A rolling device for displacing the wheel

Abstract

A rolling device (10) for a device, which allows the device to move along a surface, includes a wheel axle (12) carrying a wheel (11), a lead screw (17) having a nut (19), at least one axle support (13) rotatably connected at one end to a fixed pivot (14) and at the other end to the lead screw nut (19), and a drive motor (18) connected to the lead screw (17) for rotating the lead screw (17) to displace the lead screw nut (19) and thereby displace the wheel (11) between an extended position and a retracted position. Each axle support (13) supports an end of a wheel axle (12), the wheel having two sides (21). The lead screw (17) is located between the two sides (21) of the wheel, spaced from the wheel axle by a distance greater than the radius of the wheel, and tangential to the direction of rotation of the wheel (11).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rolling device for attachment to or integration with an apparatus to enable movement of the apparatus along a surface.

[0002] More specifically, the equipment to be moved may be interior building elements such as furniture, walls or doors. The equipment to be moved may also be located outdoors, for example on euro pallets, or may comprise other equipment that is cumbersome to move.

[0003] The invention is suitable for moving all kinds of equipment that is moved between different locations, outdoors and indoors, the movement being along a surface, for example a floor. [Background technology]

[0004] Various devices, particularly furniture, are equipped with wheels to facilitate moving the device from one location to another, for example to reorganize the device or to move the device to gain access to the space it occupies or to the device itself.

[0005] The applicant has already developed a rolling device that can be integrated into furniture, movable walls, or other devices to move the device along a surface, which can be used by anyone, regardless of their health status or ability to lift the various devices in which the rolling device is integrated. This device is described in US Pat. No. 5,399,633.

[0006] The rolling device of Patent Document 1 comprises, for example, a cylindrical sleeve device that is attached to the leg of the furniture and a piston that is movably arranged in the cylindrical sleeve device. A ball-shaped or spherical wheel is arranged on the piston. The piston is movable between an upper position and a lower position by means of a click system with a spring. When the piston is in the lower position, the furniture can roll across the floor on which the furniture stands. On the other hand, when the piston is in the upper position, the wheel is inside the cylindrical sleeve device and therefore the leg of the furniture on which the rolling device is arranged stands on the floor. The furniture therefore stands in the desired position without inadvertently rolling across the floor when a small force is applied to the furniture. This solution is entirely mechanical.

[0007] The applicant has further developed the above concept to provide a rolling device with an automatic actuator system for moving a piston with rolling elements between upper and lower positions. This concept is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,399,433. The upper position is a passive rest position where the wheel elements are retracted into the rolling device, and the lower position is an operating position where the rolling device is moved along a surface. The actuator can be wirelessly controlled.

[0008] The present applicant further developed the above concept and provided a rolling device disclosed in Patent Document 3. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Norwegian Patent No. 316760 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 3102429 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2020 / 260551 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention is a further development of the above concept and provides an alternative solution for the configuration of displacing the wheel elements between a retracted position which prevents the wheel element from moving along the surface and an extended position in which the wheel element is ready to move along the surface.

[0011] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a rolling device that can be mounted or integrated into the device, offering an alternative to the prior art solutions represented by a simple and reliable arrangement for moving the wheels between retracted and extended positions.

[0012] A further object of the invention is to find a solution which is simple to control and which uses a more compact structure than prior art solutions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The object of the invention is achieved by means of the features of the claims.

[0014] These and other characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments, given as non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015] A rolling device for a device, enabling movement of the device along a surface, in one embodiment includes a wheel axle carrying a wheel, a lead screw having a nut, and at least one axle support rotatably connected at one end to a fixed axle pivot and connected at the other end to the lead screw nut. The wheel has two sides. Each axle support supports an end of the wheel axle.

[0016] The rolling device further includes a drive motor coupled to the lead screw for rotating the lead screw to displace the lead screw nut and thereby displace the wheel between the extended and retracted positions, the lead screw being disposed between two sides of the wheel, spaced from the wheel axis by a distance greater than the radius of the wheel, and tangential to the direction of rotation of the wheel.

[0017] In one embodiment, there are two axle supports arranged parallel to the sides of the wheel, and two spacers connect one end of the axle supports to the lead screw nut.

[0018] Lead screws, also known as power screws or translation screws, are screws used as linkages in machines to convert rotary motion into linear motion. Because of the large area of ​​sliding contact between the male and female members, screw threads have a greater frictional energy loss compared to other linkages. They are not typically used to transmit high power, but for intermittent use in low power actuator and positioner mechanisms.

[0019] The drive motor may have two drive directions, a first drive direction for displacement of the wheels to a retracted position and a second drive direction for displacement of the wheels to an extended position. A gear structure is disposed in engagement with the drive motor and the lead screw to transfer rotation from the motor to the lead screw, thereby rotating the screw and causing the nut and therefore the wheel to move up and down.

[0020] To facilitate tilting of the lead screw, the lead screw may be flexibly coupled to the housing.

[0021] In one embodiment, a second drive motor is disposed within the wheel for rotation of the wheel relative to the wheel axis.

[0022] The rolling device may comprise a control unit for controlling the rolling device. The control unit may receive control signals for the operation of the first and / or second drive motors by remote control, computer, mobile phone or voice activation. It is also possible that the control unit comprises software for autonomous control of the rolling device.

[0023] The rolling device may be disposed in a housing. The housing may be configured to enclose some, all, or most of the components of the rolling device, such as the wheel axle, the wheel, the lead screw, the nut, the axle support, and the motor. In this embodiment, the fixed pivot may be part of the housing or may be accommodated in the housing. The rolling device may be disposed in the housing such that in the extended position, at least a portion of the wheel 11 protrudes outside the housing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic side view of a rolling device according to the invention with the wheel elements in a retracted position; [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic side view of the rolling device shown in FIG. 1 when retracted or extended. [Diagram 3] 2 is a schematic side view of the rolling device shown in FIG. 1 in an extended position. [Figure 4] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] 1-4 illustrate a rolling device 10 that can be mounted or integrated into a device or object to be moved. The rolling device comprises wheels 11 and is configured to raise and lower the wheels 11 to different positions. For example, the wheels 11 can be retracted into a housing so that the housing rests on a surface, or the wheels can be at least partially extended from the housing so that the rolling device 10 can be used to move the device / object. FIGS. 1-3 show the rolling device 10 in three different positions between the retracted position shown in FIG. 1 and the extended position in FIG. 3.

[0027] The rolling device 10 comprises a wheel axle 12 carrying a wheel 11. The wheel has two sides 21 connected to a rim 22 on each side of the wheel 11, the distance between the sides 21 defining the width of the wheel 11. The wheel may be any type of wheel. In the figures, the wheel is a Mecanum wheel with a series of rubberized (rubber-coated) external rollers mounted diagonally around the entire circumference of the rim, although the invention is not limited thereto.

[0028] The rolling device 10 further comprises a lead screw 17 with a nut 19. The two shaft supports 13 are rotatably connected at one end to a fixed pivot 14 and at the other end 16 to a lead screw nut 19. The shaft supports 13 are longitudinal elements having means for rotational connection to the fixed pivot, the wheel axle 12 and the lead screw nut 19. When the lead screw rotates, the nut moves on the lead screw in one direction or the other, depending on the direction of rotation of the lead screw. Since the shaft supports 13 are connected at one end to the lead screw nut 19, rotating the lead screw causes a movement of the shaft supports 13. Each shaft support 13 supports an end of a wheel axle 12, so that when the lead screw is rotated, the wheel also experiences a movement.

[0029] A drive motor within housing 18 is coupled to lead screw 17 to rotate lead screw 17, thereby displacing lead screw nut 19 and wheel 11 between extended and retracted positions. A gear mechanism 15 is disposed in engagement with motor 18 and lead screw 17 to transfer rotation from motor 18 to lead screw 17.

[0030] The lead screw 17 is arranged tangentially to the direction of rotation of the wheel 11, centrally located between the two lateral sides 21 of the wheel 11. The lead screw 17 is spaced from the wheel axis 12 by a distance greater than the radius of the wheel, and is therefore located in front or behind the wheel 11, depending on the direction of movement. Two axle supports are arranged parallel to the lateral sides 21 of the wheel 11, and two spacers 20 connect the ends of the axle supports 13 to the lead screw nuts 19.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows the wheel in a retracted position. In this state, the shaft support 13 is inclined upwards with the fixed pivot 14 lower than the wheel shaft 12. When the lead screw 17 is rotated by the drive motor 18, the wheel is displaced according to the direction of rotation. The drive motor has a first drive direction for displacing the wheel to the retracted position and a second drive direction for displacing the wheel 11 to the extended position. In FIG. 2, the motor is operated in the second drive direction, the lead screw nut moves downwards on the lead screw, and the wheel 11 is displaced in the direction of the extended position. The end 16 of the shaft support 13 follows a curved path, so that the connection between the shaft support 13 and the lead screw nut 19 also follows a curved path. When the shaft support 13 moves from the upwardly inclined position to the horizontal position, the lead screw nut experiences a corresponding curved movement. To accommodate this movement, the lead screw is flexibly arranged and, for example, flexibly connected to a housing. The lower end of the lead screw 17 is free and not connected to the housing, allowing the lead screw 17 to tilt. In Figure 2, due to the curved path of the lead screw nut 19, both the lead screw 17 and the motor housing 18 are slightly tilted.

[0032] In Figure 3, the motor continues to operate in the second drive direction and the lead screw nut 19 moves further down on the lead screw. This movement moves the wheel 11 to an extended position. In this condition the axle support 13 is tilted downwards with the fixed pivot 14 higher than the wheel axle 12. The end 16 of the axle support 13 continues to follow a curved path, forcing the lead screw 17 into an upright, mainly vertical, position.

[0033] 4 is a perspective view of the rolling device 10. In this embodiment, the rolling device 10 comprises a housing 23. The housing 23 houses most of the components of the rolling device and provides the connection of the fixed pivot 14, which may provide, for example, support for the device or object to be moved. When the wheel is moved up and down, in the extended position it protrudes at least partially outside the housing, while in the retracted position it retracts completely into the housing.

Claims

1. A rolling device (10) for a device, said rolling device enabling the movement of said device along a surface, comprising: a wheel axle (12) carrying a wheel (11), said wheel having two flanks (21) and a lead screw (17) having a nut (19); at least one axle support (13) rotatably connected at one end to a fixed pivot (14) and connected at the other end to said lead screw nut (19), said axle support (13) supporting an end of said wheel axle (12); a drive motor (18) connected to the lead screw (17) for rotating the lead screw (17) to displace the lead screw nut (19) and thereby displace the wheel (11) between an extended position and a retracted position; The lead screw (17) is disposed between the two side surfaces (21) of the wheel (11), spaced from the wheel axis by a distance greater than the radius of the wheel, and in a tangential direction to the direction of rotation of the wheel (11).

2. 2. The rolling device (10) according to claim 1, comprising two shaft support members arranged in parallel on a side surface (21) of the wheel (11), and two spacers (20) connecting one end of the shaft support member (13) to the lead screw nut (19).

3. 3. The rolling device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drive motor has a first drive direction for the displacement of the wheels (11) to the retracted position and a second drive direction for the displacement of the wheels (11) to the extended position.

4. The rolling device (10) of any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a gear structure (15) arranged in engagement with the motor (18) and the lead screw (17) to transmit rotation from the motor (18) to the lead screw (17).

5. The rolling device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lead screw is flexibly connected to the housing.

6. The rolling device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a second drive motor is arranged in the wheel (11) for rotation of the wheel (11) relative to the wheel axle (12).

7. The rolling device (10) of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a control unit controls the rolling device, the control unit receiving control signals for operation of the first and / or second drive motors by remote control, computer, mobile phone or voice activation.

8. A rolling device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a housing, the fixed pivot (14) being accommodated within the housing.

9. 9. The rolling device (10) according to claim 8, wherein the housing accommodates the wheel axle (12), the wheel (11), the lead screw (17), the nut (19), the shaft support member (13), and the motor.

10. 10. The rolling device (10) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein in the extended position, at least a part of the wheel (11) protrudes outside the housing.

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