Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Device for attaching wheel to axle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-21
2002-03-12
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Device for attaching wheel to axle
C301S121000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06354670
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a clamping assembly for clamping an axle of a wheel and preventing the wheel from unintentionally moving away from the axle. More specifically, the invention relates to a clamping assembly for using in the wheel of the stroller so as to clamp the axle and prevent from the wheel being unintentionally removed.
2. Description of Prior Arts
Strollers are used frequently and widely for people's caring about their children. Up to now, the safety and convenience are two most important factors to which stroller manufactures and users concern. In the axle of wheel of prior art, the easiest way to prevent from the wheel being unintentionally escaped from the axle is to use a cap-shaped stopper to engage into the ends of the axle, and thus the wheel may be stopped from escaping by the stopper. However, the cap-shaped stopper of prior art is apt to drop for unintentional collision. Therefore, the prior art can not completely prevent the wheel from escaping, and thus a danger situation may happen.
In another prior art, such as those shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the clamp comprises a seat
1
, a pair of clamping elements
2
, and a cover
3
. In the prior art, when a wheel is either engaged or disengaged into/from the axle
7
, a force is applied and pressed to the clamping elements
2
, such that two arms
4
of the clamping elements
2
are moved along walls
5
provided inside the seat
1
. When center holes
6
of the clamping elements
2
are aligned with each other, an annular groove
8
on the axle
7
may enter/exit the center holes
6
. Thereafter, due to the resilience of the arms
4
of the clamping elements
2
, the clamping elements
2
may return to a position that the force has not applied to. Thereby, the axle
7
is clamped for its annular groove
8
is clamped by the center holes
6
of the clamping elements
2
.
In the above prior art, the cover
3
may drop by unintentional collision, then the elements covered by the cover
3
, such as the clamping elements
2
, may also drop, and thus the whole clamp may be destroyed and the wheel will escape from the axle, which will cause a dangerous status for the baby seated on the stroller. In addition, the clamping elements
2
may be pressed by unintentional collision, and thus the axle
7
escapes from clamping of the center holes
6
, which may cause the wheel moving from the axle
7
. Furthermore, the clamp of the prior art is more complicated for comprising more elements, and thus its cost is higher.
In view of the problems exist in the prior art, how to design a easier rather complicated and safe damping assembly of the axle of wheel is still a very important subject for the stroller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is aimed at overcoming the problems existing in the prior art.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a clamping assembly of the axle of wheel, which, even being collided, will not separate from the axle, and thus a complete safety for the user and baby may be obtained.
Another object of the invention is to provide a clamping assembly of the axle of wheel, where the clamping element will not lose clamping function for the annular groove of the axle under intentional or unintentional collision. Therefore, the axle will not easily move away from the clamping assembly, and thus dangerous situations will not occur.
The other object of the invention is to provide a clamping assembly of the axle of wheel, where its structure is simple, and thus the cost thereof is reduced.
To accomplish the above objects, according to the invention, there is provided a clamping assembly for clamping an axle of a wheel, comprising:
a seat including an upper plate and a hollow cylinder integrally formed with the upper plate, the upper plate having a protrusion extending from the periphery of the plate with a notch, an opening on the center of the plate for connecting with the hollow cylinder, two grooves provided beside the opening and the distance between the grooves being increased as closing the notch, and two parallel walls with the same height as the protrusion being arranged on both sides of the notch;
a clamp including an arc-shaped pull positioned on the notch for completing a circle with the protrusion, said pull having two parallel arms for abutting against the two walls of the seat, and two resilient legs, the distance of the legs being gradually wider toward their ends, and a guiding block being downward extended from the end of each legs for engaging into the grooves of the seat;
a cover having an inner rim for engaging the seat; and
a rivet punching through the cover and the seat for fastening the engagement therebetween,
whereby, during engaging of the clamping assembly with the axle, by using a slant surface provided on the end of the axle, the two legs of the clamp are expended, and thus an annular groove provided on the axle may smoothly position between the two legs, and the two legs then return to their original position by their resilience, so as to assemble the axle to the clamp, while during disengaging, the pull is pulled outward, the guiding blocks are moved along the grooves, and thus the two legs are expanded, then the annular groove of the axle may disengage from the clamp.
Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific embodiment may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4043685 (1977-08-01), Hyams
patent: 5215356 (1993-06-01), Zin
patent: 5277480 (1994-01-01), Chiu
patent: 5716107 (1998-02-01), Parker et al.
patent: 5800023 (1998-09-01), Hartenstine et al.
patent: 5938294 (1999-08-01), Chan
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