Patent Publication Number: US-2002003375-A1

Title: Detachable wheel assembly of luggage

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to wheels, and more particularly to a detachable wheel assembly of luggage.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] It is recognized that wheels are the most important components of a wheeled luggage. This is because all weight of luggage is borne on wheels. As such, wheel malfunctions are frequently occurred. Replacement of wheel is also known as tedious. This is because wheel is typically secured to the bottom of luggage by threading through inner and outer wheel mounts from inside and outside of luggage respectively wherein one pair of screws are driven from inside toward outside, while the other pair of screws are driven from outside toward inside. In view of this, it is required to unfasten screws from inside and outside respectively in order to replace the worn-out or malfunctioned wheel. To the worse, it is inevitable to dismantle the interior lining of luggage while unfastening screws. As a result, the interior lining is damaged and may not be recovered to its original form. It is deemed to be inconvenient.  
       [0005] U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,113,196 and 6,116,701 both disclose a detachable wheel assembly of luggage, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
       [0006] Thus, it is desirable to provide a detachable wheel assembly of luggage to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a detachable wheel assembly of luggage wherein the detachment of a wheel is achieved by simply unscrewing a screw from the wheel assembly, thus facilitating the replacement of wheel.  
       [0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable wheel assembly of luggage wherein two resilient end caps are provided between the wheel axis and wheel mount for reducing noise.  
       [0009] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable wheel assembly of luggage wherein the wheel axis comprises two resilient end caps for providing a degree of comfort to operator while towing on an uneven ground. To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provide a detachable wheel assembly of luggage comprising a bracket, a wheel unit mounted to bottom of the bracket, and a screw wherein the claw of the wheel unit is snapped into the slot of the bracket and the screw is driven through the wheel unit to the bracket in the rear to secure them together. 
     
    
    
     [0010] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.  
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a wheel assembly of the present invention;  
     [0012]FIGS. 2A and 2B are an exploded plan and side views in part section schematically respectively wherein wheel unit is separated from wheel assembly;  
     [0013]FIG. 3 is an exploded plan view in part section of the wheel unit shown in FIG. 2;  
     [0014]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled wheel assembly of FIG. 1;  
     [0015]FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 2A wherein wheel unit is assembled with wheel assembly; and  
     [0016]FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0017] Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , there is shown a detachable wheel assembly of luggage constructed in accordance with the invention. The wheel assembly comprises a bracket  10 , a wheel unit  20  mounted to bottom of the bracket  10 , and a screw  30 . Bracket  10  comprises a vertical portion  11 , a horizontal portion  15 , a well  13  in the joining of vertical portion  11  and horizontal portion  15 , a housing  14 , a slot  12  inside the lower portion of the vertical portion  11 , an elongate slit  142  below the slot  12 , a hole  141  adjacent slit  142 , an inside recess  143  on either side of housing  14 , and a threaded hole  144  on the joining of housing  14  and horizontal portion  15 . Wheel unit  20  comprises a housing  21 , an axis  22 , a resilient end cap  23  on either end of axis  22  buffered between aperture  216  and axis  22 , and a wheel  25 . Housing  21  is shaped to conform with well  13 . Housing  21  comprises a stud  211  on the upper surface conformed to the hole  141 , an extension  212  adjacent the stud  211 , a claw  213  on the top of extension  212 , a well  214  on the front, a threaded hole  215  on the rear, and an axis aperture  216  through either side of housing  21 .  
     [0018] Referring to FIGS.  4  to  6 , the assembly of the wheel assembly will now be described. First align the bore of wheel  25  with apertures  216 . Then insert axis  22  through apertures  216  and the bore of wheel  25 . Then secure axis  22  in hole  216  by means of resilient end cap  23  thus forming a wheel unit  20 . Next, snap claw  213  into the slot  12  through the slit  142  and insert the stud  211  in the hole  141  respectively. The resilient end cap  23  is compressible due to its elasticity so as to be received in recess  143 . Then drive screw  30  through threaded hole  215  and threaded hole  144  to secure wheel unit  20  to bracket  10 . Thus assemble a complete wheel assembly.  
     [0019] The advantages of the invention are simple quick in wheel replacement, noise reduction, and a degree of comfort to operator while towing on an uneven ground due to the provision of resilient end caps.  
     [0020] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.