BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is side view of a prior art in-line skate.
FIG. 2 is a side view of an in-line skate incorporating the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the rollers all supported on a horizontally extending supporting surface.
FIG. 3 is the same view as FIG. 2 only showing the lead roller contacting a ridge in the supporting surface.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear roller mount.
FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a first alternate embodiment of the roller mount.
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.
FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the front roller mount.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring now more particularly to FIG. 2, there is shown an in-line skate 30 incorporating the present invention. Skate 30 includes a shoe having a bottom frame 331 fixed thereto extending along the length of the shoe. A front leg 32 and rear leg 33 are integrally connected to frame 31 and have proximal ends pivotally mounted respectively to a front roller mount 34 and rear roller mount 35. A pair of rollers 36 and 37 are rotatably mounted to front mount 34 whereas a second pair of rollers 38 and 39 are rotatably mounted to rear mount 35. As shown in FIG. 2, rollers 36-39 are supported upon a horizontally extending support surface 25. Roller trucks or mounts 34 and 35 are operable to pivot in the event one of the rollers contacts either a depression or ridge (FIG. 3) in supporting surface 25 with the remaining rollers maintaining contact with surface 250. In FIG. 3, the front roller 36 is shown as pivoting upward since the roller has contacted ridge or rock 26; however, it is to be understood that the remaining rollers 37-39 will also pivot away from the supporting surface 25 in the event the rollers contact a depression or upwardly extending projection with the remaining rollers remaining in contact with surface 25.
Rear mount 35 (FIG. 4) includes a pair of parallel walls 51 and 52 joined together by cross walls, one of which is shown as wall 53 fixedly secured to and between walls 51 and 52. Walls 51 and 52 are spaced apart with wheels 38 and 39 rotatably mounted thereto. Axles 57 and 59 (FIG. 6) have opposite ends mounted to walls 51 and 52 and have suitable bearings 56 and 58 rotatably receiving respectively wheels 38 and 39.
The proximal end 60 of rear leg 33 extends wrappingly around axle 61 having its opposite ends fixedly mounted to walls 51 and 52. Proximal end 60 is not tightly secured to axle 61 allowing axle 61 and mount 35 to pivot with respect to leg 33. The rearwardly facing surface :55 of wall :53 provides a stop surface against which the forward facing surface 54 of leg 33 may contact thereby limiting the amount of pivotal motion between mount 35 and leg 33 in the event wheel 38 contacts an upwardly projecting ridge 26, then mount 35 will pivot in a clockwise direction about axle 61 as viewed in FIG. 6 maintaining wheel 39 upon supporting surface 25.
The front mount 34 (FIG. 7) likewise includes a pair of walls 70 and 71 joined together by cross walls. One such wall 74 is shown in FIG. 7 and includes a forwardly facing surface 76 forming a stop surface against which the rearwardly facing surface 75 of front leg 32 may contact when mount 34 pivots in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 7 thereby limiting pivotal motion of the mount. Wheels 36 and 37 are rotatably mounted by axles 72 and 73 having their opposite ends fixed to walls 70 and 71 with the wheels being positioned between walls 70 and 71. Suitable bearings are provided to facilitate the rotation of the wheels in a manner as described for the rear mount 35.
Axle 77 extends between walls 70 and 71 and has opposite ends fixed thereto. The bottom proximal end of leg 32 extends wrappingly around axle 77 but does not tightly grip the axle thereby allowing mount 34 to pivot with respect to leg 32. That is, the bottom proximal end of leg 32 is configured identically to proximal end 60 (FIG. 6) of back leg 33.
Roller frames 34 and 35 (FIG. 2) and wheels 36-39 are arranged to support skate 30 as it travels in the direction of arrow 70 along supporting surface 25. Frame 31 is mountable to the skate side and secured thereto by any number of means such as standard fastening devices. Rollers 36-39 have parallel axes of rotation that are perpendicularly arranged with respect to the direction 70 of travel of the skate. Rollers 36-39 are aligned in a single row extending the length of the skate along direction 70. Further, mounts 34 and 35 have parallel pivot axes that are perpendicular to direction 70 and parallel to each axis of rotation of rollers 36-39.
The pivot axis of mount 34 extends through the length of axle 77 (FIG. 7) whereas the pivot axis of mount 35 extends through the length of axle 61 (FIG. 4). Notably, mount 34 has a single pivot axis and mount 35 has a single pivot axis. Thus, when one of the rollers mounted to a particular roller mount moves upward or downward, the remaining roller on the particular roller mount remains in contact with the supporting surface 25. When the lead roller 36 pivots upward (FIG. 3) mount 34 pivots in a clockwise direction about its pivot axis extending through axle 77 with the downward force vector increasing through roller 37 insuring roller 37 remains in contact with supporting surface 25. At the same time, rollers 38 and 39 remain in contact with the supporting surface. In similar fashion, as each particular roller pivots upward or downward, the remaining rollers remain in the contact with supporting surface 25.
The side walls of each roller mount are arranged perpendicular with respect to the roller axles of rotation. For example, walls 70 and 71 are arranged perpendicular to each axis of rotation extending through the axles rotatably mounting rollers 36 and 37.
Axles 77 (FIG. 7) and 61 (FIG. 4) may be positioned at different locations with respect to the rollers thereby changing the stability and performance of the skate. In a first alternate embodiment, roller mount 80 includes a pair of parallel walls 64 and 65 secured together by a cross wall similar to wall 74 (FIG. 7). Roller 36 has an axle 87 with opposite ends secured to walls 64 and 65. Likewise, roller 37 has an axle 88 with opposite ends secured to walls 64 and 65. Suitable bearings are provided to rotatably mount rollers 36 and 37 to axles 87 and 88. The axles are located along a longitudinal axis 62 normally parallel to the surface 25 supporting the skate. A plurality of axle holes 67-69 are each located in side walls 64 and 65 to enable the positioning of axle 77 (FIG. 7) with respect to rollers 36 and 37 and longitudinal axis 62. The rotation axes of rollers 36 and 37 are located closer to the shoe mounted atop frame 31 when the axles 87 and 88 are located beneath longitudinal axis 62 thereby stabilizing the skate as the roller mounts pivot upwardly. In all cases, axle 77 is located between rollers 36 and 37 to position die pivot axis between the two rollers. Different results are provided depending upon whether the axle is located on, above, or below axis 62. For example, by extending axle 77 through holes 69, the pivot axis is located beneath axis 62 and beneath the axis of rotation of each roller thereby positioning the rollers closer to the skate shoe and increasing the stability of the skate. On the other hand, locating axle 77 to extend through holes 61 locates the pivot axis above axis 62 allowing a greater amount of pivotal motion of pivot mount 80. Locating axle 77 to extend through holes 68 positions the pivot axis along axis 62 allowing for stability and an adequate pivotal motion of the mount. Hole 68 is located equidistant between the rollers. By locating hole 67 or 69 aft of the midpoint between rollers 36 and 37 or closer to roller 37 shifts the downward force to the aft roller as the forward roller pivots upward. In all embodiments, the pivot axis of mount 34 is located between rollers 36 and 37 and the pivot axis of mount 35 is located between the rollers 38 and 39. Each roller mount 34 and 35 has a single pivot axis which is perpendicular to direction 70 and parallel to surface 25.
Many advantages of my in-line skate exist as compared to the prior art skates. Most importantly, the skate disclosed herein has increased stability since the rollers remain in contact with the supporting surface in the event that a single roller pivots upward or downward. Particularly important is providing a single pivot axis for mount 34 and mount 35 each of which has a pair of rollers rotatably mounted thereto with all of the rollers extending in a single row aligned along the length of the skate. The single pivot axis of mount 34 and the single pivot axis of mount 35 are located perpendicular to direction 70 while being parallel to surface 25 with the pivot axis and the rotational axes all being parallel.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
Patent Application
20080012250
