GB2206318A - Ski for wheels of hand propelled vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A runner 1 is provided on a wheel engaging portion 2, the wheel being held in a recess 3 by the inherent resilience of walls 4; the ski is made of fluid injected moulded plastics material. To remove the ski from the wheel a tab 7 may be lifted to widen the mouth of the recess. Pairs of ski may be used, interlocked by bridge members 9, 10 which telescope to fit a particular vehicle. Alternatively, two wheel engaging portions may be provided on a single ski runner. The skis are suitable for use on pushchairs, wheelchairs, and shopping trollies. <IMAGE>

Description

Ski for a Wheel The invention relates to a ski for a wheel, especially but not exclusively for use with wheeled carriers, carriages and the like, such as shopping trolleys, push-chairs and wheelchairs.

Cold weather generally limits or inhibits the use of the abovementioned carriers and carriages and the like, as the wheels tend to skid and slide, perhaps dangerously, or are rendered immobile in ice or snow.

According to the present invention, there is provided a ski for a wheel, comprising a runner and a wheel-engaging portion including a part-cylindrical recess, the mouth of which is resiliently biassed closed to retain said wheel.

The bias may be provided by a surround to the recess comprising a resilient material, such as plastics.

Preferably, the wheel-engaging portion has user-operated release means in the form of a tab that on lift widens the mouth of the recess.

Preferably, the ski is for more than one wheel and is adjustable for use with differently spaced wheels; such skis may comprise one runner with at least two slideably connected wheel-engaging portions, or comprise a runner for each wheel, each runner attached to a wheelengaging portion; pairs of wheel-engaging portions being interconnected by a bridging component.

Preferably, the positions of the slideably connected wheelengaging portions are limited by resilient buttresses; the resilience of which may be overcome by user-pressure moving the wheel-engaging portions.

Preferably, the bridging component comprises a first elongate part connected with the first wheel-engaging portion and a second elongate part connected with second wheel-engaging portion, said parts being slideably interconnected and having restraining means of complementary form; said restraining means are, preferably, movable in order to widen or narrow the distance between paired wheelengaging portions.

Preferably, the ski is made from fluid injected, moulded plastics.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described; by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ski for a wheel according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a runner and wheel-engaging portion of a ski for a wheel according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a front view of a runner and wheel-engaging portion that together with Fig. 2 forms a ski for paired wheels; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the ski of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the ski of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is the restraining means of the ski of Fig. 2 and 4; Fig. 7 is the restraining means of the ski of Fig. 3 and 5; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a runner for an alternative embodiment of a ski according to the present invention; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the runner of Fig. 8;; Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the runner of Fig. 8 and 9; Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the runner of Figs 8 to 10; and, Fig. 12 is the side elevation of a wheel-engaging portion for use with the runner of Figs 7 to 10.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a ski for a wheel comprises a runner 1 and a wheel-engaging portion 2; which includes an extremely narrow, part-cylindrical recess 3 with incomplete end walls 4 and a diameter approximately that of the wheel of a shopping trolley or the like (not shown).

The ski is composed of fluid injected moulded plastics and the resilience of this material biasses closed the mouth 5 of the part-cylindrical recess 3 to securely retain the wheel after its insertion. In order to overcome the bias and allow wheel insertion, the wheel is placed on a rear plate 6 of the runner 1 and subsequently user-propulsed forward into the recess 3, such movement being guided by path lines (not shown) on the surface of the rear plate 6 and being eased by the rounded entrance to the mouth 5 of the recess 3. To release the wheel, there is a useroperated release means in the form of a tab 7 on a recurved upper lip 8 of the mouth 5, the tab on lift widening the mouth 5 of the recess 3.

Referring to Figs 2 to 12 of the drawings, there are shown skis for mdre than one wheel, wherein the wheel-engaging portions 2 are adjustable for use with differently spaced wheels. For the embodiment of Figs 2 to 6 of the drawings, the ski comprises the same number of runners 1 as there are wheels (in this case two), each runner 1 having a wheelengaging portion 2, pairs of wheel-engaging portions 2 being interconnected by a bridging component. The bridging component comprises two coaxial, slideably interconnected, elongate members 9,10, one extending from an end wall 4 of each wheel-engaging portion 2. The inner elongate member 9 is solid, of circular section, and has attached two clips 11 of part-circular section, which thus leave arcuate gaps 13 in their circumference.The outer elongate member 10 is part-cylindrical and is provided with projections 12 on its inner surface. The elongate members 9,10 are locked together for use by a partial rotation of one member 9 in respect of the other 10, such that the projections 12 are turned out of alignment with the gaps 13 left by the partcircular clips 11. In order to adjust for the width between runners; the clips 11 may be moved by a user to any region along elongate member 9. The ski is attached to the wheels in the same manner as has been described for the previous embodiment.

For the embodiment of Figs 7 to 12, there is one runner 1' provided with these number of wheel-engaging portions 2' as there are wheels; in this case two. - The wheel-engaging portions 2' of this embodiment are manufactured as a separate moulding from the runner 1', and the wheel-engaging portions are slideably interconnected with the runner by projections 14,15 of the wheel-engaging portions 2' being inserted into complementary retaining slots 14'15' in a recurved back to the runner 1' and in a ridge 16 on the upper surface of the runner 1', with removal from the slots 14';15' after assembly being prevented by end stops 17,18.

The wheel-engaging portions 2' of this embodiment have very limited end walls 4'. The wheels are inserted into these wheel engaging portions 2' in a similar manner to that described for previous embodiments; except that path lines (not shown) to guide the insertion of the wheel are on the surface of flattened rear 19 to the wheel-engaging portion 2' rather than on the surface of the runner 1'. The wheelengaging portions 2' are supported in their in use position in the slots 14'15' by pairs of resilient buttresses 20 on the ridge 16 of the runner 1. To adjust for different widths between wheels, the wheel-engaging portions 2' may be moved to between different pairs of buttresses 20 by userpressure overcoming the resilience of the buttresses 20 that are to be passed over.

Skis of the present invention are easily snapped on to the wheels of a wheeled carrier or carriage in cold weather conditions, yet are also easily removed on entering shops or home, or on the return of good weather. The skis will be of use for young and old, but will be of particular use where age or disability necessitates a shopping trolley in order to carry even daily groceries. The standard size of the wheels of most shopping trolleys reduces production costs as requiring only a one-size mould, though materials with greater resilient bias may be employed to accommodate slight variations in size of tyre or wheel.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (6)

1. CLAIMS 1. A ski for wheels, comprising a runner and a wheel engaging portion including a part-cylindrical recess, the mouth of which is resiliantly biased closed to retain said wheel.
2. 2. A ski for wheels as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the wheel engaging portion has user-operated release means in the form of a small tab that on lift widens the mouth of the recess.
3. 3. A ski for wheels as in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein the runner is attached to twin wheeled products by means of a double, as opposed to a single, wheel-engaging portion.
4. 4. A ski for wheels as in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein the ski is for more than one wheel and is adjustable by means of slideably connected wheel-engaging portions attached by means of a ridge on the wheel-engaging portion, housed in a complementary slot in the runner.
5. 5. A ski for wheels as in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein each runner is attached to a wheel-engaging portion, pairs of which are connected by a bridging component.
6. 6. A ski for wheel 5 substantially as described within these claims and previous specifications with reference to Figures 1 - 12 of accompanying drawing(s).

   6. A ski for wheels as in Claim 5 wherein the bridging component comprises a first elongate part connected to a wheel-engaging portion which is joined to a second runner engaging portion by a complementary elongate part.

   7. A ski for wheels as in Claim 5 and Claim 6 wherein the slideable connections are restrained by means of complementary form, whereby clips of part-circular section, with gaps in their circumference set along the surface of the innter elongate member, lock with projections on the inner surface of the outer elongate member.

   8. A ski for wheels as in Claim 4 wherein the restraining mechanism for the adjustable wheel-engaging portions is in the form of pairs of resilient buttresses on the surface of the runner, which are capable of holding the wheel-engaging portions in place but are easily overcome by pressure applied by the user.

   9. A ski for wheels substantially as described within these claims and previous specifications with reference to Figures 1-12 of accompanying drawing.

   Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A ski for wheels comprising a runner and a wheel engaging portion including a part-cylindrical retention strip, the mouth of which is resiliantly biased closed forming the only means of securing the ski to said wheels.

   2. A ski for wheels as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the wheel engaging portion has user-operated release means in the form of a small tab that on lift widens the mouth of the recess.

   3. A ski for wheels as in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein the runner is attached by means of two adjacent wheel engaging portions to twin wheeled products.

   4. A ski for wheels as in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein the ski is for more than one wheel and is adjustable by means of slideably connected wheel-engaging portions attached by means of a ridge on the wheelengaging portion, housed in a complementary slot in the runner.

   5. A ski for wheels as in Claim 4 wherein the restraining mechanism for the adjustable wheel-engaging portions is in the form of resiliant buttresses spaced across the surface of the runner at regular intervals, which are capable of holding the wheel-engaging portions in place but are easily overcome by pressure applied by the user.