Wheel assembly for a baby walker or stroller

Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Casters

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C016S01800R

Reexamination Certificate

active

06332240

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel assembly for a child's wheeled gear (e.g., a baby walker or stroller) with improved smooth rotation, safety, and aesthetically pleasing effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 10
of the drawings illustrates a conventional wheel assembly for a baby walker or stroller. The wheel assembly includes a wheel seat
1
′ having a hub
121
′ and a tube
11
′ formed on a side thereof and connected to the hub
121
′ via ribs
12
′. A tubular connecting member
3
′ is mounted around the tube
11
′ and a connecting post
2
′ is extended through a longitudinal hole
31
′ of the tubular connecting member
3
′. The tubular connecting member
3
′ further includes outer threading
32
′ for engaging with a frame of the baby walker or stroller. Thus, the wheel seat
1
′ is rotatable through 360° relative to the frame of the baby walker or stroller. Two wheels
4
′ are mounted on both sides of the hub
121
′ and an axle
5
′ is extended through the hub
121
′ and axle holes
41
′ of the wheels
41
.
It is, however, found that dust and/or alien objects tend to enter the exposed axle holes
41
′ of this wheel assembly such that friction to the axle
5
′ is increased. As a result, the wheels
4
′ may not rotate smoothly. The exposed ends of the axle
5
′ adversely affect the aesthetically pleasing effect. In addition, referring to
FIG. 11
, the wheels
4
′ are not shielded such that the wheels
4
′ cannot be stopped by objects having a height lower than a radius of the wheel
4
′. More specifically, it is possible for the child in the baby walker or stroller to move to a dangerous place and thus gets hurt if adult is not aware of the situation. If obstacles are provided to avoid such situation, walking inconvenience to adults is incurred. Furthermore, the baby or child may reach his/her fingers or toes into a space “A” (
FIG. 12
) between the wheels
4
′ and thus be injured.
FIG. 13
of the drawings illustrates another conventional wheel assembly for a baby walker or stroller. The wheel assembly includes a wheel seat
6
′ having a semi-ball like body
62
′ with an axle hole
63
′ therein and a tube
61
′ extended upward therefrom. A tubular connecting member
8
′ is mounted around the tube
61
′ and a connecting post
7
′ is extended through the tubular connecting member
8
′. The tubular connecting member
8
′ further includes outer threading (not labeled) for engaging with a frame of the baby walker or stroller. Thus, the wheel seat
6
′ is rotatable through 360° relative to the frame of the baby walker or stroller. A larger semi-ball like wheel
9
′ is mounted to a side of the wheel seat
6
′ and an axle
92
′ is extended through the axle hole
63
′ in the wheel seat
6
′ and an axle hole
93
′ of the wheel
9
′. The wheel
9
′ includes a wheel rim
91
′ having a diameter larger than that of the body
62
′ and in contact with ground for rolling.
Nevertheless, dust and/or alien objects also tend to enter the exposed axle holes
93
′ and
63
′ of this wheel assembly such that friction to the axle
92
′ is increased. As a result, the wheel
9
′ may not rotate smoothly. The exposed ends of the axle
92
′ adversely affect the aesthetically pleasing effect. In addition, it is possible for the child in the baby walker or stroller to move to a dangerous place and thus gets hurt if adult is not aware of the situation, as the wheel
9
′ is not shielded. Furthermore, the baby or child may reach his/her fingers or toes into a space between the wheel
9
′ and the body
62
′ and thus be injured.
The present invention is intended to provide an improved wheel assembly that mitigates and/or obviates the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved wheel assembly for a child's wheeled gear (e.g., a baby walker or stroller) having an almost completely hidden wheel to avoid entry of dust or alien objects into the axle and to provide an aesthetically pleasing effect.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved wheel assembly for a baby walker or stroller having a stop so as to be easily stopped by a short obstacle to prevent potential injury to the child in the baby walker or stroller.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a wheel assembly for a child's wheeled gear comprises:
an upper shield comprising a connecting means adapted to be connected to a frame of the child's wheeled gear, thereby allowing the upper shield to rotate relative to the frame, the upper shield further comprising two opposite walls defining an upper compartment therebetween, the opposite walls including a pair of aligned axle receiving holes,
a lower shield connected to the upper shield, the lower shield comprising a lower compartment that aligns with the upper compartment,
a wheel rotatably received in the upper compartment and a lower compartment and having a lower end extended beyond the lower compartment, the wheel including an axle hole, and
an axle extended through the axle hole of the wheel and the axle receiving holes of the upper shield,
wherein the upper shield and the lower shield cover the axle hole of the wheel and the axle to prevent entrance of alien objects.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a wheel assembly for a child's wheeled gear comprises:
an upper shield comprising a connecting means adapted to be connected to a frame of the child's wheeled gear, thereby allowing the upper shield to rotate relative to the frame, the upper shield further comprising an upper compartment,
a lower shield connected to the upper shield, the lower shield comprising two opposite walls defining a lower compartment therebetween, the lower compartment being aligned with the upper compartment, the opposite walls of the lower shield including a pair of aligned axle receiving holes,
a wheel rotatably received in the upper compartment and a lower compartment and having a lower end extended beyond the lower compartment, the wheel including an axle hole, and
an axle extended through the axle hole of the wheel and the axle receiving holes of the lower shield,
wherein the upper shield and the lower shield cover the axle hole of the wheel and the axle to prevent entrance of alien objects.
The upper shield further comprises at least one positioning hole and the lower shield further comprises at least one positioning peg for engaging with said at least one positioning hole.
The upper shield further comprises a first engaging ledge on a lower end thereof and the lower shield further comprises a second engaging ledge on an upper end thereof for engaging with the first engaging ledge.
The upper shield further comprises at least one upper engaging hole therein and the lower shield further comprises at least one lower engaging hole aligned with said at least one upper engaging hole, and further comprising at least one screw extended through said at least one lower engaging hole and said at least one upper engaging hole.
At least one of the upper shield and the lower shield comprises a plurality of reinforcing ribs. The lower shield further comprises a stop on an outer periphery thereof so as to be stopped by an obstacle when desired.
Each axle receiving hole includes an access having a width slightly smaller than a diameter of the axle, thereby allowing the axle to be forcibly inserted into the axle receiving hole via the access.
The upper or lower shield further comprises a second pair of aligned axle receiving holes at a level different from that of the first-mentioned pair of axle receiving holes for optional engagement of the axle to one of the first pair of axle receiving holes and the second

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