Patent ID: 8727625
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
1. A ring-shaped bearing assembly for a roller grill, said roller grill having a plurality of rollers, each roller having the same diameter and having first and second ends; and wherein each roller having a pair of said ring-shaped bearings made from soft plastic with one ring-shaped bearing of the pair at one end of said each roller and the other ring-shaped bearing of the pair at the other end of said each roller; and wherein said roller grill having left and right side sheet metal panels having a plane parallel to said panels and with each said panel having the same thickness; and wherein each said left and right side sheet metal panels having a plurality of paired punched openings having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said rollers and having a sharp edge where it was punched; and wherein, each pair of punched openings having one pair of said ring-shaped bearings such that each pair of ring-shaped bearings is snap-fitted by hand into its corresponding pair of punched openings thus locking said ring-shaped bearing in place such that each roller is supported between said left and right side panels in order that each roller is able to rotate freely 360 degrees; said ring-shaped bearing assembly comprising: a ring-shaped bearing comprising: a first ring section having an outer diameter surface, such that said outer diameter surface corresponds to the diameter of its punched opening; and wherein said outer diameter surface having a wedge-shape to facilitate said circular bearing being snap fitted by hand into its punched opening; and wherein said first ring section also having an inner diameter surface to provide a first bearing surface for one end of one roller that is inserted therethrough; a second ring section having an outer diameter surface that is greater in diameter than the diameter of said first ring section; and wherein said second ring section also having an inner diameter surface to provide a second bearing surface such that it is in contact with same roller end that said first ring section is in contact; and a third ring section having an outer diameter arc surface that provides a bearing land; and wherein the thickness of said third ring section is greater than the thickness of said side panels; and wherein said third ring section is interposed between said first and said second ring sections in order to provide a channel for containing the sharp edge of said punched opening; and wherein said third ring section also having an inner diameter surface to provide a third bearing surface such that it is in contact with the same roller end that said first and second sections are in contact; a beveled support that is provided in each punched opening by using a die that causes the sheet metal of said side panels to be bent inward at a radiused surface that matches the radiused surface of said bearing land of said third ring section such that the sharp edge of said punched opening is facing inward at an angle to the plane of said side walls such that when said beveled support is positioned in the channel of said third ring section, the sharp edge of said punched opening is prevented from cutting into the plastic of said ring-shaped bearing.