Wheel assembly for mounting to an axle of a wheeled product

The present invention relates to an assembly for mounting a wheel to an axle as well as to enable removal of the wheel from the axle and, more particularly, to wheel assemblies of the type used on wheeled products, such as refuse carts, wheeled coolers, wagons, wheel toys, BBQ, golf trolleys and the like.

Wheel mounting assemblies designed for detachably mounting a wheel on a stub axle or shaft supported by the frame of a wheeled product are well know. For example, such assemblies may be found described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,297 issued Aug. 24, 1993 to Sanders, U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,001 issued Aug. 28, 2001 to Parker at al. or in published U.S. patent application No. 2002/0089229 published Jul. 11, 2002 In the name of Morris.

The present invention is concerned with an improved wheel assembly wherein the mounting of the wheel to one end of an axle is manually easily carried out but wherein the release of the engagement of the wheel assembly to the axle is done with the use of a tool. Preferably, the tool assisting disengagement should not be visually apparent.

The present invention therefore relates to a wheel assembly comprising:

a) a wheel having an opening; b) a locking element insertable in the opening; the element having first means in the opening engaging the wheel and detent second means for releasably engaging the axle for mounting the wheel to the axle; the second means being flexible to enable the second means to be released for engagement with the axle.

In one form of the invention, the locking element consists of a front wall, the rear of which includes a pair of rearwardly extending sections, each section including a first flexible portion for engaging the wheel and a flexible second portion for engaging the annular groove provided on the axle.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the looking element includes a front wall having one rearwardly extending section with a first portion engaging the wheel and a second flexible portion engaging the annular groove of the axle.

In one particular form of the invention, the front wall of the locking element is provided with access means to enable a tool to reach and disengage the flexible second means from the annular groove of the axle.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

In the appended drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheel assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the locking element used in the wheel assembly of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the opening of the wheel without the locking element;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the engagement of the wheel assembly to an axle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wheel assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the locking element used in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 ; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the engagement of the locking element with a wheel an the axle;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the wheel of FIG. 5 without the locking element.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wheel assembly, generally denoted 10 , consisting of a wheel 12 and a locking element 14 such as may be found on a variety of wheeled products as mentioned above.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the locking element 14 consists of a plastic molded body having U-shaped body consisting of a front wall 16 and a pair of rearward extensions 18 and 20 , Each section 18 , 20 displays, at its rearmost end, a V-shaped projection 22 , 24 consisting of an outwardly projecting arm portion 26 , 28 and an inner arm portion 30 , 32 , the function of which will be described further hereinbelow. Each projection 26 , 28 has a free end 34 , 36 with a chamfered edge 34 ′, 36 ′. The free end of the inner arm portion 30 , 32 displays a chamfered edge 38 , 40 , the top face of which displays a projection 42 , 44 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the locking element 14 is adapted to be fitted into an opening 46 in the central area 48 of the wheel 12 , the opening having a rectangular shape corresponding to the contour of the front wall 16 of the locking element.

As can be deduced from FIG. 4 , when the locking element 14 is inserted into the opening 46 of the wheel 12 , the outer arm portions 26 and 28 of the locking element are inwardly flexed as they contact the opposite corresponding edges 50 and 52 of the wheel opening 46 to slide in their respective holes 51 and 53 at the bottom of the opening. The contact of the outer faces of arm portions 26 and 28 on the edges 50 and 52 further solidifies the locking element onto the shaft should a pulling force, as indicated by arrow 70 in figure 4 , is exerted on the shaft. Thereafter, portions 26 and 28 are outwardly flexed to a position where the chamfered edges 34 ′ and 36 ′ are moved behind these adjacent wheel bore areas 54 and 56 .

Once the locking element is mounted to the wheel, as Illustrated in FIG. 4 , the wheel assembly (consisting of the wheel and the locking element) is engaged to an axle 58 having an annular groove 60 formed adjacent one end thereof. During mounting, the inner arms 30 and 32 were outwardly flexed as they contacted the outer wall of the axle until they were flexed back inwardly into the annular groove 60 . Hence, the wheel assembly is thus secured to the axle end.

The front wall 16 of the locking element displays a pair of circular openings 62 and 64 (see FIG. 2 ) allowing a tool (T) shown in FIG. 7 ) to be inserted therethrough and to contact the projections 42 and 44 of the arms enabling a disengagement of the chamfered ends 38 and 40 from the annular groove 60 and to remove the wheel assembly from the axle.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment, generally denoted 110 , of a wheel assembly in accordance with the present invention consisting of a wheel 112 and a locking element 114 , such as may be found on a variety of wheeled products as identified above.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the locking element 114 consists of a plastic molded body having a front wall 116 and a rearwardly extending portion 118 . Section 118 has an undersurface 120 which has a shape to fit the contour of a wheel axle 122 (see FIG. 5 ). Section 118 also has at the free end 124 an edge 126 , the function of which will be described hereinbelow. The rear wall 128 of the locking element also includes an edge 130 (see FIG. 7 ), the function of which will be described further hereinbelow.

The main central area of the projection 118 displays an opening 117 with a detent portion 132 displaying a front cavity 134 and V-shaped lower edge 136 also having a rounded profile to fit the contour of the axle annular groove 137 (see FIG. 7 ).

Referring to FIG. 8 , an opening 146 is provided in the central area 148 of the wheel 112 and shaped to receive the locking element therein.

As can be further seen in FIG. 7 , as the locking element 114 is inserted into the opening 146 of the wheel 112 , the detent 132 is upwardly flexed as it slides along the periphery of the axle until it drops in engagement in the annular groove 134 of the axle 122 .

Portion 160 of the wheel is confined between the edges 126 and 130 of the locking element.

Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of embodiments thereof, it may be modified, without departing from the nature and teachings of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.