WO2003059653A2 - Ensemble de roue en plastique et manchon de support avec un evidement de stabilisation - Google Patents

Ensemble de roue en plastique et manchon de support avec un evidement de stabilisation Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003059653A2
WO2003059653A2 PCT/US2003/000595 US0300595W WO03059653A2 WO 2003059653 A2 WO2003059653 A2 WO 2003059653A2 US 0300595 W US0300595 W US 0300595W WO 03059653 A2 WO03059653 A2 WO 03059653A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
axle
sleeve
wheel
end wall
bore
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2003/000595
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2003059653A3 (fr
Inventor
Michael A. Morris
Original Assignee
Geo Plastics
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US10/044,621 external-priority patent/US6637835B2/en
Application filed by Geo Plastics filed Critical Geo Plastics
Priority to MXPA04006557A priority Critical patent/MXPA04006557A/es
Priority to EP03705701A priority patent/EP1463642A4/fr
Priority to AU2003207492A priority patent/AU2003207492B2/en
Priority to CA2472600A priority patent/CA2472600C/fr
Publication of WO2003059653A2 publication Critical patent/WO2003059653A2/fr
Publication of WO2003059653A3 publication Critical patent/WO2003059653A3/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
    • B60B37/00—Wheel-axle combinations, e.g. wheel sets
    • B60B37/10—Wheel-axle combinations, e.g. wheel sets the wheels being individually rotatable around the axles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
    • B65F1/00—Refuse receptacles; Accessories therefor
    • B65F1/14—Other constructional features; Accessories
    • B65F1/1468—Means for facilitating the transport of the receptacle, e.g. wheels, rolls
    • B65F1/1473—Receptacles having wheels

Definitions

  • the present invention relates, in general, to wheel assemblies and the manner of their mounting to and removal from an axle, and more particularly, relates to plastic wheel assemblies of the type used on refuse carts, wheeled coolers, wagons, wheeled toys, barbecues or the like.
  • plastic wheels on a variety of products has dramatically increased in recent years .
  • One area where such plastic wheels have been widely employed is on wheeled refuse or garbage carts or bins of the type commonly employed by homeowners for their trash.
  • these carts are formed of an injection, blow or rotationally molded plastic and have injection or blow molded plastic wheels which are mounted on the ends of a metal axle by a hub member.
  • the wheel hub is hammered onto the end of the axle to hold the wheel in place. Removal of such plastic wheels in order to replace or repair the wheel or the cart has been difficult because the hammered hubs require special tools for their removal or essentially must be destroyed to remove them from the axle. Sometimes this process also damages the axles.
  • wheel-mounting assemblies have been devised which snap-on to the axle to hold the wheel to the axle .
  • the amount of material which can be employed in a wheel mounting sleeve to stabilize the coupling of the axle to the wheel decreases. Since such mounting sleeves often employ resiliently transversely displaceable fingers to lock or latch the wheel to the axle, the area of the sleeve which includes the displaceable finger tends to be somewhat less stable and less capable of supporting shifting or rocking along ther axle and transverse loads on the axle.
  • U.S. Patent No. 486,023 to Bermel discloses an axle nut used to secure a wheel on a somewhat involved axle structure. Another wheel retaining axle nut is shown in U.S. Patent No. 6,099,083 that also is designed for use with a cooperatively formed and unique notched axle.
  • 3,907,370 to Bard employs a mounting sleeve which is keyed to slide over the keyed end of a specially formed axle.
  • the sleeve mates with spokes in a wheel recess and is held in place by a washer and cotter pin.
  • An annular cap is placed over the cotter pin and washer.
  • a multiple piece hub assembly is shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,716,107 to Parker et al .
  • this wheel-mounting assembly a retainer member is used to lock the wheel assembly on a groove or annular notch at the end of the axle.
  • the hub cover is snapped into the wheel and then the wheel snapped onto the axle.
  • Such notched or grooved axles are in wide spread use in connection with trash carts, but this assembly again requires multiple pieces and, in this case, special tools and tedious manipulation are required in order to release the resilient retainer ring fingers from the inside of the wheel so that the wheel can be removed from the axle.
  • a similar snap-on hub assembly is shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,215,356. In both U.S. Patent Nos. 5,716,107 and 5,215,356 the wheel securing device is not a sleeve which extends through the wheel bore.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a plastic wheel assembly for a trash cart, wagon, cooler or other wheeled product which is economical to manufacture, easy to mount to the axle, and is durable, stable and capable of withstanding substantial shock loads, side-to-side shifting and vibration during normal use .
  • the wheel assembly and wheel mounting sleeve of the present invention have other objects and features of advantage which will become apparent from, and are set forth in more detail in, the accompanying Drawing and following Best Mode Of Carrying Out The Invention.
  • the wheel mounting sleeve of the present invention includes a sleeve body formed and dimensioned for mounting through a central wheel bearing bore of a wheel and formed with a sleeve bore dimensioned to be telescoped over an axle.
  • the sleeve has at least one axle-engaging shoulder releasably retaining the sleeve on the axle and at least one wheel-engaging shoulder retaining the wheel on the sleeve.
  • the improvement in the mounting sleeve of the present invention is comprised, briefly, of the sleeve body being formed with a transversely extending end wall having an axle stabilizing or supporting recess or bore segment therein dimensioned to receive the distal end of the axle and dimensioned to support the axle at its end against transverse loads and axial shifting.
  • a wheel assembly including a wheel, mounting sleeve and axle telescoped together is also provided.
  • FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a refuse cart or container having a wheel assembly mounted thereto which is constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevation view of the wheel assembly and wheel mounting sleeve of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a reduced, side elevation view, corresponding to FIG. 2 of the sleeve alone.
  • FIG. 4 is an end elevation view, in cross section, taken substantially along the plane of line 4-4 in FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 5 is an end elevation view taken substantially along the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 6 is an end elevation view of the end of the sleeve of FIG. 3 opposite to the end shown in FIG. 5.
  • FIG. 7 is a bottom plane view of the sleeve of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, end elevation view of the wheel and wheel bearing bore of FIG. 2 with the sleeve removed.
  • FIG. 9 is a side elevation view in cross section, of an alternative embodiment of the wheel mounting sleeve and axle of the present invention which are particularly suited for use with small wheel assemblies.
  • FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the sleeve of FIG. 9.
  • FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the sleeve of FIG. 9.
  • FIG. 12 is an end view of the sleeve as shown in FIG. 10.
  • FIG. 13 is a side elevation view in cross section of a further alternative embodiment of the wheel mounting sleeve of the present invention.
  • FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the sleeve of FIG. 12.
  • FIG. 15 is a side elevation view, in cross section, of another alternative embodiment of the wheel mounting sleeve of the present invention.
  • FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view of the sleeve of FIG. 15.
  • FIG. 17 is an end elevation view, in cross section, of the sleeve of FIG. 15, taken substantially along the plane of line 17-17 in FIG. 15.
  • cart 21 includes a pair of wheels 22 mounted on an axle 23 to the lower end of the cart body 29.
  • a hinged lid 24 optionally can be provided, and the cart can be tilted or tipped about the wheels using handle 26 so as to enable rolling of the cart for the transport of refuse, for example, between a location for filling the cart and a location for pickup by a refuse disposal company.
  • Wheels 22 are secured on axle 23 by a wheel mounting sleeve, generally designated 27.
  • body 29 of the cart includes a wheel well or recess area 28 which receives wheels 22, in part to protect the wheels and in part as a cosmetic structure. Many carts, however, do not include wheel wells as illustrated.
  • Similar wheeled products which generally are smaller in size include wagons, wheeled food and beverage coolers, barbecues, wheeled toys and small refuse containers.
  • the wheels employed on such devices may be secured to axles using a wheel mounting sleeve, but since the wheels, axles and sleeves are much smaller, problems of stability and durability of the assembly arises as less material is available to couple the components together.
  • FIGS. 1-8 shows adaptation of my improved design to a refuse cart application, while the embodiments of FIGS. 9-17 are specifically intended for use on smaller wheeled products.
  • a sleeve 127 includes -loan inner end 137 provided with an annular rib 201 which seats in an annular recess 202 in the inner end 139b of wheel bearing bore 139.
  • Rib 201 has a diameter which is greater than small diameter bore 139b, and the sleeve is press fit down bore 139 until rib 201 resiliently snaps out into recess 202.
  • the same relative dimensions as set forth for the sleeve rib and bore diameter of the embodiments of my prior applications are suitable for the embodiment of FIGS. 2-8 of this application.
  • the body of sleeve 127 is preferably axially slotted at inner end 137 at least once. This can best be seen in FIG. 5, wherein two axially extending slots 151 and 152 are provided. Slots 151 and 152 accommodate resilient inward displacement of sleeve end 137 by an amount substantially equal to the interference fit between rib 201 and inner bore portion 139b.
  • Slots 151 and 152 define a finger 147 therebetween which is resiliently inwardly displaceable by an amount, which when combined with the natural resilience of the softer blow molded plastic of wheel 122, will allow press fitting of the sleeve down the bore until the rib can snap out into recess 202 and latch the sleeve to the wheel.
  • a chamfer 203 preferably can be provided on rib 201.
  • wheel bore 139 is radially stepped and has a large diameter end portion 139a opening to outer side 167 of wheel 122 and a small diameter bore portion 139b, opening to inner side 166 of the wheel. This same radial inward stepping of the sleeve and wheel are also shown for the embodiments of my prior applications .
  • Wheels employed in refuse carts are typically blow or injection molded plastic wheels with radially extending ribs 165 which converge toward central axis 170 of bore 139.
  • the wheel assembly of the present invention will have greater strength at inner side 166 of the wheel and inner side 137 of the sleeve. This results from the radial convergence of ribs 165 toward axis 170 of the bore (FIG. 8) .
  • inner bore portion 139b is made smaller, ribs 165 become closer together at the annular bearing collar 150 which surrounds bore 139b.
  • end wall 158 of the sleeve is formed with an optional tool passageway 191 which is aligned with extension 183 of resilient finger 146. Extending transversely across passageway 191 is a frangible membrane or puncture skin 195. Membrane 195 visually conceals axle 123 to thereby reduce the likelihood of vandalism.
  • passageway 191 is preferably cylindrical and has a lateral dimension which is sufficiently small so as to prevent the entry of most blade-type screwdrivers into the passageway. Instead, a pointed tool such as a "scratch all" or an icepick can be used to puncture membrane or puncture skin 195 and displace latching finger 146 by prying it upwardly.
  • the end of the pointed tool will engage chamfer 134 on the end of axle 123.
  • chamfer 134 will force the end of the tool up against finger extension 183 and thereby outwardly displace finger 146 until lugs 155 clear annular notch 133 in the axle.
  • the wheel and sleeve can be pulled outwardly from the axle and the wheel removed.
  • wheel 122 can be seen to be formed with a central wheel bearing bore 139 having stepped large diameter bore portion 139a and smaller diameter bore portion 139b.
  • a much smaller radial extending rib 201 is used to latch the sleeve to the wheel, as above described.
  • FIGS. 2-8 The wheel assembly of FIGS. 2-8 is constructed so that the sleeve and wheel are keyed together as a unit.
  • one of wheel bearing bore 139 and sleeve 127 is formed with a radially projecting key, while the other of the wheel bearing bore and the sleeve is formed with a radially projecting recess.
  • a pair of outwardly projecting axially extending pockets recesses 179 and 181 are provided in small diameter wheel bearing bore portion 139b. These are spaced apart on either side of the central section 176.
  • the key is preferably provided by a pair of outwardly extending ribs 177 and 178 which are dimensioned to be slidably inserted into notches 181 and 179. This structure keys the sleeve for rotation with the wheel.
  • resiliently displaceable finger 146 can be downwardly displaced. Such movement is required in order to allow lug or tooth 155 to be displaced laterally as the axle with its tapered end 134 is urged into sleeve 127 before the lug snaps back into axle notch 133.
  • This transverse displacement of axle- engaging finger creates some transverse and axial instability in the axle/sleeve assembly under dynamic loading of the axle.
  • the improved sleeve and wheel assembly of the present invention is provided with a stabilizing axle recess 198 in transverse end wall 158 of the sleeve, which recess is dimensioned to receive an axle stub 199 provided on the distal or outer end of axle 123.
  • Axle stub 199 therefore, transversely supports the axle inside sleeve 127 across the gap or length of the axle which includes latching finger 146.
  • Stub end 199 of axle 123 is trapped in recess or pocket 198, and the axle cannot downwardly displace finger 146 and permit wheel 122 to begin to wobble or vibrate dynamically on the axle.
  • Stabilizing axle 123 inside and relative to sleeve 127 requires an axle which is specially formed with a stub or extension 199, but the result is that the overall assembly is less susceptible to fatigue, stress fractures and accidental releases or unlatchings of the sleeve from the axle.
  • axle recess 198 and stub 199 are not absolutely required since there is enough sleeve material to substantially stabilize axle 123 on the inner end of the sleeve. Providing the stabilizing recess and axle stub, even for larger axles, however, further enhances their stability.
  • axle stub 199 is smaller in diameter than the remainder of the axle, but it will be understood that recess 198 and stub 199 could have the same diameter as the remainder of axle 123, with possibly a chamfer provided on the end of stub 199 to ease assembly. If stub 199 has the same diameter as axle 123, the stub would be defined as that portion of the axle distal of the notch 133 whifch is received in recess 198.
  • FIGS. 9-17 sleeve assemblies are shown which are particularly well suited for use with smaller wheeled products, such as wagons, coolers and toys.
  • the elements of these sleeves are common to the elements described above in connection with FIGS. 1-8 and corresponding reference numerals, increased by one hundred, have been used for each embodiment.
  • Sleeve 227 of FIGS. 9-12 is designed for use with a wheel 225 having a stepped wheel bearing bore 239a and 239b with an annular stepped recess 302 analogous to the wheel assembly of FIGS. 2-8.
  • Sleeve 227 is press fit from right to left down bore 139a, 139b until annular sleeve rib 301 snaps out into recess 302.
  • Slots 251 and 252 (FIG. 11) define a resilient finger 247 which can be inwardly displaced in small diameter bore 139b to allow rib 301 to pass down the bore and snap out into the annular recess to secure the sleeve to wheel 222.
  • a second resiliently displaceable finger 246 is provided with a lug or tooth 255 which can be outwardly
  • finger 246 can be seen from FIG. 10 to be defined by two slots 214 and 216 so that finger 246 is cantilevered from about a mid point of the sleeve and extends axially to terminate short of, but proximate to, a transverse end wall 258 of the sleeve.
  • sleeve assembly 227 includes a stabilizing axle receiving recess or an axle support bore segment 298 in end wall
  • Recess or bore segment 298 is formed to receive a stub end 299 of axle 223.
  • axle 223 is trapped by recess or bore segment 298 and supported against lateral displacement under transverse loading of axle 223.
  • stabilizing the end of axle 223 in end wall 258 of the sleeve is very important in achieving overall strength and durability of the assembly.
  • sleeve 227 includes a tapered surface 290 which matingly receives a tapered surface 291 on axle 223 between axle stub 299 and the larger or nominal diameter of axle 223.
  • the diameter of axle 223 on the distal side of annular notch 233 can be seen to convergently inwardly taper down to a smaller axle stub diameter.
  • this is not an absolute requirement, but it lessens the size of recess or pocket 298 required to stabilize the axle, which maintains the strength of end wall 258.
  • axle and sleeve are dimensioned so that the axle is slidably received in sleeve bore 241 and axle stub 299 is slidably received in recess or axle bore segment 298.
  • the axle is therefore supported laterally by the sleeve on both sides of laterally displaceable finger 246.
  • Sleeve 327 of FIGS. 13 and 14 is constructed in a manner which is similar to that of sleeve 227 of FIGS. 9-12.
  • resilient axle-engaging finger 246 of sleeve 227 has been replaced by a resilient axle engaging finger 346.
  • Finger 346 again extends axially along the sleeve and includes a lug 355, but the finger is cantilevered from sleeve end wall 358.
  • Sleeve 327 is designed for use with the same notched axle as axle 223 of FIG. 9, and axle stub 299 is slidably received in stabilizing recess 398 in end wall 358 of sleeve 327.
  • Modified sleeve 427 of FIGS. 15-17 illustrates another form of axle-engaging finger in combination with a stabilizing recess or bore segment.
  • sleeve 427 includes a finger 446 which is circumferentially cantilever proximate end wall 458, as best may be seen in FIGS. 16 and 17.
  • Finger 446 again includes a lug 455 which snaps into axle recess 233 as stub 299 seats in stabilizing pocket 498.
  • a single axially extending rib 477 has replaced the pairs of ribs, such as ribs 177 and 178 in FIGS. 3 and 4, which ribs are used to key the sleeve against rotation relative to the wheel.
  • sleeve 427 is designed for use with a notched axle having an axle stub, such as axle 223 of FIG. 9, which can be slidably received in stabilizing recess 498 in end wall 458.
  • Recess 498 provides a lateral support surface for the axle on the distal end of the axle in the area of the laterally displaceable axle-engaging finger 446.

Abstract

L'invention concerne une roue de plastique (122, 222) et un manchon de support de roue (127, 227, 327, 427) utilisés pour fixer de manière libérable la roue (122, 222) sur un essieu (123, 223). Le manchon de support de roue (127, 227, 327, 427) comprend, de préférence, un doigt en porte-à-faux (126, 246, 346, 446) qui peut se déplacer de manière radiale et s'étend dans le sens axial, est élastique, et comprend un ergot (155, 255, 355, 455) de mise en prise avec l'essieu. Par ailleurs, un épaulement de mise en prise avec la roue est prévu sur la roue sous forme d'une nervure annulaire (201, 301). Les épaulements du manchon verrouillent le manchon (127, 227, 327, 427) sur l'essieu (123, 223) et la roue (122, 222) sur le manchon. Ce dernier (127, 227, 327, 427) présente un évidement de stabilisation de l'essieu (198, 298, 398, 498) positionné dans une paroi d'extrémité (158, 258, 358, 458) dans lequel vient se loger une patte d'essieu (199, 299) qui supporte ce dernier (123, 223) contre toute sollicitation latérale et le stabilise pour éviter toute vibration, oscillation et broutage.
PCT/US2003/000595 2002-01-09 2003-01-08 Ensemble de roue en plastique et manchon de support avec un evidement de stabilisation WO2003059653A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
MXPA04006557A MXPA04006557A (es) 2002-01-09 2003-01-08 Conjunto de rueda de plastico y manguito de montaje con cavidad estabilizadora.
EP03705701A EP1463642A4 (fr) 2002-01-09 2003-01-08 Ensemble de roue en plastique et manchon de support avec un evidement de stabilisation
AU2003207492A AU2003207492B2 (en) 2002-01-09 2003-01-08 Plastic wheel assembly and mounting sleeve with stabilizing recess
CA2472600A CA2472600C (fr) 2002-01-09 2003-01-08 Ensemble de roue en plastique et manchon de support avec un evidement de stabilisation

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/044,621 2002-01-09
US10/044,621 US6637835B2 (en) 2000-02-18 2002-01-09 Plastic wheel assembly and mounting sleeve with stabilizing recess
US68766902A 2002-10-12 2002-10-12

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003059653A2 true WO2003059653A2 (fr) 2003-07-24
WO2003059653A3 WO2003059653A3 (fr) 2004-07-29

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WO (1) WO2003059653A2 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7445297B2 (en) 2006-01-19 2008-11-04 Ipl Inc. Wheel assembly for mounting to an axle of a wheeled product
US9290048B2 (en) 2012-05-25 2016-03-22 IPL, Inc Wheel built-in locking system and method

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5902018A (en) * 1996-08-07 1999-05-11 Spartech Industries, Inc. Hubcap locking device
US6099083A (en) * 1998-10-23 2000-08-08 Graco Children's Products Inc. Retention mechanism for use with an axle assembly
US6280001B1 (en) * 1999-03-05 2001-08-28 Cascade Engineering, Inc. Waste container and wheel assembly with pultruded axle
US6299258B1 (en) * 1999-08-26 2001-10-09 21St Century Plastics Corporation Composite axle for containers and the like
US6409283B1 (en) * 2001-03-02 2002-06-25 Yung-Shun Hsieh Wheel assembly for a truck-attached carriage

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5902018A (en) * 1996-08-07 1999-05-11 Spartech Industries, Inc. Hubcap locking device
US6099083A (en) * 1998-10-23 2000-08-08 Graco Children's Products Inc. Retention mechanism for use with an axle assembly
US6280001B1 (en) * 1999-03-05 2001-08-28 Cascade Engineering, Inc. Waste container and wheel assembly with pultruded axle
US6299258B1 (en) * 1999-08-26 2001-10-09 21St Century Plastics Corporation Composite axle for containers and the like
US6409283B1 (en) * 2001-03-02 2002-06-25 Yung-Shun Hsieh Wheel assembly for a truck-attached carriage

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of EP1463642A2 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7445297B2 (en) 2006-01-19 2008-11-04 Ipl Inc. Wheel assembly for mounting to an axle of a wheeled product
US9290048B2 (en) 2012-05-25 2016-03-22 IPL, Inc Wheel built-in locking system and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2003059653A3 (fr) 2004-07-29

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