BLOW MOLDED WHEEL WITH AXLE RETAINER AND SEPARATELY MOLDED TREAD PIECE

摘要

A blow-molded wheel including an axle retainer assembly and/or a stretch fit tread piece. The retainer assembly includes a housing having transverse sleeves that support an axle and a spring biased retainer pin that mounts to an annular groove at the axle. The housing is supported in a cavity formed into a wheel spoke and a bore of a wheel hub while the wheel is warm and is retained upon the shrinkage of the plastic around the housing. An aperture of the pin sleeve facilitates retraction of the pin and release of the wheel from the axle. A channel-shaped tread piece is stretch fit to the tread and side walls of the warm wheel and is retained upon curing of the wheel.