Blow-molded plastic wheel and method for manufacturing same

摘要

The Improved Wheel is suitable for use on lawn mowers, trash containers, toy wagons and other similar devices. The Improved Wheel is formed in a two step manufacturing process. In the first step, a quantity of hubs are injection molded from a thermoplastic or a thermoset plastic. Two opposing interlocking hubs are used in the manufacture of each wheel. The hubs provide additional strength and improved wear characteristics to the wheel. In the second manufacturing step, a pair of opposing interlocking hubs are placed in the open mold of a conventional blow molding machine. The parison, which is preferably an elastomer, is then extruded between the two open halves of the mold. The two halves of the mold close and capture the parison between the two interlocking hubs in the mold cavity forming a web which radiates from the central bore of the hubs. The remainder of the parison is inflated to form a tube around the exterior of the hubs.