Multiple directional wheel
First Claim
1. A multiple directional wheel including:
- (a) a frame having a central hub rotatable about a main axis and a plurality of roller supports radially spaced from said central hub;
(b) a plurality of rollers evenly spaced around the circumference of said wheel androtatably mounted on said roller supports, said rollers rotatable about a correspondingplurality of roller axes aligned in the plane of said wheel and transverse to said main axis;
wherein said frame is integrally formed in a first molding process and said rollers are formed in place on the wheel about said roller supports in a separate process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple directional wheel includes a frame having a central hub rotatable about a main axis, a plurality of roller supports radially spaced from the central hub, and a plurality of rollers evenly spaced around the circumference of the wheel and rotatably mounted on the roller supports. The rollers are preferably rotatable about a corresponding plurality of roller axes aligned in the plane of the wheel and transverse to the main axis. Preferably, the frame is integrally formed in a first molding process and the rollers are formed in place on the wheel about the roller supports in a separate process. In another embodiment there is disclosed a multiple directional wheel including a pair of opposed, separately integrally-formed first and second frames.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A multiple directional wheel including:
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(a) a frame having a central hub rotatable about a main axis and a plurality of roller supports radially spaced from said central hub; (b) a plurality of rollers evenly spaced around the circumference of said wheel and rotatably mounted on said roller supports, said rollers rotatable about a corresponding plurality of roller axes aligned in the plane of said wheel and transverse to said main axis; wherein said frame is integrally formed in a first molding process and said rollers are formed in place on the wheel about said roller supports in a separate process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A multiple directional wheel for movably supporting an article including:
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(a) a pair of opposed separately integrally formed first and second frames, each said frame including a central hub rotatable about a main axis, a plurality of radial arms extending outwardly from said central hub and roller supports extending between adjacent said radial arms, said roller supports being integrally molded with said central hub and said radial arms; (b) a discontinuous rim mounted on each said central hub, said first frame offset relative to said second frame about said main axis whereby, when viewed in side elevation, the circumferential outline of said wheel is substantially continuous and circular; and (c) a plurality of rollers together forming each said rim, said rollers being regularly spaced around each said rim, each said roller rotatable about a roller support having one of a plurality of roller axes, each said roller axis aligned transverse to said main axis, wherein each said roller includes a roller tire and a bush, each said bush being able to rotate around said roller support and about the corresponding roller axis, each said tire formed on each corresponding said bush to form each said roller.
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16. A method of forming a multiple directional wheel comprising:
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(a) forming a frame comprising a central hub rotatable about a main axis and a plurality of roller supports spaced from said central hub, said roller supports being integrally molded with said central hub, each said roller support aligned with one of a plurality of corresponding roller axes, each said roller axis aligned in the general plane of said frame transverse to said main axis; (b) mounting a bush around each said roller support, each said bush being able to rotate around one of said roller supports about its corresponding roller axis; and (c) forming a tire around each of said bushes in place on said frame whereby each said tire and bush combination constitutes a roller. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification