between about 5 degrees and about 7 degrees relative to the central axis of the webbing.
11 . The idler wheel of claim 9 , wherein the taper transition point has a thickness between about 15 mm and about 18 mm.
12 . The idler wheel of claim 11 , wherein the first tapered portion tapers from a thickness between about 20 mm and about 26 mm to the thickness at the taper transition point.
13 . The idler wheel of claim 8 , wherein the first tapered portion is between about 45 mm and about 47 mm in length.
14 . The idler wheel of claim 13 , wherein the second tapered portion is between about 50 mm and about 52 mm in length.
15 . An idler wheel, comprising:
an annular rim portion;
an annular hub portion configured to be positioned about an axle;
a webbing extending from a surface of the hub portion to a surface of the rim portion, the webbing including:
a first radius portion converging with the surface of the rim portion;
a second radius portion converging with the surface of the hub portion;
a first tapered portion extending a first length from an end of the first radius portion and tapering in thickness along the first length; and
a second tapered portion extending a second length from an end of the second radius portion and tapering in thickness along the second length;
wherein the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion each taper in an axial direction of the idler wheel towards a taper transition point to form a concave profile of the webbing between the hub portion and the rim portion.
16 . The idler wheel of claim 15 , wherein the first length is between about 45 mm and about 47 mm.
17 . The idler wheel of claim 16 , wherein the second length is between about 50 mm and about 52 mm.
18 . The idler wheel of claim 17 , wherein the first radius portion has a first radius between about 30 mm and about 32 mm.
19 . The idler wheel of claim 18 , wherein the second radius portion has a second radius between about 16 mm and about 18 mm.
20 . The idler wheel of claim 15 , wherein the first tapered portion forms a first angle between about 4 degrees and about 6 degrees with a central axis of the webbing.