Adjustable skate

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6217039
  • Patent Number
    6,217,039
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, August 27, 1998
    26 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 17, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A skate includes a boot that includes a heel portion and a toe box portion. The heel portion is disposed on a wheel holder frame that holds a plurality of ground-engaging wheels. The toe box portion is disposed slidably on the wheel holder frame and is slidable in relation to the heel portion. The heel portion includes left and right forwardly extending vamp sections that extend into the toe box portion. The toe box portion includes an inside surface that extends from a forward tip transversely and rearwardly toward the heel portion in a curved fashion. The vamp sections engage the inside surface of the toe box portion such that the vamp sections are flexed inwardly or outwardly as the toe box is slid on the wheel holder frame thereby varying the width and the length of the boot.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to in-line skates, and in particular to in-line skates wherein the boot size is adjustable to accommodate different foot sizes.




In-line skating has become a popular recreational pastime, especially for children. However, children have growing feet, and to enjoy in-line skating the skates should properly fit the child's feet. Of course with growing feet, a new pair of skates must be purchased as the child's feet grow, sometimes on an annual basis.




The following patent describes in-line skates wherein the boot size is adjustable or the length of the in-line skate is adjustable to accommodate a different boot size:



















Inventor




Patent No.













Sartor et al.




5,408,763







Meibock et al.




5,452,907







MacPhail




5,459,949







Lee




5,484,149







Lu




5,645,288







Olson et al.




5,678,833







Huang




5,741,018







Klamer et al.




Re. 32,346















BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention includes a boot that includes a heel portion and a toe box portion. The heel portion is disposed on a wheel holder frame. The toe box portion is disposed slidably on the wheel holder frame and is slidable in relation to the heel portion. The heel portion includes left and right forwardly extending vamp sections that extend into the toe box portion. The toe box portion includes an inside surface that extends from a forward tip transversely and rearwardly toward the heel portion in a curved fashion. The vamp sections engage the inside surface of the toe box portion such that the vamp sections are flexed inwardly or outwardly as the toe box is slid on the wheel holder frame thereby varying the width and the length of the boot.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an elevational view of the present invention in a maximum boot size.





FIG. 2

is an elevational view of the present invention in a minimum boot size.





FIG. 3

is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a sectional view of the toe box illustrating the toe box sole.





FIG. 5

is a sectional view taken along the line


5





5


in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 6

is a sectional view taken along the line


6





6


in FIG.


3


.





FIG. 7

is a sectional view taken along the line


7





7


in FIG.


1


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




The skate of the present invention is generally illustrated at


10


in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. The skate


10


includes a boot


12


whose size may be modified in both length and width. The boot


12


includes a toe box


26


and a heel portion


22


disposed on a wheel holder frame


14


. The boot


12


further includes a cuff portion


20


pivotally mounted to the heel portion


22


in a conventional manner by a pair of pivots


24


, each pivot


24


being located on opposing sides of the cuff portion. A conventional buckle


23


is secured to the cuff


20


so that the cuff


20


may be securely fastened to the leg of a wearer.




The toe box


26


is slidably attached to the heel portion


22


and the wheel holder frame


14


. The wheel holder frame


14


retains a plurality of freewheeling roller skate wheels


16


. The wheels


16


are rotatably secured to the wheel frame holder


14


by suitable fasteners


18


that are well known in the art.




A suitable liner


21


has an elastic section proximate the toe box


26


so that the liner can accommodate different foot sizes. Such liners are known in the art.




The skate of the present invention being modifiable in both length and width is advantageous especially for use by youth whose foot size may change significantly in a short period of time. The length and width of the skate of the present invention is modified by moving the toe box


26


in relation to the heel portion


22


of the boot


12


.




The toe box


26


includes a forward toe cap portion


30


integrally formed with a toe sole portion


32


as illustrated in FIG.


3


. The toe box


26


also includes a forward closure strap portion


34


that extends upwardly from the sole portion


32


. A conventional buckle


36


is secured to the closure strap to secure the strap portion


34


to the wearer's foot. The closure strap portion


34


includes left and right strap members


38


and


40


, each extending upwardly from the sole portion


32


. The buckle


36


is attached to the strap members


38


and


40


. The strap members


38


and


40


are positioned slightly forward of the instep


31


of the boot


12


and are spaced rearwardly of the toe cap


30


as best illustrated in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. The strap members are separated from the toe cap


30


by toe opening


42


.




The toe sole portion


32


includes a toe slot


54


positioned under the toe cap


30


along a longitudinal axis of the boot


12


, as illustrated in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. The slot


54


includes a recessed perimeter edge section


56


that is recessed below the surface of the toe sole portion


32


. The toe sole portion


32


also includes a tongue member


58


and left and right shank members


60


and


62


that extend rearwardly toward the heel portion


22


, as best illustrated in FIG.


4


. The tongue member


58


is disposed between the left and right shank members


60


and


62


. Left and right inwardly facing shoulder guides


64


and


66


are formed on oppositely facing edges of the left and right shank members


60


and


62


. The shoulder guides


64


and


66


each end forwardly at a stop


68


and


70


, respectively.




The heel portion


22


and the wheel frame holder


14


are preferably integrally formed. However, the heel portion


22


may be riveted to the wheel holder frame


14


as is well known in the art. The heel portion


22


includes a heel sole portion


44


and left and right quarters


48


. The heel sole portion


44


extends forwardly approximately to the instep of the foot. Left and right vamp sections


50


and


52


extend forward past the heel sole


44


and into the toe cap


30


of the toe box


26


. The toe box


26


includes inside surface


130


that extends from a forward tip


131


transversely and rearwardly toward the heel portion


22


in a curved fashion. The vamp sections


50


and


52


are capable of being flexed inwardly to adjust the width of the boot


12


of the present invention from the instep up to the toe by engaging the surface


130


as is discussed subsequently. It will be appreciated that the toe sole portion


32


and the heel sole portion


44


cooperate to form a single sole of the boot


12


.




The tongue member


58


overlies a top forward surface


72


of the wheel holder frame


14


. The toe box


26


includes a wheel holder frame channel


73


for accepting a forward section


74


of the wheel holder frame


14


, as best illustrated in FIG.


6


. The channel


73


is defined by a lower surface of the toe sole portion


32


and downwardly extending left and right channel sidewalls


76


and


78


. The tongue member


58


extends into a shank slot


80


positioned at a forward end of the heel sole portion


44


between the heel sole portion and the top surface


72


of the wheel holder frame


14


, as best illustrated in

FIGS. 3 and 5

. The left and right shank sections


60


and


62


extend along outer surfaces of the heel portion


22


rearwardly and below the heel sole portion


44


, as best illustrated in

FIGS. 1

,


2


and


7


.




Guide shoulders


82


and


84


are positioned directly below the heel sole portion


44


and along sidewalls


112


and


114


of the wheel holder frame


14


. Guide shoulders


82


and


88


extend into shoulder guides


64


and


66


, respectively, and cooperate with the tongue member


58


that is engaging the slot


80


to guide movement of the toe box


26


in a direction of arrows


86


.




Further securing the toe box to a forward end of the wheel holder frame


14


is rivet


88


and rivet washer


90


. The wheel holder frame includes an aperture


92


at a forward end extending through surface


72


. The aperture


92


is aligned with the slot


54


of the toe box


26


. The rivet


88


extends through the aperture


92


and through the slot


54


and through the rivet washer


90


. The rivet washer


90


is disposed in the recessed perimeter edge section


56


. The slot


54


moves along the rivet


88


as indicated by arrows


89


when the toe box


26


is moved in the direction of arrows


86


to extend or shorten the length of the boot


12


as illustrated in FIG.


5


.




The toe box


26


is secured in a selected position by a locking mechanism


92


. The toe box includes left and right downwardly extending channel sidewalls


76


and


78


for slidably engaging wheel holder frame sidewalls


112


and


114


as best illustrated in FIG.


7


. The locking mechanism


92


includes left and right metal wear plates


94


and


96


. Each metal wear plate has a slot


98


alignable with slots


100


in left and right channel sidewalls


76


and


78


. The wear plates


94


and


98


are secured to left and right channel sidewalls


76


and


78


, respectively, by screws


102


. The wheel holder frame


14


includes apertures


99


disposed in wheel holder frame sidewalls


112


and


114


. A locking screw


104


extends through the slots


98


and


100


and the apertures


99


and engages a locking nut


106


extending through slots


98


and


100


and apertures


99


from an opposite direction.




The locking mechanism


92


further includes a plurality of indentations


108


and


110


disposed within oppositely facing surfaces of the sidewalls


112


and


114


of the wheel holder frame


14


, as best illustrated in

FIGS. 3 and 5

. Left and right detents


116


and


118


extending inwardly from surfaces of the left and right channel sidewalls


76


and


78


into the channel


73


to cooperatively engage one of the plurality of indentations


108


and


110


, all respectively, to position the toe box


26


in one of a series of selected positions. The location of the detents and the indentations may be reversed so that the detents are located on sidewalls


112


and


114


and the indentations are located on left and right channel sidewalls


76


and


78


. The toe box is secured in the selected position by tightening the screw


104


and the nut


106


which moves the left and right channel sidewalls


76


and


78


against surfaces


112


and


114


of the wheel bolder frame


14


thereby ensuring that detents


116


and


118


stay within the selected indentations


108


and


110


, all respectively.




In

FIG. 1

, the boot


12


is illustrated in a maximum boot size since the toe box


26


is positioned as forwardly of the heel portion as possible. In

FIG. 2

, the boot


12


is illustrated in a minimum boot size since the toe box


26


is positioned as rearwardly as possible (toward the heel portion). To decrease the boot size or to make the boot smaller, the toe box


26


is moved rearwardly towards the heel portion as indicated by arrows


120


, leading edges


122


and


124


of the vamp sections


50


and


52


move inwardly as indicated by arrows


126


and


128


. The edges


122


and


124


are forced by the curved inner surface


130


of the toe box


26


toward the center of the boot, as illustrated in FIG.


5


. As the leading edges


122


and


124


of vamp sections


50


and


52


are adjusted inwardly, it will be appreciated that the entire vamp sections


50


and


52


also will be moved inwardly, thereby adjusting the width of a forward section of the boot


12


. Stops


68


and


70


limit rearward travel of the toe box


26


by engagement of guide shoulders


82


and


84


and the rivet


88


engaging a forward end of slot


54


. Of course, as the toe box is moved rearwardly, the length of the boot is also adjusted simultaneously with adjustment of the width.




In reverse, to increase the length of the boot, the toe box is moved forwardly. As the toe box is moved forwardly, the leading edges


122


and


124


of the vamp sections


50


and


52


flex outwardly thereby increasing the width of the forward section of the boot


12


while the length of the boot is being increased. As illustrated in

FIG. 5

, the rivet


88


limits the toe box's forward travel by engaging a rearward end of slot


54


.




Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A skate comprising:a wheel holder frame for holding a plurality of ground engaging wheels; a boot comprising: a heel portion disposed on the wheel holder frame; a toe box portion slidable on the wheel holder frame; wherein the heel portion includes left and right forwardly extending vamp sections extending into the toe box portion; wherein the toe box portion includes first and second downwardly extending channel walls and an inside surface extending from a forward tip and extending transversely and rearwardly toward the heel portion in a curved fashion with the vamp sections engaging left and right inside surfaces of the toe box portion such that the vamp sections are flexed inwardly or outwardly as the toe box portion is slid rearwardly or forwardly to adjust the width and length of the boot, and wherein the wheel holder frame includes a forward section extending between the first and second channel walls, and a locking mechanism for securing the toe box in a selected position, the wheel holder frame further including first and second detents disposed on either the forward section of the wheel frame holder or the first and second channel walls, and a plurality of indentations disposed in either the forward section of the wheel frame holder or the first and second channel walls for engaging the first and second detents, respectively, and a frame aperture extending through the wheel holder frame and the side channel walls including slots alignable with the frame aperture, and further including a securing pin member extending through the slots and the frame aperture, the securing pin member further including a securing mechanism for engaging the side channel walls against the wheel holder frame to secure the toe box portion in a selected position in cooperation with the locking mechanism.
  • 2. The skate of claim 1 wherein the toe box includes a slot disposed longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the boot and wherein the wheel holder frame includes an aperture, and further including a pin extending through the slot and the aperture such that the toe box may be slid rearwardly or forwardly guided by the slot engaging the pin.
  • 3. The skate of claim 2 wherein the pin is a rivet securing the toe box at a forward end to the wheel frame holder.
  • 4. The skate of claim 1 wherein the toe box portion includes a tongue member extending towards the heel portion and the wheel holder frame includes a slot for receiving the tongue member.
  • 5. The skate of claim 1 wherein the toe box portion includes left and right shank sections extending rearwardly toward the heel portion and engaging outer surfaces of the wheel holder frame.
  • 6. The skate of claim 5 wherein the left and right shank sections include shoulder guides and further including left and right shoulders disposed on the wheel holder frame, the left and right shoulders extending into the left and right shoulder guides.
  • 7. The skate of claim 6 and further including a stop member disposed at a forward end of each shoulder guide to limit rearward movement of the toe box portion.
  • 8. A skate comprising:a wheel holder frame; a boot disposed on the wheel holder frame and having a heel portion and a slidably attached toe box portion having first and second downwardly extending channel walls, the boot having left and right flexible vamp sections engagable by the toe box portion wherein when the toe box portion is slid either rearwardly or forwardly to shorten or lengthen the boot, the vamp sections are flexed inwardly or outwardly to vary the boot width; and wherein the wheel holder frame includes a forward section extending between the first and second channel walls and a locking mechanism for securing the toe box in a selected position, the locking mechanism including first and second detents disposed on either the forward section of wheel frame holder or the first and second channel walls, and a plurality of indentations disposed in either the forward section of the wheel frame holder or the first and second channel walls for engaging the first and second detents, respectively and a frame aperture extending through the wheel holder and the channel walls including slots alignable with the frame aperture, and further including a securing pin member extending through the slots and the frame aperture, the securing pin member further including a securing mechanism for engaging the channel walls against the wheel holder frame to secure the toe box portion in a selected position in cooperation with the locking mechanism.
  • 9. The skate of claim 8 wherein the toe box portion includes a slot disposed along a longitudinal axis of the boot and wherein the wheel holder frame includes an aperture, and further including a pin extending through the slot and the aperture such that the toe box portion may be slid rearwardly or forwardly guided by the slot engaging the pin.
  • 10. The skate of claim 9 wherein the pin is a rivet securing the toe box portion at a forward end to the wheel holder frame.
  • 11. The skate of claim 8 wherein the toe box portion includes a tongue member extending towards the heel portion and the wheel holder frame includes a slot for receiving the tongue member.
  • 12. The skate of claim 8 wherein the toe box portion includes left and right shank sections extending rearwardly toward the heel portion and engaging outer surfaces of the wheel holder frame.
  • 13. The skate of claim 12 wherein the left and right shank sections include shoulder guides and further including left and right shoulders disposed on the wheel holder frame, the left and right shoulders extending into the left and right shoulder guides.
  • 14. The skate of claim 13 and further including a stop member disposed at a forward end of each shoulder guide to limit rearward movement of the toe box portion.
Parent Case Info

This application claims benefit of Provisional application 60/073,464, filed Feb. 2, 1998.

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Number Name Date Kind
RE. 32346 Klamer et al. Feb 1987
831210 Bosley Sep 1906
2009684 Affronte Jul 1935
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2603889 Lahnstein et al. Jul 1952
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3027658 Rigsby Apr 1962
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3058241 Rigsby Oct 1962
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3997985 Shiina Dec 1976
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4083128 Rossman Apr 1978
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4554749 Ostrander Nov 1985
4839972 Pack et al. Jun 1989
4944099 Davis Jul 1990
4998358 Girardelli Mar 1991
5388846 Gierveld Feb 1995
5400484 Gay Mar 1995
5408763 Sartor et al. Apr 1995
5452907 Meibock et al. Sep 1995
5459949 MacPhail Oct 1995
5475936 Cavasin Dec 1995
5484149 Lee Jan 1996
5498009 Young Mar 1996
5645288 Lu Jul 1997
5678833 Olson et al. Oct 1997
5682687 Arai Nov 1997
5741018 Huang Apr 1998
5836592 Chang Nov 1998
5842293 Young Dec 1998
5934693 Nicoletti Aug 1999
6050574 Olson et al. Apr 2000
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number Date Country
714751 Aug 1965 CA
1321066 Aug 1993 CA
2584936 Jan 1987 FR
2658371 Aug 1991 FR
2672812 Aug 1992 FR
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/073464 Feb 1998 US