AU2020327866B2

AU2020327866B2 - A wheel maintenance trolley

Info

Publication number: AU2020327866B2
Application number: AU2020327866A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Martin Laing
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-08-14
Filing date: 2020-08-14
Publication date: 2021-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-14
Also published as: AU2020327866A1; WO2021026613A1

Abstract

A wheel maintenance trolley has a pair of side clamp members and a pair of tightening rods extending transversely across respective ends of the clamp members. The tightening rods are operative to urge the clamp members together. A pair of height adjustable support legs perpendicularly engaging each clamp member. The height adjustable support legs extend substantially orthogonally with respect to the tightening rods. Each leg has a respective wheel. In use, the trolley can support a wheel whereby the wheel is supported at two points atop the tightening rods, held upright therebetween by the camping members clamping against sides thereof and manoeuvred about by the wheels.

Description

A wheel maintenance trolley

Field of the Invention

[0001 ] This invention relates to a trolley for maintenance of wheels, such as motorcycle wheels.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Maintenance of motorcycle wheels usually involves supporting a motorcycle atop a paddock stand, thereby suspending the rear wheel thereof from the ground whereafter the wheel nut, axle and chain can then disengaged to release the wheel. [0003] However, the relatively heavy wheel may drop to the ground. Furthermore, once released from the chassis, any wheel spacers may fall out of place. Yet further, it is difficult to manoeuvre the wheel away without the wheel falling over.

[0004] Further, it is difficult to align the wheel with the axle during reinstallation whilst attempting to replace the wheel nut and chain.

[0005] The present invention seeks to provide a way which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[0006] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Disclosure

[0007] There is provided herein a motorcycle wheel maintenance trolley comprising a pair of side clamp members and a pair of tightening rods extending transversely across respective ends of the clamp members.

[0008] The tightening rods are operative to urge the clamp members together.

[0009] A pair of height adjustable support legs perpendicularly engage each clamp member and have a wheel at a lower end thereof.

[0010] The tightening rods may be freely axially engaged through bores of the clamp members and may comprise threaded distal ends engaging screw knobs which may be turned to bear against outer surfaces of the clamp members. Preferably, at least one tightening rod may be pulled from between the clamp members to allow space therebetween.

[0011 ] The support legs may comprise leg rods screwably engaged through threaded bores of the clamp members.

[0012] Utilisation of the trolley may comprise pulling one of the tightening rods from between the clamp members and loosening the screw knobs of the other tightening rod such that the clamp members are sufficiently spaced apart to accept a motorcycle wheel therebetween.

[0013] The trolley may then be pushed underneath a wheel of a motorcycle supported atop paddock stand or the like whereafter the removed tightening rod is reengaged. [0014] If necessary, the leg rods of the support legs may be turned to raise the tightening rods up to engage the wheel at two points.

[0015] The screw knobs may be tightened by hand to clamp the clamp members against the sides of the wheel whereafter the wheel may be disconnected from the motorcycle chassis.

[0016] The wheel, supported atop the trolley may be wheeled from the motorcycle and maintained, including by removing the wheel from the trolley by loosening the clamp members.

[0017] Reinstallation may take the opposite procedure wherein the motorcycle wheel is wheeled atop the trolley back under the motorcycle for reattachment.

[0018] As the height of the support legs have already been configured during removal, the wheel axle should align perfectly.

[0019] Once the motorcycle wheel is reattached, the clamp members may be loosened by unscrewing the screw knobs and pulling one of the tightening rods from therebetween whereafter the trolley may be pulled from under the wheel.

[0020] Preferably the leg rods and tightening rods may be disconnected from the clamp members to disassemble the trolley for storage.

[0021 ] According to one aspect, there is provided a wheel maintenance trolley comprising a pair of side clamp members and a pair of tightening rods extending transversely across respective ends of the clamp members, the tightening rods operative to urge the clamp members together, a pair of height adjustable support legs perpendicularly engaging each clamp member, the height adjustable support legs extending substantially orthogonally with respect to the tightening rods, each leg having a respective wheel, such that, in use, the trolley can support a motorcycle wheel whereby the wheel is supported at two points atop the tightening rods, held upright therebetween by the camping members clamping against sides thereof and manoeuvred about by the wheels.

[0022] A distal end of at least one tightening rod may extend out from a bore of a respective clamp member, the least one tightening rod being freely axially engaged through the bore, and the distal end may be threaded and comprises a screw knob screwably engaged thereto which can turn against the threading to bear against an outside surface of the clamp member.

[0023] The screw knob may be disengageable from the distal end

[0024] The at least one tightening rod may be pulled away from in between the clamp members.

[0025] The at least one tightening rod may be pulled out from respective bores of both clamp members.

[0026] Both distal ends of both tightening rods may extend out from bores of respective clamp members, the distal ends having threading screwably engaged by respective clamp members.

[0027] Each tightening rod may be greater than 25 cm in length.

[0028] At least one support legs may comprise a leg rod engaged through a respective bore of a respective clamp member.

[0029] The offset of leg rod may be adjustable with respect to the respective clamp member.

[0030] The offset may be adjustable by rotating the leg rod with respect to the respective clamp member.

[0031 ] The leg rod and the bore may be threaded such that the bore screwably engages the leg rod therein. [0032] At least one support leg may comprise a nut non-rotatably engaged to the leg rod which can be turned with a tool to rotate the leg rod with respect to the respective bore.

[0033] The leg rod may be removed from the respective bore.

[0034]

[0035] At least one support leg may comprise a castor wheel.

[0036] The at least one support leg may comprise a leg rod comprising a castor wheel bearing at a lower end thereof, the castor wheel bearing rotatably engaging the wheel with respect to an axial axis of the leg rod.

[0037] The leg rod may comprise threading screwably engaged through a respective bores of a respective clamp member and a nut non-rotatably engaged to leg rod which can be turned with a tool to rotate the leg rod with respect to the respective bore. [0038]

[0039] A centrepoint along each clamp member between the support legs may be offset with respect to a centrepoint between the tightening rods thereof.

[0040] According to another aspect, there is provided a method of maintaining a motorcycle wheel using the trolley, the method comprising: locating the trolley under the wheel such that sides of the wheel locate between the clamp members thereof; tightening the tightening rods to clamp the clamp members against sides of the wheel; and disengaging the wheel from the motorcycle and manoeuvring the wheel by the wheels of the trolley.

[0041 ] The method may further comprise adjusting the height of at least one support leg such that the tightening rods contact the wheel at two points.

[0042] The method may further comprise pulling one of the tightening rods away from in between the clamp members at one side of the trolley and pushing the trolley under the wheels such that the sides of the wheel locate between the clamp members thereof

[0043] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0044] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0045] Figure 1 shows a top perspective view of motorcycle wheel maintenance trolley in accordance with an embodiment; and

[0046] Figure 2 illustrates utilisation of the trolley.

Description of Embodiments

[0047] A motorcycle wheel maintenance trolley 100 comprises a pair of side clamp members 101. In the embodiment shown, the clamp members 101 comprise injection moulded plastic comprising latticework for lightweightness and yet have sufficient width for clamping resilience.

[0048] The trolley 100 further comprises a pair of tightening rods 102 extending across respective ends of the clamp members 101.

[0049] The tightening rods 102 are operative to urge the clamp members 101 together.

[0050] A pair of height adjustable support legs 103 perpendicularly engage each clamp member 101. The height adjustable support legs 103 extend substantially orthogonally with respect to the tightening rods 102.

[0051 ] Each support leg 103 has a respective wheel 104.

[0052] Distal ends 105 of the tightening rods 102 may extend out from sides of the clamp members 101. The tightening rods 102 may be engaged through respective bores 106 of the clamp members 101. The tightening rods 102 may be freely axially engaged through the bores 106 such that the tightening rods 102 may slide freely through the bores 106.

[0053] The distal ends 105 of the tightening rods 102 may comprise threading. The entire tightening rod 102 may be threaded. Each distal end 105 may comprise a respective screw knob 107 screwably engaged thereto. As such, each screw knob 107 may be turned in against the outer faces of the clamp members 101 to urge the clamp members 101 together. Each screw knob 107 may comprise a frictionally enhancing perimeter edge for hand operation.

[0054] The tightening rods 102 may be pulled away from in between the clamp members 101. In embodiments, the tightening rods 102 may be pulled out from both respective bores 106 of the clamp members 101.

[0055] The tightening rods 102 may comprise a length of greater than 25 centimetres. [0056] The support legs 103 may comprise leg rods 1 10 engaged through respective bores 108 of the clamp members 101.

[0057] The offset of the leg rods 110 may be adjustable with respect to the clamp members 101 to adjust the height of the tightening rods 102.

[0058] In embodiments, the offset of each leg rods 1 10 is adjustable by rotating each support leg 103 within the bore 108 with respect to the clamp member 101.

[0059] In one embodiment, the leg rods 110 comprises threading which engages a nut which engages underneath the respective clamp member 101. However, in a preferred embodiment, the leg rods 1 10 and the bores 108 are threaded such that the leg rods 110 are screwably engaged within the bores 108. As such, the offset of each leg rod 110 may be adjusted by rotating the leg rod 1 10 with respect to the clamp member 101 within the bore 108.

[0060] In use, the leg rods 110 may be initially turned by hand but, in embodiments, may comprise a nut 109 non-rotatably engaged to the leg rod 110 which can be engaged by a tool such as a spanner or the like to turn the leg rod 110 for final adjustment.

[0061 ] In a preferred embodiment, the wheel 104 is a castor wheel. In this regard, the support leg 103 comprises a castor wheel bearing 1 11 between the wheel 104 and the leg rod 1 10 allowing for rotation of the wheel with respect to a longitudinal axis of the leg rod 1 10.

[0062] In embodiments, a centrepoint along each clamp member 107 between the support legs 103 may be offset with respect to a centrepoint between the tightening rods 102 thereof. In other words, as is shown in Figure 1 , at one side of the trolley, the support legs 103 are closer to the tightening rod 102 as opposed to at the other side of the trolley 100.

[0063] Utilisation of the trolley 100 will be described with reference to Figure 2 which shows a motorcycle supported a top a conventional paddock stand 113 and having a rear motorcycle wheel 112.

[0064] One of the tightening rods 102 may be pulled from between the clamp members 101 in the manner shown and the screw knobs 107 of the other tightening rod 102 loosened such that the clamp members 101 are wide enough to accept the wheel 112 therebetween.

[0065] In the embodiment wherein centrepoints between the support legs 103 and the tightening rods 102 are offset, the tightening rod 102 closest to the support legs 103 may be pulled away.

[0066] The trolley 100 may then be pushed under the wheel 112.

[0067] Thereafter, the screw knobs 107 may be turned by hand to urge the clamp members 101 in together and against the sides of the wheel 1 12.

[0068] If necessary, the leg rods 1 10 of the support legs 103 may be turned by hand to raise the tightening rods 102 up until each tightening rod 102 engages a respective point of the wheel 1 12. The leg rod 110 may be tightened finally by using the nut 109. [0069] The screw knobs 107 may then be tightened once more to ensure that the clamp members 101 are sufficiently tightened.

[0070] The chain and axle of the wheel 1 12 may be disengaged whereafter the wheel 112 may be rolled away atop the trolley 100 for maintenance.

[0071 ] During maintenance, the wheel 1 12 may even be removed from the trolley 100 and subsequently replaced.

[0072] Reinstallation of the wheel 112 may comprise the reverse procedure wherein the trolley 100 is wheeled until the axle of the wheel 112 aligns with the swing arm of the motorcycle.

[0073] The chain and the axle may then be re-engaged to engage the wheel 1 12 whereafter the trolley 100 may be removed by loosening the screw knobs 107, pulling one of the tightening rods 102 away and pulling the trolley 100 out from under the wheel 112.

[0074] It should be noted that whereas the present trolley 100 has been described with preference to utilisation for maintenance of motorcycle wheels, the trolley 100 may have application for other types of vehicle wheels also.

[0075] It should be further noted that whereas, in the bottom shown in Figure 1 , all support legs 103 a height adjustable, both ends of each tightening rod comprises screw knobs 107 and each support leg comprises a castor wheel, should be noted that, in embodiments, the same or similar functionality of the trolley 100 may be achieved by subsets of these wherein, for example, at least one support leg 103 is height adjustable, at least one end of at least one tightening rod 102 comprises a screw knobs 107 and at least one support leg 103 comprises a castor wheel.

[0076] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practise the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

[0077] The term “approximately” or similar as used herein should be construed as being within 10% of the value stated unless otherwise indicated.

Claims

1 . A wheel maintenance trolley comprising a pair of side clamp members and a pair of tightening rods extending transversely across respective ends of the clamp members, the tightening rods operative to urge the clamp members together, a pair of height adjustable support legs perpendicularly engaging each clamp member, the height adjustable support legs extending substantially orthogonally with respect to the tightening rods, each leg having a respective wheel, such that, in use, the trolley can support a motorcycle wheel whereby the wheel is supported at two points atop the tightening rods, held upright therebetween by the camping members clamping against sides thereof and manoeuvred about by the wheels.

2. The trolley as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a distal end of at least one tightening rod extends out from a bore of a respective clamp member, the least one tightening rod being freely axially engaged through the bore, and wherein the distal end is threaded and comprises a screw knob screwably engaged thereto which can turn against the threading to bear against an outside surface of the clamp member.

3. The trolley as claimed in claim 2, wherein the screw knob is disengageable from the distal end

4. The trolley as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one tightening rod can be pulled away from in between the clamp members.

5. The trolley as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one tightening rod can be pulled out from respective bores of both clamp members.

6. The trolley as claimed in claim 2, wherein both distal ends of both tightening rods extend out from bores of respective clamp members, the distal ends having threading screwably engaged by respective clamp members.

7. The trolley as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each tightening rod is greater than 25 cm in length.

8. The trolley as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one support leg comprises a leg rod engaged through a respective bore of a respective clamp member.

9. The trolley as claimed in claim 8, wherein the offset of leg rod is adjustable with respect to the respective clamp member.

10. The trolley as claimed in claim 9, wherein the offset is adjustable by rotating the leg rod with respect to the respective clamp member.

11 . The trolley as claimed in claim 10, wherein the leg rod and the bore are threaded such that the bore screwably engages the leg rod therein.

12. The trolley as claimed in claim 11 , wherein at least one support leg comprises a nut non-rotatably engaged to the leg rod which can be turned with a tool to rotate the leg rod with respect to the respective bore.

13. The trolley as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the leg rod can be removed from the respective bore.

14. The trolley as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one support leg comprises a castor wheel.

15. The trolley as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one support leg comprises a leg rod comprising a castor wheel bearing at a lower end thereof, the castor wheel bearing rotatably engaging the wheel with respect to an axial axis of the leg rod.

16. The trolley as claimed in claim 15, wherein the leg rod comprises threading screwably engaged through a respective bores of a respective clamp member and a nut non-rotatably engaged to leg rod which can be turned with a tool to rotate the leg rod with respect to the respective bore.

17. The trolley as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a centrepoint along each clamp member between the support legs is offset with respect to a centrepoint between the tightening rods thereof.

18. A method of maintaining a motorcycle wheel using the trolley as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising: locating the trolley under the wheel such that sides of the wheel locate between the clamp members thereof; tightening the tightening rods to clamp the clamp members against sides of the wheel; and disengaging the wheel from the motorcycle and manoeuvring the wheel by the wheels of the trolley.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising adjusting the height of at least one support leg such that the tightening rods contact the wheel at two points.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the trolley as claimed in claimed 4, further comprising pulling one of the tightening rods away from in between the clamp members at one side of the trolley and pushing the trolley under the wheels such that the sides of the wheel locate between the clamp members thereof