Abstract:
A vehicle wheel ideal for buggy, stroller, carriage, tricycle, dolly buggy, and the like, having a wheel rim mounted on a wheel axle and holding an outer tire, movable parts mounted on an inner table suspended in the wheel rim, and a cartoon-Figured wheel cover fixedly fastened to the inner table. When the vehicle goes forward, the cartoon Figured wheel cover doesn&#39;t move at all, on the contrary, the Figure&#39;s eyes, nose, and ears start to swing.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to vehicle wheels ideal for buggy, stroller, carriage, tricycle, dolly buggy, and the like, and more particularly, to such a vehicle wheel, which has an attractive and active appearance with rocking nose/eyes/ears. 
     A variety of vehicles including buggies, strollers, carriages, tricycles, dolly buggies, and etc., have been disclosed for babies and young children. The wheels of these vehicles commonly made detachable. There are also known vehicle wheels with decorative designs. However the decorative designs look vague during rotation of the vehicle wheels. 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a vehicle wheel, which is detachable. It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle wheel, which is ideal for buggies, strollers, carriages, tricycles, dolly buggies, and the like. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle wheel, which has an attractive and active appearance with rocking nose/eyes/ears. According to one aspect of the present invention, the vehicle wheel comprises a wheel rim mounted on a wheel axle and holding an outer tire, movable parts mounted on an inner table suspended in the wheel rim, and a cartoon-Figured wheel cover fixedly fastened t the inner table. When the vehicle goes forward, the cartoon Figured wheel cover doesn&#39;t move at all, on the contrary, the Figure&#39;s eyes, nose, and ears start to swing. According to another aspect of the present invention, quick release means is provided to secure the wheel rim, the inner table, and the wheel cover to the wheel axle, enabling the wheel rim, the inner table and the wheel cover to be easily detached from the wheel axle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a vehicle wheel according to the present invention (the wheel cover excluded). 
     FIG. 2A is another exploded view of the vehicle wheel when viewed from another angle. 
     FIG. 2B is an exploded view of the wheel rim and the outer tire according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2C is an oblique elevation of the wheel rim according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an assembly view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the wheel cover and the assembly of the other parts of the vehicle wheel according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an assembly view of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6A is an exploded view of the inner table, the ornamental devices, the press member, the spring wire rod, the stop plates, and the driving arms according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6B is an oblique elevation of the press member according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of the vehicle wheel before the installation of the wheel cover and the wheel axle according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7 but showing the wheel axle installed. 
     FIG. 9 is a plain view of the present invention, showing the press member depressed. 
     FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 8 but showing the ornamental devices moved. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to Figures from  1  through  10 , a vehicle wheel in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a wheel rim  1 , an inner table  2 , two stop plates  31 , a spring wire rod  32 , two driving arms  33 , a press member  34 , a compression spring  35 , a wheel cover  4 , and a wheel axle  5 . 
     The wheel rim  1  holds an outer tire  11 , comprising a center axle holder  12  extended from one sidewall thereof (see FIG.  2 ), a circular center recess  10  disposed at the other sidewall thereof, and a center through hole  121  axially extended through the center of the center axle holder  12  and the center of the circular center recess  10 . 
     The inner table  2  comprises a flat circular body  20  mounted in the circular center recess  10  of the wheel rim  1 , a stem  21  perpendicularly extended from the center of the inner sidewall of the flat circular body  20  and inserted through the center through hole  121  of the wheel rim  1 , the stem  21  having a split, flanged retaining head  211  secured to the end edge  122  of the axle holder  12  of the wheel rim  1 , an axle holder  22  disposed at the center of the outer sidewall of the flat circular body  20  (see FIG.  6 A), the axle holder  22  having two side holes  221  aligned at two sides and adapted to receive the stop plates  31 , a center through hole  23  axially extended through the center of the stem  21  and the center of the axle holder  22  in communication with the side holes  221 , two pivot shafts  24  perpendicularly extended from the outer sidewall of the flat circular body  20  and disposed at one side relative to the axle holder  22 , the pivot shafts  24  each having a top round rod  241  adapted to hold the driving arms  33 , two first upright locating plates  25  perpendicularly extended from the outer sidewall of the flat circular body  20  and spaced from the pivot shafts  24  at one side opposite to the axle holder  22 , the first upright locating plates  25  each having a top notch  251  adapted to receive one end  331  of each of the driving arms  33  and to limit swinging angle of the driving arms  33 , two second upright locating plates  26  perpendicularly extended from the outer sidewall of the flat circular body  20  near the border, two symmetrical pairs of guide rods  27  perpendicularly extended from the outer sidewall of the flat circular body  20  at two sides of the upright locating plates  25  and  26  and adapted to guide movement of the press member  34 , and a recessed hole  201  formed on the outer sidewall of the circular flat body  20  at the center of the space surrounded by the upright locating plates  25  and  26  and the guide rods  27 . 
     The stop plates  31  are angled plates each comprising a horizontal section  311  inserted through one side hole  221  of the axle holder  22  of the inner table  2  into the center through hole  23  of the inner table  2 , and a vertical section  312  (see FIG. 7) disposed in contact with one end  332  of one driving arm  33  at one side. 
     The spring wire rod  32  is a substantially U-shaped metal wire rod stopped against the first upright locating plates  25  at one side, having two ends  321  respectively fastened to the vertical section  312  of each of the stop plates  31  to force the stop plates  31  toward the center of the center through hole  23  of the inner table  2 . 
     The driving arms  33  are respectively coupled to the pivot shafts  24  of the inner table  2 , each having a center pivot hole  330 , which receives the round rod  241  of the corresponding pivot shaft  24 , a first end  331  suspending in the top notch  251  of one first upright locating plate  25  and a second end  332  stopped at an inner side of the vertical section  312  of one stop plate  31 . 
     The press member  34  is inserted into the space between the first upright locating plates  25  and the second upright locating plates  26 , comprising a dovetailed bottom block  341 , the dovetailed bottom block  341  has a recessed bottom hole  3411  (see FIG.  6 B), two oblique bottom guide grooves  342  disposed at two sides of the dovetailed bottom block  341  and respectively coupled to the first end  331  of each of the driving arms  33 , a top press face  343  for pressing with the hand, and two protruded portions  340  disposed at two sides and adapted to stop the press member  34  from escaping out of the constraint of the wheel cover  4 . 
     The compression spring  35  has one end press-fitted into the recessed bottom hole  3411  of the dovetailed bottom block  341  of the press member  34 , and the other end positioned in the recessed hole  201  of the flat circular body  20  of the inner table  2 . 
     The wheel cover  4  is shaped like a cartoon figure (the shape of the face of a rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, horse, goat, monkey, chicken, dog, lion, pig, bear, or the like) and fixedly fastened to the inner table  2  by fastening means, for example, screws  46 , having a button hole  41  adapted to receive the press member  34  for enabling the user to press the press face  343  of the press member  34  with the hand. 
     The wheel axle  5  is fixedly fastened to the frame body of the vehicle (not shown) and inserted through the center through hole  121  of the center axle holder  12  of the wheel rim  1  and the center through hole  23  of the inner table  2 , having a conical outer end  52  and an annular retaining groove  51  disposed around the periphery adjacent to the tapered outer end  52 . 
     When inserting the wheel axle  5  into the center through hole  121  of the center axle holder  12  of the wheel rim  1  and the center through hole  23  of the inner table  2 , the stop plates  31  are pushed outwards in reversed directions against the spring power of the spring wire rod  32  by the conical outer end  52  of the wheel axle  5 . After the wheel axle  5  has been inserted into position, the stop plates  31  are forced inwards by the spring wire rod  32  to engage the annular retaining groove  51  of the wheel axle  5  (see FIG.  8 ). When pressing down the press member  34 , the driving arms  33  are forced by the press member  34  to turn about the pivot shafts  24  reversely outwards from the axle holder  22  of the inner table  2  and to push the stop plates  31  away from the annular retaining groove  51  of the wheel axle  5  (see FIG.  9 ), for enabling the inner table  2  and the wheel rim  1  to be removed from the wheel axle  5 . Because the wheel cover  4  is not rotated with the wheel rim  1  and the outer tire  11 , the design of the wheel cover  4  is constantly maintained immovable during the movement of the vehicle. 
     An annular drive gear  61  is provided in the circular center recess  10  around the center through hole  121  of the wheel rim  1  (see FIG.  1 ). A driven gear  62  is provided at the inner sidewall of the flat circular body  20  of the inner table  2  (see FIG. 2A) and meshed with the drive gear  61 . A transmission gear train  7  is mounted on the outer sidewall of the flat circular body  20  of the inner table  2  and driven by the driven gear  62  to move a first ornamental device  81 , two second ornamental devices  82 , a third ornamental device  83 , and a fourth ornamental device  84 . The transmission gear train  7  comprises a first small gear  71 , a second small gear  73 , and a big gear  72  meshed between the small gears  71  and  72 . The first small gear  71  is rotated with the driven gear  62 . The gears  71 ,  72 , and  73  each have an eccentric rod  711 ,  721 , or  731 . The third ornamental device  83  is hung on and turned about the axle holder  22  of the inner table  2 , comprising a pivot hole  831  disposed at one end thereof, and a protruding rod  830  disposed at an opposite end thereof and inserted into an arched slot  45  of the wheel cover  4 . The first ornamental device  81  comprises an elongated, vertically extended middle slot  811  coupled to the eccentric rod  721  of the big gear  72 , two elongated, horizontally extended side slots  812  respectively coupled to a respective stepped post  202  of the inner table  2 , and a back pin  813  inserted into the pivot hole  831  of the third ornamental device  83 . Two links  28  are coupled between the second ornamental devices  82  and the small gears  71  and  73 . The links  28  each have a pivot hole  281  disposed near one end and coupled to the eccentric rod  711  or  731  of one small gear  71  or  73 , and a pivot rod  282  disposed near the other end and coupled to one second ornamental device  82 . The second ornamental devices  82  each comprises a first pivot hole  821  coupled to the pivot rod  282  of one link  28 , a second pivot hole  822  coupled to a respective pivot rod  29  of the inner table  2  (see FIG.  4 ), and an ear-like lug  823  extending out of a respective opening  44  of the wheel cover  4  (see FIG.  5 ). In addition to the aforesaid button hole  41 , openings  44 , and arched slot  45 , the wheel cover  4  further comprises a nose  42  disposed above the arched slot  45 , and two eyeholes  43  bilaterally disposed above the nose  42 . The fourth ornamental device  84  is shaped like the tongue of an animal and fixedly fastened to the protruding rod  830  of the third ornamental device  83  outside the wheel cover  4 . Further, two eye-shaped stickers  80  are adhered to the first ornamental device  81  at locations corresponding to the eyeholes  43  of the wheel cover  4 . During movement of the vehicle, the drive gear  61  is rotated with the wheel rim  1  to move the driven gear  62  and then the transmission gear train  7 . During rotary motion of the gears  71 ,  72  and  73  of the transmission gear train  7 , the first ornamental device  81  is driven by the eccentric rod  721  of the big gear  72  to move back and forth on the stepped posts  202  of the inner table  2 , and the third ornamental device  83  is driven by the back pin  813  to oscillate on the axle holder  22  of the inner table  2 , causing the tongue-like fourth ornamental device  84  to be moved with the protruding rod  830  of the third ornamental device  83  back and forth along the arched slot  45  of the wheel cover  4 . At the same time, the links  28  are forced by the eccentric rods  711  and  731  of the small gears  71  and  73  to swing, simulating the swinging of the ears of an animal. 
     A prototype of vehicle wheel has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  1 ˜ 10 . The vehicle wheel functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.