WHEEL ASSEMBLY OF A LUGGAGEThis invention relates to a wheel assembly of a luggage, more particularly to an improved wheel assembly of a luggage which includes a wheel that can rotate smoothly and that can be detached easily from the luggage for replacement when broken.
Figures 1 and 2 show a luggage (L1) which is provided with a conventional wheel assembly 1. The luggage (L1) has a casing wall 2 with a lower recessed area. The conventional wheel assembly 1 includes a plastic mounting member 11 which is fixed to the recessed area with rivets 13. The mounting member 11 has two opposite spaced parts (gila) which define a receiving space 111 therebetween and which are formed with two opposite blind bores 112. A shaft 14 has two ends fixed in the blind bores 112. A wheel 12 is mounted on the shaft 14.
Since the shaft 14 is fixed to the mounting member 11, and since the wheel 12 is sleeved directly around the shaft 14, a large friction between the shaft 14 and an inner surface of a central hole 121 of the wheel 12 easily results due to wearing of the shaft 14 or the inner surface of the wheel 12 after a period of use.
This can hinder smooth rotation of the wheel 12.
When mounting the wheel assembly 1 to the luggage (L1), the wheel 12 is sleeved primarily around the shaft 14, and the shaft 14 is then mounted in the blind bores 112 of the mounting member 11. Afterwards, the mounting member 11 is fixed to the recessed area of the casing wall 2 by means of rivets 13. In this way, it is difficult and inconvenient to detach the wheel 12 from the luggage (L1) for replacement when the wheel 12 is broken.
Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide an improved wheel assembly of a luggage which includes a wheel that can rotate smoothly and that can be detached easily from the luggage for replacement when broken.
Accordingly, a wheel assembly of a luggage includes: a mounting device fixed to a recessed area of a casing wall of the luggage and formed with a through hole; a shaft which is journalled in the through hole and which has an inner end formed with an enlarged head to prevent the shaft from being released from the through hole, and an outer end extending outwardly of the mounting device; a bushing sleeved around the shaft; a wheel sleeved around the bushing; and a locking member which is attached detachably to the outer end of the shaft to lock the wheel against axial movement relative to the shaft.
The mounting device includes a mounting member which may be made from a metallic material and which has a ring that defines the through hole and a sector that extends radially from the ring so as to be fixed to the recessed area. The mounting device further includes a packing member which may be made from a plastic material and which is juxtaposed to the mounting member between the mounting member and the bushing.
The packing member may have a ring with a hole through which the shaft passes, and a sector which extends radially from the ring. The sector of the mounting member and the sector of the packing member may be provided with recess-and-protrusion engaging elements.
The outer end of the shaft can be formed with a circumferential groove. The locking member may be a substantially C-shaped locking piece which engages detachably the circumferential groove.
The wheel may have an outer side which faces the locking member, and a cover which is attached detachably to the outer side.
The wheel assembly may have a metal washer and a plastic washer, which are sleeved around the shaft between the packing member and the bushing. The metal washer is located beside the packing member. The wheel assembly may further have a metal washer which is sleeved around the shaft between the wheel and the locking member.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a luggage which is provided with a conventional wheel assembly.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the conventional wheel assembly.
Figure 3 is an exploded view of a wheel assembly according to this invention.
Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the wheel assembly of Figure 3 when assembled.
Figures 3 and 4 show a wheel assembly (W) of a luggage (L2) according to this invention. The luggage (L2) has a casing wall 2' with a recessed area. The wheel assembly (W) includes a mounting device (m) which has a metal mounting member 4 and a plastic packing member 4'. The mounting member 4 has a ring (41a), which defines a through hole 41, and a sector 42 which extends radially from the ring (41a) so as to be fixed to the recessed area of the casing wall 2'. The packing member 4' also has a ring (40a) with a hole and a sector (40b) extending radially from the ring (40a).
The packing member 4' is juxtaposed to the mounting member 4 and has protrusions 44' which extend axially from the sector (40b) to engage recesses 422 which are formed in the sector 42 of the mounting member 4. The mounting member 4 and the packing member 4' are fixed to the recessed area of the casing wall 2' by means of fastening members 43 which pass through the casing wall 2', holes 421 in the sector 42 and holes 421' in the sector (40b) such that the mounting member 4 is disposed inwardly of the packing member 4'.
A shaft 3 is journalled in the through hole 41 of the mounting member 4 and the hole of the packing member 4'. The shaft 3 has an inner end formed with an enlarged head 32 to prevent the shaft 3 from being released from the through hole 41. The shaft 3 further has an outer end which extends outwardly of the packing member 4' and which is formed with a circumferential groove 33.
The wheel assembly (W) has a metal bushing 36 sleeved around the shaft 3, a wheel 5 sleeved around the bushing 36, and a locking member 6. The locking member 6 is a substantially C-shaped locking piece which engages detachably the circumferential groove 33 of the shaft 3 so as to lock the wheel 5 against axial movement relative to the shaft 3. In addition, a plastic washer 34 and a metal washer 35 are sleeved around the shaft 3 between the packing member 4' and the bushing 36. The plastic washer 34 is located beside the packing member 4'. A metal washer 37 is sleeved around the shaft 3 between the wheel 5 and the locking member 6.
The wheel 5 has an outer side facing the locking member 6. The outer side has a rim portion formed with recesses 53. A cover 71 is attached detachably to the outer side and has a plurality of engaging hooks 72 which engage the recesses 53. An outer surface 71 of the cover 7 can be provided with decorative patterns.
Referring to Figure 4, the wheel 5 has radially extending reinforcing ribs (r).
When mounting the wheel assembly (W) to the casing wall 2', the mounting member 4, the packing member 4', the plastic washer 34, the metal washer 35, the bushing 36, the wheel 5 and the metal washer 37 are sleeved around the shaft 3 in sequence. The locking member 6 is then engaged within the circumferential groove 33 of the shaft 3. Afterwards, the cover 7 is attached to the outer side of the wheel 5. Finally, the mounting member 4 is attached to the casing wall 2' at the recessed area thereof, and fastening members 43 pass through the casing wall 2' and the holes 421, 421' to fix the mounting member 4 and the packing member 4' to the casing wall 2'.
With the provision of the packing member 4' beside the mounting member 4, the undesirable wearing between the wheel 5 and the mounting member 4 can be obviated.
With the provision of the bushing 36, the wheel 5 can rotate smoothly and freely relative to the shaft 3.
Since the shaft 3 is journalled in the mounting device (m), which includes the mounting member 4' and the packing member 4', the wheel 5 would be rotatable with the shaft 3 rather than being dragged when the wheel 5 sticks to the shaft 3, thereby avoiding the problem of excessive wearing of the wheel 5. In addition, according to the present invention, when the wheel 5 is worn or broken, the wheel 5 can be detached easily from the shaft 3 for replacement with a new one by simply releasing the cover 7 and the locking member 6.