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A protective bumper attaches to a caster wheel assembly and substantially surrounds the assembly to act as a point of contact with other objects or articles, in order to limit or prevent damage to struck objects, and/or to the caster wheel assembly, and/or to a movable object or article supported on

A protective bumper attaches to a caster wheel assembly and substantially surrounds the assembly to act as a point of contact with other objects or articles, in order to limit or prevent damage to struck objects, and/or to the caster wheel assembly, and/or to a movable object or article supported on the caster wheel assembly. The protective bumper includes an outer bumper portion and an inner frame portion that attaches to a frame of the caster wheel assembly. The bumper may be attached to the caster wheel assembly via an axle that rotatably couples a wheel to the frame of the wheel assembly. Optionally, the outer bumper portion may be fitted with a relatively soft annular outer member or surface.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A protective bumper for a caster wheel assembly, said protective bumper comprising: an inner frame portion configured for engaging a portion of the caster wheel assembly, said inner frame portion comprising a pair of cross-members in horizontally spaced arrangement, said cross-members each compri

1. A protective bumper for a caster wheel assembly, said protective bumper comprising: an inner frame portion configured for engaging a portion of the caster wheel assembly, said inner frame portion comprising a pair of cross-members in horizontally spaced arrangement, said cross-members each comprising opposite end portions;an outer bumper portion coupled to said opposite end portions of said cross-members of said inner frame portion and disposed substantially around said cross-members, and said outer bumper portion configured to be disposed substantially around a periphery of a wheel of the caster wheel assembly;wherein said cross-members comprise respective inwardly-directed surfaces configured to engage respective outer surfaces of a frame of the caster wheel assembly, and said cross-members further comprise respective outwardly-directed surfaces that are spaced inwardly from said outer bumper portion; andwherein said inwardly-directed surface of at least one of said cross-members comprises a first projection directed inwardly to engage a first portion of the caster wheel frame. 2. The protective bumper of claim 1, wherein said outer bumper portion comprises a generally annular shape having a substantially vertical longitudinal axis. 3. The protective bumper of claim 2, wherein said outer bumper portion comprises an inner portion made of relatively hard material and an outer portion made of relatively soft material that is softer than said relatively hard material of said inner portion. 4. The protective bumper of claim 3, wherein said inner frame portion and said inner portion of said outer bumper portion are unitarily formed. 5. The protective bumper of claim 1, wherein said inner frame portion is configured to couple to a caster wheel frame of the caster wheel assembly via an axle thereof. 6. The protective bumper of claim 5, wherein each of said cross-members comprising a generally planar region terminating at one of said opposite end portions, and an outwardly-flared region terminating at an opposite one of said opposite end portions. 7. The protective bumper of claim 1, wherein said inwardly-directed surface of said at least one of said cross-members comprises a second projection spaced from said first projection and directed inwardly to engage a second portion of the caster wheel frame. 8. The protective bumper of claim 7, wherein each of said first and second projections comprises an elongate projection, and wherein said elongate projections are non-parallel to one another. 9. The protective bumper of claim 8, wherein said inwardly-directed surface of each of said cross-members comprises respective ones of said first and second projections, whereby said first and second projections of a first of said cross-members are arranged as a minor-image with said first and second projections of a second of said cross-members. 10. The protective bumper of claim 9, wherein each of said cross-member defines an aperture configured for receiving a portion of an axle of the caster wheel assembly, said apertures disposed between said first and second projections. 11. The protective bumper of claim 1, wherein said outer bumper portion comprises an upper surface defining at least one recess configured to permit access to a portion of the caster wheel assembly. 12. The protective bumper of claim 1, further in combination with a caster wheel assembly. 13. The protective bumper of claim 12, further in combination with a movable article supported atop three or more of said caster wheel assemblies, each of said caster wheel assemblies supporting a respective one of said protective bumpers. 14. A protective bumper for a caster wheel assembly, said protective bumper comprising: an inner frame portion configured for engaging a frame of the caster wheel assembly, said inner frame portion comprising a pair of cross-members in horizontally spaced arrangement, and said cross-members comprising respective opposite end portions;an outer bumper portion coupled to said opposite end portions of said cross-members of said inner frame portion and disposed substantially around said cross-members, and said outer bumper portion configured to be disposed substantially around a wheel of the caster wheel assembly, said outer bumper portion including a bumper surface forming a periphery that is configured to be spaced outboard of the wheel of the caster wheel assembly and spaced outboard of said cross-members;said cross-members comprising respective inwardly-directed surfaces configured to engage respective outer surfaces of a frame of the caster wheel assembly, each of said inwardly- directed surfaces comprising a first projection configured to engage a first portion of the caster wheel frame, and a second projection configured to engage a second portion of the caster wheel frame;wherein each of said cross-members defines an axle aperture configured for receiving an axle of the caster wheel assembly, said axle apertures disposed between said first and second projections; andwherein said outer bumper portion comprises an opening substantially aligned with one of said axle apertures, said opening configured to receive and permit a tool to engage the axle of the caster wheel assembly when said protective bumper is mounted to the caster wheel frame. 15. The protective bumper of claim 14, wherein said first projections and said second projections are elongate in shape, with said first projections in non-parallel alignment with said second projections. 16. The protective bumper of claim 14, wherein said outer bumper portion comprises an upper surface defining a recess configured to permit access to a brake lever at an upper region of the caster wheel assembly when said protective bumper is mounted to the caster wheel assembly.