Flutter resistant caster
AssigneePride Mobility Products Corporation
InventorJames Mulhern
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle may include a flutter resistant caster. The vehicle may include a frame, a drive wheel coupled to the frame, a caster housing coupled to the frame, a caster, a locking element, a first bearing, and a biasing element. The caster housing may include an opening. The caster may include a caster wheel and a caster stem extending through the opening in the caster housing. The caster stem may be configured to rotate relative to the caster housing. The locking element may be coupled to the caster stem. The first bearing may be coupled to the caster stem. The biasing element may be coupled to the caster stem. The biasing element may be configured to exert a force on the first bearing.
Claims32
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- a drive wheel coupled to the frame;
- a caster housing coupled to the frame, the caster housing including an opening;
- a caster including a caster wheel and a caster stem extending through the opening in the caster housing, the caster stem configured to rotate relative to the caster housing;
- a locking element coupled to the caster stem;
- a first bearing coupled to the caster stem;
- and
- a biasing element spaced apart from the caster housing and coupled to the caster stem,
- wherein the biasing element is configured to exert a force on the first bearing to increase friction in the first bearing.
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- a drive wheel coupled to the frame;
- a caster housing coupled to the frame, the caster housing including an opening;
- a caster including a caster wheel and a caster stem extending through the opening in the caster housing, the caster stem configured to rotate relative to the caster housing;
- a locking element coupled to the caster stem;
- a first bearing coupled to the caster stem;
- a biasing element coupled to the caster stem;
- and
- a second bearing coupled to the caster stem,
- wherein the biasing element is configured to exert a force on the first bearing,
- wherein the caster housing includes a recess to receive at least a portion of the second bearing, and
- wherein activation of the locking element moves the second bearing into contact with a partition wall defining a portion of the recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.