Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to casters, and more particularly to a caster attached to a cabinet for convenient moving and stabilizing of the cabinet. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A large device, such as a cabinet, is too heavy to move easily from one place to another place. Typically, wheels are attached to the bottom of the device to more easily move the device, but the wheels may cause the device to be unstable and too easily moved as well. Therefore, it is inconvenient for users, when the device does not need to be moved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a caster, together with a device. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the caster of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric, partly cutaway view of the caster of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded, isometric view of another embodiment of a caster. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in an exemplary embodiment, a caster  20  is provided to be mounted to a bottom of a device  10 . In this embodiment, the device  10  is a serving cabinet. 
     The caster  20  includes a fixing board  21 , a support  23 , a connecting member  25  which is threadedly connected to the support  23 , a wheel  26 , a fast pin  27 , and a nut  28 . 
     The fixing board  21  defines a D-shaped fastening hole  212  in a center of the fixing board  21 , and a plurality of fixing holes  214  in corners of the fixing board  21 . 
     The support  23  includes a lampshade shaped main body  232 , with a circular opening (not labeled) defined in a bottom of the main body  232 . An engaging portion  234 , such as a nut, extends through a top of the main body  232 , opposite to the opening. The main body  232  defines a receiving space  235  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) communicating with the opening. Two opposite operating portions are formed on a circumference of the main body  232 , for operating the support  23 . In this embodiment, the operating portions are two through holes  237  defined in the circumference of the main body  232 , both communicating with the receiving space  235 . In another embodiment, the operating portions can be two tabs protruding out from the circumference of the main body  232 . The engaging portion  234  defines a screw hole  236 , communicating with the receiving space  235 . 
     The connecting member  25  includes a U-shaped bracket  252  and a threaded post  254 . The bracket  252  includes a beam  251  and two fixing arms  253  extending from opposite ends of the beam  251 . Each fixing arm  253  defines a through hole  257 , opposite to the beam  251 . The threaded post  254  perpendicularly extends from the beam  251 , away from the fixing arms  253 . A distal end of the threaded post  254  forms a fixing end  256  with a D-shaped cross-section. 
     The wheel  26  axially defines a mounting hole  262 . 
     The fast pin  27  includes a head portion  272 , and a round pole  274  extending from the head portion  272 . A threaded portion  276  is formed on a circumference of a distal end of the pole  274 . 
     Also referring to  FIG. 3 , in assembly, the wheel  26  is sandwiched between the fixing arms  253  of the connecting member  25 , with the mounting hole  262  of the wheel  26  aligned with the through holes  257  of the connecting member  25 . The pole  274  of the fast pin  27  extends through one of the through holes  257 , the mounting hole  262 , and the other through hole  257  in that order one by one, to engage with the nut  28 , thereby, the fast pin  27  can be prevented from disengaging from the connecting member  25  and the wheel  26 . The head portion  272  of the fast pin  27  abuts against one of the fixing arms  253 , and the wheel  26  is rotatably fixed between the fixing arms  253 . The threaded post  254  of the connecting member  25  is extended through the receiving space  235  and the screw hole  236  in that order. Therefore, the threaded post  254  threadedly engages in the screw hole  236 , and the fixing end  256  exposes the outside of the screw hole  236  and is engaged in the fastening hole  212  of the fixing board  21 . In this state, the bracket  252  of the connecting member  25  and the wheel  26  are received in the receiving space  235 . The fixing board  21  is spaced from the engaging portion  234  of the support  23 . 
     In use, several casters  20  can be utilized and mounted to the bottom of the device  10 , by the fixing holes  214  of the fixing board  21  of each caster  20 . When the device  10  needs to be moved, the support  23  can be rotated relative to the threaded post  254  of the connecting member  25 , to lead the support  23  to move toward the device  10 . Therefore, the wheel  26  can extend out of the receiving space  235  to roll on a supporting surface, such as the floor. Thus, the device  10  is more easily rolled around with the casters  20 . 
     When the device  10  needs to be stabilized, the support  23  can be rotated away from the device  10 , relative to the threaded post  254  of the connecting member  25 . Therefore, the wheel  26  retracts into the receiving space  235  again, and the support  23  rest on the supporting surface or floor. The device  10  therefore, is prevented from easily rolling. 
     In another embodiment, the fixing board  21  can be omitted, and the caster  20  can be directly fixed to the device  10  by the threaded post  254  of the connecting member  25 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in another embodiment, the threaded post  233  extends through the support  23 . A first end of the threaded post  233  extends into the receiving space  235  of the support  23 , and a second end of the threaded post  233  opposite to the first end is exposed on the outside of the receiving space  235 . The second end of the threaded post  233  can be fixed to the fixing board  21  or directly fixed to the bottom of the device  10 . The beam  251  of the connecting member  25  defines a screw hole  255  engaged with the first end of the threaded post  233 . In use, the connecting member  25  can be rotated around the threaded post  233  to position the support  23  towards or away from the device  10 , with the wheel  26  being exposed out of or received inside the receiving space  235 . 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and they will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the description or sacrificing all of their material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiment.

Technology Category: 7