US 12,392,379 B2
Keyless shaft assembly and keyless drive or idler wheel
Rocky George Olmstead, Whittemore, IA (US)
Assigned to empirical innovations, inc., Dakota Dunes, SD (US)
Filed by empirical innovations, inc., Dakota Dunes, SD (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/085,593.
Prior Publication US 2024/0209899 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
Int. Cl. F16D 1/09 (2006.01); F16H 57/00 (2012.01); B65G 23/06 (2006.01)
CPC F16D 1/09 (2013.01) [F16H 57/0025 (2013.01); B65G 23/06 (2013.01); F16D 2300/08 (2013.01); F16D 2300/12 (2013.01); Y10T 403/7056 (2015.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shaft-mountable wheel including:
(a) separate first and second wheel body components each defining a respective wheel body component opening extending along a respective wheel body component longitudinal axis from an inner end to an outer end of the respective wheel body component, the first and second wheel body components being adapted to be placed in a connected position with the inner end of the first wheel body component facing the inner end of the second wheel body component;
(b) an inwardly facing first compression surface defining a portion of the first wheel body component opening, the inwardly facing first compression surface tapering narrower in the direction from the inner end of the first wheel body component to the outer end of the first wheel body component;
(c) a hollow sleeve extending along a sleeve longitudinal axis and having a sleeve first section, the sleeve first section having an inwardly facing shaft gripping surface and an outwardly facing loading surface, the loading surface of the sleeve first section being tapered along the sleeve longitudinal axis and the shaft gripping surface of the sleeve first section defining a portion of a shaft receiving passage through the sleeve;
(d) a drive feature projecting from at least one of an outer circumferential surface of the first wheel body component and an outer circumferential surface of the second wheel body component; and
(e) wherein when the first and second wheel body components are placed together in the connected position with the sleeve first section received in a sleeve first section operating position within the first wheel body component, the first compression surface presses against the loading surface of the sleeve first section with a sleeve first section gripping force.