JP2002370504A - Caster - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of part items of a caster and assembling manhours therefor. SOLUTION: In this caster 15 provided with left and right wheels 3, 3 in both sides of a caster main body 2 via an axle 16, and provided with wheel caps 18, 18 on the outsides of the left and right wheels 3, 3 to cover both end parts of the axle 16, annular grooves 17, 17 are formed in outer circumferences in the both end parts of the axle 16, the annular grooves 17, 17 are locked to the wheel caps 18, 18, locking members 19, 19 are provided to hold the wheels 3, 3 in a locked condition, and the locking members 19, 19 are locked to the annular grooves 17, 17 to conduct fixation of the wheel caps 18, 18 and coming- off prevention of the wheels 3, 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a caster, and more particularly to a two-wheel type caster used for a chair or the like, in which the number of parts and the number of assembling steps are reduced by improving a locking portion of a wheel cap. The present invention relates to a caster that has been reduced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional caster of this type will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
1, a caster 1 is provided with cylindrical left and right wheels 3, 3 on both sides of a caster main body 2, and the wheels 3, 3 are pivotally supported by the caster main body 2 to swing. It is configured to be lockable by a moving stopper 4.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the caster 1. A bearing 5 is provided at the center of the caster body 2 of the caster 1, and an axle 6 is loosely fitted on the bearing 5, and the axle is The left and right wheels 3, 3 provided with the internal gears 3a, 3a at both ends of the axle 6 are rotatably mounted, and annular grooves 7, 7 are formed on the outer periphery of both ends of the axle 6. E-rings 8, 8 for retaining the wheels 3, 3 are provided so as to be freely fitted. Further, wheel caps 9, 9 for covering the outer ends of the E-rings 8, 8 and the axle 6 are fitted to outer ends of the wheels 3, 3, respectively.

On the other hand, the stopper 4 is pivotally supported at the rear part (left part in the figure) of the caster main body 2, and the right and left meshing parts 4a, 4a at the tip of the stopper 4 are connected to the wheels 3,3. The stopper 4 is configured to be elastically held at a lock position and an unlock position by springs 10 provided on the caster body 2 so as to be held. ing.

Further, a cylindrical body 11 is formed at the front part (right part in the figure) of the caster main body 2, and a flat plate 12 for fixing to a chair or the like is provided on the top of the cylindrical body 11. To be rotatable.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the lever 4b of the stopper 4 is lowered and rotated clockwise about the support shaft 14, the engaging portions 4a at the tip end of the stopper 4 are brought into contact with the wheels 3,3. The wheels 3 are locked by meshing with the internal gears 3a. At this time, the stopper 4 is held at the lock position by the springs 10 that resiliently contact the projecting portions 4c projecting from the stopper 4.

On the other hand, when the lever 4b of the stopper 4 is raised and rotated leftward about the support shaft 14, the meshing portions 4a at the tip of the stopper 4 are engaged with the internal gears 3a of the wheels 3,3. The wheels 3 and 3 are released from the engagement and the locks of the wheels 3 are released. At this time, the stopper 4 is held at the unlocked position by the springs 10, 10 elastically contacting the projecting portions 4c, 4c.

The caster 1 can lock or unlock the rotation of the caster 1 by raising and lowering the lever 4b of the stopper 4.

However, since the casters 1 use the E-rings 8 to prevent the wheels 3 from coming off,
The rings 8, 8 increase the number of parts and the number of assembling steps.

[0010] Therefore, there arises a technical problem to be solved in order to reduce the number of parts of the caster and the number of assembling steps, and an object of the present invention is to solve this problem.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed to achieve the above-mentioned object, and has left and right wheels via axles on both sides of a caster body, and covers both ends of the axles. Therefore, in a caster provided with wheel caps on the outer sides of the left and right wheels, annular grooves are formed on the outer periphery of both ends of the axle, while the wheel caps are locked in the annular grooves and in the locked state. A caster configured to fix the wheel cap and prevent the wheel from coming off by providing a locking member for holding the wheel, and locking the locking member in the annular groove; and the locking. The engaging portion of the member is a caster formed in a hook shape,
Further, the locking portion of the locking member provides a caster having a convex shape.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. For convenience of description, the same components as those of the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 15 denotes a caster, and the caster 15 is an axle 1 supported by a caster body 2.
6, annular grooves 17, 17 are formed on the outer periphery of both ends.
The wheel caps 18, 18 are provided with locking members 19, 19 for locking in the annular grooves 17, 17;
9 and 19, the locking portions 19a are formed in a hook shape, and in the locked state, the distal ends of the locking members 19 and 19 abut against the wheels 3 and 3, and Is configured to be held.

The locking members 19, 19 may be formed by providing a slit in the axial direction in a substantially cylindrical body, or
It may be constituted by a plurality of projecting members.

Therefore, by locking the locking portions 19a, 19a in the annular grooves 17, 17, the tips of the locking members 19, 19 simultaneously contact the wheels 3, 3, and the wheel cap 18 and 18 are fixed to the axle 16 and the wheels 3 and 3 can be prevented from coming off.

Thus, the wheel caps 18, 1
Since the locking members 19 of FIG. 8 also have the function of preventing the wheels 3 from coming off, the conventional E-ring is not required, and the number of parts and the number of assembly steps of the caster can be reduced.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 20 denotes a caster of another embodiment. The caster 20 is a locking member 1 for the wheel caps 18, 18 of the caster 15 shown in FIG.
In place of the hook-shaped locking portions 19a, 19a formed on the 9, 9 and 19, the locking members 22, 2 of the wheel caps 21, 21 are replaced.
2 are provided with convex locking portions 22a, 22a.

It is to be noted that the locking members 22, 22 may be formed by providing an axial slit in a substantially cylindrical body similarly to the locking members 19, 19, or may be formed by a plurality of projecting members. It may be configured.

Therefore, the locking portions 22a, 22a are locked in the annular grooves 17, 17 and the locking members 22, 22
By contacting the tips of the wheels 3 and 3 with the wheels 3 and 3, the wheel caps 21 and 21 are fixed and the wheels 3 and 3 are fixed.
3 becomes possible.

Thus, in the caster 20,
The locking members 22 of the wheel caps 21 and 21;
Since the wheel 22 also has the function of preventing the wheels 3 from coming off, the conventional E-ring becomes unnecessary, and the number of parts and the number of assembling steps of the caster 20 can be reduced.

The locking portions 19a, 19a or the locking portions 22a, 22a are formed in a hook shape or a convex shape, and the hook shape or the convex shape enables reliable locking. The shape of the annular groove 1 is not limited to the shape.
Any shape can be used as long as it can be locked to 7,17. Further, the annular grooves 17, 17 are also provided with the locking portions 19.
a, 19a, 22a, 22a and any other various shapes can be arbitrarily formed in accordance with the shape of the locking portion.

The present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally extends to the modified ones.

[0022]

As described in detail in the above embodiment, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with left and right wheels via an axle on both sides of a caster body, and a wheel cap is provided outside the left and right wheels. In the caster provided with the above, an annular groove is formed in the outer periphery of both ends of the axle, and an engaging member that engages with the annular groove in the wheel cap and holds the wheel in the engaged state. Since the locking member is locked in the annular groove, the wheel cap can be fixed and the wheel can be prevented from coming off, thereby eliminating the need for a conventional E-ring. The number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the locking portion of the locking member is formed in a hook shape. Can be stopped.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, since the locking portion of the locking member is formed in a convex shape, the same effect as the invention according to claim 2 can be expected. It is the invention which plays.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a partially cutaway side view of a caster.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of a caster, showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a side view of a caster showing a conventional example. (B) The front view of a caster, showing a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a caster, showing a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a caster showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 2 caster body 3 wheel 15, 20 caster 16 axle 17 annular groove 18, 21 wheel cap 19, 22 locking member 19a, 22a locking portion

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A caster having left and right wheels via axles on both sides of a caster body, and wheel caps provided outside the left and right wheels to cover both ends of the axles. An annular groove is formed on the wheel cap, and on the other hand, a locking member is provided on the wheel cap for locking the annular groove and holding the wheel in the locked state, and the locking member is engaged with the annular groove. A caster, wherein the wheel cap is fixed to the wheel cap and the wheel is prevented from coming off. 2. The caster according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion of the locking member is formed in a hook shape. 3. The caster according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion of the locking member is formed in a convex shape.