# US 10,479,135 B2 · Omni-directional wheel for pool vacuum head > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,135 B2 - Document ID: US10479135B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/002,619 - Filed: 2016-01-21 - Published: 2017-07-27 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-21 - Applicants: Olaf Mjelde - Inventors: Olaf Mjelde - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479135B2 ## CPC - B60B 19/003: {Multidirectional wheels} - B60B 19/12: Roller-type wheels (B60B19/06 takes precedence) - B60B 5/02: made of synthetic material - B60B 2900/111: Weight - B60B 2900/115: Complexity - B60B 2900/116: Product variety, e.g. by standardisation or use of adapters - E04H 4/1636: {Suction cleaners} - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) ## Abstract An omni-directional wheel for a pool vacuum head includes a first frame and a second substantially identical frame, each frame having a hub rotating around a common axis, lower supports extending radially from the hub, risers extending from the hub along the common axis, and upper supports individually coupled to the risers, the upper supports extending radially from the common axis. Rollers coupled to the first frame and the second frame, are radially spaced from the common axis on each frame. The rollers rotate normal to the common axis to impart omni-directional movement. When the first frame and the second frame are interlocked, the risers on the first frame engage the hub on the second frame, and the lower supports on the first frame engaging the upper supports on the second frame, maintaining the rollers in a staggered arrangement around the wheel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An omni-directional wheel comprising: a plurality of substantially identical interlocking frames; each frame comprising a hub rotatable around a common axis; a plurality of lower supports extending radially around the hub; a plurality of upper supports coupled to the hub extending radially around the common axis, the upper supports and the lower supports in a circumferentially staggered relationship around the common axis wherein the upper supports are elevated relative to the lower supports when the common axis is vertically oriented; and a plurality of rollers retained by the lower supports and the upper supports, the rollers oriented normal to the common axis and held in a radially staggered relationship around the wheel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The omni-directional wheel of claim 1 wherein the plurality of frames is two frames. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The omni-directional wheel of claim 1 wherein the lower supports and the upper supports are staggered along the common axis in addition to being staggered around the common axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The omni-directional wheel of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of risers connecting the upper supports to the hub. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The omni-directional wheel of claim 4 wherein the risers of each frame are interlocked. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The omni-directional wheel of claim 4 wherein the risers releasably lock into the hub. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The omni-directional wheel of claim 1 wherein the lower supports and the upper supports are configured to releasably lock together. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The omni-directional wheel of claim 1 wherein each of the rollers comprises a spindle engaged in a channel formed in one of the plurality of lower supports and one of the plurality of upper supports. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The omni-directional wheel of claim 1 wherein each of the rollers comprises a convex rolling face. ### Claim 10 An omni-directional wheel for a pool vacuum head, the wheel comprising: a first frame and a second frame each having a hub rotating around a common axis, a plurality of lower supports extending radially from the hub, a plurality of risers extending from the hub along the common axis, and a plurality of upper supports individually coupled to the risers, the upper supports extending radially from the common axis; and a plurality of rollers retained in the first frame and the second frame, the rollers radially spaced from the common axis and rotating normal to the common axis; the first frame and the second frame interlocked, with the risers on the first frame engaging the hub on the second frame, and the lower supports on the first frame engaging the upper supports on the second frame, maintaining the rollers in a staggered position around the wheel wherein the upper supports are elevated relative to the lower supports along the common axis when the hub is vertically oriented. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The omni-directional wheel of claim 10 wherein the first frame and the second frame are substantially identical. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The omni-directional wheel of claim 10 wherein the hubs each comprise a central hole for mounting the wheel on the pool vacuum head. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The omni-directional wheel of claim 10 wherein the lower supports each comprise a lower support head, and the upper supports each comprise an upper support head, the lower support heads and the upper support heads distal from the hubs. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The omni-directional wheel of claim 13 wherein the lower support heads and the upper support heads each comprise channels for holding a spindle extending from one of the plurality of rollers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The omni-directional wheel of claim 10 wherein the risers each comprise a first post and the hubs each comprise a first bore, wherein the first posts and the first bores are releasably locked together. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The omni-directional wheel of claim 10 wherein the upper support heads each comprise a second post and the lower support heads each comprise a second bore, wherein the second posts and the second bores are releasably locked together. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The omni-directional wheel of claim 10 wherein the rollers extend radially farther from the common axis than the lower supports and the upper supports. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The omni-directional wheel of claim 10 wherein the rollers each comprise a convex rolling face.