Claims
- 1. A wheel assembly for use in a footwear operable to wear on one's foot for use on a surface to transition from a walking state or a running state to a heel rolling state, the footwear including a sole with an opening formed in at least a portion of a heel portion of the sole, the wheel assembly comprising:
an axle; a wheel mounted on the axle; and a mounting structure operable to support the axle so that a first portion of the wheel resides in the opening in the at least the portion of the heel portion of the sole of the footwear and such that a second portion of the wheel resides below the opening in the at least the portion of the heel portion of the sole of the footwear, wherein the apparatus is operable to allow one to transition from the walking state or the running state to the heel rolling state where the wheel mounted on the axle contacts the surface to roll.
- 2. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is made of a urethane.
- 3. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is made of a polymer.
- 4. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is made of a plastic.
- 5. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is made of a precision bearing.
- 6. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is made of a rubber.
- 7. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is made of a metal.
- 8. The wheel assembly of claim 7, wherein the metal includes aluminum.
- 9. The wheel assembly of claim 7, wherein the metal includes titanium.
- 10. The wheel assembly of claim 7, wherein the metal is an alloy.
- 11. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the portion of the wheel that resides in the opening formed in at least the portion of the heel portion of the sole of the heeling apparatus is larger than a second portion of the wheel that resides out of the opening.
- 12. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel is rotatably mounted on the axle.
- 13. The wheel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a second wheel rotatably mounted on the axle.
- 14. The wheel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
bearings positioned to reduce the rotational friction between the wheel and the axle.
- 15. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel has a first side with a first recess and a second side with a second recess, and wherein the wheel assembly further comprises:
a first precision bearing positioned in the first recess between the wheel and the axle; and a second precision bearing positioned in the second recess between the wheel and the axle.
- 16. The wheel assembly of claim 15, wherein the first precision bearing are positioned using a first ring clip on the axle, and the second precision bearing are positioned using a second ring clip on the axle.
- 17. The wheel assembly of claim 16, wherein the axle has a first radial indentation to position the first ring clip on the axle, and second radial indentation to position the second ring clip on the axle.
- 18. The wheel assembly of claim 15, wherein the first and second precision bearing is a radial bearing.
- 19. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening formed in the sole is provided at a heel portion of the sole.
- 20. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is anodized metal.
- 21. The wheel assembly of claim 20, wherein the anodized metal presents a black appearance.
- 22. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a heel control plate.
- 23. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and the axle is coupled to the mounting structure using the first member.
- 24. The wheel assembly of claim 23, wherein the wheel is mounted at a first end of the axle and a second wheel is mounted at a second end of the axle.
- 25. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member, and the axle is coupled to the mounting structure through the first member and the second member.
- 26. The wheel assembly of claim 25, wherein the wheel is mounted between the first member and the second member of the mounting structure.
- 27. The wheel assembly of claim 25, wherein the axle is removably coupled to the mounting structure.
- 28. The wheel assembly of claim 27, wherein the axle is removably coupled to the mounting structure using a bias mechanism at the first member.
- 29. The wheel assembly of claim 28, wherein the bias mechanism is a spring bias mechanism.
- 30. The wheel assembly of claim 27, wherein the axle is removably coupled to the mounting structure using a bias mechanism at the first member and a second bias mechanism at the second member.
- 31. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made using injection molding.
- 32. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a nylon.
- 33. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a urethane.
- 34. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a polymer.
- 35. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a plastic.
- 36. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a rubber.
- 37. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a resin.
- 38. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a metal.
- 39. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of an aluminum.
- 40. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a titanium.
- 41. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of an alloy.
- 42. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is made of a composite material.
- 43. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the axle is cylindrical.
- 44. The wheel assembly of claim 43, wherein the ends of the axle are rounded.
- 45. The wheel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
bearings positioned to facilitate the rotation of the wheel around the axle.
- 46. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel includes a surface profile that is flat.
- 47. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel includes a surface profile that is round.
- 48. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel includes a surface profile that is steep.
- 49. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel includes a surface profile that is inverted.
- 50. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel includes a surface profile that is square.
- 51. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel includes a plurality of wheels mounted on the axle.
- 52. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member where the axle couples to the mounting structure such that the axle and the wheel may couple to the first member and the second member in a retracted position and an extended position.
- 53. The wheel assembly of claim 52, wherein the portion of the wheel that resides in the opening formed in the sole of the heeling apparatus is larger when in the retracted position as compared to the extended position.
- 54. The wheel assembly of claim 52, wherein the axle is a collapsible axle.
- 55. The wheel assembly of claim 54, wherein the collapsible axle may couple to the first member and the second member at a first position at the first member and the second member so that the wheel is in the retracted position, and wherein the collapsible axle may couple to the first member and the second member at a second position at the first member and the second member so that the wheel is in the extended position.
- 56. The wheel assembly of claim 52, wherein the axle may couple to the first member and the second member to move from a retracted position to an extended position through a king pin arrangement.
- 57. The wheel assembly of claim 52, wherein the axle may couple to the first member and the second member to move from a retracted position to an extended position through a spring arrangement.
- 58. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member where the axle couples to the mounting structure through a friction fit.
- 59. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member where the axle couples to the mounting structure through a threaded portion of the axle.
- 60. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel assembly is referred to as a heeling assembly.
- 61. A wheel/axle assembly for use in a wheel assembly of a footwear comprising:
a wheel having an axle opening, a first annular recess on a first side of the wheel that surrounds the axle opening on the first side, and a second annular recess on a second side of the wheel that surrounds the axle opening on the second side; a first bearing positioned in the first annular recess on the first side of the wheel; a second bearing positioned in the second annular recess on the second side of the wheel; and an axle positioned within the axle opening of the wheel such that the wheel is rotatably coupled to the axle through the first bearing and the second bearing.
- 62. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the wheel includes:
an inner core portion that forms the axle opening, the first annular recess, the second annular recess, and includes an outer curved surface; and a softer outer tire positioned on the outer curved surface of the inner core portion.
- 63. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 62, wherein the wheel is a dual durometer wheel.
- 64. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 62, wherein the softer outer tire is urethane and the inner core portion is a hard plastic.
- 65. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the axle includes a first radial indentation near a first end of the axle and a second radial indentation near a second end of the axle, and further comprising:
a first ring clip positioned in the first radial indentation of the axle to prevent the first bearing from moving off the axle; and a second ring clip positioned in the second radial indentation of the axle to prevent the second bearing from moving off the axle.
- 66. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the axle is a collapsible axle.
- 67. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 66, wherein the collapsible axle is a spring loaded axle.
- 68. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 66, wherein the collapsible axle is a screw adjustable axle.
- 69. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the outer diameter of the first bearing and the outer diameter of the second bearing are less than half the outer diameter of the wheel.
- 70. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the outer diameter of the first bearing and the outer diameter of the second bearing are more than half the outer diameter of the wheel.
- 71. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the first bearing and the second bearing are precision bearings.
- 72. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 71, wherein the precision bearings are ABEC grade precision bearings.
- 73. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the axle has a rounded first end and a rounded second end.
- 74. The wheel/axle assembly of claim 61, wherein the axle has a threaded first end and a threaded second end.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §120, this divisional patent application claims priority from, and hereby incorporates by reference for all purposes, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/540,125, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method, naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Mar. 31, 2000, which, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e), claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/127,459, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method, naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Apr. 1, 1999.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60127459 |
Apr 1999 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09540125 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
10077964 |
Feb 2002 |
US |