Tire for center pivot irrigation
An exemplary embodiment relates to a non-pneumatic tire for a center pivot irrigation system comprising two arcuate half-tire segments, the segments having two sidewalls connected by an outer circumferential wall and an inner circumferential wall; a plurality of transverse traction cleats circumferentially spaced on the outer circumferential wall extending between the side walls, the cleats having a rounded tip; a pair of connecting cleats at the ends of the half-tire segments having a plurality of apertures adapted for use in connecting the two arcuate half-tire segments; and a plurality of connectors adapted for insertion into the apertures wherein the cleats are tapered in width having a ratio of the center width of the cleat to the edge width of the cleat of at least about 1.25:1.
1. A non-pneumatic tire for a center pivot irrigation system comprising:
a) two arcuate half-tire segments, the segments having two sidewalls connected by an outer circumferential wall and an inner circumferential wall;
b) a plurality of transverse traction cleats circumferentially spaced on the outer circumferential wall extending between the sidewalls;
c) a pair of connecting cleats at the ends of the half-tire segments having a plurality of apertures adapted for use in connecting the two arcuate half-tire segments; and
d) a pair of side pockets for use in connecting the two half-tire segments, the side pockets:
i) being recessed into the sidewalls between the outer circumferential wall and the inner circumferential wall; and
ii) having side pocket openings for connectors that traverse the adjacent connecting cleats of the half-tire segments to hold the two half-tire segments together at points radially inward of the outer circumferential wall.
2. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the connecting cleats comprise a left half-cleat and a right half-cleat in lateral alignment.
3. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the center width of the transverse traction cleats to the edge width of the transverse traction cleats is between about 1.25:1 and about 2.0:1.
4. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 3 wherein the ratio of the center width of the transverse traction cleats to the edge width of the transverse traction cleats is between about 1.33:1 and about 1.75:1.
5. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 4 wherein the ratio of the center width of the transverse traction cleats to the edge width of the transverse traction cleats is about 1.5:1.
6. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the transverse traction cleats:
a) extend axially from a transverse traction cleat center to a transverse traction cleat edge; and
b) have a width of about three inches at the transverse traction cleat center and a width of about two inches at the transverse traction cleat edge.
7. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the half-tire outer diameter to the half-tire width is about 3.4 to about 4.5.
8. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 7 wherein the ratio of the half-tire outer diameter to the half-tire width is about 3.7 to about 4.3.
9. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 8 wherein the ratio of the half-tire outer diameter to the half-tire width is about 4.0 to about 4.2.
10. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the half-tire inner diameter to the half-tire width is about 1.7 to about 3.0.
11. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 10 wherein the ratio of the half-tire inner diameter to the half-tire width is about 1.9 to about 2.2.
12. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 11 wherein the ratio of the half-tire inner diameter to the half-tire width is about 2.0 to about 2.1.
13. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the half-tire diameter to the half-tire width is about 1.2 to about 2.5.
14. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 13 wherein the ratio of the half-tire diameter to the half-tire width is about 1.3 to about 2.3.
15. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 14 wherein the ratio of the half-tire diameter to the half-tire width is about 1.6 to about 2.1.
16. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 15 wherein the ratio of the half-tire diameter to the half-tire width is about 1.9 to about 2.0.
17. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the transverse traction cleats have rounded tips.
18. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 further including a plurality of connectors adapted for insertion into the apertures of the connecting cleats and into the side pocket openings.
19. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the transverse traction cleats are tapered such that a ratio of a center width of the transverse traction cleat to an edge width of the transverse traction cleat is at least about 1.25:1.