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US 8,910,951 B2Granted
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.
Claims30
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 while the caster wheel arrangement travels over flat ground;
- 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, wherein the third radius of the trailing wheel is smaller than the second radius of the leading wheel.
2 more elements
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, wherein a radius of the trailing wheel is smaller than a radius of the leading wheel.
2 more elements
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 and a first rotation axis;
- a leading wheel coupled to the support frame at a position forward of the first primary wheel so that the leading wheel has a second rotation axis that is fixed relative to the first rotation axis, 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, wherein the first rotation axis of the first primary wheel is raised relative to a second rotation axis of the leading 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, the leading wheel being raised relative to the trailing wheel, and the trailing wheel being raised relative to the first primary wheel.
2 more elements
A caster wheel arrangement comprising:
- a support frame including a base and a yoke rotatably mounted to the base;
- at least a first primary wheel coupled to the yoke of the support frame, the first primary wheel having a first radius;
- a leading wheel coupled to the yoke of 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 yoke of 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, wherein the third radius of the trailing wheel is smaller than the second radius of the leading wheel.
2 more elements
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 second primary wheel coupled to the support frame, wherein the first and second primary wheels are configured to rotate about a common rotation axis;
- 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, wherein the third radius of the trailing wheel is smaller than the second radius of the leading wheel;
- wherein at least portions of the leading wheel and trailing wheel extend between the first and second primary wheels.
4 more elements
A caster wheel arrangement comprising:
- a support frame including a base and a yoke rotatably mounted to the base;
- at least a first primary wheel coupled to the yoke of the support frame, the first primary wheel having a first radius and a first rotation axis;
- a leading wheel coupled to the yoke of 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, wherein the first rotation axis of the first primary wheel is raised relative to a second rotation axis of the leading wheel;
- and
- a trailing wheel coupled to the yoke of 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.
2 more elements
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 and a first rotation axis;
- a second primary wheel coupled to the support frame, the first and second primary wheels being configured to rotate about a common rotation axis;
- 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, wherein the first rotation axis of the first primary wheel is raised relative to a second rotation axis of the leading 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;
- wherein at least portions of the leading wheel and trailing wheel extend between the first and second primary wheels.
4 more elements
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 and a first rotation axis;
- a second primary wheel coupled to the support frame, wherein the first and second primary wheels are configured to rotate about a common rotation axis.
- a leading wheel coupled to the support frame at a position forward of the first primary wheel so that the leading wheel has a second rotation axis that is fixed relative to the first rotation axis, 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, wherein the first rotation axis of the first primary wheel is raised relative to a second rotation axis of the leading 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, wherein at least portions of the leading wheel and trailing wheel extend between the first and second primary wheels.
3 more elements
A caster wheel arrangement comprising:
- a support frame, wherein the support frame includes a base and a yoke rotatably mounted to the base;
- at least a first primary wheel coupled to the yoke of the support frame, the first primary wheel having a first radius and a first rotation axis;
- a leading wheel coupled to the yoke of the support frame at a first location forward of the first primary wheel so that the leading wheel has a second rotation axis that is fixed relative to the first rotation axis, 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, wherein the first rotation axis of the first primary wheel is raised relative to a second rotation axis of the leading wheel;
- and
- a trailing wheel coupled to the yoke of the support frame at a second location 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.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.