FORM PT0-1449
`
`
`
`DOCKET NUMBER APPLICATION NUMBER
`
`SHEET 1 OF 6
`
`INFORMATION
`
`
`
`CITATION IN AN APPLICATION
`
`DISCLOSURE MPW3M1B
`
`APPLICANTS
`ALBERT L. ARENDT, JAMES R. CARDUCCI and
`
`
`
`CHRISTOPHER F. LUCAS
`
`FILING DATE
`
`May 9, 2011
`
`GROUP ART UNIT
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EXAMINER DOCUMENT
`INITIAL NUMBER
`
`DATE
`
`NAME
`
`CLASS SUB
`CLASS
`
`FIL. DATE
`IF APPROP.
`
`1/10/2008
`
`2008/0006456 Lucas et al.
`
`Damon
`2005/00564 7 4 3/17/2005
`
`
`
`Markling
`4/15/2004
`2004/0070262
`
`5/8/2003 Markling
`2003/0085611
`
`Feuerherm et al.
`6,953,333 10/11/2005
`
`6,913,324 7/5/2005 Markling
`Markling
`6,896,335 5/24/2005
`Mol et al.
`6,872,354 3/29/2005
`
`Soehnlen et al.
`6,591,986 7/15/2003
`Markling
`6,520,597 2/18/2003
`
`
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`DOCUMENT
`
`DATE
`
`COUNTRY CLASS
`
`008/008173 01/17/ WIPO
`
`PO
`0 2008/008173 A3
`01/17/2008
`
`
`
`j� 10125824Al12/5/2002 Ge�
`II 7/10/2002 II Japan
`,2! 2002-192607
`OTHER DOCUMENTS
`
`� ·- -·-"
`NO II
`
`·-
`
`X
`
`IX
`
`X
`
`
`
`
`
`lish-language abstract of German Patent No. DE 10125824Al, 2002.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`English-language abstract of Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2002-192607,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`2002.
`
`EXAMINER
`
`DATE CONSIDERED
`
`1 of 241
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`FORM PT0-1449
`
`
`
`DOCKET NUMBER APPLICATION NUMBER
`
`SHEET 2 OF 6
`
`
`
`INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
`
`MPW3M1B
`CITATION IN AN APPLICATION
`
`
`
`APPLICANTS
`ALBERT L. ARENDT, JAMES R. CARDUCCI and
`
`
`
`CHRISTOPHER F. LUCAS
`
`FILING DATE
`May 9, 2011
`
`GROUP ART UNIT
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EXAMINER DOCUMENT DATE
`INJTJAL NUMBER
`
`NAME
`
`CLASS SUB
`CLASS
`
`FIL.DATE
`IF APPROP.
`
`
`Sitarski et al.
`6,470,982 10/29/2002
`
`6,464,305 10/15/2002
`Markling
`
`Wise et al.
`6,446,981 9/10/2002
`
`
`
`7,621,543 11/24/2009 Arendt et al.
`
`
`
`6,431,406 8/13/2002 Pruett
`
`6,318,983 11/20/2001
`Lopez et al.
`
`6,170,920 1/9/2001 Markling
`
`6,095,543 8/1/2000 McMahon et al.
`
`
`Soehnlen et al.
`6,068,161 5/30/2000
`
`5,924,506 7/20/1999
`Perego
`
`
`
`5,908,124 6/1/1999 Klauke et al.
`
`
`
`5,879,484 3/9/1999 Spragg et al.
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`' DATE
`
`COUNTRY
`
`C
`
`TRANSLATION
`
`i�r
`
`24095 5/21/199
`
`JP 4-65219 3/2/199
`
`OTHER DOCUMENTS
`
`NO
`
`X
`
`X
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`English-language abstract of Japanese Patent No. JP 5-124095, 1993.
`
`
`
`II II
`
`
`
`English-language abstract of Japanese Patent No. JP 4-65219, 1992.
`
`
`
`
`
`EXAMINER
`
`DATE CONSIDERED
`
`2 of 241
`
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`FORM PT0-1449
`
`
`
`DOCKET NUMBER APPLICATION NUMBER
`
`DISCLOSURE MPW3M1B
`
`INFORMATION
`
`CITATION IN AN APPLICATION
`
`SHEET 3 OF 6
`
`APPLICANTS
`ALBERT L. ARENDT, JAMES R. CARDUCCI and
`
`
`
`CHRISTOPHER F. LUCAS
`
`FILING DATE
`
`GROUP ART UNIT
`
`FIL. DATE
`IF APPROP.
`
`May 9, 2011
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`DATE
`NAME
`CLASS SUB
`DOCUMENT
`EXAMINER
`
`Hawthorne et al.
`5,810,452 9/22/1998
`CLASS
`NUMBER
`INJTJAL
`5,799,809 9/1/1998 Sako et al.
`Hellbrugge
`5,750,067 5/12/1998
`5,736,168 4/7/1998 Goyal et al.
`5,573,129 11/12/1996
`
`Nagata et al.
`Huvey et al.
`5,556,601 9/17/1996
`
`Markling et al.
`5,518,682 5/21/1996
`Markling
`5,368,371 11/29/1994
`
`Markling et al.
`5,316,377 5/31/1994
`Kneer et al.
`5,316,135 5/31/1994
`Moore
`5,227,114 7/13/1993
`5,219,594 /1993 Meyer et al.
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`COUNTRY
`I DATE
`JP 1-034721 2/6/1989 Japan
`JE
`OTHER DOCUMENTS
`
`
`m'""" 0" 0'ract ofJapanese Patent No. JP 1-034 721, 1989.
`�
`
`
`
`
`al Search Report for International Application No. PCT/US07/17676.
`
`
`
`
`Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for International
`
`
`Application No. PCT/US07/17676.
`DATE CONSIDERED
`
`T
`
`m ��
`
`TRANSLATION
`
`ES NO
`
`JJx
`
`EXAMINER
`
`3 of 241
`
`

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`FORM PT0-1449
`
`
`
`DOCKET NUMBER APPLICATION NUMBER
`
`SHEET 4 OF6
`
`INFORMATION
`
`
`
`CITATION IN AN APPLICATION
`
`DISCLOSURE MPW3MlB
`
`APPLICANTS
`ALBERT L. ARENDT, JAMES R. CARDUCCI and
`
`
`
`CHRISTOPHER F. LUCAS
`
`FILING DATE
`May 9, 2011
`
`GROUP ART UNIT
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EXAMINER DOCUMENT
`
`DATE
`
`NAME
`
`CLASS
`SUB
`
`FIL. DATE
`
`INITIAL NUMBER
`
`CLASS
`
`IF APPROP.
`
`6/16/1992
`
`Markling et al.
`D327,048
`
`4/14/1992
`5,104,198
`Prout et al.
`
`
`4,889,480
`
`
`
`12/26/1989 Nakamura et al.
`
`
`Iizuka et al.
`12/5/1989
`4,884,961
`
`8/8/1989 Sudo
`4,854,849
`
`
`5/23/1989
`4,832,307
`
`Watanabe et al.
`
`1/5/1988 Martin
`4,717,113
`
`Pierce
`5/13/1986
`4,588,542
`
`Matthei
`7/30/1985
`4,531,704
`
`
`Berger et al.
`5/14/1985
`4,516,648
`
`
`DeGraaff et al.
`4/30/1985
`4,513,981
`
`4/6/1982 Uhlig
`4,323,411
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`DOCUMENT
`
`NUMBER
`
`= TE
`
`COUNTRY
`
`·- ---
`
`-�u�-
`
`OTHER DOCUMENTS
`
`EXAMINER
`
`DATE CONSIDERED
`
`�I
`
`i�-11
`
`4 of 241
`
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`SHEET 5 OF 6
`
`FORM PT0-1449
`
`INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
`MPW3M1B
`
`CITATION IN AN APPLICATION
`APPLICANTS
`ALBERT L. ARENDT, JAMES R. CARDUCCI and
`
`
`
`DOCKET NUMBER APPLICATION NUMBER
`
`
`CHRISTOPHER F. LUCAS
`FILING DATE
`GROUP ART UNIT
`May 9, 2011
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EXAMINER DOCUMENT
`
`DATE
`
`NAME
`
`CLASS SUB
`
`FIL.DATE
`
`INITIAL NUMBER
`
`CLASS
`
`IFAPPROP.
`
`Piotrowski
`4,063,868 12/20/1977
`
`
`
`3,936,264 2/3/1976 Cornett III et al.
`
`Bard
`3,907,370 9/23/1975
`
`Braun
`3,888,545 6/10/1975
`
`
`Cornett III et al.
`3,851,029 11/26/1974
`
`Seefluth
`3,817,676 6/18/1974
`
`Jullien-Davin
`3,779,688 12/18/1973
`
`3,730,658 5/1/1973 Marra
`
`Quigg
`3,692,453 9/19/1972
`
`Vallers
`3,616,491 11/2/1971
`
`Goins et al.
`3,592,885 7/13/1971
`
`Doyle
`3,570,057 3/16/1971
`
`--
`
`DOCUMENT
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`�
`
`CLASS
`
`DATE
`
`TRANSLATION
`
`YES NO
`II
`
`OTHER DOCUMENTS
`
`EXAMINER
`
`DATE CONSIDERED
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`5 of 241
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`FORM PT0-1449
`
`
`
`DOCKET NUMBER APPLICATION NUMBER
`
`INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
`MPW3M1B
`
`CITATION IN AN APPLICATION
`
`SHEET 6 OF 6
`
`APPLICANTS
`ALBERT L. ARENDT, JAMES R. CARDUCCI and
`
`
`
`CHRISTOPHER F. LUCAS
`
`FILING DATE
`May 9, 2011
`
`GROUP ART UNIT
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EXAMINER DOCUMENT
`INITIAL NUMBER
`
`DATE
`
`NAME
`
`SUB
`CLASS
`CLASS
`
`FIL. DATE
`
`IF APPROP.
`
`
`
`3,373,460 3/19/1968
`
`Ladney, Jr.
`
`3,264,780
`8/9/1966 Doe
`
`6/9/1964 Smyser
`3,135,997
`
`8/9/1966 Doe
`3,264,780
`
`Valyi
`4/17/1972
`3,029,468
`
`7/1/1952 Pinsky et al.
`2,601,700
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`DATE
`
`COUNTRY
`
`-• nn
`
`--· ·--
`
`TRANSLATION
`YtS NO
`
`OTHER DOCUMENTS
`
`II
`
`EXAMINER
`
`DATE CONSIDERED
`
`6 of 241
`
`

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`
`
`Electronic Patent Application Fee Transmittal
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`
`
`Application Number:
`
`Filing Date:
`
`Title of Invention:
`
`BLOW-MOLDED WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS, METHODS FOR
`
`
`
`
`PRODUCING THE SAME, AND CHILDREN'S RIDE-ON VEHICLES INCLUDING THE
`SAME
`
`First Named Inventor/Applicant Name:
`
`
`Albert L. Arendt
`
`Filer:
`
`
`
`
`
`Ian David Gates./Robin Davin
`
`
`
`Attorney Docket Number:
`
`MPW3M1B
`
`Filed as Large Entity
`
`
`
`
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`
`Utility application filing
`
`
`
`1011
`
`
`
`Utility Search Fee
`
`1111
`
`1
`
`1
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`330
`
`330
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`540
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`540
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`1311
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`1
`
`220
`
`220
`
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`
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`
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`Electronic Acknowledgement Receipt
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`10046543
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`
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`
`13103310
`
`
`
`
`
`International Application Number:
`
`
`
`Confirmation Number:
`
`9050
`
`Title of Invention:
`
`BLOW-MOLDED WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS, METHODS FOR
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`PRODUCING THE SAME, AND CHILDREN'S RIDE-ON VEHICLES INCLUDING THE
`SAME
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`
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`
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`BLOW-MOLDED WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS, METHODS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND
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`
`Title of Invention
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`CHILDREN'S RIDE-ON VEHICLES INCLUDING THE SAME
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`US Military Service
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`I NY
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`Annlicant 1
`Applicant
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`under 35 U.S.C. 117 I QParty of Interest
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`under 35 U.S.C. 118
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`R.
`James
`Carducci
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`Residence Information (Select One) @ US Residency 0 Non US Residency
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`City East Aurora
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`F.
`Christopher
`Lucas
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`State/Province I NY j Country
`City Cheektowaga
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`Application Number
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`Ttl f I r \ BLOW-MOLDED
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`I e O nven ion CHILDREN'S RIDE-ON VEHICLES INCLUDING THE SAME
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`WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS, METHODS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND
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`Citizenship under 37 CFR 1.41(b) I us
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`Title of the Invention BLOW-MOLDED WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS, METHODS FOR PRODUCING
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`SAME, AND CHILDREN'S RIDE-ON VEHICLES INCLUDING THE SAME
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`CHILDREN'S RIDE-ON VEHICLES INCLUDING THE SAME
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`BLOW-MOLDED WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS, METHODS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND
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`BLOW-MOLDED WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS, METHODS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND
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`BLOW-MOLDED WHEELS HAVING UNDERCUT TREADS,
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`METHODS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND CHILDREN'S RIDE-ON VEHICLES
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`INCLUDING THE SAME
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`5
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`Related Applications
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`The present application is a continuation application of, and claims priority under
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`35 U.S.C. § 120 to, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/577,565, which was filed on
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`October 12, 2009, issued on May 10, 2011 as U.S. Patent No. 7,939,008, and the
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`complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Patent
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`to U.S. Patent of and claims priority is a divisional 10 Application Serial No. 12/577,565
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`Application Serial No. 11/509,421, which was filed on August 23, 2006, and issued on
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`November 24, 2009 as U.S. Patent No. 7,621,543, and the complete disclosure of
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`which is hereby incorporated by reference.
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`Field of the Disclosure
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`The present disclosure relates to children's ride-on vehicles, and more
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`particularly to blow-molded wheels for children's ride-on vehicles and methods for
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`producing the same.
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`Background of the Disclosure
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`Children's ride-on vehicles are reduced-scale vehicles that are designed and
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`a seat include vehicles children's ride-on 20 sized for use by children. For example,
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`adapted to accommodate one or more children as well as steering and drive assemblies
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`that are adapted to be operated by a child sitting on the seat. The drive assembly is
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`adapted to drive the rotation of one or more of the vehicle's wheels and may include a
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`battery-powered motor assembly or a manually powered drive assembly, such as a
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`25 pedal-powered drive assembly.
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`The wheels used on children's ride-on vehicles are often blow-molded from a
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`suitable material, such as a plastic.
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`Blow-molded wheels are conventionally formed
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`using a mold that has two portions, which typically separate in an axial direction. The
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`portions of the mold collectively define a cavity that defines, or corresponds to, the
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`the tread surface. The seam, or part line, 5 shape of the blow-molded wheels, including
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`between the axially-separating mold portions typically defines, or corresponds to, the
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`central circumferential portion of the wheel. During the blow-molding process, a parison
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`of molten plastic is introduced into the mold cavity and a pressurized gas, such as air, is
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`used to force the molten plastic against the internal surface of the cavity in order to form
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`After a by the internal surface of the cavity. 1 o a hollow wheel having a shape defined
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`cooling period, the mold portions are separated, and the blow-molded wheel is
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`Blow-molded articles, including blow-molded wheels, as well as the
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`corresponding molds and processes used to produce such articles, should be
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`deforming, article from the mold without of the finished 15 configured to permit removal
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`tearing, or otherwise damaging the finished article.
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`Projections or hollows on the
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`surface of a blow-molded article typically correspond to hollows or projections on the
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`inner surface of the corresponding mold. Removal of a completed blow-molded article
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`from its mold withdraws the mold projections from hollows on the blow-molded article.
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`article are removed from the blow-molded 20 Similarly, the projections on the surface of the
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`hollows on the inner surface of the mold during mold removal. When such projections
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`projections on the mold or article are simply pulled out of the corresponding hollow
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`during mold removal.
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`In contrast, when the projections or hollows on a blow-molded
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`they are oriented generally perpendicular to the direction of mold removal, such
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`projections or hollows may be said to overlap corresponding portions of the mold with
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`or that have projections Blow-molded articles of mold-removal. 5 respect to the direction
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`hollows that overlap corresponding portions of the mold with respect to the direction of
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`Small undercuts may be permissible because blow-molded articles tend to shrink
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`slightly during cooling, such that the article may pull away from the mold and release the
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`1 o overlap.
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`Further, blow-molded articles may permit a small amount of elastic
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`deformation or deflection, which may be sufficient to release small undercuts. However,
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`undercuts over a certain threshold may effectively lock a blow-molded article into its
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`potential elastic the shrinkage and/or mold. In particular, if an undercut is too large,
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`deformation of the blow-molded article may be insufficient to permit removal of the
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`blow-molded wheels must have damage. Conventionally, 15 finished article without
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`undercuts of Ya inch (3.175 millimeters) or less so that they may be removed from the
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`molds used to form the wheels.
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`As discussed above, blow-molded wheels are typically blown in a mold that
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`opens in an axial direction.
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`By using a mold that opens in an axial direction, blow-
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`or hollows, such as 20 molded wheels may have significant axially oriented projections
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`may be used to form or detail the hub region of the wheel. However, in order to avoid
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`significant undercuts that might lock a blow-molded wheel into its mold, the design of
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`the tread surface on a blow-molded wheels is typically of limited complexity. In the case
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`of blow-molded wheels used with children’s ride-on vehicles, which are often intended
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`to resemble full-sized vehicles,
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`the limited complexity of the tread designs typically
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`provided on blow-molded wheels limits the realism of the blow-molded wheels, which
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`are often intended to resemble rubbertires.
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`Summary of the Disclosure
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`The present disclosure is directed to blow molded wheels having undercut
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`treads, methods for producing the same, and children’s ride-on vehicles including the
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`same.
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`The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded body that has a tread
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`surface, first and second sidewalls and an axis. The body maybe configured to rotate
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`about the axis. The tread surface may extend circumferentially around the body and
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`may extend betweenthe first and second sidewalls. A first region of the tread surface
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`may be disposed betweenthefirst sidewall and the central circumference of the blow-
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`molded body. A second region of the tread surface may be disposed between the
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`second sidewall and the central circumference of the blow-molded body. A recessed
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`region may be positioned betweenthe first and second regions of the tread surface,
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`with a radial distance from the axis to the recessed region being less than radial
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`distances from the axis to the first and second regions of the tread surface.
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`The blow-molded wheels may be used in a children’s ride-on vehicle. The
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`children’s ride-on vehicle may include a body having at least one seat sized for a child
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`and a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body. The plurality of wheels may
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`include at least one driven wheel and at least one steerable wheel. The children’s ride-
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`on vehicle may further include a steering assembly and a drive assembly. The steering
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`assembly may include a steering mechanism adapted to receive steering inputs from a
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`child sitting on the at least one seat and a steering linkage adapted to convey the
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`steering inputs to the at least one steerable wheel. The drive assembly may be adapted
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`to selectively drive the rotation of the at least one driven wheel.
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`Brief Description of the Drawings
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`Fig.
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`1
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`is a perspective view of a children’s ride-on vehicle having at least one
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`blow-molded wheel according to the present disclosure.
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`Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the children’s ride-on vehicle of Fig.
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`1 with another
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`example of blow-molded wheels according to the present disclosure.
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`Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative, non-exclusive example of a
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`motorized drive assembly suitable for use with a children’s ride-on vehicle, such as a
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`children’s ride-on vehicle having at
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`least one blow-molded wheel according to the
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`present disclosure.
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`Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative, non-exclusive example of a
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`manually powered drive assembly suitable for use with a children’s ride-on vehicle, such
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`as a children’s ride-on vehicle having at least one blow-molded wheel according to the
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`presentdisclosure.
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`Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an illustrative example of a blow-molded wheel
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`that has undercut tread portions and is suitable for use with a children’s ride-on vehicle,
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`such as the vehicle of Fig. 1.
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`Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view of the wheel of Fig. 5, taken generally alongline
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`6-6 in Fig. 5.
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`Fig. 7 is a perspective view of anotherillustrative example of a blow-molded
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`wheel that has undercut tread portions and is suitable for use with a children’s ride-on
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`vehicle, such as the vehicle of Fig. 1.
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`Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a first portion of a simplified mold for
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`producing a wheel that has undercut tread portions, such as a wheel similar to the
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`wheelof Fig. 5, with the pinch-off ring shown separated from the main mold portion, with
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`one of the mold slides shownin a release position.
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`Fig. 9 is a plan view of the mold portion of Fig. 8, shown with the pinch-off ring
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`omitted, with one of the mold slides shown in a release position and one of the mold
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`slides in a retracted position.
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`Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the moldafirst portion of Fig. 8, taken generally
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`along line 10-10 in Fig. 9, with the pinch off shown attached to the main mold portion,
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`with one of the mold slides shownin a retracted position.
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`Detailed Description and Best Mode of the Disclosure
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`Anillustrative, non-exclusive example of a children’s ride-on vehicle is shown in
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`Fig.
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`1 and indicated generally at 10. Ride-on vehicle 10 includes a support frame, or
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`body, 12 that provides a riding space, or passenger compartment, 14 with a seat
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`assembly 16 that is sized and configured to accommodateat least one child, including a
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`child driver. Seat assembly 16 may be integral with or otherwise mount