Removable casters

• US 10,131,185 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zenithen USA LLC
• Original Assignee: Zenithen USA LLC
• Inventors: Frankel, Andrew David, Zheng, Shi-Ping, Zheng, Tian-Xia
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Brien, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US15/729,687
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 16 30
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/143 detachable
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2200/43 Carts
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2200/45 Suitcases
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/115 Complexity
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/351 versatility, e.g. usable for different purposes or different arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/521 Tire mounting or removal devices therefor B60B2340/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0002 assembling to the object, e.g. furniture
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0005 characterised by mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/001 by snapping, clicking or latching in
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0039 Single wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0049 the rolling axle being horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0068 the swivel axis being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/06 mounted retractably
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/063 by linear movement parallel to swivel axis

Abstract

A removable caster system includes a roller, a roller frame and a roller seat, the roller being positioned on the frame via a horizontal axis, the frame being inserted into the vertical shaft hole of the seat through the vertical shaft to form a detachable position; wherein a chute is installed on the upper surface with a trapezoidal stopper; a wire retainer is placed in the chute and is controlled by the movement of its narrowing section or the vertical axis to achieve removable function.

Claims

1. A removable caster system comprising:

a roller;

a roller frame;

a horizontal shaft rotatably connecting the roller to the roller frame;

a roller seat configured to connect to a movable object, the roller seat defining a vertical shaft hole therein;

a vertical shaft comprising an annular groove, the vertical shaft connecting the roller frame to the roller seat via the vertical shaft hole;

the roller seat further comprising;

an upper face having a channel extending substantially perpendicular to the vertical shaft hole;

a guiding member having a trapezoidal stopper and a guide block, the trapezoidal stopper having a narrow end proximal to the vertical shaft hole and a wide end distal from the vertical shaft hole, the guide block extending from the narrow end of the trapezoidal stopper to the vertical shaft hole;

a wire retainer formed of a bent wire and having an operational section distal from the vertical shaft hole and two legs extending towards the vertical shaft hole;

the two legs each comprising a body section surrounding the wide end of the trapezoidal stopper, a tapered neck section extending between the trapezoidal stopper and the guide block, and a narrowing section which extends over the vertical shaft hole for receiving the annular groove of the vertical shaft therebetween;

wherein the wire retainer is configured to slide laterally along the channel between a first position, in which the narrowing section prevents removal of the vertical shaft from the vertical shaft hole, and a second position, in which the neck section is displaced with respect to the trapezoidal stopper and causes the narrowing section to spread apart allowing removal of the vertical shaft from the vertical shaft hole.

2. The removable caster system according to claim 1, wherein the wire retainer is a resilient member, such that an external force is applied to move the wire retainer from the first position to the second position, and upon release of the external force, the wire retainer is automatically biased back to the first position.

3. The removable caster system according to claim 1, further comprising an upper cover locked to the roller seat by a screw to ensure the wire retainer can only slide laterally in the channel.

4. The removable caster system according to claim 1, wherein the channel of the roller seat further comprises two symmetrical inner limiting blocks surrounding the vertical shaft hole and between the vertical shaft hole and the trapezoidal stopper;

an outer limiting block; and

the wire retainer legs each include a bent extension;

wherein when the wire retainer is in the first position, the bent extensions engage the outer limiting block, and when the wire retainer is in the second position, the bent extensions engage the inner limiting blocks.

5. The removable caster system according to claim 1, wherein a width of the guide block is less than or equal to a diameter of the vertical shaft hole.

6. The removable caster system according to claim 1, wherein the roller seat further comprises a preload mechanism configured to bias the vertical shaft into engagement with the vertical shaft hole for preventing unwanted movements due to a gap therebetween.

7. The removable caster system according to claim 6, wherein the preload mechanism comprises a groove defined on one side of the vertical shaft hole;

a preload spring and a preload block are mounted and confined in the groove by a lid;

the preload block has an arcuate surface conforming to the vertical shaft hole;

wherein the arcuate surface of the preload block is biased into contact with an arcuate surface of the vertical shaft by a force of the preload spring.

8. The removable caster system according to claim 7, wherein the lid of the preload mechanism further comprises a bulge portion which presses against a surface of the preload spring to keep the preload spring centered against the preload block.