Climbing type obstacle crossing trundle

Abstract

The utility model discloses a crossing type obstacle crossing trundle, and belongs to the technical field of trundles. The crossing type obstacle crossing trundle comprises a support assembly, a wheel carrier and a main wheel, the main wheel is rotationally installed on the wheel carrier, the rear portion of the wheel carrier is rotationally connected with the support assembly, and a crossing wheel located in front of the main wheel is arranged on the front portion of the wheel carrier. In a normal state, the rotating axis B of the main wheel is located in front of the swinging axis A of the wheel carrier, the front portion of the wheel carrier abuts against the front portion of the support assembly in a matched mode, and the bottom of the wheel face of the climbing wheel is higher than that of the wheel face of the main wheel. The crossing wheel is arranged on the front portion of the swingable wheel carrier, obstacle crossing is achieved through swinging of the trundle during obstacle crossing, obstacle crossing smoothness is better, the obstacle crossing amplitude is larger, and the structure is more compact; moreover, in the normal state, the rotating axis B of the main wheel is located in front of the swinging axis A of the wheel carrier, the front portion of the wheel carrier is matched with the front portion of the support assembly in an abutting mode under the loading effect, and the walking stability of the trundle in the normal state is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a caster, and more specifically, to a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster. Background Technology

[0002] Casters, as flexible walking wheels, are widely used in various fields, including walking robots, mobile mechanical equipment, and the medical field. However, ordinary casters have poor obstacle-crossing performance when encountering obstacles such as steps. They generally cannot pass steps that are higher than their radius, and because casters typically have a small wheel diameter, traversing steps of common heights or potholes becomes very difficult. For example, when passing low thresholds or elevator sills, they often cannot glide smoothly, resulting in noticeable shaking or even damage to the casters during obstacle crossing.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, US Patent Publication No. US8910951B2 discloses a caster wheel structure (patent title: Caster wheel arrangements), published on December 16, 2014. This structure improves the caster's obstacle-crossing ability by adding lifting wheels or lifting legs to the caster, thereby increasing the height of the contact point when the caster contacts an obstacle. In use, the lifting wheels or lifting legs are positioned ahead of the caster's direction of travel, making initial contact with the obstacle. Upon contact, they provide an upward vertical force, lifting the caster to help it overcome obstacles exceeding its radius. The advantages of this obstacle-crossing caster are its simple structure and low manufacturing cost. However, its obstacle-crossing range is somewhat limited due to the lifting angle of the contact point of the lifting wheels or lifting legs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] 1. Technical problem to be solved by the utility model

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings of existing obstacle-crossing casters and provide a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster. The technical solution of this invention involves designing the wheel frame as a swingable structure and installing a flip-over wheel at the front of the wheel frame. The caster utilizes its swinging motion during obstacle crossing to achieve obstacle flipping, resulting in better obstacle crossing smoothness, a larger obstacle crossing range, and a more compact structure. Furthermore, under normal conditions, the rotation axis B of the main wheel is located before the swing axis A of the wheel frame, allowing the front of the wheel frame to abut against the front of the support assembly under load. This simple and ingenious structural design improves the stability of the caster under normal conditions.

[0006] 2. Technical Solution

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution provided by this utility model is as follows:

[0008] This utility model discloses a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster, comprising a support assembly, a wheel frame, and a main wheel. The main wheel is rotatably mounted on the wheel frame, and the rear of the wheel frame is rotatably connected to the support assembly. The front of the wheel frame is provided with a vaulting wheel located in front of the main wheel. In normal condition, the rotation axis B of the main wheel is located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame, the front of the wheel frame abuts against the front of the support assembly, and the bottom of the vaulting wheel is higher than the bottom of the main wheel.

[0009] Furthermore, when the overturning obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along the direction of travel, the wheel frame swings backward relative to the support assembly, and when the main wheel and the overturning wheel touch the ground simultaneously, the rotation axis B of the main wheel is always located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame.

[0010] Furthermore, when the obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along the direction of travel, the wheel frame swings backward relative to the support assembly; an elastic reset mechanism is also provided between the wheel frame and the support assembly to reset the wheel frame after swinging.

[0011] Furthermore, the wheel frame is rotatably connected to the support assembly via a rotating shaft, and the elastic reset mechanism is a torsion spring mounted on the rotating shaft, with one elastic arm of the torsion spring acting on the support assembly and the other elastic arm acting on the wheel frame.

[0012] Furthermore, the lower part of the wheel frame has a main wheel bracket, the front part of the wheel frame has a flip wheel bracket, the upper part of the flip wheel bracket has a contact surface for abutting and cooperating with the front part of the bracket assembly, the main wheel is mounted on the main wheel bracket via a main wheel axle, the flip wheel is mounted on the flip wheel bracket via a flip wheel axle, and a shock absorption mechanism is also provided between the contact surface and the bracket assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, the shock absorption mechanism is a shock absorption block mounted on the wheel frame and protruding from the contact surface.

[0014] Furthermore, the bracket assembly includes a mounting base plate and a rotating bracket, the rotating bracket being rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate via a thrust bearing and a centering bearing, the rotation axis Z of the rotating bracket being located ahead of the rotation axis B of the main wheel in the direction of travel of the caster.

[0015] Furthermore, the rotating bracket has mounting ears bent downwards on both sides, and the wheel frame is rotatably mounted on the corresponding mounting ears on both sides.

[0016] Furthermore, the obstacle-crossing height h of the overturning wheel is not greater than the ground clearance H of the rotation axis C of the overturning wheel under normal conditions, and the ground clearance ΔH of the bottom of the overturning wheel under normal conditions is not greater than the radius of the main wheel; when the obstacle-crossing height h is less than ΔH, the main wheel contacts the obstacle in the direction of travel and swings backward, causing the overturning wheel and the main wheel to overturn the obstacle in sequence; when the obstacle-crossing height h is between ΔH and H, the overturning wheel contacts the obstacle in the direction of travel and generates a lifting effect to overturn the obstacle, and after the main wheel contacts the obstacle, it swings backward to overturn the obstacle.

[0017] Furthermore, the main wheel adopts a left and right double wheel structure, and the overturning wheel adopts a single wheel structure located in the middle of the left and right double wheels, and the diameter of the overturning wheel is smaller than the diameter of the main wheel.

[0018] 3. Beneficial effects

[0019] Compared with existing known technologies, the technical solution provided by this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] (1) The present invention provides a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster, which includes a support assembly, a wheel frame and a main wheel. The main wheel is rotatably mounted on the wheel frame. The rear part of the wheel frame is rotatably connected to the support assembly. The front part of the wheel frame is provided with a flip-over wheel located in front of the main wheel. In normal state, the rotation axis B of the main wheel is located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame. The front part of the wheel frame is in contact with the front part of the support assembly. The bottom of the wheel surface of the flip-over wheel is higher than the bottom of the wheel surface of the main wheel. By designing the wheel frame as a swingable structure and setting a flip-over wheel in front of the wheel frame, the obstacle can be flipped over by using the swing of the caster when crossing the obstacle. The obstacle crossing is smoother and the obstacle crossing range is larger. The structure is also more compact. In addition, since the rotation axis B of the main wheel is located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame in normal state, the front part of the wheel frame is stably in contact with the front part of the support assembly under the load. The structural design is simple and ingenious, which improves the walking stability of the caster in normal state.

[0021] (2) The present invention provides a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster. When the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along the direction of travel, the wheel frame swings backward relative to the support assembly. When the main wheel and the flip-over wheel touch the ground at the same time, the rotation axis B of the main wheel is always located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame. In this way, the eccentric force of the main wheel can be used to realize the automatic reset of the wheel frame after crossing the obstacle. The structure is simpler and it is beneficial to reduce the manufacturing cost of the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster.

[0022] (3) The present invention provides a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster. When the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along the direction of travel, the wheel frame swings backward relative to the support assembly. An elastic reset mechanism is also provided between the wheel frame and the support assembly to reset the wheel frame after swinging. The elastic reset mechanism can realize the automatic reset of the caster to the normal state after crossing the obstacle, thereby improving the stability of the caster after crossing the obstacle. In addition, the wheel frame is rotatably connected to the support assembly through a rotating shaft. The elastic reset mechanism is a torsion spring installed on the rotating shaft. Using a torsion spring as the elastic reset mechanism is simple in structure and easy to install.

[0023] (4) The present invention provides a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster with a shock-absorbing mechanism between the contact surface at the front of the wheel frame and the support assembly, which can effectively reduce the vibration and noise generated during the caster's reset process; in addition, the shock-absorbing mechanism is a shock-absorbing block installed on the wheel frame and protruding from the contact surface. The shock-absorbing block has a simple structure, is easy to install, and can also play a shock-absorbing role when the caster is walking normally, thus improving the shock absorption performance of the caster.

[0024] (5) The present invention provides a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster, the bracket assembly of which includes a mounting base plate and a rotating bracket. The rotating bracket is rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate through a thrust bearing and a centering bearing. The rotation axis Z of the rotating bracket is located in front of the rotation axis B of the main wheel in the direction of travel of the caster, so that the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster becomes a swivel wheel that can be freely turned. Furthermore, due to the eccentric design of the main wheel, it can automatically adjust the forward and backward direction of the caster during travel, and always keep the flip-over wheel in front.

[0025] (6) The present invention provides a type of obstacle-crossing caster with a rotating bracket that is bent downward on both sides and has mounting ears. The left and right sides of the wheel frame are respectively rotated and mounted on the mounting ears on the corresponding sides. With this rotating bracket design, it can be made by sheet metal process, with simple structure, easy manufacturing, high structural strength and long service life.

[0026] (7) The present invention provides a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster. The obstacle-crossing height h of the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster is not greater than the ground height H of the rotation axis C of the flip-over wheel under normal conditions. The ground height ΔH of the bottom of the flip-over wheel under normal conditions is not greater than the radius of the main wheel. When the obstacle-crossing height h is less than ΔH, the obstacle can be directly crossed by the swing of the flip-over wheel and the main wheel, and the obstacle crossing is smooth and stable. When the obstacle-crossing height h is between ΔH and H, the obstacle can be crossed by the lifting effect of the flip-over wheel, and the obstacle can be crossed by swinging backward after the main wheel contacts the obstacle. The obstacle-crossing height is greater and the applicability is stronger.

[0027] (8) The present invention provides a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster, wherein the main wheel adopts a left and right double wheel structure, and the caster with the double wheel structure has a stronger load-bearing capacity; the flip-over wheel adopts a single wheel structure located in the middle of the left and right double wheels, and the wheel diameter of the flip-over wheel is smaller than the wheel diameter of the main wheel, making the caster structure more compact and able to meet the installation requirements of small spaces. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster according to the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of another angle of the overturning obstacle-crossing caster of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a side view of the structure of a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster according to the present invention.

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the disassembled state of a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the swinging and flipping state of a flipping obstacle-crossing caster of this utility model;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a side view of the swinging and overturning structure of a flipping obstacle-crossing caster according to the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the swinging and overturning state of a flipping obstacle-crossing caster of this utility model;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the obstacle-crossing process of a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster of this utility model when the obstacle-crossing height h is less than ΔH;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the obstacle-crossing process of a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster of this utility model when the obstacle-crossing height h is between ΔH and H.

[0038] Explanation of the labels in the diagram:

[0039] 1. Support assembly; 1-1. Mounting base plate; 1-2. Rotating support; 1-2a. Limiting plate; 1-3. Thrust bearing; 1-4. Centering bearing; 1-5. Locking nut; 2. Wheel frame; 2-1. Main wheel support; 2-2. Tilting wheel support; 2-3. Abutment surface; 3. Rotating shaft; 3-1. Snap ring; 4. Main wheel; 4-1. Main wheel shaft; 5. Tilting wheel; 5-1. Tilting wheel shaft; 6. Shock absorber; 7. Torsion spring; 8. Sleeve; 9. Spacer. Detailed Implementation

[0040] This utility model relates to a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster, a caster capable of crossing obstacles using a vaulting motion. It should be noted that, for ease of understanding, "front and back" in this utility model refers to the direction of the caster's travel: the direction of travel of the caster is "forward," and the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the caster is "backward." "Normal state" in this utility model refers to: [referring to...] Figure 3 As shown, the caster is in a horizontal state or the vertical line of the caster bracket assembly 1 is perpendicular to the caster travel surface. In this state, the main wheel 4 of the caster is in contact with the ground, and the force direction of the main wheel 4 is perpendicular to the caster travel surface.

[0041] To further understand the content of this utility model, a detailed description of this utility model will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0042] [Example 1]

[0043] Combination Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this embodiment of a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster includes a support assembly 1, a wheel frame 2, and a main wheel 4. The main wheel 4 is rotatably mounted on the wheel frame 2 and can rotate freely on the wheel frame 2. The rear of the wheel frame 2 is rotatably connected to the support assembly 1, allowing the wheel frame 2 to rotate around a swing axis A. A vaulting wheel 5 is located at the front of the wheel frame 2, in front of the main wheel 4. The vaulting wheel 5 can rotate freely, and its rotation axis C is parallel to the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4. Both the main wheel 4 and the vaulting wheel 5 can swing with the wheel frame 2. Figure 3As shown, under normal conditions, the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4 is located before the swing axis A of the wheel frame 2. The front part of the wheel frame 2 abuts against the front part of the support assembly 1, and the bottom of the wheel surface of the flip wheel 5 is higher than the bottom of the wheel surface of the main wheel 4. Under normal conditions, the main wheel 4 touches the ground, and the flip wheel 5 leaves the ground. The reaction force generated by the main wheel 4 touching the ground deviates forward from the swing axis A by a certain distance, allowing the wheel frame 2 to maintain contact with the support assembly 1. The structural design is simple and ingenious, ensuring the stability of the caster when it is moving normally. By designing the wheel frame 2 as a swingable structure and setting a flip-over wheel 5 at the front of the wheel frame 2, when the caster encounters an obstacle, when the main wheel 4 contacts the obstacle in the direction of travel, the main wheel 4 is subjected to backward resistance, which causes the wheel frame 2 to swing backward. At this time, the flip-over wheel 5 acts downward on the obstacle, and the center of gravity of the caster's overall load shifts from the main wheel 4 to the flip-over wheel 5, swinging over the obstacle. The obstacle crossing is smoother, and compared with the existing lifting obstacle crossing caster, the obstacle crossing range is larger and the structure is more compact.

[0044] In this embodiment, a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along its direction of travel. When the caster encounters an obstacle, the wheel frame 2 swings backward relative to the support assembly 1. When the main wheel 4 and the vaulting wheel 5 touch the ground simultaneously, the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4 is always located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame 2. Figures 6 to 8 This illustrates the swinging and overturning state of the obstacle-crossing caster, for reference. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, when the caster passes over the obstacle, the main wheel 4 and the overturning wheel 5 touch the ground at the same time, forming the maximum swing angle. Since the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4 is always located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame 2, and the resistance of the obstacle to the main wheel 4 disappears when the main wheel 4 passes over the obstacle (ignoring the rolling friction of the main wheel 4 here), the main wheel 4 is mainly subjected to an upward supporting force, and this supporting force deviates forward from the swing axis A by a certain distance, so that the caster can automatically return to the normal state after passing over the obstacle. For obstacles with narrow travel widths, there may be situations where the tipping wheel 5 has already passed the obstacle while the main wheel 4 has not. In this case, the bottom of the tipping wheel 5's wheel surface may be lower than the bottom of the main wheel 4's wheel surface, meaning the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4 may have moved backward past the swing axis A of the wheel frame 2. In this situation, the tipping wheel 5 and the main wheel 4 pass the obstacle sequentially, resulting in a smoother ride and reduced bumps when the caster leaves the obstacle. Furthermore, once the caster has completely passed the obstacle, the tipping wheel 5 and the main wheel 4 return to the same plane, and the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4 returns to before the swing axis A of the wheel frame 2, allowing for automatic reset. Using this structure, the eccentric force of the main wheel 4 enables automatic reset of the wheel frame after obstacle clearance, simplifying the structure and reducing manufacturing costs for tipping obstacle-crossing casters.

[0045] To reduce vibration and noise generated during the wheel's reset after overcoming an obstacle, a shock-absorbing mechanism is also installed on this obstacle-crossing caster. Specifically, as follows... Figure 1 , Figure 4 as well asFigures 6 to 8 As shown, the lower part of the wheel frame 2 has a main wheel bracket 2-1, and the front part of the wheel frame 2 has a ramp wheel bracket 2-2. The upper part of the ramp wheel bracket 2-2 has a contact surface 2-3 for abutting against the front part of the support assembly 1. The main wheel 4 is mounted on the main wheel bracket 2-1 via the main wheel axle 4-1, and the ramp wheel 5 is mounted on the ramp wheel bracket 2-2 via the ramp wheel axle 5-1. A shock-absorbing mechanism is also provided between the contact surface 2-3 and the support assembly 1. During the reset process after the caster overcomes an obstacle, the contact surface 2-3 will return to the state of contact with the support assembly 1. The shock-absorbing mechanism can reduce the vibration and noise generated by the collision between the two. In this embodiment, the shock-absorbing mechanism is preferably a shock-absorbing block 6, which can be made of rubber material and can be provided on the support assembly 1 or the wheel frame 2. Preferably, the aforementioned shock-absorbing mechanism is a shock-absorbing block 6 mounted on the wheel frame 2 and protruding from the contact surface 2-3. It has a simple structure, is easy to install, and provides shock absorption even during normal caster movement, thus improving the caster's shock absorption performance. The aforementioned main wheel bracket 2-1 can be integrally formed from sheet metal of the wheel frame 2. The overturning wheel bracket 2-2 can be welded and fixed to the front of the wheel frame 2. A connecting plate is welded to the overturning wheel bracket 2-2 for mounting the shock-absorbing block 6, ensuring both the effective shock-absorbing dimensions of the shock-absorbing block 6 and structural compactness. The aforementioned main wheel axle 4-1 and overturning wheel axle 5-1 can both be replaced with bolts, resulting in a simple structure and convenient assembly.

[0046] This embodiment of a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster can be used as a directional caster or a swivel caster. (Refer to...) Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, it is preferably used as a caster wheel. In this case, the bracket assembly 1 includes a mounting base plate 1-1 and a rotating bracket 1-2. The rotating bracket 1-2 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate 1-1 via a thrust bearing 1-3 and a centering bearing 1-4, allowing the rotating bracket 1-2 to rotate freely relative to the mounting base plate 1-1. The thrust bearing 1-3 can be a planar thrust bearing, which serves as a load-bearing component, while the centering bearing 1-4 can be a ball bearing, which serves as a rotational support component. The mounting base plate 1-1 and the rotating bracket 1-2 can be axially locked by a locking nut 1-5. Similar to existing caster wheels, the mounting base plate 1-1 is used for mounting the caster. The rotation axis Z of the rotating bracket 1-2 is located ahead of the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4 in the direction of travel of the caster, forming an eccentric caster wheel structure. Due to the eccentric design of the main wheel 4, it can automatically adjust the forward and backward direction of the caster during travel, always keeping the overturning wheel 5 in front. The rotating bracket 1-2 described above has mounting ears bent downwards on both sides. The wheel frame 2 is rotatably mounted on the corresponding mounting ears on both sides. Specifically, the wheel frame 2 can be rotatably connected to the rotating bracket 1-2 via a rotating shaft 3, with retaining rings 3-1 at both ends of the rotating shaft 3 for limiting. The rotating bracket 1-2 can be manufactured using sheet metal processes, resulting in a simple structure and easy manufacturing, leading to high structural strength and a long service life for the obstacle-crossing caster. The front of the rotating bracket 1-2 has a limiting plate 1-2a that mates with the aforementioned contact surface 2-3.

[0047] Reference Figure 3 As shown in this embodiment, a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster has an obstacle-crossing height h that is no greater than the ground clearance H of the rotation axis C of the flip-over wheel 5 in its normal state. This means the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster can flip over obstacles with a height less than H. The ground clearance ΔH of the bottom of the flip-over wheel 5 in its normal state is no greater than the radius of the main wheel 4. Compared to existing lifting obstacle-crossing casters, due to the flip-over structure, ΔH can be closer to or even higher than the radius of the main wheel 4. Under the same wheel diameter, the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster can smoothly flip over higher obstacles. Considering the smoothness and practicality of the caster's obstacle-crossing, it is preferable that the ground clearance ΔH of the bottom of the flip-over wheel 5 in its normal state is less than the radius of the main wheel 4. Since the flip-over wheel 5 can also perform a lifting obstacle-crossing function, theoretically, the maximum obstacle-crossing height of the flip-over obstacle-crossing caster can reach or even exceed the radius of the main wheel 4. Figure 9 and Figure 10 Two sets of schematic diagrams illustrating the obstacle-crossing process at different obstacle-crossing heights are provided. (Refer to...) Figure 9 As shown, when the obstacle clearance height h is less than ΔH, the main wheel 4 contacts the obstacle in the direction of travel and swings backward, causing the overturning wheel 5 and the main wheel 4 to successively overturn the obstacle. Figure 9As shown in (a), at this time, the main wheel 4 first contacts the obstacle, and the obstacle generates resistance on the main wheel 4, causing the wheel frame 2 to swing backward, and the center of gravity of the caster's overall load shifts from the main wheel 4 to the overturning wheel 5; as Figure 9 As shown in (b), during the backward sway of the wheel frame 2, the overturning wheel 5 moves downward to contact the upper side of the obstacle, providing auxiliary obstacle-crossing support, allowing the main wheel 4 to cross the obstacle more smoothly. Compared with existing lifting obstacle-crossing casters, this obstacle-crossing process is smoother; in the case of Figure 9 In the state shown in (c), under the reset action, the obstacle-crossing caster can automatically return to its normal state. (Refer to...) Figure 10 As shown, when the obstacle clearance height h is between ΔH and H, the overturning wheel 5 contacts the obstacle in the direction of travel, generating a lifting effect to overtake the obstacle, and after the main wheel 4 contacts the obstacle, it swings backward to overturn the obstacle. Figure 10 As shown in (a), at this time, the vaulting wheel 5 contacts the obstacle first and exerts a force on the vaulting wheel 5 in the direction of its rotation axis C. Since this force has an upward component, on the one hand, it can keep the caster stable in the normal state, and on the other hand, it can provide the same lifting effect as the existing lifting obstacle-crossing caster, thus allowing the vaulting wheel 5 to cross the obstacle first; as Figure 10 As shown in (b), after the overturning wheel 5 crosses the obstacle, the main wheel 4 makes a second contact with the obstacle. The obstacle generates resistance on the main wheel 4, causing the wheel frame 2 to sway backward, forming... Figure 10 As shown in state (c), it can be seen that when the obstacle-crossing height h is between ΔH and H, the obstacle-crossing caster utilizes the lifting action of the flipping wheel 5 in the initial stage and the swinging flipping action of the flipping wheel 5 and the main wheel 4 in the subsequent stage. Compared with existing lifting obstacle-crossing casters, this obstacle-crossing process is smoother and the obstacle-crossing range is greater; in the case of... Figure 10 In the state shown in (d), when both the overturning wheel 5 and the main wheel 4 have climbed over the step (obstacle), the overturning obstacle-crossing caster can automatically return to its normal state under the reset action.

[0048] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the main wheel 4 preferably adopts a double wheel structure, and the left and right double wheels can be separated by a spacer 9. The double wheel structure of the caster has a stronger load-bearing capacity. The overturning wheel 5 adopts a single wheel structure located in the middle of the left and right double wheels. The wheel diameter of the overturning wheel 5 is smaller than that of the main wheel 4, making the caster structure more compact and meeting the installation requirements of small spaces.

[0049] [Example 2]

[0050] This embodiment of a vaulting obstacle-crossing caster has the same basic structure and working principle as Embodiment 1, but the difference is:

[0051] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, when the obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along its travel direction, the wheel frame 2 swings backward relative to the support assembly 1. An elastic reset mechanism is also provided between the wheel frame 2 and the support assembly 1 to reset the wheel frame 2 after swinging. This elastic reset mechanism allows the caster to automatically reset to its normal state after overcoming an obstacle, improving the stability of the caster's obstacle-crossing reset. The elastic reset mechanism acts on the wheel frame 2, and when the main wheel 4 contacts an obstacle causing the wheel frame 2 to swing backward, the elastic reset mechanism also provides a certain buffering effect, reducing vibration during obstacle crossing. Furthermore, since the elastic reset mechanism can provide an elastic reset force, it allows the main wheel 4 and the obstacle-crossing wheel 5 to swing and contact the same plane, with the rotation axis B of the main wheel 4 located directly below or near the swing axis A of the wheel frame 2. The elastic reset mechanism allows the obstacle-crossing caster to automatically reset in this state.

[0052] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the wheel frame 2 is rotatably connected to the support assembly 1 via a rotating shaft 3. Both ends of the rotating shaft 3 are limited by retaining springs 3-1. The elastic reset mechanism is a torsion spring 7 mounted on the rotating shaft 3. One elastic arm of the torsion spring 7 acts on the support assembly 1, and the other elastic arm acts on the wheel frame 2, ensuring that the wheel frame 2 maintains an elastic tendency to return to its normal state. Using the torsion spring 7 as the elastic reset mechanism results in a simple structure and convenient installation. Specifically, a set of torsion springs 7 can be set at each end of the rotating shaft 3 to ensure the balance of the reset force. The two sets of torsion springs 7 can be separated and limited by a sleeve 8 fitted onto the rotating shaft 3.

[0053] This utility model discloses a flip-over obstacle-crossing caster. The wheel frame is designed as a swingable structure, and a flip-over wheel is set at the front of the wheel frame. The caster uses the swing of the wheel to flip over obstacles, which improves the smoothness of obstacle crossing and the range of obstacle crossing, and the structure is also more compact. In addition, under normal conditions, the rotation axis B of the main wheel is located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame. Under the action of load, the front of the wheel frame abuts and cooperates with the front of the support assembly. The structural design is simple and ingenious, which improves the walking stability of the caster under normal conditions.

[0054] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above illustratively. This description is not restrictive, and the figures shown are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. Therefore, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vaulting obstacle-crossing caster, comprising a support assembly (1), a wheel frame (2), and a main wheel (4), wherein the main wheel (4) is rotatably mounted on the wheel frame (2), characterized in that: The rear of the wheel frame (2) is rotatably connected to the support assembly (1), and the front of the wheel frame (2) is provided with a flipping wheel (5) located in front of the main wheel (4). Under normal conditions, the rotation axis B of the main wheel (4) is located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame (2), the front of the wheel frame (2) is in contact with the front of the support assembly (1), and the bottom of the wheel surface of the flipping wheel (5) is higher than the bottom of the wheel surface of the main wheel (4).

2. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along the direction of travel, the wheel frame (2) swings backward relative to the support assembly (1), and when the main wheel (4) and the obstacle-crossing wheel (5) touch the ground at the same time, the rotation axis B of the main wheel (4) is always located in front of the swing axis A of the wheel frame (2).

3. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the obstacle-crossing caster encounters an obstacle along the direction of travel, the wheel frame (2) swings backward relative to the support assembly (1); an elastic reset mechanism is also provided between the wheel frame (2) and the support assembly (1) to reset the wheel frame (2) after swinging.

4. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 3, characterized in that: The wheel frame (2) is rotatably connected to the support assembly (1) via a rotating shaft (3). The elastic reset mechanism is a torsion spring (7) installed on the rotating shaft (3). One elastic arm of the torsion spring (7) acts on the support assembly (1), and the other elastic arm acts on the wheel frame (2).

5. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower part of the wheel frame (2) has a main wheel bracket (2-1), the front part of the wheel frame (2) has a flip wheel bracket (2-2), the upper part of the flip wheel bracket (2-2) has a contact surface (2-3) for abutting and cooperating with the front part of the bracket assembly (1), the main wheel (4) is mounted on the main wheel bracket (2-1) through the main wheel axle (4-1), the flip wheel (5) is mounted on the flip wheel bracket (2-2) through the flip wheel axle (5-1), and a shock absorption mechanism is also provided between the contact surface (2-3) and the bracket assembly (1).

6. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 5, characterized in that: The shock absorption mechanism is a shock absorption block (6) installed on the wheel frame (2) and protruding from the contact surface (2-3).

7. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bracket assembly (1) includes a mounting base plate (1-1) and a rotating bracket (1-2). The rotating bracket (1-2) is rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate (1-1) via a thrust bearing (1-3) and a centering bearing (1-4). The rotation axis Z of the rotating bracket (1-2) is located ahead of the rotation axis B of the main wheel (4) in the direction of travel of the caster.

8. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 7, characterized in that: The rotating bracket (1-2) has mounting ears bent downwards on both sides, and the wheel frame (2) is rotatably mounted on the mounting ears on the corresponding sides.

9. The obstacle-crossing caster according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The obstacle-crossing height h of the overturning type obstacle-crossing caster is not greater than the ground height H of the rotation axis C of the overturning wheel (5) under normal conditions. The ground height ΔH of the bottom of the wheel surface of the overturning wheel (5) under normal conditions is not greater than the radius of the main wheel (4). When the obstacle-crossing height h is less than ΔH, the main wheel (4) contacts the obstacle in the direction of travel and swings backward, causing the overturning wheel (5) and the main wheel (4) to overturn the obstacle in sequence. When the obstacle-crossing height h is between ΔH and H, the overturning wheel (5) contacts the obstacle in the direction of travel and generates a lifting effect to overturn the obstacle. After the main wheel (4) contacts the obstacle, it swings backward to overturn the obstacle.

10. The obstacle-crossing caster according to claim 9, characterized in that: The main wheel (4) adopts a double wheel structure on the left and right, and the overturning wheel (5) adopts a single wheel structure located in the middle of the double wheels on the left and right. The diameter of the overturning wheel (5) is smaller than that of the main wheel (4).

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