US Patent 10350939 Lightweight aerodynamic wheel assembly

A wheel assembly including a wheel and a wheel clad. The wheel includes a wheel outer rim portion, a wheel inner hub portion adapted to receive an axle therethrough, and a plurality of wheel spokes extending radially between the wheel outer rim portion and the wheel inner hub portion. The wheel has an outer surface having a plurality of wheel turbine openings therein. The wheel turbine openings have a first area. The wheel clad includes a clad outer rim portion axially aligned with at least a portion of the wheel outer rim portion, a clad inner hub portion axially aligned with at least a portion of the wheel inner hub portion, and a plurality of clad spokes extending radially between the clad outer rim portion and clad inner hub portion. The clad has a plurality of clad turbine openings each having a second area. The second area is substantially less than the first area. The clad/wheel assembly has a drag coefficient of substantially less than that of the wheel by itself.