Claims
- 1. A braking device for use with skates comprising:an elongated stick having forward and rearward ends, the stick has an upper surface and a lower surface; a ground surface engagement member mounted on the rearward end of the elongated stick; and a seat coupled to the stick, the seat being pivotally mounted on the stick, the seat being pivotable between a use position and a storage position, the use position being characterized by the seat being oriented substantially perpendicular to the stick and the storage position being characterized by the seat being oriented substantially parallel to the stick; wherein the storage position of the seat is characterized by the seat being positioned adjacent to the lower surface of the stick.
- 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the stick has a forward and a rearward component, and wherein the forward component has a front end and a rear end, the rearward component having a front end and a rear end.
- 3. The device of claim 2 wherein a hinge couples the forward and rearward components, the hinge being positioned along the lower surface of the forward and rearward components such the lower surfaces of the forward and rearward components are moved adjacent to each other when the components are in the folded condition.
- 4. The device of claim 2 wherein the ground surface engagement member is mounted on the rear end of the rearward component.
- 5. The device of claim 2 wherein the ground surface engagement member comprises:a base member with a flange portion pivotally coupled to the rear end of the rearward component, the base member having a brake surface; and a brake pad mounted on the brake surface of the base member.
- 6. The device of claim 5 additionally comprising a pivot stop mounted on the flange portion of the base member for limiting the pivot movement of the ground surface engagement member.
- 7. The device of claim 5 additionally comprising a biasing spring linked between the stick and the ground surface engagement member for biasing the base member into a position having the brake surface oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stick.
- 8. The device of claim 5 wherein the brake pad comprises a wearable material.
- 9. The device of claim 1 wherein the ground surface engagement member is pivotally mounted on the rearward end for adapting to an orientation of a ground surface with respect to a longitudinal axis of the stick.
- 10. The device of claim 1 wherein the stick has a forward and a rearward component, and wherein a pair of ground surface engagement members are included, each of the ground surface engagement members being mounted on a side of the stick, the pair of ground surface engagement members defining a gap therebetween for receiving a portion of the forward component when the components are in the folded condition.
- 11. The device of claim 1 wherein the seat comprises:a seat plate for supporting a user; a pair of seat support members, the seat support members being mounted on a lower surface of the seat plate, the seat support members being oriented in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship, each of the seat support members being mounted on one side of the stick; and a stop pin for blockings rotation of the seat plate beyond the use position, the stop pin extending between the seat support members.
- 12. The device of claim 1 additionally comprising a latch mechanism for selectively locking the components in the deployed condition.
- 13. The device of claim 12 wherein the latch mechanism comprises a clip mounted on a first one of the components and a pocket for receiving a portion of the clip being mounted on the a second one of the components such that the portion of the clip is received in the pocket when the components are in the deployed condition.
- 14. The device of claim 13 wherein the rearward component comprises the first component and the forward component comprises the second component.
- 15. A braking device for use with skates comprising:an elongated stick having forward and rearward ends; and a ground surface engagement member mounted on the rearward end of the elongated stick, wherein the stick comprises a forward component and a rearward component, the forward component of the stick being pivotally mounted to the rearward component of the stick such that the components of the stick are pivotable between an extended deployed condition for use and a folded condition for storage, the forward component having a front end and a rear end, the rearward component having a front end and a rear end, the stick having an upper surface and a lower surface; wherein a hinge couples the forward and rearward components, the hinge being positioned along the lower surface of the forward and rearward components such the lower surfaces of the forward and rearward components are moved adjacent to each other when the components are in the folded condition; wherein the ground surface engagement member is pivotally mounted on the rearward end for adapting to an orientation of a ground surface with respect to a longitudinal axis of the stick; wherein the ground surface engagement member comprises: a base member with a flange portion pivotally coupled to the rear end of the rearward component, the base member having a brake surface; a brake pad mounted on the brake surface of the base member; a pivot stop mounted on the flange portion of the base member for limiting the pivot movement of the ground surface engagement member; and a biasing spring linked between the stick and the ground surface engagement member for biasing the base member into a position having the brake surface oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stick; wherein the brake pad comprises a wearable material; wherein an additional ground surface engagement member is included such that a pair of the ground surface engaging members are provided, each of the ground surface engagement members being mounted on a side of the stick, the pair of ground surface engagement members defining a gap therebetween for receiving a portion of the forward component when the components are in the folded condition; a seat being coupled to the stick, the seat being pivotally mounted on the stick, the seat being pivotable between a use position and a storage condition, the use position being characterized by the seat being oriented substantially perpendicular to the stick and the storage position being characterized by the seat being oriented substantially parallel to the stick; wherein the storage position of the seat being is characterized by the seat being positioned adjacent to the lower surface of the stick; wherein the seat comprises: a seat plate for supporting a user; a pair of seat support members, the seat support members being mounted on a lower surface of the seat plate, the seat support members being oriented in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship, each of the seat support members being mounted on one side of the stick; and a stop pin for blocking rotation of the seat beyond the use position, the stop pin extending between the seat support members; a latch mechanism for selectively locking the components in the deployed condition, the latch mechanism comprising a clip mounted on a first one of the components and a pocket for receiving a portion of the clip being mounted on the a second one of the components such that the portion of the clip is received in the pocket when the components are in the deployed condition; wherein the rearward component comprises the first component and the forward component comprises the second component.
- 16. A braking device for use with skates comprising:an elongated stick having forward and rearward ends; a ground surface engagement member mounted on the rearward end of the elongated stick; wherein the stick comprises a forward component and a rearward component, the forward component of the stick being pivotally mounted to the rearward component of the stick such that the components of the stick are pivotable between an extended deployed condition for use and a folded condition for storage, the forward component having a front end and a rear end, the rearward component having a front end and a rear end, the stick having an upper surface and a lower surface; wherein the ground surface engagement member comprises: a base member with a flange portion pivotally coupled to the rear end of the rearward component, the base member having a brake surface; and a brake pad mounted on the brake surface of the base member; and a pivot stop mounted on the flange portion of the base member for limiting the pivot movement of the ground surface engagement member.
- 17. A braking device for use with skates comprising:an elongated stick having forward and rearward ends; a ground surface engagement member mounted on the rearward end of the elongated stick; wherein the stick comprises a forward component and a rearward component, the forward component of the stick being pivotally mounted to the rearward component of the stick such that the components of the stick are pivotable between an extended deployed condition for use and a folded condition for storage, the forward component having a front end and a rear end, the rearward component having a front end and a rear end, the stick having an upper surface and a lower surface; wherein the ground surface engagement member comprises: a base member with a flange portion pivotally coupled to the rear end of the rearward component, the base member having a brake surface; and a brake pad mounted on the brake surface of the base member; and a biasing spring linked between the stick and the ground surface engagement member for biasing the base member into a position having the brake surface oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stick.
- 18. The device of claim 17 additionally comprising a seat coupled to the stick, the seat being pivotally mounted on the stick, the seat being pivotable between a use position and a storage position, the use position being characterized by the seat being oriented substantially perpendicular to the stick and the storage position being characterized by the seat being oriented substantially parallel to the stick.
- 19. The device of claim 18 wherein the storage position of the seat is characterized by the seat being positioned adjacent to the lower surface of the stick.
RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is a continuation-in-part application of our U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/248,706 filed Feb. 11, 1999, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part application of our U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/015,110, filed Jan. 29, 1998, abandoned, which is incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
572880 |
Dec 1993 |
EP |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/248706 |
Feb 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/663164 |
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US |
Parent |
09/015110 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/248706 |
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US |