GB2423012A - Flooring caster utilising a ball or sphere. - Google Patents

Abstract

The ball caster comprises three parts, a ball made from a plastic compound, rubber or steel and a two part casing that holds the ball in place. The ball is placed on the inside of the casing before snapping together the two sides of the casing to hold the ball in place. The opening at the bottom of the casing is smaller than the diameter of the ball and allows the ball to protrude from the bottom of the casing. The top of the casing has flexible ribbing which once inserted into an opening or hole acts to grip the substrate and prevents the caster assembly from falling back out.

Description

The Ball Caster This invention relates to a flooring caster. - Traditional

flooring casters -use a wheel at the centre of their design principle. This design incorporates a ball, and is only made up from three parts. This design has the advantage of being able to be either virtually flush fitting, or if the item utilising the caster requires being off the ground, can also protrude to a desired height. it can also be fitted to any substrate without the need for additional screw/bolt fittings, or any other parts.

The caster body will be flat on the bottom an.d top, but round in general, and made from a plastic compound making it strong yet pliable. On a flush fitting caster the entire circumference of the body would be ribbed.

As the ribbing/teeth will be pliable it will allow the caster to be pushed into the require pre drilled hole in the item, yet strong enough to prevent it from falling back out. Under normal conditions, the item caster will be used in conjunction with Particle/chip board, and these ribs, or teeth will bit into the board, preventing the caster from being removed.

However if the caster is required to protrude from the item (as in (a) as shown in Fig 4) it can be made deeper/longer to suit the requirements of the item.

The caster body is made up from two parts, with one part being the male (with fixing nibs) and the other being the female (as shown in Fig 2).

The caster size will be anything from 3-4cm in diameter, and dependant upon the hole drilled in the given substrate to which it would be inserted.

In extreme circumstances it could be made larger or smaller, although this would not be the norm. The depth of the ribs/teeth will be solely dependant upon the thickness in the given substrate to which it would be inserted. For example, if the caster were to be fixed to a 15mm thick particleboard, the ribs would he no more than 1 1mm deep.

The Ball will always be less in diameter than that of the caster itself. it will be made from either piastic, rubber or steel, depending on the requirements of the item/product the caster will be in conjunction with. 2.

Figure 1 Shows the caster complete, both halves clipped together with the ball inserted within.

Figure 2 Shows the body of the caster open, and in two halves, with the ball below, It also shows clearly the male and female fixing points.

Figure 3 Again shows the caster open, but as a cross section, revealing the internal chamber where the ball is located on assembly.

Figure 4 Shows basic measurements and specification of the Ball Caster.

Claims (1)

1. Claims The advantages of the Balleaster over the traditional wheel design

   are that the ball caster will flow freely in eveiy direction without the need to reposition itself.

   Being only made from three parts, and with no need for any screw fixings, bolts etc, the manufacturing cost of the Balicaster will be lower than that of the wheel based caster, and much easier to assemble.