Clek Inc.

Magna International Inc.

Inertia Engineering + Design Inc.

Raymond J Minato

Yunzhen Larry Zhou

Vito J Abate

Christopher Leiphart

Grzegorz Kardasz

Eleu Thereus Tai-Sung Um

Peter Bradley

A lightweight caster is described that is resistant to ingress of debris into a caster bearing. The caster has a monolithic fork having an annular wheel-supporting portion and a chair-supporting portion. The wheel-supporting portion has a pass-through aperture for receiving a retainer. A rotational bearing is supported on the wheel-supporting portion, which supports a wheel rim such that the wheel rotates in the vertical plane. The rim has a pass-through aperture aligned with the pass-through aperture of the fork, and a ring at an inside edge of the bearing to retain the bearing between the rim and the fork and to inhibit debris from contacting the bearing. A retainer retains the rim on the fork and has an aperture aligned with the fork pass-through aperture. The retainer also has a bearing-retaining portion at an outside edge of the bearing to retain the bearing and to inhibit debris from migrating inwardly.

Caster

A stroller includes a front frame member assembly supporting laterally spaced apart front wheels, a middle frame member assembly supporting laterally spaced apart rear wheels; laterally spaced apart hubs interconnecting the frame member assemblies, and a seat assembly. The hubs each have a mounting structure that comprises a shaft extending from the respective hub. The shafts are axially aligned one with the other, each having two parallel flat sides and two curved sides joining the flat sides. The seat assembly comprises at least one seat frame member, and connector assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the seat frame member. Each connector assembly comprises a mounting surface having a recessed slot defined therein, each slot having a narrow portion disposed between two relatively wider portions. The narrow portion corresponds approximately to the distance between the flat sides.

Foldable stroller

A stroller includes laterally spaced apart hubs that interconnect upper, middle and front frame member assemblies of a chassis of the stroller. The hubs are disposed one each along opposite sides of the stroller, and include mounting structures for coupling two or more of the strollers together in a side-by-side fashion. The hubs further include other mounting structures for mounting a seat assembly to the stroller chassis and for supporting both rearward facing and frontward facing orientation of the seat assembly as well as selectable inclination positions. Each of the hubs includes a folding mechanism for supporting folding of the stroller, such as for transport in a vehicle or for storage. Other laterally spaced apart hubs are provided along the upper frame members for providing a second point of attachment between two coupled strollers and for mounting of accessories.

A trailer hitch coupling unit has a hitch pin assembly mounted on a trailer and a hitch receiver assembly mounted on a vehicle. The hitch pin assembly has a mounting plate and a platform forming a ball and socket joint therebetween, rotatably coupling the platform to the mounting plate. A bull nose, having a groove, projects from the bed plate. A first electrical connector is mounted in an axially extending bore in the bull nose. The hitch receiver assembly has a bed plate configured to be mounted on a bed of the vehicle above a rear axle thereof. The bed plate has a first opening configured to receive the bull nose. A locking plate is mounted on the bed plate for axial movement between a hitch pin receiving position adjacent the bed plate, and a hitch locking position spaced from the bed plate. The locking plate has a second opening configured to receive the bull nose. An actuator is operably connected to the locking plate for effecting the axial movement. A locking mechanism has at least two locking arms mounted about the second opening and pivot between a locked position and an unlocked position and are biased to the locked position, enabling ingress of the bull nose and preventing egress once the locking arms engage the groove on the bull nose. A lock release mechanism is operably connected to the locking arms to effect unlocking movement of the locking arms and enabling egress of the bull nose. A second electrical connector is pivotally mounted on the locking plate and positioned to electrically couple with the first electrical connector upon the locking plate moving to the hitch locking position.

Growing community of inventors

Toronto, Canada

Raymond J Minato