Title:

Caster with a structural improvement

United States Patent Application 20030150080

Kind Code:

A1

Abstract:

A caster with a structural improvement includes a wheel holder, a spindle seat, a spindle and two wheels. A through hole of the spindle seat is covered on a spindle housing of the wheel holder with a ring groove of the spindle seat engaged by an annular flange of the spindle housing, further the spindle is inserted into the spindle housing with at least one ring groove of the spindle engaged by at least one circumferential ridge of the spindle housing, and finally axle housings of the wheels are inserted by a wheel axle of the wheel holder with a ring groove of the wheel axle engaged by a circumferential ridge of the axle housings, whereby the wheels can swivel and move. Moreover, the spindle seat can be assembled with wheel holders and wheels of various sizes, thereby reducing the costs of new molds for spindle seats of different sizes.

Inventors:

Yang, Yao-wei (Yung-Kang City, TW)

Application Number:

10/073916

Publication Date:

08/14/2003

Filing Date:

02/14/2002

Export Citation:

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Assignee:

YANG YAO-WEI

Primary Class:

16/47

International Classes:

B60B33/00; (IPC1-7): A47B91/00

View Patent Images:

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Primary Examiner:

WILLIAMS, MARK A

Attorney, Agent or Firm:

Yao-wei, Yang (P.O. Box 90, Tainan City, 704, TW)

Claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A caster with a structural improvement comprising: a wheel holder having a wheel axle secured in a proper place thereof and a spindle housing upwards protruded thereon, said wheel axle provided with two ring grooves respectively disposed at both ends thereof, said spindle housing provided with at least one circumferential ridge disposed in an inner wall thereof and an annular flange formed on an outer wall of a top thereof; a spindle seat capable of being covered on said spindle housing of said wheel holder and having a channel and a through hole, said through hole formed in a center of said spindle seat and provided with a ring groove disposed in an inner wall thereof; a spindle capable of being inserted into said spindle housing of said wheel holder and having at least one ring groove; and, two wheels capable of being respectively combined with both ends of said wheel axle of said wheel holder and each having an axle housing disposed in a proper place thereof, each of said axle housings provided with a circumferential ridge disposed in an inner wall thereof.

2. The caster with a structural improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wheel holder is formed in a shape approximated to a semi-circle for being combined with said two wheels.

3. The caster with a structural improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel of said spindle seat is formed in a shape of an oblique curved surface whose lower portion is narrowed down for being engaged by said wheel holder.

4. The caster with a structural improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wheel holder and said two wheels are respectively provided with a plurality of reinforced ribs disposed in proper places thereof for providing the combination of said wheel holder and said two wheels with stability and firmness.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to a caster with a structural improvement, particularly to one having a spindle seat adapted to be assembled with wheel holders and wheels of various sizes, thereby reducing the costs in producing new molds for spindle seats of different sizes.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Generally speaking, a known conventional caster, as shown in FIG. 1, has an integrally formed caster holder 1 provided with a curved fender 10. A spindle 11 is disposed at a top of the caster holder 1 and two wheels 12 are combined below the curved fender 10 of the caster holder 1. However, the curved fender 10 of the caster holder 1 is only adapted to be assembled with two wheels 12 of a certain fixed size and is unable to be assembled with two wheels 12 of various sizes. Therefore, every time when the two wheels 12 are required with a different size, it is necessary to produce a new mold for the caster holder 1 to meet the required size of the two wheels 12, thus greatly increasing the costs in producing new molds for caster holders 1 of different sizes.

[0005] As can be realized from the above description, the shortcomings of the known conventional casters have been presented in the existing prior arts for a long time. Therefore, the present invention is to create a novel and unique construction to increase exchangeability and decrease producing costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The main purpose of the invention is to offer a caster with a structural improvement having a spindle seat adapted to be assembled with wheel holders and wheels of various sizes, thereby reducing the costs in producing new molds for spindle seats of different sizes.

[0007] The main feature of the invention is to provide a caster with a structural improvement mainly including:

[0008] a wheel holder having a wheel axle secured in a proper place thereof and a spindle housing upwards protruded thereon, the wheel axle provided with two ring grooves respectively disposed at both ends thereof, the spindle housing provided with at least one circumferential ridge disposed in an inner wall thereof and an annular flange formed on an outer wall of a top thereof;

[0009] a spindle seat capable of being covered on the spindle housing of the wheel holder and having a channel and a through hole, the through hole formed in a center of the spindle seat and provided with a ring groove disposed in an inner wall thereof;

[0010] a spindle capable of being inserted into the spindle housing of the wheel holder and having at least one ring groove; and,

[0011] two wheels capable of being respectively combined with both ends of the wheel axle of the wheel holder and each having an axle housing disposed in a proper place thereof, each of the axle housings provided with a circumferential ridge disposed in an inner wall thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known conventional caster;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a caster with a structural improvement in the present invention; and,

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the caster with a structural improvement in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] A preferred embodiment of a caster with a structural improvement in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, mainly includes a wheel holder 2, a spindle seat 3, a spindle 4, and two wheels 5.

[0017] The wheel holder 2 integrally formed in a shape approximated to a semi-circle has a wheel axle 20 secured in a proper place thereof, and a spindle housing 22 upwards protruded at one end thereof. The wheel axle 20 is provided with two ring grooves 200 respectively disposed at both ends thereof, and a plurality of reinforced ribs 21 disposed at its periphery. The spindle housing 22 is provided with at least one circumferential ridge 220 disposed in an inner wall thereof and an annular flange 221 formed on an outer wall of a top thereof. A bottom of the spindle housing 22 is connected with some of the plurality of reinforced ribs 21.

[0018] The spindle seat 3 capable of being covered on the spindle housing 22 of the wheel holder 2 is integrally formed with a top in a shape of circle and with a portion adjacent to the top in a shape of an oblique curved surface whose lower portion is narrowed down. A channel 30 extends across the oblique curved surface of the spindle seat 3. A through hole 31 is formed in a center of the spindle seat 3 and extends through the channel 30 of the spindle seat 3. The through hole 31 has a ring groove 310 disposed in an inner wall thereof.

[0019] The spindle 4 capable of being inserted into the spindle housing 22 of the wheel holder 2 has at least one ring groove 40 disposed at one end thereof.

[0020] The two wheels 5 are capable of being respectively combined with both ends of the wheel axle 20 of the wheel holder 2 and each of which is integrally formed and has an axle housing 50 disposed in a proper place of an inner side thereof. Each of the axle housings 50 is provided with a circumferential ridge 500 disposed in an inner wall thereof. A plurality of reinforced ribs 501 are disposed at the periphery of the axle housing 50 and connected with the axle housing 50.

[0021] In assembling, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, firstly align the through hole 31 of the spindle seat 3 to the spindle housing 22 of the wheel holder 2, and then correspondingly cover the through hole 31 of the spindle seat 3 on the spindle housing 22 of the wheel holder 2 with the ring groove 310 of the through hole 31 of the spindle seat 3 engaged by the annular flange 221 of the spindle housing 22 of the wheel holder 2 and with the channel 30 of the spindle seat 3 engaged by one end of an outer wall of the wheel holder 2 in position. Secondly, correspondingly insert the spindle 4 into the spindle housing 22 of the wheel holder 2 with the at least one ring groove 40 of the spindle 4 engaged by the at least one circumferential ridge 220 of the spindle housing 22 of the wheel holder 2. Finally, insert both ends of the wheel axle 20 of the wheel holder 2 respectively into the axle housings 50 of the two wheels 5 with the ring grooves 200 of both ends of the wheel axle 20 of the wheel holder 2 respectively engaged by the circumferential ridges 500 of the axle housings 50 of the two wheels 5, by which the caster with a structural improvement of the present invention is assembled all together.

[0022] Moreover, the spindle seat 3 in the preferred embodiment is adapted to be assembled with wheel holders 2 and wheels 5 of various sizes, thereby reducing the costs in producing new molds for spindle seats 3 of different sizes.

[0023] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

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