Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Device for attaching wheel to axle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-02-27
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Device for attaching wheel to axle
C301S124200, C403S322200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193325
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device for a baby stroller frame and a hub, and more particularly to a quick-release fixing device for reliably connecting a hub to a baby stroller frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2
illustrate a conventional fixing device
1
for a baby stroller frame and a hub. The fixing device
1
includes a quick-release rod
11
having a front end connected to an end (with a lobe) of a lever
12
. The quick-release rod
11
is extended through a plastic block
13
, a washer
14
, and a tube
15
with outer threading. The rod
15
is then extended through two bearings
17
in a hub
16
, and two nuts
18
are respectively mounted to two ends of the rod
15
. A sleeve
19
is threadedly engaged with one of the ends of the threaded rod
15
that extends beyond the hub
16
. A threaded distal end
111
of the quick-release rod
11
extends beyond the sleeve
19
and engages with a resilient block
20
and a pressing block
21
and then fastened in place by a nut
22
. The pressing block
21
is biased leftward with its conic section
211
bearing against a conic hole
201
in the resilient block
20
. Thus, the resilient block
20
expands radially outward to tightly bear against an inner periphery of a tube
23
of the stroller frame. The stroller frame and the hub are thus securely engaged together. When the lever
12
is pivoted upward (FIG.
2
), the quick-release rod
11
is moved rightward such that the pressing block
21
no longer presses against the resilient block
20
. As a result, the resilient block
20
shrinks inward and thus does not bear against the inner periphery of the tube
23
, thereby allowing rapid detachment of the hub
16
from the tube
23
.
Nevertheless, the lever
12
might be inadvertently impinged and thus cause undesired detachment of the hub
16
during movement of the baby stroller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a fixing device for reliable connection between a baby stroller frame and a hub.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fixing device for a baby stroller frame and a hub including a hazard indication function to avoid the risk of detachment of the hub from the stroller frame resulting from shock or inadvertent impingement.
The above-mentioned objects are achieved by a fixing device for a baby stroller frame and a hub in accordance with the present invention. The fixing device includes:
a hub including an axial hole having two ends, each said end of the hub having a bearing mounted therein;
a shaft being tubular and having an appropriate length, the shaft including a longitudinal hole having two ends, each said end of the shaft including a compartment having a diameter greater than that of the longitudinal hole of the shaft, one of the ends of the shaft including an outer periphery with an outer threading formed thereon, the shaft being extended through the bearings in the hub and locked in place by a nut that is threadedly engaged with the outer threading of the shaft, the other end of the shaft being extended beyond the hub and including two radial holes, a ball being partially received in each said radial hole and partially exposed beyond said radial hole;
a core rod including an enlarged first end and a second end with a neck portion and a groove, a spring being mounted around the core rod, the core rod being extended through the longitudinal hole of the shaft with the enlarged first end of the core rod extended beyond said one of the ends of the shaft with the outer threading, the spring being received in one of the compartments defined in said one of the ends of the shaft, a C-clip being mounted in the groove and retained in the other compartment defined in the other end of the shaft;
a dust cap being a soft cap made of plastic material with resiliency to provide a chamber for receiving the enlarged first end of the core rod that is extended beyond the shaft, the dust cap including a dome that forms a push portion and a skirt that forms a connecting portion having a diameter smaller than that of the dome, the dust cap preventing entrance of dust into the axial hole of the hub; and
a fixing sleeve securely mounted in the tube of the baby stroller frame, the fixing sleeve including a longitudinal hole through which a portion of the shaft outside the hub extends, the balls on the shaft being biased outward by the core rod and thus exposed at a position bearing against an end of the fixing sleeve, thereby completing assembly of the baby stroller frame and the hub.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4477121 (1984-10-01), Atkins
patent: 4679862 (1987-07-01), Luo
patent: 5121973 (1992-06-01), Phillips
patent: 5215356 (1993-06-01), Lin
patent: 5692851 (1997-12-01), Pace
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