Blow-molded wheels having undulating treads, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same
First Claim
1. A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, comprising:
- a body having at least one seat sized for a child;
a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel, wherein at least one of the plurality of wheels is a blow-molded wheel that comprises;
a blow-molded wheel body having a tread surface and an axis, wherein the wheel body is configured to rotate about the axis, wherein the tread surface extends circumferentially around the wheel body, includes ground-contacting regions, and has a first circumferential profile and a second circumferential profile, wherein the first circumferential profile is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface, wherein the radial distance from the axis to the first circumferential profile changes from a first-circumferential-profile first-radius to a first-circumferential-profile second-radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the first circumferential profile, wherein the first-circumferential-profile second-radius is larger than the first-circumferential-profile first-radius, wherein the radial distance from the axis to the second circumferential profile changes from a second-circumferential-profile first-radius to a second-circumferential-profile second-radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the second circumferential profile, wherein the second-circumferential profile second-radius is larger than the second-circumferential-profile first-radius, and wherein the first-circumferential-profile first-radius is larger than the second-circumferential-profile first-radius;
a steering assembly comprising a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat and a steering linkage adapted to convey the steering inputs to the at least one steerable wheel; and
a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children'"'"'s ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded wheel body that is configured to rotate about an axis and has a tread surface that extends circumferentially around the wheel body and may have a circumferential profile that is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface. The radial distance from the axis to the circumferential profile may change from a first radius to a second radius that is larger than the first radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the circumferential profile. The method for producing the blow-molded wheels may include providing a mold with pinch-off rings that have an opening configured to form the circumferential profile.
69 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, comprising:
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a body having at least one seat sized for a child; a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel, wherein at least one of the plurality of wheels is a blow-molded wheel that comprises; a blow-molded wheel body having a tread surface and an axis, wherein the wheel body is configured to rotate about the axis, wherein the tread surface extends circumferentially around the wheel body, includes ground-contacting regions, and has a first circumferential profile and a second circumferential profile, wherein the first circumferential profile is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface, wherein the radial distance from the axis to the first circumferential profile changes from a first-circumferential-profile first-radius to a first-circumferential-profile second-radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the first circumferential profile, wherein the first-circumferential-profile second-radius is larger than the first-circumferential-profile first-radius, wherein the radial distance from the axis to the second circumferential profile changes from a second-circumferential-profile first-radius to a second-circumferential-profile second-radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the second circumferential profile, wherein the second-circumferential profile second-radius is larger than the second-circumferential-profile first-radius, and wherein the first-circumferential-profile first-radius is larger than the second-circumferential-profile first-radius; a steering assembly comprising a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat and a steering linkage adapted to convey the steering inputs to the at least one steerable wheel; and a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24)
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15. A children'"'"'s ride-on vehicle, comprising:
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a body having at least one seat sized for a child; a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel, wherein at least one of the plurality of wheels is a blow-molded wheel that comprises; a blow-molded wheel body having a tread surface and an axis, wherein the wheel body is configured to rotate about the axis, the tread surface extends around a first circumference and a second circumference of the wheel body, the tread surface includes ground-contacting regions, the tread surface has a first maximum radius relative to the axis at each point around the first circumference of the wheel body, the tread surface has a second maximum radius relative to the axis at each point around the second circumference of the wheel body, and wherein the first maximum radius of the tread surface undulates around the first circumference of the wheel body and the second maximum radius of the tread surface undulates around the second circumference of the wheel body, wherein the first maximum radius defines a first profile and the second maximum radius defines a second profile that is different than the first profile; a steering assembly comprising a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat and a steering linkage adapted to convey the steering inputs to the at least one steerable wheel; and a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26)
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Specification