Caster and dolly wheel attachments for cylindrical tanks

• US 7,165,290 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Great Star Tools USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shop-Vac Corporation (Hangzhou Great Star Industrial Company Limited)
• Inventors: Crevling, Robert Lent Jr., Martinez, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner; Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/677,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 16/30, 16/29, 16/31.R, 16/18.CG, 16/18.B, 220/528, 220/628, 220/630, 153/39, 153/276, 280/47.32, 280/79.5, 280/47.31, 280/47.3, 248/300, 248/220.1
• US Class Current: 16/30
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0002 assembling to the object, e.g. furniture
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0007 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/001 by snapping, clicking or latching in
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0023 in the form of specific adaptations to the form of the object
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0026 characterised by adaptations made to the object
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0049 the rolling axle being horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0063 no swivelling action, i.e. no real caster
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0083 Wheeled supports connected to the transported object

Abstract

Caster wheel assemblies that may be snap-fitted onto a cylindrical tank or drum are shown and described. Also dolly-wheel assemblies that include an axle supported by two wheels are also disclosed which may be snap-fitted onto a cylindrical tank or drum. The caster wheel assemblies and dolly wheel assemblies disclosed herein may be easily mounted onto a tank or drum without the need for a separate supporting platform. A flexible nature of the caster wheel assemblies and wheel-dolly assemblies enables them to be snap-fitted onto tanks of varying diameters.

Claims

1. A combination of a caster assembly, and a tank and a wheel dolly assembly, wherein the caster assembly snap fits onto the tank, the combination comprising:

at least one caster assembly comprising a housing comprising an outer shell connected to at least one caster wheel, the outer shell also being connected to an outer wall, the outer wall extending downward from the outer shell before terminating at a u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the outer wall and an upwardly extending inner wall, the outer wall being connected to an inwardly extending ledge disposed above the u-shaped lower edge and which extends towards the inner wall, the outer wall, u-shaped lower edge, inner wall and ledge of the caster housing defining a female receiving area,

a tank comprising an outer wall that extends downwardly and terminates at a radially outwardly extending lower bead, the lower bead being disposed between and connected to the outer wall of the tank and an upwardly extending inner wall of the tank,

the lower bead of the tank snap fitting into the female receiving area of the caster housing,

an upper portion of the outer shell of the caster assembly being in contact with the outer wall of the tank in a manner so that the caster assembly provides support to the tank

the tank being connected to a wheel dolly assembly comprising comprising a housing comprising an outer shell connected to an axel disposed between and connected to a pair of wheel, the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing also being connected to a first outer wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing extending downward from the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing before terminating at a first u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing and a first upwardly extending inner wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing being connected to a first inwardly extending ledge disposed above the first u-shaped lower edge of the wheel dolly housing and which extends towards the first inner wall of the wheel dolly housing, the first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge of the wheel dolly housing defining a first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing, and

the bead of the tank snap fitting into the first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inner wall of the caster housing terminates at a radially inwardly extending lip and the inner wall of the tank is connected to a radially inwardly extending bottom panel, the bottom panel of the tank being disposed on top of the lip of the caster housing when the bead of the tank is snap fitted into the female receiving area of the caster housing.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the caster housing is fabricated from molded plastic.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bead of the tank is hollow.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the tank is fabricated from sheet metal.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the caster housing forming part of a threaded aperture disposed on a side of the outer wall of the caster housing radially opposite from the female receiving area, the u-shaped lower edge of the caster housing comprising an opening aligned with the threaded aperture;

the caster assembly further comprising a fastener received in the threaded aperture, the fastener comprising a flange received in the opening of the u-shaped lower edge and which engages a lower surface of the bead of the tank when the fastener is tightened within the threaded aperture.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the tank is fabricated from sheet metal and the bead is hollow and has a cross-section that is rectangular in shape.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein the tank is cylindrical and the outer wall of the tank is convex and the outer wall of the caster housing is concave.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the tank is connected to at least three caster assemblies.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing further comprises a second outer wall, second u-shaped lower edge, second inner wall and second ledge configured like said first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge but spaced apart therefrom to define a second female receiving area for receiving the bead of the tank that is spaced apart from the first female receiving area.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein the tank is cylindrical and the tank is marked to indicate a preferred attachment place for the at least one caster assembly to bead of the tank.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inner roll of the tank is connected to a radially inwardly extending bottom panel, the combination further comprises a template adapted to lie on top of the bottom panel when the tank is placed in an inverted position, the template comprising a plurality of indicia for indicating a correct spacing of a plurality of caster wheel assemblies about the bead of the tank.

13. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inner roll of the tank is connected to a radially inwardly extending bottom panel, and the combination further comprises a template adapted to lie on top of the bottom panel when the tank is inverted, the template comprising a plurality of indicia for indicating a proper spacing of one or more caster wheel assemblies and a wheel dolly assembly about the bead of the tank.

14. A caster assembly snap-fitting onto a tank connected to a wheel dolly assembly, the caster assembly comprising:

a housing comprising an outer shell connected to at least one caster wheel, the outer shell also being connected to an outer wall, the outer wall extending downward from the outer shell before terminating at a u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the outer wall and an upwardly extending inner wall, the outer wall being connected to an inwardly extending ledge disposed above the u-shaped lower edge and which extends towards the inner wall, the outer wall, u-shaped lower edge, inner wall and ledge of the caster housing defining a female receiving area,

wherein the outer wall of the caster housing forms part of a threaded aperture disposed on a side of the outer wall of the caster housing radially opposite from the female receiving area, the u-shaped lower edge of the caster housing comprising an opening aligned with the threaded aperture, the caster assembly further comprising a fastener received in the threaded aperture, the fastener comprising a flange received in the opening of the u-shaped lower edge, and

wherein the wheel dolly assembly comprises a housing comprising an outer shell connected to an axel disposed between and connected to a pair of wheel, the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing also being connected to a first outer wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing extending downward from the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing before terminating at a first u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing and a first upwardly extending inner wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing being connected to a first inwardly extending ledge disposed above the first u-shaped lower edge of the wheel dolly housing and which extends towards the first inner wall of the wheel dolly housing, the first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge of the wheel dolly housing defining a first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing, a bead of the tank snap fitting into the first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing.

15. The caster assembly of claim 14 wherein the caster housing is fabricated from molded plastic.

16. The caster assembly of claim 14 wherein the outer wall of the caster housing is concave for abuttingly engaging a convex cylindrical wall of a tank.

17. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cylindrical tank comprising an outer wall that extends downwardly and terminates at a radially outwardly extending lower bead, the lower bead being disposed between and connected to the outer wall of the tank and an upwardly extending inner wall of the tank,

a plurality of caster assemblies, each caster assembly comprising a housing comprising an outer shell connected to at least one caster wheel, the outer shell also being connected to an outer wall, the outer wall of the caster housing extending downward from the outer shell before terminating at a u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the outer wall of the caster housing and an upwardly extending inner wall, the outer wall of the caster housing being connected to an inwardly extending ledge disposed above the u-shaped lower edge and which extends towards the inner wall of the caster housing, the outer wall, u-shaped lower edge, inner wall and ledge of the caster housing defining a female receiving area,

the lower bead of the tank snap fitting into the female receiving area of each caster housing with the caster assemblies spaced apart around the lower bead of the tank,

an upper portion of the outer shell of the caster assembly being in contact with the outer wall of the tank in a manner so that the caster assembly provides support to the tank,

wherein the tank is connected to two spaced apart caster assemblies and the tank is also connected a wheel dolly assembly that comprises a wheel dolly assembly comprising a housing comprising an outer shell connected to an axel disposed between and connected to a pair of wheel, the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing also being connected to a first outer wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing extending downward from the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing before terminating at a first u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing and a first upwardly extending inner wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing being connected to a first inwardly extending ledge disposed above the first u-shaped lower edge of the wheel dolly housing and which extends towards the first inner wall of the wheel dolly housing, the first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge of the wheel dolly housing defining a first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing, and

the bead of the tank snap fitting into the first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the inner wall of each caster housing terminates at a radially inwardly extending lip and the inner wall of the tank is connected to a radially inwardly bottom panel, the bottom panel of the tank being disposed on top of the lip of each caster housing when the bead of the tank is snap fitted into the female receiving area of each caster housing.

19. The vacuum cleaner claim 17 wherein each caster housing is fabricated from molded plastic.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the bead of the tank is hollow.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the tank is fabricated from sheet metal.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein the outer wall of each caster housing forming part of a threaded aperture disposed on a side of the outer wall of the caster housing radially opposite from the female receiving area, the u-shaped lower edge of the caster housing comprising an opening aligned with the threaded aperture, the caster assembly further comprising a fastener received in the threaded aperture, the fastener comprising a flange received in the opening of the u-shaped lower edge and which engages a lower surface of the bead of the tank when the fastener is tightened within the threaded aperture.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the tank is fabricated from sheet metal and the bead is hollow and has a cross-section that is rectangular in shape.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the tank is cylindrical and the outer wall of the tank is convex and the outer wall of each caster housing is concave.

25. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing further comprises a second outer wall, second u-shaped lower edge, second inner wall and second ledge configured like said first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge but spaced apart therefrom to define a second female receiving area for receiving the bead of the tank that is spaced apart from the first female receiving area.

26. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 wherein the tank is marked to indicate preferred locations for attaching the plurality of caster assemblies to bead of the tank.

27. A combination of a caster assembly, and a tank, and a wheel dolly assembly, wherein the caster assembly snap fits onto the tank, the combination comprising:

at least one caster assembly comprising a housing comprising an outer shell connected to at least one caster wheel, the outer shell also being connected to an outer wall, the outer wall extending downward from the outer shell before terminating at a u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the outer wall and an upwardly extending inner wall, the outer wall being connected to an inwardly extending ledge disposed above the u-shaped lower edge and which extends towards the inner wall, the outer wall, u-shaped lower edge, inner wall and ledge of the caster housing defining a female receiving area,

a tank comprising an outer wall that extends downwardly and terminates at a radially outwardly extending lower bead, the lower bead being disposed between and connected to the outer wall of the tank and an upwardly extending inner wall of the tank, the bead of the tank snap fitting into the female receiving area of the caster housing,

wherein the tank is also connected to a wheel dolly assembly that comprises a housing comprising an outer shell connected to an axel disposed between and connected to a pair of wheel, the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing also being connected to a first outer wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing extending downward from the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing before terminating at a first u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing and a first upwardly extending inner wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing being connected to a first inwardly extending ledge disposed above the first u-shaped lower edge of the wheel dolly housing and which extends towards the first inner wall of the wheel dolly housing, the first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge of the wheel dolly housing defining a first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing.

28. The combination of claim 27 wherein the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing further comprises a second outer wall, second u-shaped lower edge, second inner wall and second ledge configured like said first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge but spaced apart therefrom to define a second female receiving area for receiving the bead of the tank that is spaced apart from the first female receiving area.

29. The combination of claim 27 wherein the inner roll of the tank is connected to a radially inwardly extending bottom panel, and the combination further comprises a template adapted to lie on top of the bottom panel when the tank is inverted, the template comprising a plurality of indicia for indicating a proper spacing of one or more caster wheel assemblies and a wheel dolly assembly about the bead of the tank.

30. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

.

a cylindrical tank comprising an outer wall that extends downwardly and terminates at a radially outwardly extending lower bead, the lower bead being disposed between and connected to the outer wall of the tank and an upwardly extending inner wall of the tank,

a plurality of caster assemblies, each caster assembly comprising a housing comprising an outer shell connected to at least one caster wheel, the outer shell also being connected to an outer wall, the outer wall of the caster housing extending downward from the outer shell before terminating at a u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the outer wall of the caster housing and an upwardly extending inner wall, the outer wall of the caster housing being connected to an inwardly extending ledge disposed above the u-shaped lower edge and which extends towards the inner wall of the caster housing, the outer wall, u-shaped lower edge, inner wall and ledge of the caster housing defining a female receiving area,

the bead of the tank snap fitting into the female receiving area of each caster housing with the caster assemblies spaced apart around the lower bead of the tank,

wherein the tank is connected to two spaced apart caster assemblies and the tank is also connected a wheel dolly assembly that comprises;

a wheel dolly assembly comprising a housing comprising an outer shell connected to an axel disposed between and connected to a pair of wheel, the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing also being connected to a first outer wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing extending downward from the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing before terminating at a first u-shaped lower edge connected to and disposed between the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing and a first upwardly extending inner wall, the first outer wall of the wheel dolly housing being connected to a first inwardly extending ledge disposed above the first u-shaped lower edge of the wheel dolly housing and which extends towards the first inner wall of the wheel dolly housing, the first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge of the wheel dolly housing defining a first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing, the bead of the tank snap fitting into the first female receiving area of the wheel dolly housing.

31. The vacuum cleaner of claim 30 wherein the outer shell of the wheel dolly housing further comprises a second outer wall, second u-shaped lower edge, second inner wall and second ledge configured like said first outer wall, first u-shaped lower edge, first inner wall and first ledge but spaced apart therefrom to define a second female receiving area for receiving the bead of the tank that is spaced apart from the first female receiving area.