Caster assembly with multi-position support pieces

#The present invention is directed to a caster assembly for supporting an object and, more specifically, to a caster assembly including a caster, a caster axle and a pair of support pieces, at least one of the support pieces being rotatably mounted on the caster axle and including at least two perpendicular support surfaces, the support pieces being positionable to provide a plurality of support configurations for supporting the object.

#Caster assemblies are used to support an object and facilitate easy movement of an object with respect to flat surfaces such as a floor. Examples of objects using caster assemblies include household appliances such as refrigerators, vacuums, food serving trays and carts, tool carts and cabinets, various items of furniture such chairs, sofas, bed frames and the like. Typically, three or more caster assemblies are used to support an object. The caster assemblies are normally positioned or mounted on the object near an outer peripheral edge of a downward facing mounting surface of the object to provide a wide, stable base of support. A wide base of support reduces the propensity for the object to tip over during movement of the object across a floor. This is especially important for objects having a relatively high vertical center of gravity.

#One drawback of prior art caster assemblies is that the mounting surface of the caster assembly mounting piece only provided for a single orientation of the mounting surface with respect to the caster axle. Therefore, such prior art caster assemblies only provide a single configuration for supporting the object.

#These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become better understood from a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention which is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the caster assembly of the present invention, with a pair of support pieces oriented in a first support configuration and with one of the support piece cover plates partially cut away;

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of the caster assembly of FIG. 1, including the support piece cover plates;

#Turning to the drawings FIGS. 1-5 show the caster assembly of the present invention generally at 10. The caster assembly 10 includes a caster axle 20 (best seen in FIG. 2) and a caster wheel 30 rotatably mounted on a center section 26 of the caster axle 20. Preferably the caster wheel is fabricated of an engineering resin material such as urethane rubber, ABS polymer plastic while the axle 20 is steel.

#Also mounted on the caster axle 20 are generally rectangular-shaped first and second support pieces 50, 70. The first support piece 50 is rotatably mounted on the axle 20 while the second support piece 70 is fixedly mounted on the axle 20. In an alternate embodiment, the second support piece may be rotatably mounted on the axle 20.

#As can be seen in FIG. 2, the axle 20 defines a longitudinal axis labeled as A—A in FIG. 2 and three longitudinal sections 25, 26, 27 having differing diameters. The axle section 25 has the largest diameter of the three sections 25, 26, 27 and the axle section 27 has the smallest diameter of the three sections. An axially extending boss 28 separates the largest diameter axle section 25 from the middle section 26 and a stepped portion 28 separates the middle axle section 25 from the smallest diameter axle section 27.