Caster wheel assembly with anti-flutter control

A caster wheel assembly for a wheeled device comprising:

• a housing suitable for connection to a wheeled device;
• a caster mounting assembly configured to mount a caster wheel for rotation;
• a caster bolt connected to the caster mounting assembly and inserted into the housing for rotation within the housing;
• and
• a plurality substantially flat damping inserts each having two flat major faces oriented substantially vertically and applying a biasing force between the caster bolt and the housing to dampen the rotation of the caster bolt with respect to the housing, in which the damping insert has a first stiffness along a first axis and a second, different stiffness along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, thereby enabling the damping insert to be inserted into the caster wheel assembly in either of two orientations, with the first orientation providing a first damping result and the second orientation providing a different damping result.

A wheelchair having a frame, at least two drive wheels, and at least two caster wheels, each caster wheel being supported by a caster wheel assembly comprising:

• a housing suitable for connection to the wheelchair;
• a caster mounting assembly configured to mount a caster wheel for rotation;
• a caster bolt connected to the caster mounting assembly and inserted into the housing for rotation within the housing;
• and
• a plurality of substantially flat damping inserts each damping insert having major faces oriented substantially vertically and applying a biasing force between the caster bolt and the housing to dampen the rotation of the caster bolt with respect to the housing, wherein one of the flat major faces of the damping insert is in sliding contact with the caster bolt during rotation of the caster bolt with respect to the housing, and the damping insert is engaged with the housing during rotation of the caster bolt with respect to the housing.

A wheelchair having a frame, at least two drive wheels, and at least two caster wheels, each caster wheel being supported by a caster wheel assembly comprising:

• a housing suitable for connection to the wheelchair;
• a caster mounting assembly configured to mount a caster wheel for rotation;
• a caster bolt connected to the caster mounting assembly and inserted into the housing far rotation within the housing;
• and
• a plurality substantially flat damping inserts, each having two flat major faces oriented substantially and applying a biasing force between the caster bolt and the housing to dampen the rotation of the caster bolt with respect to the housing, in which the damping insert has a first stiffness along a first axis and a second, different stiffness along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, thereby enabling the damping insert to be inserted into the caster wheel assembly in either of two orientations, with the first orientation providing a first damping result and the second orientation providing a different damping result.