The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 23, 2013
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2010
Rory A. Cooper, Gibsonia, PA (US);
Andrew M. Kwarciak, Nashville, TN (US);
Mark A. Mccartney, Saxonburg, PA (US);
Jonathan Lee Pearlman, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Rory A. Cooper, Gibsonia, PA (US);
Andrew M. Kwarciak, Nashville, TN (US);
Mark A. McCartney, Saxonburg, PA (US);
Jonathan Lee Pearlman, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Universit Of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
Caster alignment mechanism having a first component operably connected to a leg of a mobile device and a second component operably connected to a caster of the mobile device. The first and second components are positioned in parallel orientation to each other wherein alignment of the caster with the leg of the mobile device is achieved by the attractive characteristics of the first component with an upper magnet to the second component with a lower magnet. One embodiment of the caster alignment mechanism includes a fixed gap between the upper magnet and the lower magnet for an always engaged or 'on' mode. The fixed gap can be adjusted to vary magnetic field strength depending on user specifications for ease of turning. Another embodiment of the caster alignment mechanism includes a switching mechanism to change modes between engaged or 'on' mode and disengaged or “off” mode.