Wheel Disc

The present invention relates to a safety device for making a wheel, in particular of a pushchair, buggy, baby chariot, pram, electric mobility vehicle, wheelchair or trolley more visible especially in the dark.

Visibility in particular at night is recognised as being very important to avoid accidents such as road traffic accidents. Reflectors of various types and forms, adapted to fit various types of devices or individuals are widely available. For example, reflective tapes or straps are provided for individuals to wear, and reflective discs are provided for mounting into the spokes of bicycle wheels.

Mobile child or baby carriers such as pushchairs, baby chariots, buggies or prams, are particularly vulnerable from a visibility viewpoint. These are pushed ahead of an individual such as a controlling adult and so, for example, they enter a road first. It is important therefore that these are highly visible to oncoming traffic in all situations.

However, the number of reflectors provided specifically for pushchairs, baby-buggies or prams are limited. They may be provided with strips of reflective material which are attached to various points on the body of the carrier. However such strips can be obscured, for example by bags or the like, which may be hung from the carrier, or by the folding of for example, a hood of the carrier itself. Furthermore, they may become detached over time, in particular if accessible to the child user.

Another problem with such reflectors is that if they are on the main body of the carrier, then when the carrier is pushed out from behind an obstruction such as a parked car, they will only become visible to the oncoming traffic when the carrier is substantially completely in the road. This may not be sufficiently early to be useful in warning the driver of an oncoming vehicle of the presence of the carrier.

Some reflective inserts have been attached to the available surface of wheel hub of the carrier. Whilst this has the advantage that the wheel is less likely to be obscured, and, in the case of the front wheels at least, becomes visible early after passing an obstruction, they may still become detached over time, in particular as they are subject to impacts from stones and the like which may be thrown up as the wheel passes and also subject to impacts with pillars, kerbs, doorsteps, gateposts etc and scuffing against walls etc. In the case of spoked wheels, the available surface for mounting of these reflectors is very limited and therefore the size of the reflector is severely restricted.

According to the present invention there is provided a plate having a reflective surface, which is mountable on an axle of a wheel or on a wheel of a device so that the reflective surface is visible when the device is in use.

This arrangement means that the plate cannot be removed unless the wheel is removed. As a result, the reliability and permanence of the reflector is greatly improved. It will not generally accidentally fall off or become detached from the device, and will be not be inadvertently left behind when the device is in use. A plate mounted directly or indirectly onto the axle will generally be secured in the vertical plane and will not deviate from that plane. Therefore, the visibility will remain constant and be dependent only on the orientation of the wheel in relation to a particular direction.

This arrangement provides a protected position for the plate, against the inner face of a wheel and facing outwards, enabling it to withstand the rigours of normal use, such as being scuffed against walls, cracked against kerbstones, becoming dislodged, broken by impact, tampered with or removed accidentally. Suitable devices include wheeled vehicles of various types, in particular non-powered vehicles including in particular mobile child or baby carriers such as pushchairs, baby chariots, buggies or prams, but these may also be used in electric mobility vehicles, wheelchairs, trolleys, such as 'post boy trolleys' used by postal delivery people, bicycles, tricycles, scooters, etc. In all cases, the plates will enhance the visibility of the device, in particular at night or in low light situations.

Foldable devices, such as pushchairs, baby chariots, buggies, prams or wheelchairs enable the devices to be more easily transported. During transport, the folded device is typically wedged into the boot of a car, packed under a weight of cargo, thrown into the luggage hold or a coach or subject to airport luggage handling. The arrangement described above enables the plate to remain secure and protected by the wheel during such transport.

The plate is suitably a round disc, but other shapes such as squares, oblongs, triangles, hexagons or other polygons may be used. The plate should be sized so that it does not interfere with the operation of the wheel and therefore it should not extend beyond the outer circumference of the wheel. However, in a preferred embodiment, the plate extends across the entire area or substantially the entire area from the hub to the inner wheel rim, so that the area of the reflective surface is maximised. Thus for example, in the case of baby buggies and the like, the plate is suitably a disc of diameter in the range of from 10-2 Ocm, for instance of about 12- 14cm. Plates for use with bicycle wheels may be significantly larger.

In the case of solid wheels, the plate is mounted on the axle, or on an extension portion of the axle, outside of the wheel, with the reflective surface facing outwards, for example away from the main body of the device, in the case of devices such as pushchairs, baby buggies or prams.

However in a particular embodiment, the plate is used in conjunction with a spoked wheel. In this case, it may be mounted on the axle inwards of the wheel, as the reflective surface will be visible through the spokes. Preferably it will be mounted on the axle just inwards of the wheel, so that the wheel itself provides the disc with some protection from scuffing, cracking or any impacts, which might damage it.

In some instance, in particular in the case of swivel wheels provided on baby buggies and the like, dual wheels may be arranged in pairs in parallel relationship with each other. In

this case, if required, a plate may be provided for each wheel, so that a reflector is visible, irrespective of the orientation of the swivel wheel. Alternatively, where the wheels are spoked wheels, a plate having reflective surfaces on each side may be used if the wheels are sufficiently close together and it is possible to arrange this plate so that it is visible though the spokes of each wheel.

In the case of a wheel having two sets of spokes on either side, for example a bicycle wheel, the plate may be mounted on the axle intermediate the spokes. In this case also, it may be appropriate to provide a reflective surface on each side of the wheel so that it is seen from both sides.

The plate may be fixed relative to the axle so that in the case of a rotating axle it rotates with the wheel, or it may be rotatable on the axle. In the latter case, the plate will generally not rotate with the wheel but will remain generally in a fixed position. This has the advantage that the passage of the spokes in front of the reflective surface will provide a mobile or stroboscopic effect which makes the surface more eye-catching. The reflective surface may be patterned or designed to maximise this effect.

Even in the case of a plate fixed relative to the axle, the reflective surface may carry a pattern or design which enhances the eye-catching nature of the surface when in motion.

Suitable patterns or designs may include a wide variety of graphic images, stripes, spirals etc. as well as different colours.

The plate may be mounted directly on the axle, or it may be mounted on or fixed to a sprocket wheel or the like, provided on the axle, depending upon the nature of the device. The plate may be mounted on the wheel, for example on the hub or an element mounted thereto, such as a bearing, bushing or sprocket wheel. Generally, the plate will be provided with a suitable aperture to allow it to be mounted on the axle in as required. Thus, for

example, in the case of a disc, a central circular aperture able to accommodate the axle is provided, but other arrangements are possible.

Attachment means such as clips, clamps or the like, may be provided in order to fix the plate in position on the axle. The precise nature of the attachment means will vary depending upon the form of the axle and the elements provided on it. For example, where the axle carried for example, a sprocket wheel or the like, the disc may be fixed in place using clips such as E clips which are arranged to interact with the sprockets. However, other fixings are possible, including for example, the provision of collars on the axle, which can accommodate and hold the plate for example in a snap-fit arrangement. Alternatively, the plate may be adhered in position on the axle.

Combinations of plates and attachment means form a further aspect of the invention.

The plate itself is suitably made of a solid material, such as a malleable polymer, rubber or a metal. In general, it will be of a rigid material, but it may have some flexibility to avoid cracking. It is suitably of low density so that it does not add significantly to the weight of the device and may rotate freely around the axle or with the axle, depending upon the mounting arrangement.

The reflective surface may comprise any reflective material, including fluorescent and/or photoluminescent materials such as those using strontium aluminate or zinc sulphide pigments. Such materials are readily visible, even in adverse conditions such as in fog or in smoke, when illuminated, for example by the headlights of a car. They are also widely available from a range of commercial sources.

These may be applied in any conventional manner. For example, laminar sheets or films of reflective material may be adhered to the surface of the disc, or fluorescent or photoluminescent paints may be applied directly to the surface.

The plates may be fitted to the device either at manufacture or assembly of the device. This may be essential in some instances, such as for example, bicycle wheels, where the plate is provided between the spokes. However, they may also be supplied separately, as accessories in particular where the wheels of the device are arranged to be detachable by the user, for example for facilitating packing or transport. Such arrangements are common in for example baby buggies and prams.

The plates may be fitted to all of the wheels of a device or only to some of them. In the latter case, it is preferable that they are fitted to at least the front wheels

Further according to the invention there is provided a device comprising a wheeled vehicle having a plate as described above mounted on an axle of at least one wheel or on a wheel thereof. Particular devices are those described above.

The invention will now be particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a combination of a wheel and a plate according to the invention;

Figure 2 is schematic side view of a wheel and plate according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a side view of a set of swivel wheels incorporating plates of the invention;

Figure 4 is a side view of a wheel incorporating a plate of the invention;

Figure 5 is a series of photographs showing the plate of the invention in position on the wheels of a baby buggy; and

Figure 6 is an exploded view of a combination of a wheel and a plate according to an alternative embodiment of the invention

hi the illustrated embodiment (Figure 1), the plate is in the form of a rigid disc (1) having a reflective surface (2), formed by the application of a reflective and photoluminescent tape, and a central aperture (3). Alternatively, the reflective surface (2) may be formed from an adhesive film which can be bonded or heat-sealed to the disc. The aperture (3) is of a suitable size and shape to allow the disc (1) to be mounted on a sprocket wheel (4) of a spoked buggy wheel (5). The disc may be fixed in position on the sprocket wheel (4) by means of a series of clips, and in particular an "E" clip (6) (Figure 2).

The wheel (5) is then mounted on an axle (7) in a conventional manner. In use, the disc (1) rotates with the wheel. However the surface (2) is visible through the spokes of the wheel (Figure 4).

When light hits the reflective surface (2) it will emit a clear visible signal, warning anyone in the vicinity, in particular the driver of an oncoming vehicle, of the presence of the buggy.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, two discs (IA, IB) are provided, one on each of a pair of wheels (5 A, 5B) arranged in a buggy swivel wheel arrangement. In this case, a signal will be provided, irrespective of the orientation of the swivel wheels.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment, in which the plate is provided in an alternative position. In this figure, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements shown in the previous figures. In this embodiment, the plate in the form of a rigid disc 1 is mounted directly on the axle 7of a buggy wheel 5, between the frame 10 of the buggy and the wheel 5.

The disc 1 has a central aperture 3 having a diameter appropriate to house a grommet 8 which fits tightly onto the axle 7. The grommet is of conventional type and may be made of

rubber or plastic. Other fixing means would equally be suitable for mounting the disc onto the axle.

In the embodiment shown, the disc is mounted on a stationary axle. In use, the relative rotation of the wheel 5 with the disc 1 may have a stroboscope effect as the spokes of the wheel rotate in front of and across the reflective disc in its static position on the axle. This stroboscopic effect can be further enhanced by providing a pattern on the surface of the disc.