Traceless polyurethane caster for protecting a floor

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of caster, in particular to a traceless polyurethane caster for protecting terrace, which comprises a protective cover, a caster body and a first rotating shaft, the lower end of the protective cover is open and surrounds the upper half of the caster body, and the lower ends of the protective cover are rotationally connected with the caster body through the first rotating shaft, the polyurethane rubber ring is additionally arranged, on one hand, the elastic deformation of the polyurethane rubber ring can be used to slow down the instantaneous impact of the caster on the terrace when the goods are placed, so as to avoid the problem that the impact is too large to cause the damage of the terrace, on the other hand, the polyurethane rubber ring can also be in flexible contact with the ground under the condition of ensuring the friction force, so as to avoid the hard scratch damage to the terrace.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of caster technology, and more specifically to a non-marking polyurethane caster for protecting floors. Background Technology

[0002] Casters are a general term that includes both swivel and fixed casters. Swivel casters, also known as universal wheels, have a structure that allows for 360-degree rotation; fixed casters do not have a rotating structure and cannot turn. Due to their flexibility and convenience, casters enable people to transport items by rotating them 360 degrees, and they are widely used in daily life, such as for transporting machinery, handcarts, suitcases, and swivel chairs.

[0003] In modern production processes, robots are frequently used for material handling. The primary working environment for these robots is epoxy flooring. Epoxy flooring coatings are mainly composed of epoxy resin, resulting in low hardness and poor scratch resistance. They are particularly vulnerable to scratches from sharp, hard objects such as sand and iron filings. While existing technologies typically include arc-shaped protective covers on casters to prevent heavy objects and debris from falling between them and jamming the wheels, small impurities can still accumulate on the anti-slip texture during use. These impurities rotate periodically with the casters, causing bumps and affecting the robot's stability during handling. Furthermore, they can scrape the floor, causing wear and tear. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical problems to be solved

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides a non-marking polyurethane caster for protecting the floor. It can effectively solve the problem that during the use of existing casters, some small impurities on the ground are pressed into the anti-slip texture on the outer surface and rotate periodically with the rotation of the caster. This not only causes bumps during the rolling process, affecting the stability of robot handling, but also easily scratches the ground and causes wear and tear on the floor.

[0006] Technical solution

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0008] The present invention provides a non-marking polyurethane caster for protecting the floor, including a protective cover, a caster body and a first pivot. The lower end of the protective cover is open and surrounds the upper half of the caster body. The lower ends of the protective cover are rotatably connected to the caster body through the first pivot.

[0009] The caster body is composed of an integrally formed hub, spokes, and rim. The hub, spokes, and rim are arranged sequentially from the inside out and are coaxially configured. The hub has a shaft hole coaxially configured to match the first rotating shaft. The outer surface of the rim has symmetrically arranged slots on both the front and rear sides. The outer surface of the rim has a polyurethane-coated ring of uniform thickness. The inner side of the polyurethane-coated ring has a locking block that matches the slot.

[0010] During use, the combined weight of the robot and the cargo during handling can easily damage the epoxy flooring where the robot works, increasing wear and tear and slowing down work efficiency. Therefore, by adding polyurethane-coated rings, the robot's elastic deformation can mitigate the instantaneous impact of the casters on the floor when cargo is placed on it, preventing damage from excessive impact. Furthermore, the polyurethane-coated rings can maintain friction while making flexible contact with the floor, preventing hard scraping and damage. Protective covers automatically remove large particles of debris adhering to the caster body, preventing them from scratching and damaging the floor as the casters rotate. The slots and locking blocks ensure a secure connection between the polyurethane-coated rings and the outer ring of the wheel rim, improving safety during use.

[0011] Furthermore, a support base is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the protective cover, and a horizontally arranged mounting plate is fixedly connected to the upper end of the support base. The mounting plate has multiple sets of mounting holes. Through the configuration of the support base, mounting plate, and mounting holes, the caster body can be easily installed under the handling robot itself.

[0012] Furthermore, the mounting plate has a shock-absorbing groove extending into the support base in its center, and a shock-absorbing spring is installed inside the shock-absorbing groove. By providing the shock-absorbing groove, the air compression within the groove and the energy absorption of the shock-absorbing spring can buffer the impact when the handling robot is moving bumpily, thereby further reducing the impact force and lowering the probability of floor damage.

[0013] Furthermore, an adjusting block extending horizontally is rotatably mounted on a first rotating shaft on the front side of the protective cover. A sliding plate connected to the first rotating shaft is provided between the adjusting block and the protective cover. The adjusting block has protrusions on both its upper and lower sides, and the sliding plate has protrusions that match these protrusions. A vertically arranged guide groove is provided at the upper front end of the protective cover. A guide block that can slide in the guide groove is provided on one side of the upper end of the sliding plate. A brake pad extending to the upper end of the caster body is connected to the other side of the upper end of the sliding plate, and there is a gap between the brake pad and the caster body. Through the brake pad and the adjusting block, the protrusions below / above the adjusting block can be pressed down / lifted by rotating it. This allows for the up-and-down adjustment of the protective cover and the brake pad under the constraint of the guide groove and the guide block. This not only locks the caster body but also allows the brake pad near the caster body to remove debris from its surface, preventing debris from scratching and damaging the floor as the caster body rotates.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer surface of the polyurethane-coated ring is provided with multiple sets of anti-slip patterns spaced circumferentially, and the space between adjacent anti-slip patterns forms an anti-slip groove; the anti-slip patterns are arranged alternately, and the anti-slip patterns on one side are exactly opposite to the anti-slip grooves on the other side. The staggered arrangement of the anti-slip patterns increases friction, effectively preventing slippage and reducing the likelihood of wear and tear on the floor.

[0015] Furthermore, a mounting plate is provided on the outer side of the caster body. The mounting plate is an annular plate that can cover the outer surface of the hub, spokes, rim, and polyurethane-coated ring. The outer diameter of the mounting plate is smaller than the outer diameter of the polyurethane-coated ring. Multiple threaded holes for mounting bolts are evenly arranged circumferentially on the mounting plate and the rim. The mounting plate protects the outer surface of the caster body, preventing debris from entering from the side, and also provides auxiliary support for the rim, improving the structural stability of the rim.

[0016] Furthermore, a second rotating shaft extending into the anti-slip groove is provided on the outer edge of the mounting plate. A roller made of polyurethane material is fitted around the second rotating shaft. Multiple sets of spiral grooves are provided on the outside of the roller. Through the arrangement of the second rotating shaft and roller, on the one hand, when the caster body rotates to this point and contacts the ground, the ground surface contacts part of the roller and part of the anti-slip texture. Therefore, compared to the method where all the anti-slip textures are in contact, this method indirectly increases the contact area, thereby improving the anti-slip ability and preventing slippage and damage to the ground. On the other hand, the wear of the roller during contact with the ground replaces the direct wear of the polyurethane-coated ring, and the roller can be replaced, thus extending the service life of the caster body. In addition, because multiple sets of spiral grooves are provided on the outside of the roller, as the roller rotates, it achieves a spiral-like effect, which can discharge small impurities stuck in the anti-slip groove from the side. This avoids small impurities getting stuck in the anti-slip groove and causing bumps during the rolling process due to periodic rotation with the caster body, thus avoiding affecting the stability of the robot's handling and reducing the risk of scraping the ground.

[0017] Furthermore, the portion of the roller on the side of the anti-slip pattern away from the mounting plate is located within the anti-slip groove, while the portion of the roller on the side of the anti-slip pattern closer to the mounting plate extends outside the anti-slip groove.

[0018] Furthermore, the anti-slip texture contains a cavity, which is connected to the corresponding anti-slip groove through an air hole. A V-shaped spring sheet with its opening facing the air hole is installed within the cavity. The outer wall of the V-shaped spring sheet is in close contact with the inner wall of the cavity, and multiple sets of buffer springs are arranged between the inner walls of the V-shaped spring sheet. The V-shaped spring sheet not only allows for elastic deformation of the anti-slip texture when compressed, improving buffering performance and reducing impact damage to the floor, but also compresses the air within the cavity using the compression deformation of the V-shaped spring sheet, generating an airflow outward along the anti-slip groove at the air hole. This helps to blow away small impurities within the anti-slip groove, further preventing small impurities from getting stuck in the anti-slip groove and causing bumps and scrapes on the ground.

[0019] Beneficial effects

[0020] The technical solution provided by this invention has the following advantages compared with known public technologies:

[0021] 1. By adding a polyurethane-coated ring, this invention can, on the one hand, reduce the instantaneous impact of the casters on the floor when goods are placed on it, thus avoiding damage to the floor due to excessive impact. On the other hand, the polyurethane-coated ring can also make flexible contact with the ground while ensuring friction, thus avoiding hard scraping and damage to the floor.

[0022] 2. Through the brake pads and adjusting blocks, the protrusions below / above can be pressed down / lifted by rotating the adjusting blocks. Thus, under the restriction of the guide groove and guide block, the protective cover and brake pads can be adjusted up and down. This not only locks the caster body, but the brake pads near the caster body can also remove debris from the surface of the caster body, preventing debris from scratching and damaging the floor as the caster body rotates.

[0023] 3. The design of the second rotating shaft and rollers serves several purposes. First, when the caster body rotates to this point and contacts the ground, only a portion of the rollers and anti-slip textures contact the ground surface. This effectively increases the contact area compared to a method where all anti-slip textures are in contact, thus improving anti-slip capability and preventing slippage and damage to the ground. Second, the wear of the rollers during contact with the ground replaces the direct wear of the polyurethane-coated rings, and the rollers can be replaced, thereby extending the service life of the caster body. Furthermore, because the rollers have multiple sets of spiral grooves, their rotation creates a spiral-like effect, discharging small impurities stuck in the anti-slip grooves from the side. This prevents small impurities from getting stuck in the anti-slip grooves and causing periodic rotation with the caster body, resulting in bumps during rolling. This also reduces the risk of scraping the ground and affects the stability of the robot's handling. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the main viewpoint of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the caster in this invention;

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0031] The labels in the diagram represent: 1. Protective cover; 11. Support base; 12. Mounting plate; 13. Mounting hole; 14. Shock-absorbing groove; 15. Shock-absorbing spring; 16. Guide groove; 2. First rotating shaft; 3. Slide plate; 31. Brake pad; 32. Guide block; 33. Protrusion; 4. Adjusting block; 5. Polyurethane coated ring; 51. Anti-slip texture; 52. Anti-slip groove; 53. Cavity; 54. V-shaped spring; 55. Buffer spring; 56. Air hole; 6. Mounting plate; 61. Threaded hole; 62. Second rotating shaft; 63. Roller; 64. Spiral groove; 7. Hub; 71. Spoke; 72. Rim; 73. Shaft hole; 74. Slot. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments.

[0034] Example:

[0035] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a non-marking polyurethane caster for protecting the floor includes a protective cover 1, a caster body and a first pivot 2. The lower end of the protective cover 1 is open and surrounds the upper half of the caster body. The lower ends of the protective cover 1 are rotatably connected to the caster body through the first pivot 2.

[0036] The caster body is composed of an integrally formed hub 7, spokes 71, and rim 72. The hub 7, spokes 71, and rim 72 are arranged sequentially from the inside out and are coaxially configured. The hub 7 is coaxially provided with a shaft hole 73 that matches the first rotating shaft 2. The outer surface of the rim 72 is symmetrically provided with opposing grooves 74 on both the front and rear sides. The outer surface of the rim 72 is provided with a polyurethane-coated ring 5 of uniform thickness. The inner side of the polyurethane-coated ring 5 is provided with a locking block that matches the groove 74.

[0037] During use, the combined weight of the robot and the cargo during handling can easily damage the epoxy floor surface where the robot works, increasing wear and tear and slowing down work efficiency. Therefore, by adding a polyurethane-coated ring 5, the robot's elastic deformation can mitigate the instantaneous impact of the casters on the floor when cargo is placed on it, preventing damage from excessive impact. Furthermore, the polyurethane-coated ring 5 allows for flexible contact with the floor while maintaining friction, preventing hard scraping and damage. The protective cover 1 automatically removes large particles of debris adhering to the caster body, preventing them from scratching and damaging the floor as the casters rotate. The slot 74 and locking block ensure a secure connection between the polyurethane-coated ring 5 and the outer ring of the wheel rim 72, improving safety during use.

[0038] As an optional solution, a support base 11 is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the protective cover 1, and a horizontally arranged mounting plate 12 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the support base 11. The mounting plate 12 is provided with multiple sets of mounting holes 13. With the configuration of the support base 11, mounting plate 12 and mounting holes 13, the caster body can be conveniently installed under the handling robot itself.

[0039] As an optional solution, the mounting plate 12 is provided with a shock-absorbing groove 14 extending into the support base 11 in the middle, and a shock-absorbing spring 15 is provided in the shock-absorbing groove 14. By providing the shock-absorbing groove 14, when the handling robot is running bumpy, the air compression in the shock-absorbing groove 14 and the energy absorption of the shock-absorbing spring 15 can achieve buffering, thereby further reducing the impact force and reducing the probability of floor damage.

[0040] As an optional solution, an adjusting block 4 extending horizontally is rotatably mounted on the first rotating shaft 2 on the front side of the protective cover 1, and a sliding plate 3 slidably connected to the first rotating shaft 2 is provided between the adjusting block 4 and the protective cover 1; the adjusting block 4 has protrusions on both the upper and lower sides of the middle part, and the sliding plate 3 has protrusions 33 that match the protrusions; the upper front side of the protective cover 1 has a vertically arranged guide groove 16, and one side of the upper end of the sliding plate 3 has a guide block 32 that can slide in the guide groove 16; the other side of the upper end of the sliding plate 3 is connected to a brake pad 31 that extends to the upper end of the caster body, and there is a gap between the brake pad 31 and the caster body. By using the brake pad 31 and the adjusting block 4, the protrusion below / above can be pressed down / lifted by rotating the adjusting block 4. Thus, under the restriction of the guide groove 16 and the guide block 32, the protective cover 1 and the brake pad 31 can be adjusted up and down. This not only locks the caster body, but also allows the brake pad 31 near the caster body to remove debris from the surface of the caster body, preventing debris from scratching and damaging the floor as the caster body rotates.

[0041] As an optional solution, the outer surface of the polyurethane-coated ring 5 is arranged with multiple sets of anti-slip patterns 51 at intervals along its circumference, and the space between adjacent anti-slip patterns 51 forms an anti-slip groove 52; the anti-slip patterns 51 are arranged in a staggered manner, and the anti-slip patterns 51 on one side are exactly opposite to the anti-slip groove 52 on the other side. By setting the staggered anti-slip patterns 51, the friction can be increased, which can effectively prevent slippage and reduce the probability of wear and tear on the floor.

[0042] As an optional solution, a mounting plate 6 is provided on the outer side of the caster body. The mounting plate 6 is an annular plate that can cover the outer side of the hub 7, spokes 71, rim 72, and polyurethane-coated ring 5. The outer diameter of the mounting plate 6 is smaller than the outer diameter of the polyurethane-coated ring 5. Multiple threaded holes 61 for mounting bolts are evenly provided circumferentially on the mounting plate 6 and the rim 72. The mounting plate 6 can protect the outer side of the caster body, prevent debris from entering from the side, and also help support the rim 72, improving the structural stability of the rim 72.

[0043] As an optional solution, the outer edge of the mounting plate 6 is provided with a second rotating shaft 62 extending into the anti-slip groove 52, and the second rotating shaft 62 is fitted with a roller 63 made of polyurethane material; the roller 63 is provided with multiple sets of spiral grooves 64. By using the second rotating shaft 62 and rollers 63, on the one hand, when the caster body rotates to this point and contacts the ground, the ground surface contacts part of the rollers 63 and part of the anti-slip texture 51. Therefore, compared to the method where all the anti-slip texture 51 is in contact, this method indirectly increases the contact area, thereby improving the anti-slip ability and preventing slippage and damage to the ground. On the other hand, the wear of the rollers 63 during contact with the ground replaces the direct wear of the polyurethane-coated ring 5, and the rollers 63 can be replaced, thus extending the service life of the caster body. In addition, since multiple sets of spiral grooves 64 are provided on the outside of the rollers 63, as the rollers 63 rotate, they achieve a spiral-like effect, which can discharge small impurities stuck in the anti-slip grooves 52 from the side. This avoids some small impurities getting stuck in the anti-slip grooves 52 and causing bumps during the rolling process due to the periodic rotation of the caster body. This avoids affecting the stability of the robot's handling and also reduces the risk of scraping the ground.

[0044] As an alternative, the portion of the roller 63 on the side of the anti-slip pattern 51 away from the mounting plate 6 is located within the anti-slip groove 52, while the portion of the roller 63 on the side of the anti-slip pattern 51 near the mounting plate 6 extends outside the anti-slip groove 52.

[0045] As an optional solution, the anti-slip texture 51 is provided with a cavity 53, which is connected to the corresponding anti-slip groove 52 through an air hole 56. A V-shaped spring piece 54 with its opening facing the air hole 56 is provided within the cavity 53. The outer wall of the V-shaped spring piece 54 is in close contact with the inner wall of the cavity 53, and multiple sets of buffer springs 55 are arranged between the inner walls of the V-shaped spring piece 54. The V-shaped spring piece 54 allows for elastic deformation of the anti-slip texture 51 when compressed, improving buffering performance and reducing impact damage to the floor. Furthermore, the compression deformation of the V-shaped spring piece 54 compresses the air within the cavity 53, generating an airflow outward along the anti-slip groove 52 at the air hole 56. This helps to blow away small impurities within the anti-slip groove 52, further preventing small impurities from getting stuck in the anti-slip groove 52 and causing bumps and scrapes on the ground.

[0046] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions will not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the protection scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A traceless polyurethane caster for protecting a floor, characterized in that, Including protective cover (1), caster body and first pivot (2), the lower end of the protective cover (1) is open and surrounds the upper half of the caster body, and the lower end of the protective cover (1) is rotatably connected with the caster body through the first pivot (2); The caster body is composed of a hub (7), a spoke (71) and a rim (72) integrally formed, the hub (7), the spoke (71) and the rim (72) are arranged in sequence from inside to outside and coaxially arranged, the hub (7) is coaxially provided with a shaft hole (73) matched with the first pivot (2); the outer surface of the rim (72) is symmetrically provided with a clamping groove (74) arranged opposite on the front and back sides, and the outer surface of the rim (72) is provided with a polyurethane rubber-coated ring (5) with uniform thickness, and the inner side of the polyurethane rubber-coated ring (5) is provided with a clamping block matched with the clamping groove (74); The outer side of the caster body is provided with a mounting disc (6), the mounting disc (6) is an annular plate capable of shielding the outer side of the hub (7), the spoke (71), the rim (72) and the polyurethane rubber-coated ring (5), the outer diameter of the mounting disc (6) is smaller than the outer diameter of the polyurethane rubber-coated ring (5), and a plurality of threaded holes (61) for mounting bolts are uniformly arranged on the mounting disc (6) and the rim (72) in the circumferential direction; the outer edge of the mounting disc (6) is provided with a second pivot (62) extending into the anti-skid groove (52), and the second pivot (62) is sleeved with a roller (63) made of polyurethane material; the outer side of the roller (63) is provided with a plurality of spiral grooves (64).

2. A traceless polyurethane caster wheel for protecting a floor as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the protective cover (1) is rotatably provided with a support seat (11), the upper end of the support seat (11) is fixedly connected with a horizontally arranged mounting plate (12), and a plurality of mounting holes (13) are arranged on the mounting plate (12).

3. A traceless polyurethane caster wheel for protecting a floor according to claim 2, wherein, The middle part of the mounting plate (12) is provided with a damping groove (14) extending into the support seat (11), and a damping spring (15) is arranged in the damping groove (14).

4. A traceless polyurethane caster wheel for protecting a floor according to claim 3, wherein The first pivot (2) on the front side of the protective cover (1) is rotatably provided with an adjustment block (4) extending horizontally, and a sliding plate (3) slidably connected to the first pivot (2) is arranged between the adjustment block (4) and the protective cover (1); the middle part of the adjustment block (4) is provided with protrusions on the upper and lower sides, and the sliding plate (3) is provided with protrusions (33) matched with the protrusions; the front side of the protective cover (1) is provided with a vertically arranged guide groove (16), one side of the upper end of the sliding plate (3) is provided with a guide block (32) capable of sliding in the guide groove (16), and the other side of the upper end of the sliding plate (3) is connected with a brake pad (31) extending to the upper end of the caster body, and there is a gap between the brake pad (31) and the caster body.

5. A traceless polyurethane caster wheel for protecting a floor according to claim 4, wherein A plurality of anti-skid lines (51) are arranged on the outer surface of the polyurethane rubber-coated ring (5) in the circumferential direction, and the space between adjacent anti-skid lines (51) forms an anti-skid groove (52); the anti-skid lines (51) are staggered arranged front and back, and one side of the anti-skid lines (51) can be opposite to the other side of the anti-skid groove (52).

6. A traceless polyurethane caster wheel for protecting a floor according to claim 5, wherein, The roller (63) is located in the anti-skid groove (52) on the side of the anti-skid pattern (51) away from the mounting disc (6), and extends out of the anti-skid groove (52) on the side of the anti-skid pattern (51) close to the mounting disc (6).

7. A traceless polyurethane caster wheel for protecting a floor according to claim 6, wherein The anti-skid pattern (51) is provided with a cavity (53), the cavity (53) and the corresponding anti-skid groove (52) are communicated through the air hole (56), the cavity (53) is provided with a V-shaped elastic sheet (54) with an opening facing the air hole (56), the outer wall of the V-shaped elastic sheet (54) is tightly attached to the inner wall of the cavity (53), and a plurality of sets of buffer springs (55) are arranged between the inner walls of the V-shaped elastic sheet (54).

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