Furniture Castor Marking Stability via Extraction and Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing casters for furniture face issues with markings on the wheels being unreadable due to rotation and directional changes, and the shafts can be easily released from the housing, compromising the stability of the markings.
Innovation Solution
A caster design featuring a wheel casing with a breakthrough along a bearing axis, a shaft with a complementary cross-section, and a two-part bearing system with interconnected elements and ribs for secure mounting, ensuring the shaft is fixed to the casing and the wheel is securely locked in rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a marking is affixed to the visible side face of a caster wheel, then advertising and information purposes are served, but the marking becomes illegible when the wheel rotates and difficult to read when the furniture is stationary
Solution Approach 1:
The marking is extracted from the rotating wheel and placed on a stationary cap that covers the end of the shaft. This separates the marking function from the rotation function, allowing the marking to remain fixed and readable while the wheel continues to rotate normally.
2Speed
If a shaft and bearing assembly is used to mount the wheel, then the wheel can rotate smoothly, but the shaft and bearing can quickly detach from the housing, causing the marking to disappear
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is merged with the shaft end to form an integrated assembly, and the bearing is secured to both the shaft and housing through this cap structure. This combining of elements creates mutual reinforcement that prevents detachment while maintaining rotation smoothness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap is pre-installed on the shaft end before the bearing is assembled. This preliminary positioning ensures proper alignment and prevents the bearing from detaching during operation, as the cap acts as a pre-established anchoring point.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances the stability and readability of markings by providing dual locking mechanisms, preventing the shaft from being easily released and ensuring the wheel remains securely attached, even during movement and directional changes.
Implementation Method 1
one of the two elements being located at the center of the second element, means for mounting the first element in cooperation with said projecting shaft portion, and means for linking the second element to said wheel
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a castor for furniture. The castor comprises a wheel housing 10, a bore 20 produced in the housing 10 along an axis 21, a wheel 30-1, 30-2, a shaft 40 mounted in the bore 20, means for securing the shaft to the housing, means 32 for rotationally mounting the wheel on the shaft portion, these latter means comprising a rolling device with two coaxial elements 33, 34, means for connecting the first element 33 to the shaft portion, means for connecting the second element 34 to the wheel, the means for securing the shaft 40 to the housing 10 comprising means for fastening the first element 33 to the housing and means for fastening the shaft 40 to the first element 33. Application to castors comprising a visible mark applied thereto. The present invention relates to a castor for furniture. The castor comprises a wheel housing 10, a bore 20 produced in the housing 10 along an axis 21, a wheel 30-1, 30-2, a shaft 40 mounted in the bore 20, means for securing the shaft to the housing, means 32 for rotationally mounting the wheel on the shaft portion, these latter means comprising a rolling device with two coaxial elements 33, 34, means for connecting the first element 33 to the shaft portion, means for connecting the second element 34 to the wheel, the means for securing the shaft 40 to the housing 10 comprising means for fastening the first element 33 to the housing and means for fastening the shaft 40 to the first element 33. Application to castors comprising a visible mark applied thereto.