Castor assembly
First Claim
1. A castor assembly comprising:
- a wheel having a load-contacting portion;
a carriage, on which said wheel is mounted for rotation about a first axis; and
a bearing operable to enable said carriage to rotate about a second axis inclined with respect to said first axis, said first axis being spaced from said second axis;
said bearing comprising inner and outer bearing rings movable relative to one another, said inner bearing ring being secured to said carriage for rotation with said carriage about the second axis, and being disposed generally concentrically with and within said outer bearing ring so that said inner and outer bearing rings are substantially co-planar;
said carriage being disposed generally concentrically within said inner bearing ring so that said inner bearing ring and said carriage are substantially co-planar, and said inner and outer bearing rings and said carriage, in combination, forming a substantially planar assembly;
the first axis about which said wheel rotates being located below a plane defined by said inner and outer bearing rings so that only the load-contacting portion of said wheel projects outwardly from the planar assembly;
a depth of said castor assembly excluding said wheel, measured in a direction parallel to the plane of the wheel, being less than the diameter of said wheel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A castor assembly suitable for use in decks or dollies for moving freight or other heavy items includes a wheel, a carriage on which the wheel bracket is mounted for rotation about a first axis and a bearing enabling the carriage to rotate about a second axis at an angle different than the first axis, the first axis being offset from the second axis. The bearing includes an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring movable relative to one another. The inner bearing ring is secured for rotation with the carriage about the second axis. The inner bearing ring is disposed generally concentrically within the outer bearing ring and the carriage is disposed generally concentrically within the inner bearing ring. The inner and outer bearing rings and the carriage together form a substantially planar assembly.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A castor assembly comprising:
-
a wheel having a load-contacting portion;
a carriage, on which said wheel is mounted for rotation about a first axis; and
a bearing operable to enable said carriage to rotate about a second axis inclined with respect to said first axis, said first axis being spaced from said second axis;
said bearing comprising inner and outer bearing rings movable relative to one another, said inner bearing ring being secured to said carriage for rotation with said carriage about the second axis, and being disposed generally concentrically with and within said outer bearing ring so that said inner and outer bearing rings are substantially co-planar;
said carriage being disposed generally concentrically within said inner bearing ring so that said inner bearing ring and said carriage are substantially co-planar, and said inner and outer bearing rings and said carriage, in combination, forming a substantially planar assembly;
the first axis about which said wheel rotates being located below a plane defined by said inner and outer bearing rings so that only the load-contacting portion of said wheel projects outwardly from the planar assembly;
a depth of said castor assembly excluding said wheel, measured in a direction parallel to the plane of the wheel, being less than the diameter of said wheel.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A castor assembly comprising:
-
a wheel;
a carriage, on which said wheel is mounted for rotation about a first axis; and
a bearing operable to enable said carriage to rotate about a second axis, said first axis being offset from said second axis;
said bearing comprising inner and outer bearing rings movable relative to one another, said inner bearing ring being secured for rotation with said carriage about the second axis and being disposed generally concentrically within said outer bearing ring, and said carriage being disposed generally concentrically within said inner bearing ring so that said inner and outer bearing rings and said carriage together form a substantially planar assembly;
the first axis about which said wheel rotates being spaced below the planar assembly defined by said inner and outer bearing rings and said carriage so that a load-contacting portion of said wheel projects outwardly from the planar assembly;
a depth of said castor assembly excluding the wheel, measured in a direction parallel to the plane of said wheel, being less than the diameter of said wheel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A device comprising:
-
a plate having an upper surface over which objects are moved, said plate having formed therein at least one aperture; and
a castor assembly mounted in said aperture, said castor assembly comprising;
a wheel mounted on a carriage for rotation about a first axis generally parallel to the upper surface of said plate; and
a bearing for enabling the carriage to rotate about a second axis inclined with respect to the first axis and the upper surface of said plate;
said bearing and said carriage being disposed below the upper surface of said plate so that only a portion of said wheel projects above the upper surface of said plate, and wherein a depth of said castor assembly, excluding said wheel, measured in a direction parallel to a plane of the wheel, is less than the diameter of said wheel.
-
-
14. A device comprising:
-
a plate having an upper surface over which objects are moved, said plate having formed therein at least one aperture; and
a castor assembly mounted in said aperture, said castor assembly comprising;
a wheel mounted on a carriage for rotation about a first axis generally parallel to the upper surface of said plate; and
a bearing for enabling the carriage to rotate about a second axis inclined with respect to the first axis and the upper surface of said plate;
said bearing and said carriage being disposed below the upper surface of said plate so that only a portion of said wheel projects above the upper surface of said plate, wherein said carriage includes a slot in which said wheel is received, the edges of said slot fitting closely around said wheel so that said bearing, said carriage and said wheel together substantially completely fill said aperture in which said castor assembly is mounted, and wherein a depth of said castor assembly, excluding said wheel, measured in a direction parallel to a plane of the wheel, is less than the diameter of said wheel.
-
-
15. A device comprising:
-
a plate having an upper surface over which objects are moved, said plate having formed therein at least one aperture; and
a castor assembly mounted in said aperture, said castor assembly comprising;
a wheel mounted on a carriage for rotation about a first axis generally parallel to the upper surface of said plate; and
a bearing for enabling the carriage to rotate about a second axis inclined with respect to the first axis and the upper surface of said plate;
said bearing and said carriage being disposed below the upper surface of said plate so that only a portion of said wheel projects above the upper surface of said plate, wherein inner and outer bearing rings at least partially define a ball race therebetween and at least one of said inner and outer bearing rings are profiled such that interengagement of said inner and outer bearing rings at at least one side of said ball race defines a path between said rings from said ball race to an exterior of said bearing including at least one turn through an angle of 90 degrees or less.
-
-
16. A device comprising:
-
a plate having an upper surface over which objects are moved, said plate having formed therein at least one aperture; and
a castor assembly mounted in said aperture, said castor assembly comprising;
a wheel having a load-contacting portion;
a carriage, on which said wheel is mounted for rotation about a first axis; and
a bearing operable to enable said carriage to rotate about a second axis inclined with respect to said first axis, said first axis being spaced from said second axis;
said bearing comprising inner and outer bearing rings movable relative to one another, said inner bearing ring being secured to said carriage for rotation with said carriage about the second axis, and being disposed generally concentrically with and within said outer bearing ring so that said inner and outer bearing rings are substantially co-planar;
said carriage being disposed generally concentrically within said inner bearing ring so that said inner bearing ring and said carriage are substantially co-planar, and said inner and outer bearing rings and said carriage, in combination, form a substantially planar assembly;
the first axis about which said wheel rotates being located below a plane defined by said inner and outer bearing rings so that only the load-contacting portion of said wheel projects outwardly from the planar assembly;
a depth for said castor assembly excluding said wheel, measured in a direction parallel to the plane of the wheel, being less than the diameter of said wheel.- View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A device comprising:
-
a plate having an upper surface over which objects are moved, said plate having formed therein at least one aperture; and
a castor assembly mounted in said aperture, said castor assembly comprising;
a wheel;
a carriage, on which said wheel is mounted for rotation about a first axis; and
a bearing operable to enable said carriage to rotate about a second axis, said first axis being offset from said second axis;
said bearing comprising inner and outer bearing rings movable relative to one another, said inner bearing ring being secured for rotation with said carriage about the second axis and being disposed generally concentrically within said outer bearing ring, and said carriage being disposed generally concentrically within said inner bearing ring so that said inner and outer bearing rings and said carriage together form a substantially planar assembly;
the first axis about which said wheel rotates being spaced below the planar assembly defined by said inner and outer bearing rings and said carriage so that a load-contacting portion of said wheel projects outwardly from the planar assembly;
a depth of said castor assembly excluding the wheel, measured in a direction parallel to the plane of said wheel, being less than the diameter of said wheel.
-
Specification