Flutter resistant caster
AssigneePride Mobility Products Corporation
InventorJames Mulhern
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims26
A caster wheel assembly for reducing caster flutter comprising:
- a caster housing having a chamber defined by a radial sidewall;
- a caster stem disposed within the chamber and rotatable relative to the radial sidewall;
- a bearing radially disposed about the caster stem;
- and
- a biasing element disposed in the chamber between the caster stem and the radial sidewall, the biasing element configured to exert an axial force that is axially aligned with the caster stem on the bearing to increase friction in the bearing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.