WORMSCREW FOR DISPLACEMENT OF WHEEL

Abstract

A rolling device having a bearing housing accommodating a wheel axle carrying a wheel element, axle support members rotatably accommodated in the bearing housing and supporting the wheel axle, end portions of the wheel axle being connected to the axle support members in an eccentric position displaced from the rotational axis/4 line of the axle support members, a drive wheel connected to one of the axle support members for the axle support member to rotate following the rotation of the drive wheel, a first drive motor having a spindle engaged with the drive wheel to rotate the drive wheel and thereby the axle support member relative to the bearing housing, to displace the wheel element by eccentric movement between an extended position where at least a portion of the wheel element projects outside the bearing housing and a retracted position where the wheel element is located inside the bearing housing.

Claims

1. A rolling device for a device to enable the moving of the device along a surface, wherein the rolling device comprises: a bearing housing for accommodation of a wheel axle carrying a wheel element, axle support members rotatably accommodated in the bearing housing, wherein each axle support member supports an end portion of the wheel axle, the wheel axle carrying the wheel element extends in between the axle support members, with each of the end portions of the wheel axle connected to each axle support members in an eccentric position displaced off-set from the rotational axis/center line of the axle support members, a drive wheel connected to one of the axle support members for the axle support member to rotate following the rotation of the drive wheel, a first drive motor arranged with a spindle in engagement with the drive wheel to rotate the drive wheel and thereby the axle support member relative to the bearing housing, for displacement of the wheel element by an eccentric movement between an extended position where at least a portion of the wheel element projects outside the bearing housing and a retracted position where the wheel element is located inside the bearing housing.

2. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spindle is arranged with threads configured for intermeshing with a toothed configuration of the drive wheel, and the rotational axis of the spindle is orientated essentially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drive wheel.

3. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drive motor has a first driving direction for displacement of the wheel element into the retracted position, and a second driving direction for displacement of the wheel element into the extended position.

4. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drive wheel is connected in a fixed manner to an outer surface of the axle support member, which outer surface is oriented exterior to the bearing housing.

5. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a second drive motor is located within the wheel element for rotation of the wheel element relative to the wheel axle.

6. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a control unit controls the rolling device and the control unit receives control signals for operation of the first and/or second drive motor from a remote control, computer, cell phone or by voice-activation.

7. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the axle support members has the configuration of a circular disc member and the mounting opening is arranged as a corresponding circular through opening.

8. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the axle support members is received in a mounting opening in the bearing housing, wherein the mounting opening is defined by an internal surrounding wall configured in the bearing housing.

9. A rolling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drive motor is located exterior to the bearing housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, where

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the rolling device in accordance with the invention with the wheel element in projected position.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the rolling device as shown in FIG. 1.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows the rolling device of FIG. 2 beginning the retraction of the wheel element.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the rolling device as shown in FIG. 3.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows the rolling device with the wheel element in retracted position.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the rolling device as shown in FIG. 5.

[0040] A rolling device 1 for mounting or integration into a device to be moved such as furniture, euro pallets or other movable structures is shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. The rolling device 1 has a bearing housing 2 shown in figs as a semi closed structure having two opposite frame structures here configured as side walls 4 for accommodation of the axle support members 3 and a bottom structure 5 arranged with an opening 7 configured for lifting and lowering at least a portion of the wheel element 6 through the opening 7.

[0041] The wheel element 6 is rotatably arranged on a wheel axle shown by end portions 8b and a drive motor referred to as a second drive motor (not shown) herein. The second drive motor is arranged within the wheel element for rotation of the wheel element 6 about the wheel axle. The second drive motor may be a so-called hub motor or any other motor capable of rotating the wheel element 6 relative to the wheel axle 8. The second drive motor typically has a first motor part connected to the wheel axle 8 and a second motor part connected to the wheel element 6 for causing relative rotation between the wheel element 6 and the wheel axle upon actuation of the drive motor. The first motor part may be a stator and the second motor part may be a rotor or vice versa.

[0042] The wheel axle has end portions (only end portion 8b is visible in the figs) each inserted into receiving recesses (only receiving recess 3b is visible in the figs) through the axle support members 3 thereby forming a fixed connection between the wheel axle 8 and the axle support members 3. The end portions 8b are connected to each axle support members in an eccentric position EP displaced offset from the center line CL of the axle support members 3. The center line is also the rotational axis of the axle support members 3.

[0043] The axle support members 3 are each rotatably accommodated in corresponding mounting openings 12a, 12 b here shown as spherical hollows or through holes in the bearing housing 2. The axle support members 3 are shown configured as circular disc members, but also other rotational bodies allowing rotation relative to the bearing housing 2 may be used in this application. The axle support member 3 is arranged in the mounting opening 12b so that an outer circular surface 33 of the axle support member is oriented exterior the bearing housing 2. The drive wheel 32 is connected to this outer surface 33.

[0044] A first drive motor 30, in the figs. located exterior to the bearing housing, is arranged for actuation of the displacement of the wheel element between an extended position where at least a portion of the wheel element 6 projects outside the bearing housing 2 and a retracted position where the wheel element is located inside the bearing housing 2. The first motor 30 has a spindle 31 configured as a worm screw in the figs. The spindle 31 is arranged in engagement with the drive wheel 32. The threads of the spindle 31 intermesh with the toothed configuration to the drive wheel 32 which is arranged as worm wheel in the figs. The drive wheel 32 is connected to one of the axle support members 3 in an arrangement that ensure that the axle support member 3 follow the rotation of the drive wheel 32, for instance by a fixed connection. The rotational axis of the spindle 31 is orientated essentially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drive wheel 32.

[0045] The rotational axis RA1 of the drive wheel 32 coincides essentially with the rotational axis RA2 of the of the axle support member 3. These rotational axes are shown to coincide with the center line CL illustrated in the figs.

[0046] FIGS. 1, 2 illustrate the situation where a portion of the wheel element 6 projects outside the housing and the second drive motor may be actuated to rotate the wheel element 6 for moving the rolling device 1 along a surface S. The first drive motor 30 is operated into a first driving direction, thereby rotating the drive wheel 32 and the axle support member 3 in a first direction as illustrated by arrow A.

[0047] The eccentric position of the wheel axle 8 causes the wheel element 6 to be displaced by an eccentric movement from an extended position where at least a portion of the wheel element projects outside the housing, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, to a partly retracted position of the wheel element 6 as illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, and further to the fully retracted position where the wheel element is located inside the bearing housing 2, and the bearing housing 2 rests against the surface S as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0048] The first drive motor also has a second driving direction for displacement of the wheel element 6 into extended position (FIGS. 1 and 2) from the retracted position as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0049] A control unit 20 is provided for controlling the rolling device. The control unit receives control signals for operation of the drive motor from a remote control, computer, cell phone or by voice-activation