Plastic wheel assembly and mounting sleeve therefor

• US 6,375,274 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Geo Plastics, Co.
• Original Assignee: Geo Plastics, Co.
• Inventors: Morris, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LONG B
• Application Number:
  US09/507,595
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 301/111, 301/112, 301/118, 301/131, 301/132
• US Class Current: 301/111.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/001 Lightweight wheels, e.g. for strollers or toys
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 37/10 the wheels being individually rotatable around the axles
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1473 Receptacles having wheels

Abstract

A plastic wheel (22) and wheel mounting sleeve (27, 27a, 27b, 27c) used to releasably secure the wheel (22) onto an axle (23). The wheel mounting sleeve (27) preferably includes two resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered fingers (46, 47) which are cantilevered from and extend axially in opposite directions on the sleeve (27). An axle-engaging shoulder (42) is provided on a radially inwardly extending lug (55) on one finger (46), while a wheel-engaging shoulder (43) is provided on a radially outwardly extending lug (61) on the other resilient finger (47). The respective shoulders (42, 43) cooperate with oppositely facing shoulders (58, 62) so as to releasably latch the sleeve (27) to the axle (23) and the wheel (22) to the sleeve (27). Assembly can be accomplished without any tools and a screwdriver can be used to disassemble the components. Alternative sleeves (27a, 27b, 27c) include an annular rib (101) which mates with an annular bore recess (102) to further limit relative movement between the sleeve (27a, 27b, 27c) and the wheel (22).

Claims

1. A wheel mounting sleeve comprising:

a sleeve body having an inner end and an outer end and formed and dimensioned for mounting through a wheel bearing bore in a wheel, said body having a sleeve bore therethrough dimensioned for mounting in telescoped relation over an axle;

said sleeve body having at least one axle-engaging shoulder thereon retaining said sleeve on the axle and at least one wheel-engaging shoulder thereon retaining the wheel on said sleeve;

said sleeve body being further formed with at least one resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered finger, said axle-engaging shoulder extending radially inwardly from said finger proximate said outer end of said sleeve, and said finger proximate said outer end of said sleeve, said wheel-engaging shoulder extending radially outwardly from proximate said inner end of said sleeve; and

said sleeve body having an axial length dimension not substantially greater than the length dimension of the wheel bearing bore whereby said sleeve is substantially flush with the wheel of an inner side and at an outer side of the wheel.

2. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said wheel-engaging shoulder faces toward said outer end of said sleeve, and

said body is formed with a radially outwardly extending second wheel-engaging shoulder axially spaced from the first-named wheel-engaging shoulder and facing toward said inner end of said sleeve.

3. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said sleeve body has a central bore dimensioned to freely rotate on said axle.

4. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said sleeve body is formed with an opening in an outer end thereof dimensioned for insertion of a tool to enable radially outward displacement of said axle-engaging shoulder to a position releasing said sleeve from said axle.

5. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 4 wherein,

said finger carrying said axle-engaging shoulder further includes an extension portion extending axially outwardly of said axle-engaging shoulder for engagement by a tool to enable radial outward displacement of said finger.

6. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said sleeve is injection molded from an acetyl-based plastic.

7. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 1, and

a spacer sleeve separate from said mounting sleeve and formed to be mounted on the axle in abutting relation to said mounting sleeve.

8. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said wheel-engaging shoulder is provided by an annular outwardly projecting rib proximate said inner end of said sleeve;

and

said rib is chamferred in a direction of insertion of said sleeve into said wheel bearing bore.

9. A wheel mounting sleeve including a sleeve body having an inner end and an outer end and formed and dimensioned for mounting through wheel bearing bore in a wheel and into telescoped relation over an axle, said sleeve having at least one axle-engaging shoulder thereon retaining said sleeve on said axle and at least one wheel-engaging shoulder thereon retaining said wheel on said sleeve, the improvement comprising:

said sleeve body being formed with at least one resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered finger, said finger being defined by a pair of substantially parallel axially extending slots in said sleeve, said axle-engaging shoulder extending radially inwardly from said finger proximate said outer end of said sleeve, said wheel-engaging shoulder extending radially outwardly from proximate said inner end of said sleeve, and a pair of axially extending reinforcing ribs circumferentially outward of and adjacent to said slots defining said finger.

10. In a wheel mounting sleeve including a sleeve body having an inner end and an outer end and formed and dimensioned for mounting through wheel bearing bore in a wheel and into telescoped relation over an axle, said sleeve having at least one axle-engaging shoulder thereon retaining said sleeve on said axle and at least one wheel-engaging shoulder thereon retaining said wheel on said sleeve, the improvement comprising:

said sleeve body being formed with two resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered fingers, said fingers being cantilevered from and extending in opposite axial directions on circumferentially separated sides of said body, said axle-engaging shoulder extending radially inwardly from one of said fingers proximate said outer end of said sleeve, said wheel-engaging shoulder is provided by a radially outwardly extending lug on the other of said fingers proximate said inner end of said sleeve, and an inwardly facing side of said lug is formed with an axially extending ramp facilitating radial inward displacement of said finger during mounting of said sleeve in said wheel bearing bore.

11. The wheel mounting sleeve as defined in claim 10 wherein,

said lug is formed with a tool surface thereon oriented for application of a radially inward force on said finger to move said wheel-engaging shoulder out of engagement with said wheel.

12. In a wheel mounting sleeve including a sleeve body having an inner end and an outer end and formed and dimensioned for mounting through wheel bearing bore in a wheel and into telescoped relation over an axle, said sleeve having at least one axle-engaging shoulder thereon retaining said sleeve on said axle and at least one wheel-engaging shoulder thereon retaining said wheel on said sleeve, the improvement comprising:

said sleeve body being formed with at least one resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered finger, said axle-engaging shoulder extending radially inwardly from said finger proximate said outer end of said sleeve, said wheel-engaging shoulder extending radially outwardly from proximate said inner end of said sleeve, and said body is formed with a plurality of circumferentially extending outwardly projecting reinforcing ribs proximate said outer end of said sleeve, said ribs being axially spaced apart and axially aligned to span across a notch in said axle.

14. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein,

said wheel-engaging shoulder faces toward said outer end of said sleeve, and

said body is formed with a radially outwardly extending second wheel-engaging shoulder axially spaced from the first-named wheel-engaging shoulder, facing toward said inner end of said sleeve and engaging an outwardly facing surface on said wheel.

15. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein,

said wheel-engaging shoulder faces toward said outer end of said sleeve, and

said body is formed with a radially inwardly extending second axle-engaging shoulder axially spaced from the first-named wheel-engaging shoulder, facing toward said inner end of said sleeve, and engaging an outer end of said axle.

21. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein,

said wheel bearing bore is radially stepped along its length and the step in said bore provides said outwardly facing surface;

and

said sleeve assembly is radially stepped along its length, and the step in said sleeve provides said second wheel-engaging surface.

13. A wheel assembly comprising:

an axle having a circumferentially extending notch proximate and inwardly of an axially outer end thereof;

a wheel having a central wheel bearing bore extending therethrough from an inner side to an outer side of said wheel, said wheel bearing bore having a notch axially recessed from said inner side of said wheel and opening radially inwardly to said wheel bearing bore; and

a wheel mounting sleeve having a body formed with a bore therethrough dimensioned for, and slidably mounted over, said axle;

said body having an outer diameter formed for, and slidably inserted into, said wheel bearing bore;

said body further being formed with two resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered fingers thereon;

said fingers each being cantilevered from, and extending in, opposite directions on circumferentially spaced sides of said body;

one of said fingers extending from said middle of said sleeve toward an outer end of said sleeve and having a radially inwardly extending axle-engaging shoulder thereon mounted in said notch in said axle; and

the other of said fingers extending from said middle of said sleeve toward an inner end of said sleeve having a radially outwardly extending wheel-engaging shoulder thereon engaging an inwardly facing surface defining said notch in wheel bearing bore.

16. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein,

said wheel-engaging shoulder is provided on an outwardly facing side of a radially outwardly extending lug on one of said fingers, and

an inwardly facing side of said lug is formed with an axially extending ramp facilitating radial inward displacement of said finger during mounting of said sleeve in said wheel bearing bore.

17. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein,

said lug is formed with a tool surface thereon oriented for application of a radially inward force on said finger to move said wheel-engaging shoulder out of engagement with said wheel.

18. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein,

said wheel bearing bore is formed with an axially extending ramp therein positioned to cooperatively engage said ramp on said lug to effect radial inward displacement of said finger having said lug thereon during axial movement of said sleeve into said wheel bearing bore.

19. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein,

said wheel bearing bore is further formed with an axially extending alignment structure on a side of said bore opposite said ramp in said bore.

20. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein,

said body is formed with at least one axially extending outwardly projecting stiffening rib;

and

said alignment structure is provided by at least one notch dimensioned to and receiving said rib therein.

22. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein,

said sleeve is a monolithically formed plastic member and has a length dimension not extending substantially beyond either said inner side or said outer side of said wheel.

23. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 13, and

an axial spacer member mounted on said axle proximate said wheel.

24. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 13, and

said bore having a radially outwardly extending recess therein proximate an inner end of said bore;

and

said sleeve includes a radially outwardly extending rib proximate an inner end of said sleeve formed to seat in said recess.

25. The wheel assembly as defined in claim 24 wherein,

said rib is annular and extends circumferentially around a majority of said inner end of said sleeve, and said rib is formed with an inwardly facing chamfer thereon to facilitate insertion of said sleeve into said bore.