Abstract
A noise-quieting cover reduces the noise caused by rolling a container with wheels made of plastic or other hard material across a surface. The noise-quieting cover further dampens the vibrations caused by rolling the container across a surface, making transportation of the container more comfortable. The noise-quieting cover has a tread with a thickness to effectively dampen noise and vibration. The cover also has sidewalls with areas large enough to keep the cover in place over the wheel. Grip tabs may also be included which may assist the user in stretching the cover over a wheel, assist in making small adjustments to perfectly place the cover over a wheel, and assist in removing the cover from the wheel.
Claims
1. A noise-quieting cover for a wheel of a hand-portable container, comprising: a tread forming a hollow cylinder and having a first edge and a second edge; a first sidewall attached to said first edge of said tread; a second sidewall attached to said second edge of said tread; and at least one grip tab extending from said first sidewall.
2. The noise-quieting cover of claim 1, wherein at least one grip tab extends from said second sidewall.
3. The noise-quieting cover of claim 1, wherein a plurality of grip tabs extend from said first sidewall.
4. The noise-quieting cover of claim 3, wherein a plurality of grip tabs extend from said second sidewall.
5. The noise-quieting cover of claim 4, wherein said grip tabs extending from said first sidewall are separated by ninety degrees.
6. The noise-quieting cover of claim 5, wherein said grip tabs extending from said second sidewall are separated by ninety degrees.
7. The noise-quieting cover of claim 1, wherein said tread is elastomeric and has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of said wheel.
8. The noise-quieting cover of claim 1, wherein said noise-quieting cover comprises rubber.
9. A noise-quieting cover for a wheel of a hand-portable container, comprising: a tread forming a hollow cylinder and having a first edge and a second edge; a first sidewall attached to said first edge of said tread; a second sidewall attached to said second edge of said tread; a plurality of grip tabs extending from said first sidewall; and a plurality of grip tabs extending from said second sidewall.
10. The noise-quieting cover of claim 9, wherein said grip tabs extending from said first sidewall are separated by ninety degrees.
11. The noise-quieting cover of claim 10, wherein said grip tabs extending from said second sidewall are separated by ninety degrees.
12. The noise-quieting cover of claim 9, wherein said tread is elastomeric and has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of said wheel.
13. The noise-quieting cover of claim 9, wherein said noise-quieting cover comprise rubber.
14. A noise-quieting cover for a wheel of a hand-portable container, comprising: an elastomeric tread forming a hollow cylinder and having a first edge and a second edge, wherein said tread has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of said wheel. a first sidewall attached to said first edge of said tread; a second sidewall attached to said second edge of said tread; a plurality of grip tabs extending from said first sidewall, wherein said plurality of grip tabs are separated by ninety degrees; and a plurality of grip tabs extending from said second sidewall, wherein said plurality of grip tabs are separated by ninety degrees.
15. The noise-quieting cover of claim 12, wherein said cover comprises rubber.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a noise-quieting cover embodying the present invention as it is in position over a plastic wheel of a trash container;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the noise-quieting cover of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the noise-quieting cover of FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0018] FIG. 4 is an environmental view of a user installing the noise-quieting cover of FIGS. 1-3 over the wheel of a container;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the noise-quieting cover of FIGS. 1-4 installed over a wheel of a container; and
[0020] FIG. 6 is an environmental view of a user removing the noise-quieting cover of FIGS. 1-5 from a plastic wheel of a container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] As shown in the drawings, the present invention is directed to a noise-quieting cover 10 for wheels. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a noise-quieting cover 10 for the wheels of refuse or recycling containers, such as those often distributed by a city's garbage or recycling services.
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the noise-quieting covers 10 installed over the wheels 12 of a container 14. The noise-quieting cover 10 should be made from an elastic rubber or other similar material which does not create a large level of noise when rolled across a hard surface and which also absorbs a majority of the vibration caused by rolling the container over a hard surface. The material should be flexible to allow it to be stretched over a wheel and then to contract back tightly around the wheel. The noise-quieting cover 10 is comprised of a tread 16 in the shape of a hollow cylinder with a first edge 15 and a second edge 17, sidewalls 18 having outer circumferences 19 and inner circumferences 21 where the outer circumferences 19 are attached to the edges 15, 17 of the tread 16, and a plurality of grip tabs 20 protruding from the inner circumferences 21 of the sidewalls 18. When placed over the wheels 12 of a container 14 as shown, the noise-quieting cover 10 reduces the noise created by rolling the container across hard surfaces. Furthermore, the noise-quieting cover 10 reduces the vibrations created from rolling the container across hard surfaces and eliminates the discomfort caused by excessive vibration of the container while rolling.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the noise-quieting cover 10. The tread 16 should be thick enough to effectively pad the wheels 12 of a container 14 so that the noise from rolling plastic wheels 12 over a driveway will be dampened enough to not cause disturbance to the owner or to neighbors. The thickness should also be great enough to absorb the vibrations caused by rolling the wheels over a hard surface and to stop the vibrations from going up the container 14 and to the handles of the container 14. However, the thickness of the tread 16 should not be so great as to make the noise-quieting cover 10 difficult to stretch over the wheel 12.
[0024] The area of the sidewalls 18 of the noise-quieting cover 10 should be large enough to effectively hold the noise-quieting cover 10 in place over the wheel 12. Preferably, the area of the sidewalls 18 of the noise-quieting cover 10 will match the area of the sidewalls of the wheel 12. The grip tabs 20 protrude off of the inner circumferences 21 of the sidewalls 18 and allow the user to better grip and stretch the noise-quieting cover 10.
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a side plan view of the noise-quieting cover 10. This figure illustrates well the diameter of the noise-quieting cover 10 as well as the tread 16, sidewall 18, and grip tabs 20. The noise-quieting cover 10 is preferably comprised of four grip tabs 20, two on both sidewalls 18. The grip tabs 20 should be spaced so as to allow the user to stretch the noise-quieting cover 10 from top to bottom as well as from side to side. Preferably, the grip tabs 20 are spaced ninety degrees apart from each other. The noise-quieting cover 10 should be constructed with a relaxed diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the smallest wheels 12 to which the noise-quieting cover 10 could be installed. This will allow the noise-quieting cover 10 to be stretched over the wheel 12 and then held securely in place as it is released and grips around the wheel 12. This type of construction is advantageous not only because it holds the noise-quieting cover 10 in place, but also because it allows the noise-quieting cover 10 to be installed to a range of wheel 12 sizes.
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates an environmental view of the noise-quieting cover 10 being installed by a user over the wheel 12 of a container 14. The figure shows the simplicity of installing the noise-quieting cover 10. The user may attach the noise-quieting cover 10 to the top portion, or any other portion of the wheel 12, and then stretch the noise-quieting cover 10 so that it fits in place around the wheel 12. The user may also incorporate the grip tabs 20 in this process to assist in stretching the cover 10 or to make small adjustments by pulling the noise-quieting cover 10 up and down, or from side to side so that it fits perfectly around the wheel 12.
[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the noise-quieting cover 10 as it is installed in place over the wheel 12 and axle 13. The figure shows that when the noise-quieting cover 10 is installed, it fits tightly around the wheel 12 so that the noise-quieting cover 10 will not fold or wrinkle as the wheel 12 rolls across the ground, but rather will stay associated with the wheel and roll smoothly across the ground. The figure also illustrates that the sidewalls 18 are thick enough to keep the noise-quieting cover 10 securely in place around the wheel 12, but not so thick as to make contact with the container 14.
[0028] FIG. 6 is an environmental view illustrating the use of the grip tabs 20. As discussed above, the grip tabs 20 may be used to make small adjustments to the noise-quieting cover 10 by pulling the cover 10 up and down or from side to side in order to perfectly place the cover 10 around the wheel. Furthermore, if there is a desire to remove the noise-quieting cover 10, the grip tabs 20 allow the user to quickly pull one portion of the noise-quieting cover 10 off of the wheel 12 so that the cover 10 can be easily removed.
[0029] Although one preferred embodiment has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
