A circular wheel is aligned in a rotational plane and has a peripheral outfacing surface symmetrical about the plane of rotational. A center line of the width of the peripheral outfacing surface is sinusoidal around the wheel. The wheel may have a central hub, a rim, a medial wheel structure between the hub and the rim, and a tire mounted on the rim. The outfacing surface may be that of the hub, the medial wheel structure, the rim, or the tire depending on the application.

A caster device for a pipe leg includes a caster unit, a mounting unit, and a braking unit. The caster unit includes a wheel seat subunit, a caster subunit that is rotatably connected to a bottom end of the wheel seat subunit, and a protection subunit that is located between the wheel seat subunit and the caster subunit. The mounting unit is mounted to the wheel seat subunit and is adapted to be mounted to the pipe leg. The braking unit extends through the protection subunit and the wheel seat subunit into the mounting unit, and is movable in an up-down direction between a braking position, in which the braking unit projects out of the protection subunit and is in contact with the caster subunit so that the caster subunit is refrained from rotating, and an initial position, in which the braking unit is spaced apart from the caster subunit.

A caster device for a pipe leg includes a caster unit, a mounting unit, and a braking unit. The caster unit includes a wheel seat subunit, a caster subunit that is rotatably connected to a bottom end of the wheel seat subunit, and a protection subunit that is located between the wheel seat subunit and the caster subunit. The mounting unit is mounted to the wheel seat subunit and is adapted to be mounted to the pipe leg. The braking unit extends through the protection subunit and the wheel seat subunit into the mounting unit, and is movable in an up-down direction between a braking position, in which the braking unit projects out of the protection subunit and is in contact with the caster subunit so that the caster subunit is refrained from rotating, and an initial position, in which the braking unit is spaced apart from the caster subunit.

A preloading axle clamp for a wheel bearing includes an axle adapted to receive a wheel bearing and a connecting fork. A bushing is positioned about a first end of the axle. A fastener having a first flange is coupled to the first end of the axle, wherein a portion of the fastener is inserted into the first end to retain the connecting fork on the axle. A nut is threadedly coupled to the bushing, wherein rotation of the nut on the bushing causes a preloading force on the wheel bearing.

The invention provides a wheel having a disk-shaped substrate having a first surface, a second surface and a periphery; and a radially extending channel formed within the substrate, wherein the channel has a closed end adapted to encircle an axle and an open end which terminates at the periphery such that the channel extends from the first surface to the second surface. Also provided is a method for installing and uninstalling wheels having the steps of supplying a wheel having a reversibly deformable radially and transversely extending channel having a first width, whereby the channel is adapted to frictionally and slidably receive an axle, urging the axle into the channel and toward the center of the wheel, whereby the channel reversibly expands to a second width to accommodate the axle; and allowing the axle to reside at the center of the wheel while the channel reverts to the first width.

The present invention is intended to provide a protective cover, comprising an inner ring 12 with an inner ring track surface 12A on an outer peripheral surface; an outer ring 13 with an outer ring track surface 13A on an inner peripheral surface; a bearing with rolling elements 14 between the inner ring track surface 12A and the outer ring track surface 13A; a magnetic encoder 8 that is positioned at one axial end portion of the bearing and fixed to the inner ring 12; and a magnetic sensor that is fixed to the outer ring 13, a cup-shaped protective cover 1 press-fitted into the outer ring 13 to cover the magnetic encoder 8 and intervene between the magnetic encoder 8 and the magnetic sensor is formed by performing cold press molding of an austenitic stainless steel plate material with a nickel content of 8.5 to 13 weight %.

A rolling bearing providing an outer ring, an inner ring, and a plurality of rolling bodies disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a sealing device held by the outer ring and consisting of a first and second annular shield and an elastomeric sealing element held by one of the shields. The second shield extends axially and radially to protrude on the outside of the outer ring and cooperates with a radially outer lateral surface of the outer ring, to delimit a radial annular gap therewith. An annular tooth is formed on the radially outer lateral surface of the outer ring in front of the radial gap to shield the radial gap in axial direction. An annular groove formed in a position immediately adjacent to the annular tooth and on the side opposite to the second shield.

A caster wheel assembly includes a wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis within a wheel carriage such that the wheel rotates about the horizontal axis with respect to the wheel carriage. The wheel carriage is positioned within a retention ring such that the wheel carriage can rotate about the vertical axis with respect to the retention ring. The wheel carriage also has an opening on the bottom surface such that the wheel can make contact with the ground. The horizontal axis about which the wheel rotates is offset from the vertical axis about which the wheel carriage rotates. An outer carriage may be included such that the outer carriage is positioned within the retention ring and the wheel carriage is positioned within the outer carriage. The outer carriage would be able to rotate about the vertical axis with respect to both the retention ring and the wheel carriage.

An arrangement for limiting rotation, the arrangement including a base structure; a drive member rotatable relative to the base structure and having a drive feature; a stopping member having at least one driven feature, wherein the stopping member is arranged to be intermittently driven relative to the base structure between a plurality of discrete positions by a continuous rotation of the drive member and by cooperation between the drive feature and at least one driven feature, wherein the stopping member in a first end discrete position is arranged to limit rotation of the drive member in a first end position of a rotation range of the drive member; and a holding mechanism arranged to hold the stopping member in each discrete position, the holding mechanism being at least partly provided in the base structure.

The present disclosure provides a bicycle hub that provides improved drive line efficiency and bike-to-rider torque feedback. The drive line efficiencies are due to lower rolling resistance resulting from a novel bearing and sprag clutch configuration, a lightweight design, and immediate torque transfer from the cassette drive to the hub body. The bike-to-rider feedback has been improved as the torque transfer is smooth, predictable, and immediate.