Patent Application
20090200763
This invention relates in general to the field of action sports and wheeled footwear, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an apparatus with at least one external wheel positioned adjacent or near the sides of the forefoot of a wheeled footwear, and one or more wheels in an opening or openings in the heel portion of the sole of the wheeled footwear, and associated methods of use.
Active wheeled footwear with a wheel in the heel was described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,038, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method, which issued Jun. 18, 2002. The wheel or wheels in the heel footwear, popularly known under the HEELYS trademark for wheeled footwear, allows a user to walk and/or run and to transition to rolling on a surface by a simple shift of the user's weight to the heel while elevating the forefoot above the surface. HEELYS wheeled footwear has created an entirely new sport and activity with mass appeal due, in part, to the fact that it does not require expensive, heavy and cumbersome equipment and its use is not limited to select or limited areas, such as skating rinks or skate parks.
Inline skates and roller skates, such as conventional quad roller skates, are expensive and often include heavy frames that are cumbersome to use and that elevate the user several inches above the rolling surface. This may increase the risk of injury because when users fall, they may be travelling at a high rate of speed and are falling from a higher, elevated distance, and the increased height and positioning of the user requires constant balancing and readjusting of the user, which degrades the overall skate experience and feedback to the user.
Wheeled footwear that provides an even more aggressive rolling capability than “wheel-in-the-heel” wheeled footwear, or the capability to roll without having to lift the forefoot, while still enjoying or experiencing many of the features and benefits of “wheel-in-the-heel” wheeled footwear may include various aspects and additional wheeled footwear performance characteristics. An apparatus, such as a wheeled footwear or skate that includes one or more wheels adjacent or near each side of the forefoot, and one or more wheels in an opening in the heel portion of the sole may be provided. In certain embodiments, this configuration may be known under the trademark THREELYS or TRIFECTA.
In other embodiments, the wheeled footwear or skate may include removable external wheels positioned adjacent or near the side of the forefoot of the wheeled footwear, and/or a removable wheel or wheels in the opening or openings in the heel. In certain embodiments, the wheeled footwear may be used in three configurations that may include: (i.) walking or running, (ii.) heel rolling using the one or more wheels in the heel by elevating the forefoot, and (iii.) skating using both the wheels positioned adjacent or near the side of the forefoot and the one or more wheels in the heel.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the apparatus may include a front wheel adjacent, near or next to each side of the forefoot portion of the footwear, and a heel wheel in an opening in the bottom portion of the heel portion of the sole of the footwear. In certain embodiments, the apparatus may include removable front wheels such that the apparatus may be configured to operate like HEELYS wheeled footwear with one or more wheels in the heel when the front wheels removed. The wheel or wheels in the opening in the heel may be removable, retractable or permanently coupled or attached.
In other embodiments, the apparatus or wheeled footwear may also include a removable heel wheel(s) such that the apparatus may be configured to remove both the front wheels and the heel wheel(s) to allow a user to utilize the footwear for walking or running. In a preferred embodiment, the footwear is athletic footwear with a flexible forefoot.
The apparatus may be configured, in one embodiment, such that the center or axis of rotation of the front wheels is positioned above or approximate at least a portion of the surface of the insole where at least a portion of the users forefoot, such as the region of the forefoot known as the “ball” of the foot (or the region between the arch and the toes of the foot) resides below or almost below the center of the front wheels or the axis of rotation of the front wheels. As such, this increases overall stability and ease of use by providing that the user is closer to the surface being rolled upon in relation to the rotating front wheels.
In other embodiments or implementations, the apparatus may be configured such that the front wheels may be angled or positioned such that the wheels have positive/negative or in/out “toe,” “camber,” and/or “castor”.
In still other embodiments or implementations, the apparatus may be configured such that the front wheels are offset from one another and not aligned when viewing from above or from the top. For example, even though at least a portion of one front wheel on each side of the footwear is adjacent or near the forefoot of the footwear on each side, one of the front wheels on one side may be positioned, for example, closer to the front of the footwear as compared to a front wheel positioned adjacent the forefoot on the other side of the footwear. This configuration may be referred to as offset.
As a further feature, aspect or implementation of certain implementations of the apparatus of the invention, a toe start (which may also be referred to as a toe brake) may be provided on one or both of the wheeled footwear on the bottom or adjacent the bottom portion of the front of the forefoot of the sole of the footwear. This toe start or toe brake may also be used to push off of when first starting to move. The apparatus, in certain implementations may also include a “heel brake.” Because it is believed that braking will include additional friction, in one embodiment, a replaceable toe start (which may also be referred to as a toe brake) pad and/or a replaceable heel brake may also be provided.
The various embodiments and implementations of the present invention provide a profusion of potential technical advantages and benefits that may include one or more of the following. A technical advantage of the present invention may include the positioning of the front wheels such that their center or axis of rotation of the front wheels is above the bottom of a portion of the users forefoot. In this embodiment, this increased stability allows users to easily and safely use the apparatus of the present invention. This is in contrast to quad-roller skates or in-line roller skates where a user resides entirely above the center or axis of rotation of the wheels.
Another technical advantage of the present invention may include increased performance in certain embodiments by eliminating the possibility for the heel wheels to accidentally or inadvertently come into contact with one another while rolling, such as can happen with quad skates and other type roller skates. This increases overall performance and safety.
Yet another technical advantage of the present invention may include the capability to have either one or both the front wheels and the heel wheel(s) to be removably coupled. This provides the capability for the apparatus to operate in three modes: (1) regular footwear mode; (2) HEELYS wheeled footwear or heeling mode; and (3) full skate mode. This provides increased overall flexibility, value, comfort and an enhanced user experience.
Other technical advantages and benefits may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures, description, and claims.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts, in which:
It should be understood at the outset that although an exemplary implementation of the present invention is illustrated below, the present invention may be implemented using any number of techniques, materials, designs, and configurations whether currently known or in existence. The present invention should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary designs and implementations illustrated and described herein. Additionally, the drawings contained herein are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The amount or length of the portion of the wheel 16 that extends below the bottom of the sole 14, as defined by a distance 24, will preferably be less than the diameter of the wheel 16. The distance 24, however, may be greater than, less than, or equal to the diameter of the wheel 16.
The athletic shoe 12, as is true of most footwear, may be generally described as having the sole 14 and an upper part 26. The upper part 26 may be constructed of virtually any material such as, for example, leather, plastic, or canvas. The sole 14 may include three parts: (1) an inner sole or insole (not illustrated in
In most footwear, including the athletic shoe 12, the sole 14 may also be divided into three portions or regions: (1) the heel portion 18, (2) an arch portion 20, and (3) a forefoot portion 22, as illustrated in
It should also be understood that although the position of the opening in the bottom of the sole 14, and hence also the wheel 16, is preferably located in the heel portion 18 of the sole 14, such an opening may also be located at the boundary of the heel portion 18 and the arch portion 20, at the arch portion 20, or at virtually any other location on the sole 14. The opening in the bottom of the sole 14 may extend entirely through the sole 14, e.g., through the outsole, the midsole and the insole, or only partially through the sole 14, e.g., through the outsole, and a portion or all of the midsole.
The wheel 16 may be constructed or made of virtually any known or available material such as, for example, a urethane, a plastic, a polymer, a metal, an alloy, a wood, a rubber, a composite material, and the like. This may include, for example, aluminum, titanium, steel, and a resin. Preferably, the material will be durable, provide quiet performance, and will provide a “soft” or “cushioning” feel. In one embodiment, the wheel 16 may be implemented as one or more precision bearings such that the precision bearing serves as the wheel 16 itself. In yet another embodiment, the wheel assembly may include a spring or suspension such as, for example, a leaf spring, to provide additional cushion or suspension when the wheel 16 contacts a surface and a force is applied to the athletic shoe 12 in the direction of the surface, such as when someone is wearing and walking in the heeling apparatus 10. The spring is preferably provided as part of the mounting structure of the wheel assembly. In still another embodiment, the wheel 16 is provided as a two piece wheel with an inner core, such as a hard inner core, surrounded by an outer tire, such as a urethane tire.
Depending on the desired implementation, the wheel 16 and the axle may be removable from the wheel assembly. In other embodiments, the wheel 16 may be retractably engaged in the opening, and/or permanently or non-removably engaged in the opening such that the wheel 16 cannot be easily removed without some effort, such as, for example, through the use of tools. A removable cover may be provided in the opening in the sole 14 to cover the opening so that debris and dirt does not enter the opening. The removable cover may be provided in virtually any available configuration readily ascertainable by one of ordinary skill in the art. In one embodiment of the removable cover, an axle portion of the removable cover fits and/or couples to the mounting structure in the same or similar manner that the axle in which the wheel 16 is mounted fits and/or couples to the mounting structure of the wheel assembly. A tool may also be provided to facilitate the removal of the axle and wheel 16. This tool will, preferably, be small and multi-functional to provide any other possible adjustments to the heeling apparatus 10, such as a screw driver, a wrench, and the like. In other embodiments of the heeling apparatus 10, the wheel 16 may be retractable into the opening in the sole 14. In this manner, the wheel 16 may be retracted into the sole 14 and, thus, will not extend below the bottom of the sole 14. This allows the heeling apparatus 10 to function just like ordinary footwear, such as the athletic shoe 12.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the wheel assembly does not include an axle, and, arguably, not a mounting structure, and the wheel 16 is provided as a sphere, such as a stainless steel ball bearing, that is rotatably positioned in the opening in the bottom of the heel portion 18 of the sole 14, one embodiment of which is shown in
In operation, and in one embodiment of the heeling apparatus, a person wearing the heeling apparatus 10 may either walk normally or roll on the wheel 16 by lifting or raising the sole 14 so that only or almost only the wheel 16 contacts a surface. This action may be referred to as “HEEL SKATING” or to “HEEL.” The wheel 16, depending on the desired implementation of the present invention, may be removed or retracted to a position such that the wheel 16 does not extend below the bottom of the sole 14. This, generally, will result in the heeling apparatus 10 performing like an associated footwear. When the wheel 16 is removed or retracted, a removable cover may be placed over the opening in the bottom of the sole 14 to prevent debris from entering the opening and potentially damaging the wheel assembly. In still other embodiments, a removable cover may be placed over the wheel 16 while a portion of the wheel 16 remains extended below the bottom of the sole 14 to assist with walking, an example of this is illustrated in
It should be understood, however, that even if the wheel 16 is not removed or retracted as just described, the user may still comfortably walk and run, even with the wheel 16 extended. This generally occurs because the distance 24 can be minimal, which provides a unique “stealth” or “covert” aspect to heeling. This also results in the wheel rolling the opening or hole in the sole 14 of the heeling apparatus 10. In one embodiment, the distance 24 is less than the radius of the wheel 16, which results in most of the wheel residing within the opening of the sole 14.
As mentioned previously, the opening 40 may extend partially or completely through the sole 14. The opening 40 may be provided through a heel block or object. Further, the opening 40 may be positioned in, near, or in a combination of the heel portion 18, the arch portion 20, and the forefoot portion 22.
The wheel 42 and the wheels 42A and 42B are illustrated as cylindrical wheels. These wheels, however, may be provided in virtually any available configuration. Further, one or more wheels may be positioned in each opening.
The axle 50 may be made of any material that provides suitable physical characteristics, such as strength and weight, to name a few. The axle 50 is preferably made of hardened steel, is cylindrical in shape, each end is rounded, and is removably coupled with a first member 48 and a second member 54, respectively, of the mounting structure. The removable coupling between each end of the axle 50 and the first member 48 and the second member 54 may be achieved by any known or available mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, a sphere or a ball bearing, preferably using a moveable spring and/or a screw bias, is used to contact and exert a side wall force between one or members of the mounting structure and the axle 50.
It should also be noted that because the weight of the user of the heeling apparatus 10 will exert a significant downward force and the ground or surface will exert an equal force upward, the axle 50, and, hence, the wheel 42 will generally be forced into place. Only when the heel is raised from a surface will any force or friction be required to keep the axle 50 in place. Thus, the present invention does not require a large side force to keep the axle 50 and the wheel 42 in place. The recognition of this fact may be considered an aspect of the present invention for the embodiment as shown. This recognition allows the removable coupling between each end of the axle 50 and the first member 48 and the second member 54 to be optimally designed.
A slip clip, slip ring, or ring clip 66 is shown positioned around, or nearly around, the axle 62 near the precision bearing 64. This serves to ensure that the precision bearing 64 remains in place in the recess of the wheel 60. The slip clip or ring clip 66 will preferably be positioned on the axle 62 through a groove, such as a radial groove or radial indentation, in the axle 62. It should be understood, however, that one of ordinary skill in the art may use any of a variety of other arrangements to ensure that the precision bearing 64 stays in position. In alternative embodiments, the precision bearing 64 may be eliminated or loose bearings may be used.
The wheel 60 rotatably mounted on the axle 62 may, in alternative embodiments, serve as the wheel assembly of the present invention. In such a case, the axle 62 may be mounted to the sole, such as the midsole and heel portion, at its ends while the wheel 60 is rotatably provided in the opening of the sole. In this manner, the need for a mounting structure may be thought of as eliminated or, alternatively, the mounting structure may be thought of as integrated into the sole of the footwear.
The axle that is to be positioned in the openings of the first member 74 and the second member 76 will preferably be removably coupled. This may be achieved by any number of arrangements and configurations, all of which fall within the scope of the present invention. One such arrangement is the screw/spring/ball bearing arrangement 80 provided in first member 74. This arrangement provides an adjustable bias or force that can be exerted against the axle when it is inserted into the opening 78. The screw is accessible and adjustable by the user. The turning of the screw affects the compression of a spring which, in turn, provides a force on a ball bearing that extends out into the opening 78. When the axle is inserted into the opening 78, the ball bearing may be displaced an amount and the screw/spring/ball bearing arrangement 80 will provide a side force to allow the axle to be secure, yet removable. A similar arrangement may also be provided in the second member 76 to provide a friction fit or coupling on the other end of the axle 62.
Although the screw/spring/ball bearing arrangement 80 of
The mounting structure 70 can be made or constructed of virtually any material, generally depending on the desired mechanical characteristics such as, for example, rigidity and strength. These materials may include, for example, a plastic, a polymer, a metal, an alloy, a wood, a rubber, a composite material, and the like. This may include aluminum, titanium, steel, and a resin. In one embodiment, the mounting structure 70 is made of a metal, such as aluminum, that has been anodized such that the mounting structure 70 presents a black color or hue.
The heel control plate 72 allows the user of the heeling apparatus to gain greater control and to obtain greater performance out of the heeling apparatus.
The mounting structure 500 allows for two wheels to be mounted to form a wheel assembly. A wheel may be rotatably mounted on the axle 502, preferably using a precision bearing, and a wheel may be rotatably mounted on the axle 504, also preferably through a precision bearing as illustrated previously herein.
The axle 502 and the axle 504 include a threaded portion such that a nut, such as a lock nut 510 may be included to secure a wheel to each axle. In other embodiments, the end of the axles may include internal threads, as opposed to external threads as shown, so that a screw, such as the hex screw as shown in
In an alternative embodiment, a wheel stop, not expressly shown in
In other embodiments of the wheel cover 622, a wheel cover is provided when the wheel 624 has been removed from the heeling apparatus 620. In a preferred embodiment, this wheel cover is generally flush with the remainder of the bottom of the sole 628, and, hence, provides the function of a regular shoe when desired and protects the opening. This wheel cover may couple in any available manner, but preferably will couple to the wheel assembly in the same or similar manner that the wheel/axle assembly couples to the mounting structure. The removable wheel cover could clip or attach to the wheel assembly in many different ways.
An illustrative method for using a heeling apparatus on a surface may include running on a surface by using a forefoot portion of a sole of the heeling apparatus to contact the surface, which may be referred to as a non-rolling mode, and then rolling on the surface with a wheel of the heeling apparatus extended below the bottom of the sole through an opening in the sole by using a wheel of the heeling apparatus to contact the surface. Before running on a surface, the method may include walking on the surface, also a non-rolling mode, while wearing the heeling apparatus with a wheel of the heeling apparatus extended below the bottom of a sole portion of the heeling apparatus before running on the surface.
The method of heeling may also include engaging the wheel of the heeling apparatus to extend below the bottom of the sole portion of the heeling apparatus before walking on the surface. The method may also include walking on the surface while wearing the heeling apparatus before engaging the wheel of the heeling apparatus and with the wheel of the heeling apparatus retracted. Other variations on the method may include transitioning from rolling on the surface to either running, walking, or stopping on the surface by running on the surface through using the forefoot portion of the sole of the heeling apparatus to contact the surface just after rolling on the surface.
The preferred position while heel skating is illustrated by the heel skater or heeler 800 in
An example of a king pin type assembly is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,655, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, issued to David L. Landay, et al., was filed on Jul. 18, 1979, was issued Oct. 20, 1981. This patent illustrates a king pin type assembly that could be implemented in an embodiment of the present invention.
It should be understood that the axle may couple to a member of a mounting structure using any available technique and in virtually an unlimited number of ways. For example, an axle may couple to the first member and the second member of a mounting structure to move from a retracted position to an extended position through a spring arrangement. Similarly, an axle may couple to the first member and the second member of a mounting structure to move from a retracted position to an extended position through a hinged arrangement.
Many other examples are possible, for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,643, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, issued to Walter Schreyer, et al., was filed on May 23, 1975, was issued Oct. 5, 1976 illustrates a retractable mechanism that may be implemented in one embodiment of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,327, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, issued to Raymond J. Gallant, was filed on Jun. 20, 1997, issued on Jul. 28, 1998 illustrates simultaneously retractable wheels.
The amount or length of the portion of the wheel 1034 that extends below the bottom of the sole 1030, as defined by a distance 1024, will preferably be less than the diameter of the wheel 1034. The distance 1024, however, may be greater than, less than, or equal to the diameter of the wheel 1034.
The wheeled footwear 1000, in one embodiment, includes a front wheel assembly 1042 mounted on the forefoot portion 1022 of the sole 1030 such that at least one wheel is rotatably mounted adjacent each side of the forefoot portion 1022 of the sole 1030 to provide a roller skate implementation of the wheeled footwear 1000. For example, the front right wheel 1046 is shown rotatably positioned adjacent or near the side of the forefoot portion 1022. A front left wheel, not shown in
In other embodiments, the wheeled footwear 1000 does not include a front wheel assembly, but the front wheels are rotatably positioned adjacent or near the sides, such as the outer peripheral sides, of the forefoot portion 1022. These front wheels may be connected directly to the sole using any known or available mechanism for connecting such wheels as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In one embodiment, such front wheels may be removably coupled such as through an axle, spring arrangement. In other implementations the front wheels may be non-removably coupled to the forefoot portion 1022.
Assuming the front wheel assembly 1042 is provided, the front wheel assembly 1042 may be removably mounted to sole 1030, such as through the bottom portion and/or side portion of the forefoot portion 1022 of the sole 1030, and/or through the arch portion 1020 of the sole 1030. The front wheel assembly 1042 will generally include a right front wheel, such as the right front wheel 1046, a left front wheel, not shown in
In one implementation the center of rotation or axis of rotation of the right front wheel 1046 is shown by the center “dot” or “point” of the right front wheel 1046, and may be thought of as an axis that extends into and out of the drawing. Similarly, the dotted line 1012 may be designated as an imaginary plane that extends into the drawing page, and parallel to the ground or surface that is being rolled upon by the wheeled footwear 1000. In a preferred embodiment, at least a part of the bottom of the forefoot portion of the user's foot (such as the “ball” of the user's foot) that resides between the right and left front wheels is positioned in the upper of the athletic footwear on top of an insole portion at a point below or near the axis of rotation on one or both of the front wheels, or below the imaginary plane designated by the dotted line 1012, such as that level within the footwear designated by line 1048. This should increase overall “ridability,” ease of use, and mechanical stability while using. This increases overall safety of operation as compared to a quad roller skate or inline skate. In other embodiments, that part of the user's forefoot may reside at or near the axis of rotation, or slightly above the axis of rotation at a level such as that illustrated by line 1040. The axis of rotation between the right and left front wheels will preferably be the same or similar, but not necessarily.
The rear heel wheel 1034 is shown removably coupled in the opening 1023 in the heel portion 1026. A grind plate 1059 is shown in the arch portion 1020 in the implementation of the wheeled footwear 1000 shown in
A right release lever 1061 (also known as a right coupling member) and a left release lever 1047 (also known as a left coupling member) are shown as part of the front wheel assembly 1042 to provide a releasable or removable front wheel assembly 1042.
By mounting the front wheels 1046 and 1050 as desired, the axis of rotation of the front wheels 1046 and 1050 is elevated to provide improved performance as discussed previously. As discussed, by elevating the axis of rotation of the front wheels 1046 and 1050 above the bottom of a part of the user's foot, stability is increased when a user is in a rolling mode, such as a roller skating mode. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the bottom of the forefoot of the user's foot is positioned below the axis of rotation while the user is rolling in the wheeled footwear. As the axis of rotation of the front wheels 1046 and 1050 is elevated with respect to the bottom of the sole 1030, the user in a rolling mode skates closer to the ground in addition to being provided more stability, which further increases the safety of operation of the wheeled footwear 1000.
As will be appreciated, when the front wheel assembly 1042 is attached to the wheeled footwear 1000, the sole 3000 does not engage the surface and remains above the surface. Thus, the wheeled footwear 1000 is transformed into a skate or rolling wheeled footwear apparatus having two front wheels and at least one rear wheel. In other embodiments, additional front wheels may be added. The three-wheeled footwear permits users to engage in more aggressive rolling than is possible with a traditional wheel in the heel shoe featuring only one wheel at the rear. With a traditional wheel in the heel footwear, a user in a rolling mode must transfer the user's weight to the heel of the footwear so that the forefoot does not engage the surface, thus permitting the user to roll. Because the user is required to maintain his weight on the heel at all times during rolling action, aggressive rolling may not always be possible using the traditional wheel in the heel footwear.
In contrast, the roller skate apparatus or wheeled footwear 1000 disclosed herein features, in a preferred embodiment, two front wheels and at least one rear wheel. The three wheels cooperatively operate to elevate the sole 30 above the surface, thus permitting more aggressive and relaxed rolling as desired by some skaters. Also, as discussed before, by elevating the axis of rotation of the front wheels 1046 and 1050 relative to at least a portion of the bottom of the user's forefoot, increased stability and ease of use is provided during a rolling mode, thereby decreasing the likelihood of the user accidentally losing balance.
In one embodiment, the front wheel assembly 1042 is adjustably coupled to the footwear 10 such that the distance 1044 of
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various well known mechanisms can be implemented in the front wheel assembly 1042 and the supporting structure such as connecting member 1054 that will cooperatively permit adjustment of the distance 1044. For example, the front wheel assembly 1042 can have a slide and lock mechanism permitting the adjustment of the distance 1044. Also, a series of complementary openings may be provided to allow a user to set the front wheels to a desired position.
When the front wheel assembly 1042 is removed, the forefoot portion 1022 engages the surface for walking and running and is inoperable for rolling on the surface. The primary contact of the wheeled footwear 1000 with the surface is provided by the forefoot portion 1022 and as such the wheeled footwear 1000 does not roll, even if the heel wheel 1034 is still contacting the surface. Thus, by removing the front wheel assembly 1042, the wheeled footwear 1000 is transformed into a walking/running footwear or heeling apparatus, as discussed above.
In one embodiment, the wheeled footwear 1000 may also include a wheel locking mechanism (not illustrated) coupled to the rear axle or opening 1023. The locking mechanism prevents rotation of the rear wheel 1034 when the locking mechanism is in a locked position, thereby preventing any inadvertent rolling of the heel wheel 1034.
The wheeled footwear 1000 may be generally described as having the sole 1030 and an upper part 1032. The upper part 1032 may be constructed of virtually any material such as, for example, leather, plastic, or canvas. The sole 1030 may include three parts: (1) an inner sole or insole (not illustrated in
It should also be understood that although the position of the cavity or opening 1023 in the bottom of the sole 1030, and hence also the wheel 1034, is preferably located in the heel portion 1026 of the sole 1030, such an opening may also be located at the boundary of the heel portion 1026 and the arch portion 1020. The opening in the bottom of the sole 1030 may extend entirely through the sole 1030, e.g., through the outsole, the midsole and the insole, or only partially through the sole 1030, e.g., through the outsole, and a portion or all of the midsole.
Referring back to
It should be noted that the front wheels of the wheeled footwear illustrated herein as viewed from the top are generally in alignment with one another and are, preferably, not positioned in front of the footwear. In alternative embodiments, the left front wheel adjacent the side of the forefoot portion of the footwear may be closer to the front or the back as compared to the right front wheel. This may be referred to as staggered front wheel positioning. Further, the positioning of the front wheels adjacent the sides of the forefoot of the wheeled footwear may be mounted to provide desired toe-in, tow-out, and positive and negative caster and camber.
Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the present invention, a wheeled footwear, such as three wheel roller skate and associated methods, including a removable front wheel assembly and rear heel wheel in certain implementations that satisfies one or more of the advantages set forth above. Although the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the scope of the present invention, even if all of the advantages and benefits identified above are not present. For example, the various embodiments and examples shown in the drawings and descriptions provided herein illustrate that the present invention may be implemented and embodied in numerous different ways that still fall within the scope of the present invention, whether expressly shown herein or not. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may not be implemented. Also, the techniques, systems, sub-systems, and methods described and illustrated in the preferred embodiment as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, designs, techniques, or methods without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the front wheels may independently attach to the forefoot portion of the sole, or the front wheels may be integrated as part of a front wheel assembly, which may be attached to the sole of the footwear, either permanently, removably or as part of the footwear. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are readily ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), this application claims priority from, and hereby incorporates by reference for all purposes, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/965,163, entitled Threelys, naming Roger R. Adams and Erik C. Purdom as inventors, and filed Aug. 17, 2007. This patent application hereby incorporates by reference for all purposes, issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,774 entitled External Wheeled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Jun. 19, 2006 and issued Jan. 23, 2007; issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,336, entitled External Wheeled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Feb. 18, 2003 and issued Jun. 20, 2006; issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,769, entitled Multi-Wheel Heeling Apparatus naming Roger R. Adams and Michael G. Staffaroni as inventors, filed Feb. 3, 2003 and issued Mar. 2, 2004; issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,038, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Aug. 14, 2001 and issued Jun. 18, 2002; issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,509, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Mar. 31, 2000 and issued Sep. 17, 2002; issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,602, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Feb. 7, 2002 and issued May 25, 2004; issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,026, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Feb. 15, 2002 and issued Jun. 8, 2004; issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,979,003, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Jun. 7, 2004 and issued Dec. 27, 2005; and copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/656,595, entitled Heeling Apparatus and Method naming Roger R. Adams as inventor, filed Jan. 22, 2007 and currently pending. All of the patents and patent applications mentioned in this paragraph are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60965163 | Aug 2007 | US |
