Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Device for attaching wheel to axle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2001-08-28
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Device for attaching wheel to axle
C301S111040, C301S122000, C301S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280001
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a waste container with an external axle assembly and, in particular, a wheel assembly having a pultruded axle with opposing end caps for mounting wheels to the axle assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Waste containers with wheels supported by an axle assembly are well known and commonly used in waste collection systems. The wheeled waste containers increase the ease of moving the waste container, which often contains a relatively heavy load, to a curbside where the waste collection vehicle can transfer the contents of the waste container into the waste collection vehicle.
Conventional waste containers typically use an external wheel assembly incorporating a solid steel axle on which wheels are rotatably mounted on opposite ends thereof. The axles tend to corrode which results in more difficult movement of the wheels on the axle. Further, the solid axles are typically machined to provide mounting grooves and other structural elements for securing the wheel to the axle.
The cost of a solid axle and its subsequent machining is relatively expensive when compared to the overall cost of the waste container. The machining of the solid axle adds to the overall cost of the waste container and increases the manufacturing time of the waste container. Since waste containers are typically high volume items, any small reduction in the manufacturing time and relative cost is a great advantage. There is a need for a more durable and less costly wheel assembly than the prior metal axle wheel assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a waste container comprising a container body having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall that extends upwardly therefrom. The peripheral wall terminates in an upper edge to define an open top through which access can be had to the interior of the container body. The waste container further includes a wheel assembly comprising an axle assembly that is mounted to the container body and on which is rotatably mounted a pair of wheels. Each of the wheels has a central hub with a central opening for slidably receiving a portion of the axle assembly. The axle assembly further includes a pair of retainers mounted on the axle assembly to retain each of the wheels on the axle assembly. Each retainer has a keeper that is received in an indentation on the axle assembly to releasably retain the retainer on the axle assembly. The improvement in the waste container comprises the axle assembly comprising an elongated axle having axial bores and opposing ends and a pair of end caps. Each of the end caps has a head portion and a shank portion. The shank portion is secured in one of the axial bores of the axle and the indentation is formed in the end cap head.
The elongated axle is preferably formed by pultruding a synthetic thermoplastic resin. The end caps are preferably metal, with the indentations formed by machining grooves in the head of the end caps. Alternatively, the end caps can be made of injected molded synthetic resin.
The axial bores in the axle can be tapped and the shank of the end cap can be threaded to permit the screwing of the shank into the tapped bore. Alternatively, the shanks can be made slightly larger in diameter than the corresponding axial bore diameter so that the shanks of the end caps are press-fit into the axial bores.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a waste container comprising a container body having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The peripheral wall terminates at an upper edge to define an open top. The waste container further comprises a wheel assembly comprising an axle assembly mounted to the container body, a wheel having a central hub with a central opening for slidably receiving a portion of the axle assembly, and a retainer releasably mounted to the axle assembly for releasably retaining the wheel on the axle. The improvement in the waste container comprises the axle assembly comprising an elongated axle formed of a pultruded fiber-filled synthetic resin and further comprising a pair of separate end caps, each of which is mounted to an opposing end of the axle.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a wheel assembly comprising a wheel having a central hub with a central opening. The wheel assembly further includes an axle assembly comprising an elongated axle formed of a pultruded fiber-filled synthetic resin and further comprising a pair of separate end caps, each of which is mounted to an opposing end of the axle. Additionally, the wheel assembly includes a retainer mounted to the end cap and of a size to block the sliding removable of the wheel from the end of the axle.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 30770 (1981-10-01), Shobert et al.
patent: 3870371 (1975-03-01), Solomon
patent: 4043685 (1977-08-01), Hyams
patent: 4154634 (1979-05-01), Shobert et al.
patent: 4193639 (1980-03-01), Pauly et al.
patent: 4458400 (1984-07-01), Friedericy et al.
patent: 4515737 (1985-05-01), Karino et al.
patent: 4816102 (1989-03-01), Cavin et al.
patent: 4938823 (1990-07-01), Balazek et al.
patent: 4983453 (1991-01-01), Beall
patent: 5013512 (1991-05-01), Maimstrom
patent: 5030408 (1991-07-01), Hirao et al.
patent: 5120380 (1992-06-01), Stracham
patent: 5215356 (1993-06-01), Lin
patent: 5324377 (1994-06-01), Davies
patent: 5408854 (1995-04-01), Chiu
patent: 5585155 (1996-12-01), Heikkila et al.
patent: 5632837 (1997-05-01), Carmien
patent: 5716107 (1998-02-01), Parker et al.
patent: 5884982 (1999-03-01), Yemini
patent: 5957544 (1999-09-01), Hu
Herrick Roger D.
Parker Brian G.
Wysocki Edward H.
Bellinger Jason R.
Cascade Engineering, Inc.
Morano S. Joseph
Rader, Fishman, Grauer & McGarry
LandOfFree
Waste container and wheel assembly with pultruded axle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Waste container and wheel assembly with pultruded axle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Waste container and wheel assembly with pultruded axle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2498466