Multiple Patents (Class 16/47)
  • Patent number: 10702032
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to double-sided wheel assemblies and methods thereof. In one embodiment, double-sided wheel assembly is provided that may comprise a wheel member comprising a first wheel; a second wheel; and a center member disposed between the first wheel and the second wheel, the first wheel and second wheel adapted to distribute the load of the luggage; a wheel carriage for supporting the wheel member; and a wheel support base adapted to couple with the wheel carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: TUMI, INC.
    Inventor: Paul V. Scicluna
  • Patent number: 10131370
    Abstract: A cart is conveniently loaded and unloaded for protected transport of vulnerable artwork of larger dimensions. A cage located at the top of the cart includes perimetric members that confine the artwork safely during transport. One of the perimetric members is selectively removable for opening the cage to admit and release the artwork into and out of the cage through a corresponding side of the cage, thereby avoiding lifting of the artwork vertically over the cage during loading and unloading of the artwork transported by the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Inventor: Glenn W. Harte
  • Patent number: 9669658
    Abstract: A hollow twin-wheel caster structure of a luggage includes a wheel seat for coupling to the bottom of the luggage, the wheel seat having a horizontal inner annular hole; a hollow shaft unit inserted in the inner annular hole, two ends of the hollow shaft unit extending out of two sides of the inner annular hole to form a pair of coupling portions, the center of the hollow shaft unit being formed with a hollow portion communicating with the two ends of the hollow shaft unit; two plastic wheels fitted on the coupling portions; at least one bearing fitted on the hollow shaft unit; and a support member plugged into the hollow portion of the hollow shaft unit, the support member leaning against an inner wall of the hollow portion to prevent the hollow shaft unit from being compressed and deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Inventor: Joy Tong
  • Patent number: 9132849
    Abstract: This invention refers to a suspension for baby pushchairs, characterised in that it has a block that has two suspension elements acting independently, each of which is joined to the support of one of the pushchair wheels. This block is fitted to the chassis of the pushchair. This suspension, of simple and tough appearance, forms a single unit for the two wheels of the baby pushchair, generally the rear wheels, achieving an independent damping for each of them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: JANE, S.A.
    Inventor: Manuel Jane Santamaria
  • Patent number: 9027204
    Abstract: The invention comprises a caster having a yoke having a weight transferring tab and a wheel being rotatably attached to the yoke. The wheel has a groove for receiving the weight transferring tab. The tab transfers the weight of a load applied to the yoke to the groove. The caster includes various accessories, such as various stem, wheel, brake, and axle/hub configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Jacob Holtz Company
    Inventor: William F. Frame
  • Publication number: 20150047148
    Abstract: A self-orienting twin castor with braking assembly comprising a main body, designed for rotary mating with the base of an installation device. The body is provided with at least one through hole for accommodating rotatably, with play along a substantially vertical direction, a shaft that has two coupling ends for respective wheels; elastic means are arranged within a transverse channel of the through hole of the body; the main body comprises two tubular lateral portions, which are coaxial with the hole and are adapted to accommodate a sleeve of a respective wheel which is fitted on a coupling end of the shaft accommodated in the hole; at least one portion comprises, along its inner surface, at least one radially protruding slider, which is shaped and parallel to the axis of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: EMILSIDER MECCANICA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Francescantonio Melara
  • Patent number: 8910951
    Abstract: A caster wheel arrangement includes a base; a yoke rotatably mounted to the base via a kingpin; at least a first caster wheel rotatably mounted to the yoke; and an assist arrangement moveably mounted to the yoke. The assist arrangement facilitates travel of the caster wheel arrangement over a surface transition (e.g., a gap, a rise, etc.). Non-limiting example assist arrangements include a leading wheel, a leading variable radius wheel, a trailing wheel, a step member, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Smarte Carte, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Leigh Otterson, Matthew Charles Burk, Daniel Edwin Maleitzke
  • Publication number: 20140359970
    Abstract: A caster wheel assembly includes at least one hub that has an annularly dished concave region disposed between a pair of cylindrical lips about its outer periphery. An elastomeric tread has a convex inner periphery that seats in the concave region of the hub. The interface between the hub and tread is parabolic in cross-section to manage load-inducted stresses in the tread. The parabolic cross-section is defined by the equation y=A*x2, where A is between 1.5 and 4. A cylindrical lip/pad interface is established between hub and tread on opposite sides of the parabolic interface to accommodate high load situations. A bearing is supported in the hub, and a bushing inside the bearing. An axle shaft passing through the bushing attaches the hub and tread to a support bracket for use in a wide variety of industrial applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: CASTER CONCEPTS, INC.
    Inventor: Elmer Lee
  • Publication number: 20140353441
    Abstract: A castor apparatus having a body, a first wheel, a second wheel and an impact dissipation device. The castor apparatus can be positioned at the end of an arm of a chair base. The castor apparatus includes an impact dissipation device that redirects force transmitted through the arm and the castor onto the ground. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Royal Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James Henry Baas
  • Patent number: 8863355
    Abstract: A caster wheel assembly includes at least one hub that has an annularly dished concave region disposed between a pair of cylindrical lips about its outer periphery. An elastomeric tread has a convex inner periphery that seats in the concave region of the hub. The interface between the hub and tread is parabolic in cross-section to manage load-inducted stresses in the tread. The parabolic cross-section is defined by the equation y=A*x2, where A is between 1.5 and 4. A cylindrical lip/pad interface is established between hub and tread on opposite sides of the parabolic interface to accommodate high load situations. A bearing is supported in the hub, and a bushing inside the bearing. An axle shaft passing through the bushing attaches the hub and tread to a support bracket for use in a wide variety of industrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Caster Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Elmer Lee
  • Patent number: 8850657
    Abstract: A castor assembly includes a castor unit, a positioning unit, and a brake unit. The castor unit includes a housing and two rollers. The housing has a neck portion and a body portion. The positioning unit includes a fixing block located under the neck portion, a toothed plate pivotally connected with the body portion, and two restoring springs biased between the toothed plate and the body portion. The fixing block has an annular toothed portion. The toothed plate has a plurality of locking teeth that are movable to engage the toothed portion. The brake unit includes a braking block having two braking faces press the rollers. Thus, the toothed plate presses the fixing block by the elastic force of the restoring springs so that the locking teeth of the toothed plate engage the toothed portion of the fixing block closely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sunny Castors Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Feng-Hsi Yang
  • Publication number: 20140250628
    Abstract: A castor for a luggage includes a mounting seat, an upright mandrel having an upper portion connected with the mounting seat, a roller support mounted on a lower portion of the upright mandrel, a shaft mounted on the roller support, and two rollers secured on two opposite ends of the shaft and located at two opposite side of the roller support. Thus, when the rollers on the roller support are worn out during a long-term utilization, the roller support can be removed from the upright mandrel for maintenance or replacement of the roller support and the rollers, without having to replace the whole structure of the castor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: Po-Chuan Tsai
  • Publication number: 20140109342
    Abstract: The invention relates to a roller (1), preferably comprising two wheels (2) and a locking device, an activating part (10) acting on the locking device for releasing or locking, and the activating part (10) being movable by a drive, a movement of a transmission part (7) that is generated by the drive being transmitted via spring force to the activating part (10) for moving same, and a spring (8) being supported on the transmission part. In order to provide a roller that allows an advantageous constructional design, it is proposed that a support region is formed for the spring (8) and/or the spring (9) and/or the compression spring (44) on the activating part (10), through which region the transmission part (7) can pass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: TENTE GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Guenther Hofrichter, Karl-Heinz Plautz, Georg Hein
  • Patent number: 8640832
    Abstract: A central control braking system includes: a pedestal; at least one caster mounted at a bottom portion of the pedestal; a brake transmission shaft for controlling the caster; a plate girder movably connected to the pedestal; a pedal fixed to the plate girder; and a reversing rotary assembly connecting the plate girder and the brake transmission shaft, wherein the reversing rotary assembly enables the brake transmission shaft to rotate in reverse under the control of the pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xugui Chen, Min Hu, Mingzhao Zhou
  • Publication number: 20140013541
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a wheel having an axle, and a round disk connected to the axle. The round disk has a disk middle connected to the axle and a disk circumferential surface surrounding the disk middle. Further, a round ring having an inner ring surface is connected to the disk circumferential surface of the round disk. The round disk is positioned within the round ring. The round ring contacts the round disk along a first plane, and the axle is coplanar with the first plane. Additionally, the round ring has a ring circumferential outer surface having threads. A threaded cylinder having an inner threaded cylinder surface is connected to the threads in the ring circumferential outer surface. The round ring is positioned within the threaded cylinder. Further, a worm gear is positioned between the threaded cylinder and the round ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul M. Fromm, Dara N. Lubin, Daniel M. McHugh, Terrance W. Flint
  • Patent number: 8490331
    Abstract: A roller for sliding a movable panel includes a housing and a plurality of wheels positioned within the housing. The housing is positionable in a space defined between a bottom surface of the panel and a channel which receives a guided edge of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: CGI Windows & Doors
    Inventor: Flavio Quesada
  • Publication number: 20130174375
    Abstract: A combination castor includes a linking device, and a plurality of castor assemblies connected with the linking device. Each of the castor assemblies includes an operation unit, a braking unit, and at least one roller. The operation unit of each of the castor assemblies includes a mounting seat, a slide, and a driven block. The braking unit of each of the castor assemblies includes a bushing, a housing, a control shaft, and a braking member. The roller of each of the castor assemblies has an inner periphery provided with a plurality of locking grooves. Thus, the linking device can drive and operate the castor assemblies to brake and position the castor assemblies simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: Ming-Hsien Lin, Feng-Hsi Yang
  • Publication number: 20130160237
    Abstract: A power-operated caster brake mechanism includes a driving device having a driving motor; a linking mechanism having a shifting member connected to a moving bar of the driving motor, and two rotating members connected to two ends of the shifting member; a caster connected to each rotating member and including a wheel and a brake and direction-lock mechanism, the latter including a brake block located in a wheel support, and a pin connected at an end to the brake block and another end to the rotating member; and a mechanical switch connected to the moving bar. When the driving motor shifts the shifting member, the rotating members rotate the brake blocks to different positions, bringing the casters to a braked, a direction-locked, or a freely swiveling state. In case the driving motor is failed, the casters can still be set to a desired operating state with the mechanical switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: CAREMED SUPPLY INC.
    Inventor: Pao Ming SHIH
  • Patent number: 8454037
    Abstract: A load wheel assembly for a materials handling vehicle includes first and second spaced side members, at least one rotatable roller extending between the first and second side members. An interface structure provides a substantially rigid connection between the load wheel assembly and a mounting structure on the materials handling vehicle. The mounting structure includes a transverse bar and the interface structure includes a portion that engages and mates with the transverse bar to form a rigid connection between the interface structure and the transverse bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Ryan M. Snodgrass, Kevin A. Gilliland, Eric P. Gasser, Keith G. Bornhorst, Kurt A. Hilgefort
  • Patent number: 8439375
    Abstract: A new dolly can be used for making either a vacuum cleaner supported by casters or one supported by wheels. Casters can be mounted in sockets in bosses near the dolly perimeter. Alternatively, axle mounts can be fitted over the bosses. Upright walls on the mounts engage corresponding walls on the underside of the dolly, forming spaced supports. An accessory component with molded upright walls is mounted onto the dolly, and its walls engage corresponding walls under the dolly. One fastener seats against one fastener surface on the accessory component, and extends into a hole in that fastener surface, an aligned opening in the corresponding axle mount, and into the dolly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Shop Vac Corporation
    Inventor: David Martinez
  • Publication number: 20130097804
    Abstract: A brake for a steering caster which is actuatable with small shifting forces and small shifting travel and creates less noise during shifting. The steering caster includes a head portion; a support portion including at least one arm; and a foot lever for actuating a directional fixation device and for actuating a brake device for at least one wheel including a rim, wherein the rim is covered with a thread protector. The brake device includes at least one rim brake locking element that is actuatable through a foot lever and arranged laterally between the at least one arm and the thread protector connected with the at least one arm, wherein at least one actuation contour is arranged at an inside of the at least one arm and/or at an outside of the thread protector within a movement range of the at least one rim brake locking element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventor: Tobias Weichbrodt
  • Patent number: 8407856
    Abstract: The invention consists of a caster comprises a yoke having a weight transferring tab and a wheel with groove for receiving the tab. Preferably, the yoke and wheel are made out of plastic, and in some embodiments two different types of plastic. A tab and groove helps transfer the weight of the load on the castor away from the arms of the yoke and onto the wheel. In a preferred embodiment the plastic wheel is molded so as to include a shaft on either side that snap into receiving holes in the yoke, thus avoiding the need for separate axel and rivets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Jacob Holtz Company
    Inventor: William F. Frame
  • Patent number: 8400761
    Abstract: A portable terminal according to the present invention has a first casing, a second casing and a third casing overlapped in the order from the bottom toward the top. And the portable terminal according to the present invention includes: a slide section slidably coupling the first casing and the second casing; a first hinge section rotatably coupling the second casing and the third casing around a first rotation axis; and a second hinge section that enables the third casing to be rotatable relative to the second casing around a second rotation axis that is approximately perpendicular to the first rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamagiwa, Yasuhiro Shingin
  • Patent number: 8375515
    Abstract: A caster has a ring-shaped main body, two ring-shaped wheels provided on both side end parts of the main body and two ring-shaped holders by which the two ring-shaped wheels are rotatably fitted on the main body. Each of the wheels has a first sliding face on an inner side of an inner circumferential part and a second sliding face on an outer side thereof. A first dry bearing is provided between an outer circumferential face of a ring-shaped flange provided on each of the both side end parts of the main body and the first sliding face, a second dry bearing is provided between an outer circumferential face of a ring-shaped flange provided on an outer end part of each of the holders and the second sliding face. The caster provides a high mechanical stability, durability, impact resistance and heat resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hammer Caster Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Hozumi, Ryo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8312595
    Abstract: A castor wheel construction for furniture pieces and the like comprises a hub including an annular supporting element supporting a cylinder having two end portions thereon two wheels are respectively mounted, one for each cylinder portion, the annular supporting element also including a vertical attachment portion for receiving a peg element integral with the furniture pieces, to allow the castor wheel construction to turn about a vertical axis, each wheel comprising a cylindric portion operating as a tread, coupled to a flange portion, the wheels being fixedly coupled to the cylindric portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: O.G.T.M. Officine Meccaniche S.R.L.
    Inventor: Roggero Trivini
  • Patent number: 8302257
    Abstract: A double-pedal double-wheel truckle with independent braking and releasing functions is a truckle for a precision instrument and comprises a body, a rotating & locking device, a truckle body device, a braking device and a bottom cover body. The body is provided for disposing a rotating & locking device, a truckle body device, a braking device and a bottom cover body. With the independent braking and releasing functions of the braking device of the body, the user can easily operate and stably block the rotating & locking device and the truckle body device. The bottom cover body is provided for preventing foreign matters from entering the truckle body device, so that the truckle can be locked from rotation. By such arrangements, it can achieve the objectives, such as easy operation, easy to distinguish braking state, stable braking, reducing noises, strengthening structure and safe usage, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Catis Pacific Mfg. Corp. Ltd.
    Inventor: Qing-Song Lin
  • Publication number: 20120180259
    Abstract: The invention comprises a caster having a yoke having a weight transferring tab and a wheel being rotatably attached to the yoke. The wheel has a groove for receiving the weight transferring tab. The tab transfers the weight of a load applied to the yoke to the groove. The caster includes various accessories, such as various stem, wheel, brake, and axle/hub configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: William F. FRAME
  • Patent number: 8151412
    Abstract: A caster, in particular a free-running caster is provided. The caster includes twinned wheels and a housing with a substantially vertically aligned upper-side journal opening for holding a rotary journal which connects the caster to an item of furniture or to some other object. The caster also has an axle bolt which extends through the housing transversely with respect to the journal opening and supports the wheels. In order to permit cost-effective production with sufficient load capacity in the region of the axle receptacle, an axle carrier having a passage opening for the axle bolt is arranged in the housing. The axle carrier is composed of a material with a higher strength than the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Gross + Froelich GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ernst Berger, Ralph von Bordelius
  • Publication number: 20120068423
    Abstract: A caster wheel arrangement includes a base; a yoke rotatably mounted to the base via a kingpin; at least a first caster wheel rotatably mounted to the yoke; and an assist arrangement moveably mounted to the yoke. The assist arrangement facilitates travel of the caster wheel arrangement over a surface transition (e.g., a gap, a rise, etc.). Non-limiting example assist arrangements include a leading wheel, a leading variable radius wheel, a trailing wheel, a step member, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Daniel Leigh Otterson, Matthew Charles Burk, Daniel Edwin Maleitzke
  • Publication number: 20120054983
    Abstract: A caster assembly is provided which may include an attachment means for attaching the caster assembly to a base of an object, a caster yoke, and a cam assembly operable in at least three states. The caster yoke is operable to swivel relative to the attachment means. The cam assembly may include an actuating means for operating the cam assembly, a swivel lever mechanism and a brake lever mechanism in communication with a cam. When in a first state, the wheel rotates freely and the caster yoke swivels freely. When in a second state, a first swivel brake is engaged by the swivel lever mechanism to lock the caster yoke in a predetermined orientation while the wheel is allowed to rotate freely. When in a third state, a wheel brake is engaged by the brake lever mechanism to stop the wheel from rotating freely and a second swivel brake is simultaneously engaged to stop the caster yoke from swivelling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventor: Adrian Steenson
  • Patent number: 8118146
    Abstract: An improved wheeled luggage case having a pair of freely rotating large wheels that have a diameter substantially greater than the height of the center of gravity of the wheeled luggage case itself (when in an upright, at rest position). The weight of the wheeled luggage case is largely transferred to the large wheel pair when being towed, reducing the load burden on a user and making it easier to pull the wheeled luggage case over long distances, for example, between airport terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Netta Shalgi
  • Patent number: 8087127
    Abstract: A plurality of castors for a piece of furniture, each castor including a casing, two wheels, and fastener elements for fastening to the piece of furniture. The casing is made up of two units, each made as a single piece, the first unit including a portion constituted by a portion of the wheel casing and a portion constituted by a portion of the swivel casing, the second unit including a portion constituted by another portion of the wheel casing and a portion constituted by another portion of the swivel casing. The two units are adapted to be associated with each other to form the casing in such a manner that the portions of the first unit and the portions of the second unit engage respectively one in the other, and elements are provided for securing the two units together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Bruandet SA
    Inventor: Patrick Dayt
  • Patent number: 8051533
    Abstract: The invention relates to a double roller (1) with two running wheels (2) and one carrier housing (3), wherein an assembly journal (6) is arranged on the carrier housing (3). An actuating tappet (15) can be displaced in the assembly journal against a spring force, interacting with a counter locking part (65) for directional and/or complete fixation. Furthermore, a running wheel braking part (25) with engaging parts (37, 38) is provided for blocking the rotation of the running wheels (2). The running wheel braking part (25) is likewise actuated by the actuating tappet (15) and furthermore the housing section (4) accommodating the actuating tappet (15) includes a ball bearing (8) on the upper side and surrounds the actuating tappet (15) at least partially toward the bottom. In order to enhance a double roller of this type, it is proposed to have the counter locking part (65) inserted underneath the ball bearing (9) in the part of the housing section (4) that opens only in regard to the inner opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: TENTE GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Block, Uwe Harksen
  • Patent number: 8042226
    Abstract: The invention consists of a caster comprises a yoke having a weight transferring tab and a wheel with groove for receiving the tab. Preferably, the yoke and wheel are made out of plastic, and in some embodiments two different types of plastic. A tab and groove helps transfer the weight of the load on the castor away from the arms of the yoke and onto the wheel. In a preferred embodiment the plastic wheel is molded so as to include a shaft on either side that snap into receiving holes in the yoke, thus avoiding the need for separate axel and rivets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Jacob Holtz Company
    Inventor: William F. Frame
  • Publication number: 20110232708
    Abstract: A walker having a frame and wheel system for use indoors or outdoors, with a wheel assemblies allowing for maintaining substantially level performance over uneven surfaces or obstacles. The wheel assembly includes four wheels in a triple pivot, dual offset configuration. With three pivots and the offset axle configuration, the wheel assemblies allow for substantially even contact with all four wheels of the assembly, with weight substantially balanced on each of the four wheels, during use over uneven surfaces, obstacles, or irregularities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventor: James Martin Kemp
  • Patent number: 8015664
    Abstract: The invention relates to a twin-wheel caster provided with a housing containing a journal opening on a top side thereof, which is oriented in a substantially vertical direction for receiving a pivot connecting a roller to a furniture or another object, a shaft-shaped slide opening on the lower side thereof, which is laterally offset with respect to the journal opening and used for receiving a cross head supported by the housing with the aid of a spring, wherein the cross head has a through opening which is oriented in a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the shaft-shaped slide opening and receives a swivel pin bearing two wheels, is placed in the housing in such a way that it is slidable between rolling and braking positions and recesses embodied in the slide opening limiting walls and used for passing the swivel pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Gross & Froelich GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ernst Berger, Ralph Von Bordelius
  • Patent number: 7950108
    Abstract: A castor includes a suspension unit, a castor body, a wheel unit, and a brake unit. The suspension unit includes an upright fixing bolt and a locking member. The wheel unit includes two rollers. The brake unit includes a positioning block, a sliding block, a biasing member, a drive member, and a braking pin. Thus, when the drive member of the brake unit is pressed, each of the rollers of the wheel unit is braked by and locked onto the castor body, and the castor body is locked onto the fixing bolt simultaneously, thereby locking the castor exactly and stably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Sunny Castors Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Wang Yang, Ming-Hsien Lin, Po-Lu Chen
  • Patent number: 7937805
    Abstract: A castor includes a castor body, two rollers rotatably mounted on the castor body and each having an annular toothed locking section, a locking member movably mounted on the castor body and having two locking flanges each having a toothed engaging portion, and a brake handle pivotally mounted on the castor body to drive the toothed engaging portion of each of the locking flanges of the locking member to engage the toothed locking section of the respective roller. Thus, when the brake handle is pressed to stop rotation of the rollers, the resting face of the pivot base abuts the support rib of the castor body so that the brake handle is operated smoothly and stably without producing vibration during operation of the brake handle, thereby enhancing the braking effect of the castor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventor: Po-Chuan Tsai
  • Publication number: 20110023268
    Abstract: A multi-wheel caster apparatus has a main, surface-contacting wheel, an inline small diameter wheel elevated in front of the main riding wheel, and a third offset mid-sized diameter wheel. The offset wheel is in parallel alignment with and mounted midway between the two inline wheels. The apparatus is mounted to the bottom of a cart, with both stationary and swivel mounting. The offset wheel keeps the wheel housing compact and the elevated wheels maintain a low center of gravity while traveling easily over obstacles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventor: Victor Dole Smith
  • Patent number: 7866453
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a swivelable trunk wheel assembly, which comprises: a wheel frame, a guide hole, a hollow pivotal shaft, a push rod, a press block, a sleeve pipe, two wheels and two rivets. The sleeve pipe adopts a metallic pipe having a better rigidity, and the inner surface of the sleeve pipe is a smooth surface. Further, the rivets and the sleeve pipe are arranged in the same axis. Thus, the wheels can rotate smoothly without stagnancy. Therefore, the swivelable trunk wheel assembly of the present invention has a better wear resistance and a longer service life. Besides, the present invention uses the push rod to drive the press block to rub the friction portion, and the friction can provide a braking effect on the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Hersun Plastic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chen-Chuan Wu
  • Patent number: 7845657
    Abstract: A load wheel assembly for a materials handling vehicle includes first and second spaced side members, at least one rotatable roller extending between the first and second side members and a retainer for holding the roller in the side members. An interface structure provides a substantially rigid connection between the load wheel assembly and a mounting structure on the materials handling vehicle. The load wheel assembly can be moved vertically or horizontally into a mounted position within the outrigger and at least a portion of the interface structure mates with the mounting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Ryan M. Snodgrass, Kevin A. Gilliland, Eric P. Gasser
  • Publication number: 20100263164
    Abstract: A caster with a brake structure comprises a pivot plate. The pivot plate is allowed to pivot so as to be inserted into a corresponding positioning recess in an inner side of a wheel to stop the rotation of the wheel. Furthermore, while pivoting, the pivot plate will press the lifting block to move downwards, and then the lifting block will push the slide block to move horizontally, and finally the slide block will push the anti-slip block to press against the inner side of the wheel, thus improving the braking effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventor: Ching-Sung Lin
  • Publication number: 20100251514
    Abstract: A caster assembly includes a primary wheel and a secondary wheel. As the caster assembly is rolled against and over an obstacle threshold, the secondary wheel is positioned to contact the obstacle threshold first. As the caster assembly begins to roll over the threshold, the secondary wheel lifts the caster assembly part way. As the caster assembly continues to roll over the threshold, the primary wheel contacts the threshold and lifts the caster assembly over the obstacle threshold. One or more secondary or primary wheels may be used. The secondary wheel or wheels may be positioned to remain within a sweep volume of the primary wheel as the caster assembly swivels around a caster swivel axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: RANDAL P. GOLDBERG, DEAN F. HOORNAERT, DEEPAK R. KAPOOR, MARK W. ZIMMER
  • Publication number: 20100247281
    Abstract: A double offset caster system uses two sets of rotatable offsets relative to one another so that the caster can move relative to the load. The offset changes in order to change the relative offset between the caster position and the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Production Resource Group L.L.C
    Inventor: James Kempf
  • Publication number: 20100170061
    Abstract: A double-pedal double-wheel truckle with independent braking and releasing functions is a truckle for a precision instrument and comprises a body, a rotating & locking device, a truckle body device, a braking device and a bottom cover body. The body is provided for disposing a rotating & locking device, a truckle body device, a braking device and a bottom cover body. With the independent braking and releasing functions of the braking device of the body, the user can easily operate and stably block the rotating & locking device and the truckle body device. The bottom cover body is provided for preventing foreign matters from entering the truckle body device, so that the truckle can be locked from rotation. By such arrangements, it can achieve the objectives, such as easy operation, easy to distinguish braking state, stable braking, reducing noises, strengthening structure and safe usage, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: Qing-Song LIN
  • Patent number: 7735537
    Abstract: Disclosed is a portable wall-partition that includes a plurality of panels and at least one hinge that connects each of the plurality of panels to a neighboring panel. A foot is positioned on a lower edge of each of the plurality of panels. The foot includes a first extension and a second extension. Each of the extensions includes a distal end thereof. The first and the second extensions are connected to each other at a proximal end (opposite the end having a wheel) to form a vertex. The foot also includes a spring located at or near the vertex. The spring biases the first and the second extensions toward each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Inventors: John C. Hardt, II, Greg Moore, Chao-Ken Chen
  • Patent number: 7725986
    Abstract: A castor includes a main body, two rollers, a plurality of rolls, two retaining members, and two covers. Thus, the rolls are rotatably mounted between the main body and the respective roller, so that each of the rollers is rotatable on the main body smoothly. In addition, the rolls and the rollers are made of the same material to reduce the friction between the rolls and the rollers during rotation of the castor, so that the rolls and the rollers are not easily worn out during a long-term utilization. Further, the rollers are covered by the covers so that only the through hole of the main body is exposed outwardly from the covers and the rollers, thereby enhancing the aesthetic quality of the castor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Po-Chuan Tsai
  • Publication number: 20100107329
    Abstract: A device and associated method transfer a person having a handicap from one location to another, such as into or out of a wheelchair, bed, or bathtub. A wheeled base provides mobility to the device. A post and lifter arm support the patient during the transfer. The post is connected to a stabilization arm, which temporarily connects using a stabilization interface to a stabilization bracket. The stabilization bracket is typically attached rather permanently to a wall, ceiling, or other structural feature that provides substantial stability to the system. In various embodiments, the lifter arm may be actuated by hydraulics, the stabilization arm may be extendable, and a pair of extra wheels on the mobility base are adjustable horizontally (e.g., along one hedge of the base frame) or vertically (down to decrease the load on the casters, or up to allow the lifter to be “crabbed” sideways in confined spaces).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: CRITERION HEALTH, INC.
    Inventors: Richard L. Nelson, Robert M. Levy
  • Publication number: 20100107361
    Abstract: A castor includes a suspension unit, a castor body, a wheel unit, and a brake unit. The suspension unit includes an upright fixing bolt and a locking member. The wheel unit includes two rollers. The brake unit includes a positioning block, a sliding block, a biasing members, a drive member, and a braking pin. Thus, when the drive member of the brake unit is pressed, each of the rollers of the wheel unit is braked by and locked onto the castor body, and the castor body is locked onto the fixing bolt simultaneously, thereby locking the castor exactly and stably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Sung-Wang Yang, Ming-Hsien Lin, Po-Lu Chen
  • Publication number: 20100096344
    Abstract: A rack assembly for transportation and display of potted plants and similar articles. The rack includes vertical supports, and a plurality of trays that are slidingly supported on the posts. The trays are extensible from a retracted position in which the trays are arranged in compact, vertically spaced relationship for transportation, to a deployed position in which the trays extend on opposite sides in an alternating arrangement with increased vertical spacing, and are tilted to a downwardly angled orientation so that the plants can be readily viewed and accessed by customers and other personnel. The posts and trays are mounted on a mobile frame that includes stabilizer legs which prevent the assembly from tipping when the trays are in the deployed position. The posts and trays are removable from the frame, and can be broken down for storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Wiebe S. Vanderhoek, Mike Van Wingerden