초록 ▼

Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded body that has a tread surface, first and second sidewalls and an axis. The body may be configured to rotate about the axis.

Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded body that has a tread surface, first and second sidewalls and an axis. The body may be configured to rotate about the axis. The tread surface may extend circumferentially around the body and may extend between the first and second sidewalls. A first region of the tread surface may be disposed between the first sidewall and a part line of the blow-molded body. A second region of the tread surface may be disposed between the first region and the part line. A first radial distance from the axis to the first region may exceed a second radial distance from the axis to the second region by at least a first predetermined threshold.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A children's ride-on vehicle, comprising: a body having at least one seat sized for a child; a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel, wherein at least one of the plurality o

We claim: 1. A children's ride-on vehicle, comprising: a body having at least one seat sized for a child; a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel, wherein at least one of the plurality of wheels is a blow-molded wheel that comprises: a blow-molded body having a diameter, a tread surface, first and second sidewalls, a part line, and an axis, wherein the body is configured to rotate about the axis, wherein the tread surface and the part line extend circumferentially around the body and between the first and second sidewalls; a first region of the tread surface, wherein the first region is disposed between the first sidewall and the part line of the blow-molded body; and a second region of the tread surface, wherein the second region is disposed between the first region and the part line, wherein a first radial distance from the axis to the first region exceeds a second radial distance from the axis to the second region by at least a first predetermined threshold, wherein the first predetermined threshold is greater than the larger of ⅛ inch and 0.1% of the diameter; a steering assembly comprising a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat, and a steering linkage adapted to convey the steering inputs to the at least one steerable wheel; and a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart first regions; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart second regions, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the circumferentially spaced-apart first regions is disposed between at least a portion of at least one of the circumferentially spaced-apart second regions and the first sidewall. 3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the circumferentially spaced-apart second regions extends axially toward the first sidewall between at least a portion of adjacent ones of the plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart first regions. 4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second tread portions that define a plurality of tread blocks on the tread surface, and further wherein the plurality of tread blocks are separated and spaced-apart from each other on the tread surface. 5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a third region of the tread surface, wherein the third region is disposed between the second region and the second sidewall, wherein a third radial distance from the axis to the third region exceeds the second radial distance by at least a second predetermined threshold. 6. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a fourth region of the tread surface, wherein the fourth region is disposed between at least a portion of the third region and the second sidewall, wherein the third radial distance exceeds a fourth radial distance from the axis to the fourth region by at least a third predetermined threshold. 7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the fourth region is disposed between the part line and the second sidewall. 8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the part line is circular. 9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined threshold is four millimeters. 10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive assembly further comprises: a motor assembly comprising at least one electric motor, and a battery assembly adapted to selectively energize the motor assembly. 11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the body is blow-molded in a mold comprising first and second mold portions, the first and second mold portions are configured to separate in a direction parallel to the axis, and the part line is defined by an interface between the first and second mold portions; one of the first and second mold portions comprises first and second tread-molding portions, the first tread-molding portion is configured to mold the first region of the tread surface, and the second tread-molding portion is configured to mold the second region of the tread surface; and the first radial distance sufficiently exceeds the second radial distance such that at least a portion of the second tread-molding portion interferes with the first region of the tread surface and thereby impedes removal of the blow-molded body from the mold. 12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first radial distance from the axis to the first region of the tread surface of the blow-molded body exceeds a third radial distance from the axis to the second tread-molding portion of the mold by at least a second predetermined threshold. 13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the blow-molded body shrinks after blow-molding such that the first radial distance from the axis to the first region of the tread surface of the blow-molded body becomes a first reduced radial distance, and the first reduced radial distance exceeds the third radial distance from the axis to the second tread-molding portion of the mold. 14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the blow-molded body is subject to elastic deformation such that the first radial distance from the axis to the first region of the tread surface of the blow-molded body may be elastically reduced to a first reduced radial distance, and the first reduced radial distance exceeds the third radial distance from the axis to the second tread-molding portion of the mold. 15. A children's ride-on vehicle, comprising: a body having at least one seat sized for a child; a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel; a steering assembly comprising a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat, and a steering linkage adapted to convey the steering inputs to the at least one steerable wheel; and a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel; and wherein at least one of the plurality of wheels is a blow-molded wheel that is blow-molded in a mold comprising first and second mold portions, wherein the first and second mold portions collectively define a mold cavity configured to mold a wheel having a tread surface, first and second sidewalls and an axis, wherein the first and second mold portions are configured to separate in a direction parallel to the axis of the wheel, wherein at least one of the first and second mold portions comprises: a first tread-molding portion, wherein the first tread-molding portion is configured to mold at least a first region of the tread surface, wherein the first region is disposed between the first sidewall and a part line defined by an interface between the first and second mold portions; at least one second tread-molding portion, wherein the second tread-molding portion is configured to mold a second region of the tread surface, wherein the second region is disposed between the first region and the part line, wherein the second tread-molding portion is configured to move inwardly and outwardly relative to the first tread-molding portion between a molding position and a release position, wherein the molding position comprises: the second tread-molding portion positioned relative to the first tread-molding portion such that a first radial distance from the axis to at least a first region of the first tread-molding portion exceeds a second radial distance from the axis to at least a second region of the second tread-molding portion by a first predetermined threshold distance; and the release position comprises: the second tread-molding portion positioned relative to the first tread-molding portion such that a third radial distance from the axis to a third region of the second tread-molding portion is at least as great as a distance corresponding to a fourth radial distance from the axis to a fourth region of the first tread-molding portion less a second predetermined threshold distance, wherein the fourth region of the first tread-molding portion is adjacent the third region of the second tread-molding portion when the second tread-molding portion is in the release position; and wherein, after the blow-molded wheel has been blow-molded into a shape corresponding to the shape of the mold cavity, the at least one second tread-molding portion must be moved from the molding position to the release position to permit separation of the first and second mold portions such that the blow-molded wheel can be released from the mold. 16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first predetermined threshold distance is selected such that the blow-molded wheel may not be removed from the first and second mold portions without damaging the wheel unless the at least one second tread-molding portion is in the release position. 17. A children's ride-on vehicle, comprising: a body having at least one seat sized for a child; a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel, wherein at least one of the plurality of wheels is a blow-molded wheel that comprises: a blow-molded body having a tread surface, first and second sidewalls and an axis, wherein the body is configured to rotate about the axis, wherein the tread surface extends circumferentially around the body and extends between the first and second sidewalls; a first region of the tread surface, wherein the first region is disposed between the first sidewall and a part line of the blow-molded body; and a second region of the tread surface, wherein the second region is disposed between the first region and the part line, wherein a first radial distance from the axis to the first region exceeds a second radial distance from the axis to the second region by at least a first predetermined threshold; a steering assembly comprising a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a child sitting on the at least one seat, and a steering linkage adapted to convey the steering inputs to the at least one steerable wheel; and a drive assembly adapted to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel; wherein: the body is blow-molded in a mold comprising first and second mold portions, the first and second mold portions are configured to separate in a direction parallel to the axis, and the part line is defined by an interface between the first and second mold portions; one of the first and second mold portions comprises first and second tread-molding portions, the first tread-molding portion is configured to mold the first region of the tread surface, and the second tread-molding portion is configured to mold the second region of the tread surface; and the first radial distance sufficiently exceeds the second radial distance such that at least a portion of the second tread-molding portion interferes with the first region of the tread surface and thereby impedes removal of the blow-molded body from the mold. 18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the first radial distance from the axis to the first region of the tread surface of the blow-molded body exceeds a third radial distance from the axis to the second tread-molding portion of the mold by at least a second predetermined threshold. 19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the blow-molded body shrinks after blow-molding such that the first radial distance from the axis to the first region of the tread surface of the blow-molded body becomes a first reduced radial distance, and the first reduced radial distance exceeds the third radial distance from the axis to the second tread-molding portion of the mold. 20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the blow-molded body is subject to elastic deformation such that the first radial distance from the axis to the first region of the tread surface of the blow-molded body may be elastically reduced to a first reduced radial distance, and the first reduced radial distance exceeds the third radial distance from the axis to the second tread-molding portion of the mold.