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US 11,485,174 B2Granted
Wheel assembly, methods, and applications
AssigneeTailos, Inc.
InventorsSteve Supron, Steven Whitehead, David Moroniti, Micah Green
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A quick release mechanism for a wheel includes a hub and a clip, which interact with a wheel or roller that may or may not be part of the invention per se. The hub is disposable on a drive shaft such that it will rotate with the drive shaft. An optional hub cap is disposable on the wheel and has an opening that is complimentary to the geometry of the hub to allow engagement thereof such that the hub the hub cap rotate together. The clip is disposable on the hub in a closed or an open position so that the hub cap cannot or can be removed from the hub.
Claims20
A robot, comprising:
- a plurality of drive shafts;
- for each draft shaft:
- a hub interface coupled to the drive shaft on a drive shaft end of the hub interface, the hub interface comprising a central portion aligned with the drive shaft and two hub projections projecting outward and away from the central portion on a clip end of the hub interface opposite the drive shaft end, each hub projection comprising an opening;
- a wheel comprising a reciprocal slot configured to removably couple to the hub interface such that hub projections of the hub interface protrudes through the reciprocal slot;
- and
- a pivotable clip component comprising clip protrusions inserted into the openings of the hub projections and pivotable about the openings between a closed position and an open position, wherein the pivotable clip component is aligned with the hub projections and the reciprocal slot in the open position to enable the pivotable clip component and hub projections to pass through the reciprocal slot, and wherein the pivotable clip component prevents the hub projections and pivotable clip component from passing through the reciprocal slot in the closed position to secure the wheel to the hub interface.
3 more elements
A robot, comprising:
- a set of wheels;
- for each wheel, a hub interface for coupling to a drive shaft on a drive shaft end of the hub interface, the hub interface configured to removably couple to the wheel and comprising 1) a central portion aligned with the drive shaft and 2) two hub projections projecting outward and away from the central portion on a clip end opposite the drive shaft end and, each hub projection comprising an opening;
- and
- for each hub interface, a pivotable clip component comprising clip protrusions inserted into the openings of the hub projections and pivotable about the openings between a closed position and an open position, wherein the pivotable clip is aligned with the hub projections and a reciprocal slot of the wheel in the open position to enable the pivotable clip component and hub projections to pass through the reciprocal slot, and wherein the pivotable clip component prevents the hub projections and pivotable clip from passing through the reciprocal slot in the closed position to secure the wheel to the hub interface.
1 more element
A robot wheel for coupling to a drive shaft, comprising:
- a hub interface coupled to the drive shaft on a drive shaft end of the hub interface, the hub interface comprising a central portion aligned with the drive shaft and two hub projections projecting outward and away from the central portion on a clip end of the hub interface opposite the drive shaft end, each hub projection comprising an opening, the hub interface configured to removably couple to the robot wheel;
- and
- a pivotable clip component comprising clip protrusions inserted into the openings of the hub projections and pivotable about the openings between a closed position and an open position, wherein the pivotable clip component is aligned with the hub projections and a reciprocal slot of the wheel when in the open position to enable the pivotable clip component and hub projections to pass through the reciprocal slot, and wherein the pivotable clip component prevents the hub projections and pivotable clip component from passing through the reciprocal slot in the closed position to secure the hub interface to the robot wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.