A quick-release connector includes an axle, a spring, a lever and a pin. The axle includes a slit in an end, an axial bore in communication with the slit, and a transverse channel in communication with the slit. The spring is inserted in the axial bore. The lever includes a slot with a longitudinal section and a transverse section. The pin is inserted in the transverse channel and the slot to pivotally connect the lever to the axle.

A dual plunging constant velocity (CV) drive shaft is provided for communicating rotational forces from a transaxle to a drive wheel of a vehicle. The dual plunging CV drive shaft comprises a drive shaft that transfers torque from the transaxle to the drive wheel. An inboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the transaxle and the drive shaft, and an outboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the drive shaft and the drive wheel. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints each comprises an elongate housing that receives a CV joint coupled with the drive shaft. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints communicate rotational forces from the transaxle to the drive wheel during vertical pivoting of a trailing arm coupled with the outboard plunging CV joint. The elongate housings allow the drive shaft to “float” longitudinally, as needed, during extreme pivoting motion of the suspension.

An omni-directional wheel for a pool vacuum head includes a first frame and a second substantially identical frame, each frame having a hub rotating around a common axis, lower supports extending radially from the hub, risers extending from the hub along the common axis, and upper supports individually coupled to the risers, the upper supports extending radially from the common axis. Rollers coupled to the first frame and the second frame, are radially spaced from the common axis on each frame. The rollers rotate normal to the common axis to impart omni-directional movement. When the first frame and the second frame are interlocked, the risers on the first frame engage the hub on the second frame, and the lower supports on the first frame engaging the upper supports on the second frame, maintaining the rollers in a staggered arrangement around the wheel.

Disclosed is a foldable wheel defined about an axis of rotation of the wheel, which includes a closed loop made up of at least two links and, each link being substantially in the shape of a ring sector of section as defined in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel that in the shape of a trapezoid including two non-parallel faces and, a major base, and a minor base; a unit for mounting the links and to pivot about a pivot axis, including a bearing having two portions and, respectively a pivot pin and a rotary housing, the pin being pivotally mounted in the pivot housing, the male and female bearing portions and being at two points situated in the proximity of the apex of the V-shape, the V-shape being defined by the shape formed by the two facing non-parallel faces of the two links.

A hub or wheel assembly includes a retaining element, biasing element, and hand-maneuverable release mechanism. The housing includes an axle bore configured to receive an axle and a pin sleeve including a first end in fluid communication with the axle bore, a second end, and a conduit between the first end and the second end. The retaining element is within the conduit and is configured to operatively engage a groove in an axle. The biasing element is within the conduit and is configured to bias the retaining element towards the axle bore. The hand-maneuverable release mechanism is configured to displace the retaining element away from the axle bore.

A wheel having a longitudinal plane normal to an axis of rotation. The wheel has a rim with side surfaces on opposite sides of the longitudinal plane. A hub is concentrically disposed relative to the rim. Two unitary side elements are disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal plane and are coupled to the rim and to end portions of the hub. Each of the unitary side elements has an annular sidewall, a flange portion, and a plurality of spokes that do not cross the longitudinal plane and that integrally interconnect the annular sidewall and the flange portion. An end portion of each spoke of the one side element is tied to the end portion of an aligned spoke of the other side element adjacent to the sidewall to restrict the tied end portions from moving away from each other.

A caster includes a running wheel, a fork and an assembly journal, wherein the fork is pivotable in relation to the assembly journal and a braking device is arranged in the fork and can be displaced into the braking position via a tappet actuated by a trip cam. A direction lock can be set without a braking action on the running wheel. Two tappets are movable independently of each other, wherein only the direction lock without a braking action can be set via one of the tappets. Another caster includes a running wheel, a fork and an assembly journal, wherein a braking device is provided in the fork and can be displaced into the braking position via a trip cam. The braking device has a first braking part for friction-locking action on the running wheel and a second braking part for the interlocking lock of the running wheel.

A dual plunging constant velocity (CV) drive shaft is provided for communicating rotational forces from a transaxle to a drive wheel of a vehicle. The dual plunging CV drive shaft comprises a drive shaft that transfers torque from the transaxle to the drive wheel. An inboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the transaxle and the drive shaft, and an outboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the drive shaft and the drive wheel. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints each comprises an elongate housing that receives a CV joint coupled with the drive shaft. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints communicate rotational forces from the transaxle to the drive wheel during vertical pivoting of a trailing arm coupled with the outboard plunging CV joint. The elongate housings allow the drive shaft to “float” longitudinally, as needed, during extreme pivoting motion of the suspension.

The invention concerns an axle unit comprising a stub axle and a tube unit, wherein the stub axle at least in regions is configured rotationally symmetrically about a stub axis and has a channel which extends substantially parallel to the stub axis, wherein the tube unit is configured as a hollow body and extends substantially along a tube axis, wherein the tube unit has a recess running transversely to the tube axis, wherein a line element is provided which can be brought into fluid-tight connection with the channel and passed through the recess of the tube unit. A method for production of an axle unit is also given.

The present invention relates to an axle unit comprising an axle tube and an axle stub, wherein the axle stub is formed to be rotationally symmetrical with respect to a stub axis in some regions and has a channel which extends substantially parallel to the stub axis, wherein the axle stub has a first connection portion which has an engagement geometry for fluid-tight connection to the channel, wherein the axle tube is formed to be substantially rotationally symmetrical about a tube axis and wherein the axle tube and the axle stub are fixed on/to one another by way of a cross-member in such a way that the tube axis and the stub axis are spaced from one another.