IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0320365
(2005-12-28)
|
등록번호 |
US-7350269
(2008-04-01)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Dominic,Dennis Paul
- Lucas,Joe Edwin
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Dominic,Dennis Paul
- Lucas,Joe Edwin
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Patzik, Frank & Samotny Ltd.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
▼
An adjustable caster comprising a reversible mounting bracket offering added flexibility in adjusting the height of the caster and configured to removably attach to a structure to be supported by the adjustable caster; an internally threaded sleeve mounted to and extending from the mounting bracket,
An adjustable caster comprising a reversible mounting bracket offering added flexibility in adjusting the height of the caster and configured to removably attach to a structure to be supported by the adjustable caster; an internally threaded sleeve mounted to and extending from the mounting bracket, the sleeve having proximal and distal ends and a sleeve axis extending there between; an externally threaded stem configured to be removably threaded into the sleeve at either the distal or proximal end; a caster wheel assembly attached to the stem; and an adjustment assembly operatively associated with the stem and fully accessible to a user of the caster when the caster is assembled and the mounting bracket is attached to the caster-supported structure, the vertical adjustment assembly configured to adjust the vertical displacement of the stem along the sleeve axis.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. An adjustable caster for supporting a structure above a floor and for leveling an operational surface of the structure relative to the floor, the caster capable of adjustment while attached to and supporting the structure, comprising: a) a mounting assembly attached to the structure; b
We claim: 1. An adjustable caster for supporting a structure above a floor and for leveling an operational surface of the structure relative to the floor, the caster capable of adjustment while attached to and supporting the structure, comprising: a) a mounting assembly attached to the structure; b) a stem comprising a first and second end, the first end configured to be removably and adjustably attached to the mounting assembly; c) a caster wheel assembly operatively associated with the second end of the stem, the castor wheel assembly comprising a wheel and a wheel bracket; and d) an adjustment assembly operatively associated with the stem and accessible to a user of the adjustable caster when the adjustable caster is assembled and attached to the caster supported structure, the adjustment assembly configured to adjust the displacement of the stem relative to the mounting assembly and, in turn the displacement of the caster wheel assembly relative to the mounting assembly and the displacement of the supported structure relative to the floor, the adjustment assembly comprising an adjustment member operatively associated with the second end of the stem and disposed on the stem below the wheel bracket, the adjusting member being manipulable to permit adjustment of the displacement of the caster wheel assembly relative to the mounting assembly and the supported structure and, in turn, to level the operational surface relative to the floor when the caster is attached to and supporting the structure, the wheel remaining in operable contact with the floor when the operational surface has been leveled by manipulation of the adjustment member, and a locking member configured to be operatively attached to the first end of the stem, wherein the mounting assembly comprises a mounting bracket comprising: a plate having a top and bottom surface, the plate configured to removably attach to the structure to be supported by the adjustable caster; and a sleeve comprising a proximal end mounted to and extending from the bottom surface of the plate, a distal end, and a sleeve axis extending between the proximal and distal ends, and wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to adjust the displacement of the stem along the sleeve axis. 2. The adjustable caster of claim 1 wherein the sleeve comprises internal threads and wherein the stem comprises external threads corresponding to the internal threads of the sleeve and wherein the adjustment member comprises a nut permanently affixed to the stem to enable conjoint rotation of the adjustment member and stem, and the locking member comprises a nut threaded onto the stem and configured to travel in opposing directions on the stem. 3. The adjustable caster of claim 1 wherein the caster is adapted to support a piece of kitchen equipment having a horizontal operational surface, the horizontal operational surface requiring leveling for proper operation. 4. The adjustable caster of claim 1 wherein the caster wheel assembly comprises a plated caster comprising a base plate for mounting the plated caster to a structure to be supported by the caster, and a caster wheel mounted to the base plate, and wherein the adjustable caster further comprises an adapter having a bottom surface configured to removably mate to the base plate, and a top surface mounted to the second end of the stem. 5. The adjustable caster of claim 1 wherein the caster wheel assembly comprises a swiveling caster. 6. The adjustable caster of claim 1 wherein the mounting bracket is reversible and further comprises a bore extending from the top surface of the plate to the bottom surface of the plate and the sleeve is mounted to the bottom surface of the plate to be concentric with the bore, and the mounting bracket configured to attach to the caster supported structure in a first position enabling access to the sleeve through the distal end of the sleeve and a second position enabling access to the sleeve through the proximal end of the sleeve. 7. A method of supporting a structure having an operational surface above a floor with an adjustable caster and leveling the operational surface, the method comprising: a) providing a mounting bracket comprising a plate having a top and bottom surface and a sleeve comprising a proximal end mounted to and extending from the bottom surface of the plate, a distal end, and a sleeve axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; b) removably attaching the plate to the structure to be supported by the adjustable caster, c) removably inserting a first end of a stem to the sleeve along the sleeve axis; d) operatively attaching a caster wheel assembly to a second end of the stem, the caster wheel assembly comprising a wheel and a wheel bracket; e) providing an adjustment assembly operatively associated with the stem and accessible to a user of the adjustable caster, the adjustment assembly comprising an adjustment member operatively associated with the second end of the stem and disposed on the stem below the wheel bracket, and a locking member configured to be operatively attached to the first end of the stem; f) attaching the caster to a surface of the supported structure such that the caster is disposed between the supported structure and the floor; g) after attaching the caster to a surface of the supported structure, adjusting the displacement of the wheel bracket relative to the mounting bracket and, in turn, the displacement of the wheel bracket relative to the supported structure and the displacement of the supported structure relative to the floor by engaging the adjustment member below the wheel bracket and displacing the stem within the sleeve along the sleeve axis to level the operational surface, the wheel remaining in operable contact with the floor when the operational surface has been leveled by displacing the stem; and h) locking the caster height into position by displacing the locking member along the stem until the locking member abuts the distal end of the sleeve. 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of: a) providing the sleeve with internal threads; b) disposing external threading on the stem, the external threading corresponding to the internal threads of the sleeve; and wherein the adjustment member comprises a nut permanently affixed to the stem to enable conjoint rotation of the adjustment member and stem, and the locking member comprises a nut threaded onto the stem and configured to travel in opposing directions on the stem. 9. The method of claim 7 wherein the structure to be supported by the caster is a piece of kitchen equipment having a horizontal operational surface, the horizontal operational surface requiring leveling for proper operation. 10. The method of claim 7 wherein the caster wheel assembly comprises a plated caster comprising a base plate for mounting the plated caster to a structure to be supported by the caster, and a caster wheel mounted to the base plate, and wherein the adjustable caster further comprises an adapter having a bottom surface configured to removably mate to the base plate, and a top surface mounted to the second end of the stem. 11. The method of claim 7 wherein the caster wheel assembly comprises a swiveling caster. 12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of providing a reversible mounting bracket, the reversible mounting bracket comprising a bore extending from the top surface of the plate to the bottom surface of the plate and the sleeve is mounted to the bottom surface of the plate to be concentric with the bore, and the mounting bracket configured to attach to the caster supported structure in a first position enabling access to the sleeve through the distal end of the sleeve and a second position enabling access to the sleeve through the proximal end of the sleeve.
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