Support assembly

Abstract

A support assembly for a surface treating appliance includes a roller having one or more tires, wherein the one or more tires are fused to the roller. The roller can include a polymer such as polypropylene and may also include a glass filled impact modified copolymer such as a 20% glass filed impact modified copolymer. The tires can include a thermoplastic elastomer such as a modified polymer including a mixture of polypropylene and an ethylene propylene diene monomer. The thermoplastic elastomer may have a hardness of from 55 to 95 Duro measured on the A scale, more specifically from 70 to 79 Duro on the A scale or from 80 to 95 Duro on the A scale

1 . A method for manufacturing a support assembly or a portion of a support assembly for a surface treating appliance, comprising:
 (a) placing a roller or a portion of a roller, made of a first material which has a first melting temperature, into an overmold;   (b) overmolding one or more tires onto the roller or portion of the roller by introducing a second material in a molten state into the overmold;   (c) allowing the second material to solidify; and   (d) separating the support assembly or portion of the support assembly from the overmold,   wherein the second material is introduced into the overmold at a temperature which is higher than the first melting temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (x) forming a roller or portion of a roller before performing step (a).   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein in step (x) the roller or portion of the roller is formed by injection molding the first material into the shape of a roller or portion of a roller. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein in step (b) the one or more tires are overmolded onto the roller or portion of the roller by introducing the second material in a molten state into a channel or a plurality of channels formed between the roller or portion of the roller and the over mold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein in step (x) the roller or portion of the roller is formed with one or more channels on its outer surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the overmold comprises one or more channels. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the first material comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the polymer comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the polypropylene comprises a glass filled impact modified copolymer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the glass filled impact modified copolymer is a 20% glass filed impact modified copolymer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein in step x) the first material is injection molded at from 230 to 270° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more tires comprise a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises a modified polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the modified polymer comprises a mixture of polypropylene and an ethylene propylene diene monomer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a hardness of from 55 to 95 Duro measured on the A scale. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a hardness of from 70 to 79 Duro on the A scale. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a hardness of from 80 to 95 Duro on the A scale. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in step b) the second material is introduced into the overmold at between 200 and 230° C. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein in step b) the second material is introduced into the overmold at between 210 and 215° C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the overmold comprises one or more channels.