U.S. patent application number 11/951139 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-25 for wheel caster glide.
Invention is credited to Dennis Healy.
Application Number | 20080230670 11/951139 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39773738 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080230670 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Healy; Dennis |
September 25, 2008 |
WHEEL CASTER GLIDE
Abstract
A wheel caster glide receives caster wheels therein and employs
wheel engaging members to keep the glide removably engaged with the
wheel in absence of sufficient removal force.
Inventors: |
Healy; Dennis; (Portland,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATENTTM.US
P. O. BOX 82788
PORTLAND
OR
97282-0788
US
|
Family ID: |
39773738 |
Appl. No.: |
11/951139 |
Filed: |
December 5, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60868728 |
Dec 5, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/346.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 91/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/346.11 |
International
Class: |
A47B 91/06 20060101
A47B091/06 |
Claims
1. A wheel caster glide, comprising: a wheel receiving portion; and
a wheel engaging portion for removably engaging the wheel to
encourage the wheel and caster glide to remain in engaged
relation.
2. The wheel caster glide according to claim 1, wherein said wheel
receiving portion comprises at least first and second opposing
members defining a space therebetween for accommodating a caster
wheel therein and wherein said wheel engaging portion comprises at
least one stop member defined on one of said first and second
members for providing a stop to resist removal of the castor wheel
when accommodated in said space.
3. The wheel caster glide according to claim 1, wherein said wheel
engaging portion comprises a raised stop member along a face or
edge of one of said first and second members extending in a
direction of said space.
4. The wheel caster glide according to claim 3, wherein said raised
stop member extends substantially along an entire face or edge of
one of said first and second members.
5. The wheel caster glide according to claim 3, wherein said raised
stop member extends less than along substantially an entire face or
edge of one of said first and second members.
6. A wheel caster glide, comprising: a wheel receiving portion
having a receiving region of width equal to or greater than the
diameter of a wheel to be received therein; and a wheel engaging
portion for defined to provide a width region in said wheel
receiving portion less than the diameter of the wheel, whereby a
wheel is restrained against removal from said wheel receiving
portion by engagement of the wheel and said wheel engaging portion,
absent sufficient removal force to deform the engaging portion or
the receiving portion or the wheel engaging the wheel, for
encouraging the wheel and caster glide to remain in engaged
relation absent sufficient removal force.
7. The wheel caster glide according to claim 7, wherein said wheel
engaging portion comprises at least one stop member defined in said
wheel receiving region.
8. The wheel caster glide according to claim 7, wherein said wheel
engaging portion comprises a raised member for narrowing a portion
of said receiving region width.
9. The wheel caster glide according to claim 8, wherein said raised
member extends substantially along a length of the wheel.
10. The wheel caster glide according to claim 8, wherein said
raised member extends less than substantially a length of the
wheel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to caster wheels, and more
particularly to a wheel caster glide for receiving caster wheels
therein.
[0002] With items having castor wheels, such as furniture articles,
it is often desirable to provide a protective member between the
wheel portion and the floor or carpet, in order to minimize
scratching of floors or to spread the weight of the furniture over
a larger area to minimize deformation of the carpet resulting from
long term compression from the weight of the furniture article.
These protective members have typically been disk shaped members,
but they are easily disassociated from the wheel if the furniture
is lifted or moved, resulting in scratching or marring of the floor
from the wheel or of excessive compression of the carpet in a small
area as a result of the user not realizing that the protector has
become disassociated from the wheel. This can lead to frustration
and annoyance for the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In accordance with the invention, a wheel caster glide
comprises a receiving member for receiving a caster wheel therein,
providing a larger base for engagement with a floor.
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an improved wheel caster glide.
[0005] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
an improved wheel caster glide that receives a caster wheel in
removable engagement.
[0006] The subject matter of the present invention is particularly
pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of
this specification. However, both the organization and method of
operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof,
may best be understood by reference to the following description
taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like
reference characters refer to like elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheel caster glide;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wheel caster glide with a
wheel placed therein;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wheel caster glide
illustrating the manner of placement of a wheel therein;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a top view of the wheel caster glide;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG.
4;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a side view of the wheel caster glide; and
[0013] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the wheel caster glide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The system according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention comprises a member adapted to engagingly receive
a caster wheel therein to provide an improved base for placement on
a floor or carpet.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, the wheel caster glide comprises a base
12 which is substantially circular in the illustrated embodiment,
with vertically extending wheel receiving well frame 14 mounted
thereon. Inside frame 14, a wheel engaging lip 16 is provided along
an interior face near the peripheral edge of the frame 14, with a
corresponding wheel engaging lip 16' being provided along the
opposing interior face in a corresponding location (not visible in
FIG. 1). A wheel receiving space 18 is defined within the frame 14,
having a curved bottom shape to conform to a typical castor wheel
profile. An axle receiving area 20 is provided at the opposite side
walls from the walls carrying engaging lips 16, 16', providing a
space for the ends of the wheel axles to be received. An axle
support frame receiving area 22 is also provided, shaped and sized
to provide a space to allow the frame portion supporting the axle
to be received.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates the castor wheel glide with a caster
wheel 24 position therein. The castor wheel comprises a wheel axle
supporting frame 26 which mounts an axle 28 (visible in FIG. 3)
between the downwardly extending arms 30 of the frame, a castor
wheel 32 being carried on the axle. The top of the frame carries an
upwardly extending post 34 which is adapted to engage with the
article to which the wheel is mounted, which may comprise a piece
of furniture, such as a bed frame, for example.
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of placing the castor wheel
into the castor wheel glide. The wheel is suitably lowered in the
direction of arrow 36. As the wheel enters into the well defined by
frame 14, the lip portions 16, 16' define therebetween a distance
slightly less than the diameter of the caster wheel, while the
frame walls define a distance at least as wide as the diameter of
the wheel. The frame or lip portions (or both) are sufficiently
pliable to allow deformation to let the wheel pass by the lip
portions and into the well on insertion of the wheel with a certain
amount of force, whereupon the frame returns to substantially the
original configuration such that the lip portions act as lock or
engaging members such that the caster wheel glide will remain
engaged with the wheel, until the caster glide is intentionally
removed from engagement with the castor wheel by sufficient force
to deform the engaging member sufficiently to allow pulling the
wheel and caster glide apart to remove the wheel out of the well.
Accordingly, the glide 10 is likely to remain engaged with the
wheel even if the furniture or article to which the castor wheel is
mounted is lifted or moved, until such time as the glide is
purposefully removed from engagement with the wheel.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a top view of the caster wheel glide illustrating
the various components thereof. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view
taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a said view.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the caster wheel glide. In the
illustrated embodiment, the glide is made of a molded plastic, and
the curved shape of the bottom of the wheel receiving well 18 is
provided via curved bottom portion 18'. Rib members 38 provide
support strength.
[0020] The device can be manufactured in various sizes to
accommodate various caster wheel configurations and sizes.
[0021] Accordingly, an improved wheel caster glide is provided that
stays engaged with the wheel unless explicitly removed by the
user.
[0022] While the illustrated embodiment shows the engaging lips 16,
16' as extending substantially the width of the walls of portion
14, this is not required. An the lip portions can extend only a
portion of the width, for example in a 6 cm wide portion 14, the
lips may be 8 mm in length. Further, while illustrated at the
peripheral edge, the lips may suitably be positioned lower in the
wall. In a particular embodiment, the upper portion of the lip is 8
mm below the top edge of the wall of portion 14, the lip is 8 mm in
length, and the lip is 1 to 2 mm in height, extending into the well
region less than 1 mm. An alternative version of the device employs
a single lip portion 16 or 16', rather than both, as a single lip
portion.
[0023] The while the illustrated embodiment provides a
substantially circular configuration of the base portion of the
wheel castor glide, it can be of other configurations, such as
square, rectangular, or multi-sided, whether regular equal shape
edges or irregular.
[0024] A typical material of which the wheel castor glide is made
is plastic, such as by injection molding, but other manufacturing
methods and materials can be employed.
[0025] While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has
been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in
the art that many changes and modifications may be made without
departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended
claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and
modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *