These wheels shape shift to accommodate heavier loads

SciTech Whatfinger News ^ | December 23, 2021 | James Gingerich

[ProfessorGoldiloxx]

"These wheels change shape to fit terrain and carry heavy loads. With diameters ranging from 18" (46 cm) to 31.5" (80 cm). They can work with various vehicles. They are collapsed and small in natural state. When squeezed horizontally, they fold up and reach the maximum diameter. Hankook developed them with Seoul National University and Harvard University. Inspired by origami, the wheel has a three-layer structure. ..."

[ProfessorGoldiloxx]

Perfect for my next ‘Bond’ upgrade. No mention of a limit on speed while changing form (although they do show it happening while moving).

[Openurmind]

Two things I note right away. The change in circumference will change the gear ratio on drive axles. On a 4X4 as they show, this is a huge no no unless they are all calibrated and deployed exactly the same within a half inch. One cannot be taller that the other three, or two taller than the other two. While you might gain some height offroad you would also be making your gear ratio taller which is a disadvantage.

I see a whole bunch of broken drive axles and ripped up differentials and transfer cases with real world application. I would not invest in it.. lol

[Chainmail]

The short sequence showing the wheels actually moving while mounted on a car, shows a very bumpy and erratic ride. No discussion of road adhesion, wear, or maximum rotational speed either.

It seems to me to an expensive and less-than-useful method to deal with varying loads.

[deport]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1473347534051545101

Wheels for vehicles of the future.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Rolling resistance looks severe. These wheels will get 1/2 the gas mileage on any vehicle their placed. I guess it has an application on something, but I have no clue what.

It is a start. Maybe something useful eventually will come from it.

[Scrambler Bob]

will change the gear ratio on drive axles.
= = =

Technically, the gear rations (in the differentials and transfer cases) won’t change, but the travel distance over the ground, per engine rev. will.

If the trans’s and diff’s are not ‘locking’, I think this would work, but the differential action would get a good workout. Like when one wheel spins in mud or snow.

But, as most serious 4x4 use ‘lockers’, they would have problems.

I’ll let other folks try them out. We will see the pros and cons.

They are sort of another ‘gear’. Tall and skinny for a high gear and good milage, short and fat for a low gear (and more load carrying and traction). Maybe limited use and applications.

[Openurmind]

Yes, Technically you are right. Or as in the industry it would be termed as revolutions per mile. Yes even open diffs would be eaten up in short order, and the clutches in limited slip even faster. Lockers would break axles. And anything all wheel drive or when in 4X4 would have the transfer case eaten up.

But the main thing I see wrong is the obvious aggressiveness of these on any and all surfaces. While they would make good rototillers they would not be very practical at all because of that extreme aggressiveness. Top speed on the highway would be very limited because they are even worse than tank tracks, be like running sand paddle tires on the street.

And as all seasoned offroaders know, you do not want something that digs down into the stuff except for maybe mud bogging. There is a huge advantage in having flotation on top without breaking through that ever so important crust layer. In fact almost bald tires do better in sand washes than new aggressive tires because they do no break that crust.

[sauropod]

Bkmk