Caster wheel arrangements
AssigneeSmarte Carte, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Leigh Otterson, Matthew Charles Burk, Daniel Edwin Maleitzke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A caster wheel arrangement includes a base; a yoke rotatably mounted to the base via a kingpin; at least a first caster wheel rotatably mounted to the yoke; and an assist arrangement moveably mounted to the yoke. The assist arrangement facilitates travel of the caster wheel arrangement over a surface transition (e.g., a gap, a rise, etc.). Non-limiting example assist arrangements include a leading wheel, a leading variable radius wheel, a trailing wheel, a step member, and combinations thereof.
Claims20
A caster wheel arrangement comprising:
- a support frame;
- at least a first primary wheel coupled to the support frame, the first primary wheel having a first radius;
- a leading wheel coupled to the support frame at a position forward of the first primary wheel, the leading wheel having a second radius that is smaller than the first radius of the first primary wheel, and the leading wheel being raised relative to the first primary wheel;
- and
- a trailing wheel coupled to the support frame at a position rearward of the first primary wheel, the trailing wheel having a third radius that is smaller than the first radius of the first primary wheel, and the trailing wheel being raised relative to the first primary wheel.
A cart for transporting an object, the cart comprising:
- a cart frame configured to hold at least one object, the cart frame having a front and a rear;
- first and second wheels rotatably coupled to the rear of the cart frame;
- a steering handle coupled to the cart frame;
- and
- a caster wheel arrangement coupled to the front of the cart frame, the caster wheel arrangement including at least a first caster wheel, a leading wheel positioned forward of the first caster wheel, and a trailing wheel positioned rearward of the first caster wheel, the leading and trailing wheels being raised relative to the first caster wheel.
A method of transitioning a gap between a first surface and a second surface with a cart, the method comprising:
- providing a cart including a caster wheel arrangement positioned at a front of the cart, the caster wheel arrangement including at least a first primary wheel, a leading wheel, and a trailing wheel;
- pushing the cart forward along the first surface to the gap, a width of the gap being no shorter than a radius of the first primary wheel;
- transitioning the cart over the gap by pushing the cart forward as the leading wheel crosses the gap;
- supporting the caster wheel arrangement at least partially on the first surface with the trailing wheel as the first primary wheel is moved forwardly over the gap;
- and
- supporting the caster wheel arrangement on the second surface with the first primary wheel as the trailing wheel is moved forwardly over the gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.