Hybrid bearing arrangement caster technology

A hubless caster with a hybrid bearing arrangement, including:

• two wheels, each of the two wheels having a tread portion and a mount portion, the mount portion of each wheel defines a respective slide bearing surface;
• a central frame member defining a swivel axis;
• a rolling bearing;
• a tubular mount member, consisting of a single ring shaped body surrounding an open central corridor defining a rolling axis;
• wherein each of the two wheels mounted on the tubular mount member, the tubular mount member being in contact with both of the slide bearing surfaces, such that the two slide bearing surfaces are configured to slide on the tubular mount member when the two wheels rotate relative to the tubular mount member, which enables the two wheels to simultaneously rotate in opposite directions when the hubless caster swivels about the swivel axis;
• and
• wherein the rolling bearing is mounted on the tubular mount member between the two wheels, the rolling bearing directly contacts the tubular mount member and the central frame member, such that the rolling bearing is configured to enable the hubless caster to roll along a straight line with each of the two wheels rotating in a common direction about the rolling axis.