Wheel assembly having wheel-mounting sleeve and retainer
First Claim
1. In a wheel-mounting sleeve including a sleeve body, formed and dimensioned to mount through a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel and into telescoped relation over an axle including a retaining notch, the sleeve body including an inner end and an outer end with an axle bore there between, the axle bore dimensioned to receive the axle in telescoped relation, an improvement comprising:
- the sleeve body including a port formed and dimensioned to access the retaining notch of the axle when positioned in the axle bore; and
at least one arcuate retainer discrete from the sleeve body, the at least one arcuate retainer comprising monolithic spring and lug portions, and coupled to the sleeve body such that the lug portion is resiliently positionable through the port and into the axle bore to a detent position wherein the lug portion engages the retaining notch of the axle within a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel to constrain the axle within the axle bore.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel-mounting sleeve and retainer is described. The wheel-mounting sleeve includes a sleeve body, formed and dimensioned for mounting through a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel and into telescoped relation over an axle having a retaining notch. The wheel-mounting sleeve includes at least one retainer discrete from the sleeve body. The retainer includes monolithic spring and lug portions, and is coupled to the sleeve body such that the lug portion is resiliently positionable through a port in the sleeve body and into the axle bore to a detent position wherein the lug portion engages the retaining notch of the axle to constrain the axle within the axle bore. A method of using the wheel-mounting sleeve and retainer is also described.
44 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a wheel-mounting sleeve including a sleeve body, formed and dimensioned to mount through a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel and into telescoped relation over an axle including a retaining notch, the sleeve body including an inner end and an outer end with an axle bore there between, the axle bore dimensioned to receive the axle in telescoped relation, an improvement comprising:
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the sleeve body including a port formed and dimensioned to access the retaining notch of the axle when positioned in the axle bore; and at least one arcuate retainer discrete from the sleeve body, the at least one arcuate retainer comprising monolithic spring and lug portions, and coupled to the sleeve body such that the lug portion is resiliently positionable through the port and into the axle bore to a detent position wherein the lug portion engages the retaining notch of the axle within a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel to constrain the axle within the axle bore. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a wheel-mounting sleeve including a sleeve body, formed and dimensioned for mounting through a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel and into telescoped relation over an axle having a retaining notch, the sleeve body having an inner end and an outer end with an axle bore therebetween, the axle bore dimensioned for receiving the axle in telescoped relation, an improvement comprising:
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the sleeve body having a port formed and dimensioned for access to the retaining notch of the axle when positioned in the axle bore, wherein the sleeve body includes a channel having a channel bottom and channel sides, wherein the channel is formed and dimensioned to receive the arcuate band; and the channel bottom coincides with the port, the channel thereby having a dual effect of constraining motion of the arcuate band along a longitudinal axis of the sleeve body and locating the lug portion of the arcuate band at a position along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body that corresponds with the position of the port along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body; and at least one retainer discrete from the sleeve body, the at least one retainer comprising monolithic spring and lug portions, and coupled to the sleeve body such that the lug portion is resiliently positionable through the port and into the axle bore to a detent position wherein the lug portion engages the retaining notch of the axle to constrain the axle within the axle bore, wherein the at least one retainer is detachable from the sleeve body, wherein the at least one retainer is an arcuate band formed from flat metal stock. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A wheel-mounting sleeve usable with an axle including a retaining notch, the wheel-mounting sleeve comprising:
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a sleeve body formed and dimensioned to mount through a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel and retaining the wheel on the sleeve; the sleeve body including an inner end and an outer end with an axle bore therebetween, the axle bore formed and dimensioned to receive the axle in telescoped relation; at least one arcuate retainer discrete from the sleeve body, the at least one arcuate retainer comprising monolithic spring and lug portions; and the sleeve body including at least one port formed and dimensioned to receive the lug portion; wherein the spring portion is formed and dimensioned to resiliently extend the lug portion of the at least one arcuate retainer through the at least one port of the sleeve body and relative to the axle bore to form a latch between the sleeve body and the axle within a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A wheel-mounting sleeve for use with an axle having a retaining notch, the wheel-mounting sleeve comprising:
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a sleeve body formed and dimensioned for mounting through a wheel-bearing bore in a wheel and retaining the wheel on the sleeve; the sleeve body having an inner end and an outer end with an axle bore therebetween, the axle bore formed and dimensioned for receiving the axle in telescoped relation; at least one retainer discrete from the sleeve body, the at least one retainer comprising monolithic spring and lug portions; and the sleeve body having at least one port formed and dimensioned to receive the lug portion, wherein the sleeve body includes a channel having a channel bottom and channel sides, wherein the channel is formed and dimensioned to receive the at least one retainer; and the channel bottom coincides with the at least one port, the channel thereby having a dual effect of constraining motion of the retainer along a longitudinal axis of the sleeve body and locating the lug portion of the at least one retainer at a position along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body, wherein the lug portion extends through the at least one port along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body; wherein the spring portion is formed and dimensioned to resiliently position the lug portion of the at least one retainer relative to the axle bore to form a latch between the sleeve body and the axle. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An assembly, comprising:
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a wheel assembly including a wheel-bearing bore extending therethrough from an inner side to an outer side; a sleeve body formed and dimensioned to mount through the wheel-bearing bore and retaining the wheel on the sleeve body, the sleeve body including an inner end and an outer end with an axle bore therebetween, the axle bore formed and dimensioned to receive an axle including a retaining notch in telescoped relation; and at least one arcuate retainer discrete from the sleeve body, the at least one arcuate retainer comprising monolithic spring and lug portions, the sleeve body including at least one port formed and dimensioned to receive the lug portion therethrough, wherein the spring portion is formed and dimensioned to resiliently position the lug portion of the at least one arcuate retainer relative to the axle bore to form a latch between the wheel assembly and the axle, the latch formed within the wheel-bearing bore of the wheel. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification