Wheel assembly

• US 5,716,107 A
• Filed: 09/17/1996
• Issued: 02/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cascade Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cascade Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Selen, Albert, Parker, Brian G., Harrison, Bruce E., Laney, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stormer, Russell D.
• Application Number:
  US08/714,895
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 301/111, 301/112, 301/119, 301/120, 301/121, 301/122
• US Class Current: 301/111.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 37/10 the wheels being individually rotatable around the axles

Abstract

A reusable, releasably lockable wheel assembly comprising a wheel having a centrally disposed hub defining an aperture in which is received an axle. A spring having diametrically opposed lugs is disposed on one side of the hub and the lugs extend into the aperture of the hub so that when the axle is inserted into the aperture, the lugs are biased into the groove on the end of the axle to lock the wheel to the axle. The lugs can be forced outwardly by a tool to withdraw the lugs from the groove so that the axle can be unlocked with respect to the wheel for removal of the wheel. In one embodiment, cooperation between a wheel cover and the spring limits slidable movement between the wheel and axle. In another embodiment, cooperation between an end cap on the wheel hub and the spring limits the slidable movement.

Claims

1. A wheel assembly comprising:

an axle with a circumferential groove;

a wheel with a central hub having an opening passing therethrough for receiving the axle;

a wheel retainer to retain the wheel on the axle, the wheel retainer comprising at least one generally semi-circular spring having opposite ends and at least one lug, the or each having a first end attached to the at least one spring and a free end extending radially from the first end, the or each lug is positioned at one of the ends of the at least one generally semi-circular spring and is adapted to abut the hub of the wheel, a keeper extending radially inwardly toward the axis of the axle from the free end of the or each lug and shaped to fit into the circumferential groove in the axle, and the or each semi-circular spring biases the or each keeper radially into the circumferential groove of the axle.

2. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the at least one semi-circular spring comprises two generally semi-circular springs joined together at the ends opposite thereof to form a generally circular shape, and the at least one lug comprises two lugs positioned at opposite joined ends of the generally semi-circular springs.

3. A wheel assembly according to claim 2 wherein the wheel retainer further comprises a web adjacent each of the lugs to define tool guide apertures for retracting the keepers from the groove and remove the wheel from the axle.

4. A wheel assembly according to claim 3 and further in combination with a U-shaped tool for retracting the keepers from the groove, the tool comprises a pair of spaced shafts connected by a handle, the ends of the spaced shafts have ramped outer surfaces to retract the keepers from the groove upon the insertion of the tool into the tool guide apertures.

5. A wheel assembly according to claim 2 and further comprising a cover mounted to the wheel at a central portion thereof and covering the wheel retainer to retain the wheel retainer in contact with the wheel.

6. A wheel assembly according to claim 5 wherein the lugs further comprise a spacer extending outwardly therefrom in a direction generally parallel to the axle and adapted to contact the cover to maintain the cover in a predetermined spaced relationship to the wheel.

7. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wheel retainer is integrally molded from a resilient thermoplastic material.

8. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 and further comprising a cover mounted to the wheel at a central portion thereof and covering the wheel retainer to retain the wheel retainer in contact with the wheel.

9. A wheel assembly according to claim 8 wherein the or each lug further comprises a spacer extending axially away from the wheel and adapted to contact the cover to maintain the cover in a predetermined, spaced relationship to the wheel.

10. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wheel retainer further comprises a web adjacent the or each lug to define a tool guide aperture for retracting the keeper from the groove and remove the wheel from the axle.

11. A wheel assembly according to claim 10 and further in combination with a tool for retracting the keeper from the groove, the tool comprises a shaft, an end of the shaft having a ramped outer surface to retract the keeper from the groove upon the insertion of the tool into the tool guide aperture.

12. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the axle and the wheel central hub each has at least one end, and further comprising an end cap mounted in the opening of the wheel central hub at the one end of the wheel central hub to prevent the end of the axle from passing through the one end of the wheel central hub.

13. A wheel assembly according to claim 12 and further comprising a cover mounted to the wheel at a central portion thereof to cover the end cap and the wheel retainer.

14. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 and further comprising at least one opening extending radially through an end portion of the hub, and wherein the or each keeper extends through the or each opening to retain the wheel retainer on the hub.

15. A wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the central hub has at least one notch and the or each keeper is adapted to fit within the or each notch.

16. A wheel assembly comprising:

an axle with an indentation;

a wheel with a central hub having an opening passing therethrough for receiving the axle;

a wheel retainer to retain the wheel on the axle, the wheel retainer comprising a generally circular spring and having at least one lug, the or each lug having a first end attached to the spring and a free end extending radially from the first end, the or each lug being adapted to abut the hub of the wheel, a keeper extending radially inwardly toward the axis of the axle from the free or each lug and shaped to fit into the indentation of the axle, and the generally circular spring biases the or each keeper into the indentation in the axle.

17. A wheel assembly according to claim 16 wherein the wheel retainer is integrally molded from a resilient thermoplastic material.

18. A wheel assembly according to claim 16 wherein the wheel retainer further comprises a web adjacent the or each lug to define a tool guide aperture for retracting the or each keeper from the indentation and remove the wheel from the axle.

19. A wheel assembly according to claim 18 and further in combination with a tool for retracting the or each keeper from the groove, the tool comprises at least one shaft, an end of the or each shaft having a ramped outer surface to retract the or each keeper from the indentation upon the insertion of the tool into the or each tool guide aperture.

20. A wheel assembly according to claim 16 wherein the axle and wheel central hub each have at least one end and further comprising an end cap mounted in the opening of the wheel central hub at the one end of the wheel central hub to prevent the end of the axle from passing through the one end of the wheel central hub.

21. A wheel assembly according to claim 20 and further comprising a cover mounted to the wheel at a central portion thereof to cover the end cap and the wheel retainer.

22. A wheel assembly according to claim 16 wherein the hub has an end portion, and further comprising at least one opening extending radially through the end portion of the hub, and wherein the or each keeper extends radially through the or each opening to retain the wheel retainer on the hub.

23. A wheel assembly according to claim 16 wherein the central hub has at least one notch and the or each keeper is adapted to fit within the or each notch.

24. A wheel assembly comprising:

an axle with an indentation;

a wheel with a central hub having an opening passing therethrough for receiving the axle;

a wheel retainer to retain the wheel on the axle, the wheel retainer comprising at least one semi-circular spring having opposite ends and at least one lug, the or each lug having a first end attached to the or each spring and a free end extending radially from the first end, the or each lug is positioned at one of the ends of the semi-circular spring and is adapted to abut the hub of the wheel, a keeper extending radially inwardly toward the axis of the axle from the free end of the or each lug and shaped to fit into the indentation in the axle, and the semi-circular spring biases the or each keeper into the indentation of the axle; and

the wheel retainer further comprises a web adjacent the or each lug to define tool guide apertures for retracting the or each keeper from the indentation to remove the wheel from the axle.

25. A wheel assembly according to claim 24 wherein there are two semi-circular springs joined together to form a circular shape.

26. A wheel assembly according to claim 24 wherein the wheel retainer is integrally molded from a resilient thermoplastic material.

27. A wheel assembly according to claim 24 wherein the hub has an end portion, and further comprising at least one opening extending radially through the end portion of the hub, and wherein the or each keeper extends radially through the or each opening to retain the wheel retainer on the hub.

28. A wheel assembly according to claim 24 wherein the central hub has at least one notch and the or each keeper is adapted to fit within the or each notch.

29. A wheel assembly according to claim 24 wherein the axle and wheel hub each have at least one end, and further comprising an end cap mounted in the opening of the wheel hub at the one end of the wheel hub to prevent the end of the axle from passing through the one end of the wheel hub.

30. A wheel assembly according to claim 29 and further comprising a cover mounted to the wheel at a central portion thereof to cover the end cap and the wheel retainer.