Wheel assemblies

• US 9,010,877 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geo Plastics, Co.
• Original Assignee: Geo Plastics, Co.
• Inventors: Morris, Michael Abraham
• Primary Examiner(s): BELLINGER, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US14/085,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20140077586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 301/64.701, 301/64.702, 301/111.01, 301/111.03, 301112-114, 301118-122, 403/378, 403/379.5
• US Class Current: 301/121
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2200/41 Waste bins
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/10 Assembling; disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/50 Securing
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/52 to prevent loss
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/32 Plastic compositions
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/00 Hubs non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/02 adapted to be rotatably arranged on axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/065 characterised by the fixation of the hub to the axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/212 Damage
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/3312 during regular use
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 37/10 the wheels being individually rotatable around the axles
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1473 Receptacles having wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49492 Land wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49533 Hub making

Abstract

A hub assembly includes a retainer housing, a retaining member, a biasing element, and an occlusion. The retainer housing includes a wheel mounting sleeve and a pin sleeve. The wheel mounting sleeve includes an axle bore configured to receive an axle. The pin sleeve has a first end and a second end. The pin sleeve includes a conduit between the first end and the second end. The first end is in fluid communication with the axle bore. The retaining member and the biasing element are in the conduit. The retaining member is configured to engage a groove in an axle. The biasing element is configured to bias the retaining member towards the axle bore. The occlusion is proximate to the second end of the pin sleeve. The occlusion is configured to inhibit the retaining member from exiting the conduit at least prior to coupling the hub assembly to a wheel.

Claims

1. A wheel assembly comprising:

a wheel body;

an axle bore configured to receive an axle;

a pin sleeve including a first end in fluid communication with the axle bore, a second end, a conduit between the first end and the second end, and a slot in a side of the pin sleeve;

a retaining member in the conduit and configured to operatively engage a groove in the axle;

a biasing element in the conduit and configured to bias the retaining member towards the axle bore; and

an occlusion in the slot and configured to prevent the retaining member from exiting the second end of the pin sleeve.

2. The wheel assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hub assembly, the hub assembly comprising the axle bore, the pin sleeve, the retaining member, the biasing element, and the occlusion.

3. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein an end of the biasing element abuts the occlusion.

4. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the slot is substantially transverse to the conduit.

5. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the occlusion comprises a substantially cylindrical disc.

6. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the slot is proximate to the second end of the pin sleeve.

7. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the slot is spaced from the second end of the pin sleeve.

8. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the occlusion is mechanically forced to the pin sleeve.

9. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel body has a radius and wherein the pin sleeve extends partially along the radius.

10. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel body comprises an outer side viewable upon coupling of the wheel assembly to a conveyance and an inner side at least partially obscured upon coupling of the wheel assembly to the conveyance, the slot on the inner side.

11. A method of manufacturing a wheel assembly, the method comprising:

providing a wheel body, an axle bore configured to receive an axle, and a pin sleeve including a first end in fluid communication with the axle bore, a second end, a conduit between the first end and the second end, and a slot;

positioning a retaining member in the pin sleeve;

positioning a biasing element in the pin sleeve; and

inserting an occlusion into the slot in a side of the pin sleeve, thereby preventing the retaining member from exiting the second end of the pin sleeve.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming the wheel body.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the wheel body comprises blow molding.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the wheel body comprises injection molding.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the axle bore and the pin sleeve comprises providing a retainer housing comprising the axle bore and the pin sleeve and wherein the method further comprises coupling the retainer housing to the wheel body.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein inserting the occlusion comprises mechanically forcing the occlusion into the pin sleeve.

17. A hub assembly comprising:

a retainer housing including;

a wheel mounting sleeve including an axle bore configured to receive an axle; and

a pin sleeve having a first end and a second end and including a conduit between the first end and the second end, the first end in fluid communication with the axle bore, a side of the pin sleeve including a slot;

a retaining member in the conduit, the retaining member configured to engage a groove in the axle;

a biasing element in the conduit, the biasing element configured to bias the retaining member towards the axle bore; and

an occlusion in the slot and configured to inhibit the retaining member from exiting the conduit at least prior to coupling the hub assembly to a wheel.

18. The hub assembly of claim 17, wherein the slot is substantially transverse to the conduit.

19. The hub assembly of claim 17, wherein the slot is spaced from the second end of the pin sleeve.

20. A wheel assembly comprising:

a wheel; and

the hub assembly of claim 17 coupled to the wheel.