Durable, quiet hubless caster technology
AssigneeNgs Capital Management, LLC
InventorKyle C. Stoehr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a hubless caster that is at least as aesthetically pleasing as prior art hubless casters but that is significantly more durable. In one aspect, a hubless caster is provided that includes a frame member having two opposed sides. A generally ring-shaped mount portion projects from at least one of the two opposed sides of the frame member. In some embodiments, the hubless caster has the following three components mounted on the mount portion, in sequence moving radially outwardly from the mount portion: a) an annular backbone member defining an inner bearing race, b) a rolling element, and c) a wheel defining an outer bearing race.
Claims20
A hubless caster having an open central corridor and comprising, in sequence moving radially outwardly, a generally cylindrical innermost wall configured as a retention wall, a generally cylindrical mount portion, a bearing, and a wheel, the retention wall defining a radially inwardly oriented facing surface, the retention wall being a single integral wall consisting of a single body, the radially inwardly oriented facing surface being exposed to the hubless caster's central corridor, the generally cylindrical mount portion comprising a ring-shaped wall radially inside of which the generally cylindrical innermost wall is nested concentrically, the bearing being mounted on the generally cylindrical mount portion such that the ring-shaped wall is nested concentrically radially inside the bearing, the retention wall preventing the bearing from moving transversely off the mount portion by virtue of having a retainer lip carried directly against a transverse side of the bearing, the retention wall being molded to the generally cylindrical mount portion such that the retainer lip extends around and embraces, by being in contact with, the transverse side of the bearing.
A hubless caster having an open central corridor and comprising, in sequence moving radially outwardly, a generally cylindrical retention wall, a generally cylindrical mount portion, a bearing, and a wheel, the retention wall being a single integral wall consisting of a single body, the generally cylindrical mount portion comprising a ring-shaped wall radially inside of which the generally cylindrical retention wall is nested concentrically, the bearing being mounted on the generally cylindrical mount portion such that the ring-shaped wall is nested concentrically radially inside the bearing, the retention wall preventing the bearing from moving transversely off the mount portion by virtue of having a retainer lip carried directly against a transverse side of the bearing, the retention wall being molded to the generally cylindrical mount portion such that the retainer lip extends around and embraces, by being in contact with, the transverse side of the bearing, and wherein the hubless caster comprises a frame member from which the generally cylindrical mount portion projects transversely outwardly, the bearing being held on the generally cylindrical mount portion by virtue of being sandwiched directly between the central frame member and the retainer lip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.