In-line Skates, Skate Wheels and Wheel Hubs

• US 20080246330A1
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mearthane Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mearthane Products Corporation
• Inventors: Willis, David R., Roderick, John A.
• Application Number:
  US11/697,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 301/5.307
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/06 single-track type
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/223 Wheel hubs

Abstract

A skate wheel for an in-line skate includes a skate wheel hub having an inner hub, an outer rim, and, extending therebetween, a plurality of blade-form spokes. A skate tire is mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub. Opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel. Each blade-form spoke includes a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face, a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel, and a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces. Also described are in-line skates with skate wheels of the disclosure, and skate wheel hubs for such skates.

Claims

1. A skate wheel for an in-line skate, comprising:

a skate wheel hub comprising;

an inner hub;

an outer rim; and

a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer nm, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel; and

a skate tire mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub;

wherein each blade-form spoke comprises;

a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face;

a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel; and

a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces.

2. The skate wheel of claim 1 wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis.

5. The skate wheel of claim 1 wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes are exposed at opposite skate wheel faces.

11. The skate wheel of claim 1 wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the inner hub at an angle of between about 15°

and about 85°

, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a wheel axis.

13. The skate wheel of claim 1 wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the outer rim at an angle of between about 15°

and about 85°

, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a skate wheel axis.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

6-10. -10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A skate wheel for an in-line skate, comprising:

a skate wheel hub comprising;

an inner hub;

an outer rim; and

a set of first blade-form spokes and a set of second blade-form spokes, each extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, each blade-form spoke comprises radially-aligned first and second spoke-edge surfaces and a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel; and

a skate tire mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub;

wherein first spoke-edge surfaces of the first blade-form spokes are exposed at a first face of the skate wheel and second spoke-edge surfaces of the first blade-form spokes are exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel; and

wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of the second blade-form spokes are exposed at a second face of the skate wheel and the second spoke-edge surfaces of the second blade-form spokes are exposed in a region of the center plane defined by the skate wheel.

16. The skate wheel of claim 15 wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis.

24. The skate wheel of claim 15 wherein the second blade-form spokes are offset from the first blade-form spokes in the direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis.

27. The skate wheel of claim 15, wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of the second blade-form spokes are opposed to the second spoke-edge surfaces of the first blade-form spokes.

17-23. -23. (canceled)

25-26. -26. (canceled)

28-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A skate wheel hub for an in-line skate, comprising

an inner hub;

an outer rim having an outer surface constructed and arranged for mounting of a skate tire thereupon; and

a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel hub; and

wherein each blade-form spoke comprises;

a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face;

a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel hub; and

a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces.

36. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis.

39. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes are exposed at opposite skate wheel hub faces.

45. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the inner hub at an angle of between about 15°

and about 85°

, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a wheel hub axis.

47. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the outer rim at an angle of between about 15°

and about 85°

, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a wheel axis.

49. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein the inner surface of the outer rim has a substantially constant diameter.

50. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein the outer surface of the outer rim is substantially convex in shape.

51. The skate wheel hub of claim 50 wherein the outer surface of the outer rim defines an upstanding, generally circumferential ridge.

52. The skate wheel hub of claim 51, wherein the outer surface of the outer rim defines a generally circumferential flat ring in a region adjacent to the generally circumferential ridge.

53. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein the first spoke-edge surface is recessed from a plane of an associated first end of the inner hub.

54. The skate wheel hub of claim 35 wherein the first spoke-edge surface is recessed from a plane of an associated first end of the outer rim.

37-38. -38. (canceled)

40-44. -44. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

55. An in-line skate comprising:

a skate boot or shoe;

a skate wheel frame mounted to a sole surface of the skate boot or shoe; and

a plurality of skate wheels mounted to the skate wheel frame, each skate wheel comprising;

a skate wheel hub comprising;

an inner hub;

an outer rim; and

a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel; and

a skate tire mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub;

wherein each blade-form spoke comprises;

a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face;

a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel; and

a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces.

56. The in-line skate of claim 55 wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis.

59. The in-line skate of claim 55 wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes are exposed at opposite skate wheel faces.

57-58. -58. (canceled)

60-68. -68. (canceled)

69. A skate wheel hub for an in-line skate, comprising

an inner hub;

an outer rim having an outer surface constructed and arranged for mounting of a skate tire thereupon; and

a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel hub; and

wherein each blade-form spoke comprises;

a first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face and disposed at an angle to an axis of skate wheel hub rotation;

a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel hub; and

a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces.

70. The skate wheel hub of claim 69 wherein the first spoke-edge surface extends from a skate wheel face to the region of the center plane defined by the skate wheel hub.