Retractable roller mechanism
OwnerHema Cherukuriinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved retractable roller mechanism 20 and method for statically supporting an item 42 upon a support surface 40 in an inoperative state and supporting the item 42 to roll along the support surface 40 in an operative state. The retractable roller mechanism 20 includes a housing 22, a roller frame 24 that is slideably engaged with the housing 22, a spring 30, and a roller 28. The roller frame 24 has reciprocative movement relative to the housing 22, such that the frame 24 has an inoperative position state where the frame 24 is retracted allowing the housing 22 to rest on and statically contact the support surface 40 and an operative position state where the frame 24 is extended such that the housing 22 is not in contact with the support surface 40 allowing the item 42 to roll along the support surface 40.
Claims15
A retractable roller mechanism that statically supports an item upon a support surface in an inoperative state and supports the item to roll along the support surface in an operative state, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a symmetrically located axis;
- (b) a wheel frame that is slidably engaged with said housing for reciprocation movement parallel to the housing axis, said reciprocation movement is relative to said housing, said frame having an inoperative position state wherein said frame is retracted such that said housing rests on and statically contacts the support surface and an operative position state wherein said frame is extended from the inoperative position state;
- (c) a spring disposed between said housing and said frame to bias said frame toward the operative position state;
- (d) an axle supported by said frame;
- and
- (e) a non castor wheel rotatably mounted about said axle in said frame disposed to only roll bi-directionally along the support surface when said frame is in the operative position state such that said housing is not in contact with the support surface, said wheel having a rotational axis coincident with said axle, said rotational axis perpendicular to and intersecting the housing axis.
A retractable roller mechanism that statically supports an item upon a support surface in an inoperative state and supports the item to roll along the support surface in an operative state, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a symmetrically located axis, said housing including a base portion and a surrounding sidewall extending from said base portion towards the support surface to define a housing interior;
- (b) a wheel frame that is slidably engaged with an interior surface of said sidewall for reciprocation movement parallel to the housing axis, said reciprocation movement is relative to said housing, said frame having an inoperative position state wherein said frame is retracted into said housing interior such that said housing rests on and statically contacts the support surface and an operative position state wherein said frame is extended from the inoperative position state;
- (c) a spring disposed within said housing interior positioned between said base and said frame, said spring biasing said frame toward the operative position state;
- (d) an axle supported by said frame;
- and
- (e) a non castor wheel rotatably mounted about said axle in said frame positioned to only roll bi-directionally along the support surface when said frame is in the operative position state such that said housing is not in contact with the support surface, said wheel having a rotational axis coincident with said axle, said rotational axis perpendicular to and intersecting the housing axis.
A method of statically supporting an item upon a support surface by use of a retractable roller mechanism in an inoperative state and supporting the item to roll along the support surface by use of said retractable roller mechanism in an operative state, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) providing the item to be supported;
- (b) providing said retractable roller mechanism that can support the item, said retractable roller mechanism includes a housing, a wheel frame that is slidably engaged with said housing, a spring to bias and extend said frame in relation to said housing to an operative position state, an axle supported by said frame, and a non castor wheel rotatably mounted about said axle in said frame;
- (c) adapting said retractable roller mechanism to support the item;
- (d) rolling the item only bi-directionally along the support surface to a desired position, with said frame in the operative position state corresponding to the operative state for said retractable roller mechanism;
- (e) stopping the rolling of the item at the desired position;
- and
- (f) increasing the weight of the item to overcome the spring bias to retract said frame in relation to said housing allowing said housing to rest on and statically contact the support surface to put said frame in an inoperative position state corresponding to the inoperative state for said retractable roller mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.