Suspension system for roller skates and similar devices

• US 4,915,399 A
• Filed: 04/05/1988
• Issued: 04/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jean-Bernard Marandel
• Original Assignee: Jean-Bernard Marandel
• Inventors: Marandel, Jean-Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/177,732
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.19, 280/11.27, 280/11.28
• US Class Current: 280/11.28
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/02 with wheels arranged in two pairs A63C17/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/1409 contacting one or more of the wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/1436 contacting the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/26 with special auxiliary arrangements, e.g. illuminating, marking, or push-off devices

Abstract

The invention relates to roller skates, equipped at the level of the front and rear pivoting axles, with a suspension system for damping shocks resulting from uneveness of a skating surface. The front and rear pivoting axles (8, 8'"'"') are each provided with a suspension system (9, 9'"'"') which is fixed at one end on the central part (10, 10'"'"') of the pivoting axle; and at the other end being guided by a centering barrel (17) located inside a base (3) of the skate. The pivoting axles are also each equipped with a pivoting system (7, 7'"'"') secured at one end to the base by a pivoting device (11, 11'"'"') while the other end is secured to an arm (12, 12'"'"') of the central part by resilient washers (13, 13'"'"').

Claims

1. Roller skate of the type having a shoe (1) fixed onto a sole (2) secured to a base (3), a brake (4) secured to the front part of said base, front and rear undercarriages (5, 5'"'"') each with a pair of wheels (6, 6'"'"'), a pivoting system (7, 7'"'"') for each pair of wheels, and an axle (8, 8'"'"') for rotatably supporting each pair of wheels, characterized:

in that the front and rear axles are pivoting axles (8, 8'"'"') each of which is provided with a suspension system (9, 9'"'"'), the latter being secured at one end thereof on a central part (10, 10'"'"') of the pivoting axle, right to the axis of the wheels (6, 6'"'"'), and the opposite end thereof being guided by a centering barrel (17) located inside the base (3); and

in that each pivoting axle is provided with a pivoting system (7, 7'"'"') pivotally secured at an upper end thereof to the base (3) by pivot means (11, 11'"'"') while a lower end thereof is secured to an integral arm (12, 12'"'"') of the pivoting axle by resilient means (13, 13'"'"' ); and

in that the upper end of the pivoting system (7) of the front pivoting axle (8) comprises;

two pivot pins (25);

a U-shaped cover (22), two parallel flanges of which are in close contact with respective external faces of the base, these two flanges of the cover being provided with two oblong openings (33) which allow a vertical clearance movement of the pivoting system (7) in relation with the two axles pins (25); and

a pull-back spring (27) for the U-shaped cover (22).

2. Roller skate according to claim 1, characterized in that the centering barrel (17) of the suspension system (9, 9'"'"') of the front and rear undercarriages (5, 5'"'"') opens downward into a cavity (30), and in that this centering barrel, which is cut through by a bore (31) of oblong shape, extends through the sole (2).

3. Roller skate according to claim 2, characterized in that the oblong shaped bore (31) has a width which is approximately equivalent to the diameter of a pin (16) of the suspension system (9, 9'"'"').

4. Roller skate according to claim 2, characterized in that the centering barrel (17) is made of a self-lubricating material.

5. Roller skate according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper end of the pivoting system (7'"'"') of the rear axle (8'"'"') comprises a pivot axis (11) and a cylindrically shaped pivot hub (18) disposed in a cavity (32) inside the base (3), parallel external faces of the pivot hub being in close contact with corresponding surfaces of said cavity (32).

6. Roller skate according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the front and rear suspension systems (9, 9'"'"') is composed of a spring (15) and a centering finger (34), the latter being screwed at one end thereof in the central part (10, 10'"'"') of the revolving axle, while the other end is extended by a pin (16) guided by the inner surface of the centering barrel (17), the spring being guided upward by the outer diameter of this centering barrel.

7. Roller skate according to claim 6, characterized in that the stiffness of springs (15) forming part of the front and rear suspensions is selected in accordance with the weight of the user of the skate.

8. Roller skate according to claim 1, characterized in that a gusset (20), fixed onto the bottom face of the base (3) is provided at both ends with buffers (19) in roder to damp shock by the articulated arms (21, 21'"'"') when the latter are returning to normal position.

9. A roller skate of the type having a shoe (1) fixed onto a sole (2) secured to a base (3), a brake (4) secured to the front part of said base, front and rear running carriages (5, 5'"'"') each with a pair of wheels (6, 6'"'"'), a pivoting system (7, 7'"'"') for each pair of wheels, and an axle (8, 8'"'"') for rotatably supporting each pair of wheels, characterized in that:

said front and rear axles (8, 8'"'"') are each provided with a suspension system (9, 9'"'"') one end of which is secured on a central part (10, 10'"'"') of the axle, right to the axis of the wheels (6, 6'"'"'), and the opposite end of which is guided by a centering barrel (17) located inside the base (3);

each axle is equipped with a pivoting system (7, 7'"'"') secured at an upper end thereof to the base (3) by pivoting means (11, 11'"'"') while a lower end thereof is secured to an integral arm (12, 12'"'"') of the axle by resilient means (13, 13'"'"');

each of the suspension systems (9, 9'"'"') comprises a spring (15) through which passes a centering finger (34) whose lower end is screwed in the central part (10, 10'"'"') of the axle, and whose upper end is extended by a pin (16) guided by an inner surface of said centering barrel (17), the upper part of the spring being guided upward by an outer surface of said centering barrel;

the pivoting system (7'"'"') of the rear axle (8'"'"') comprises a pivot axis (11'"'"') and a cylindrically shaped spindle (18) located in a cavity (32) inside the base (3);

the pivoting system (7) of the front axle (8) comprises a pair of pivot pins (25), a U-shaped cover (22) having two parallel flanges in close contact with corresponding lateral faces of the base (3), said flanges having two oblong openings (33), said pivot pins (25) passing through said openings (33) and through openings in said corresponding lateral faces of the base (3), and a pullback spring (27) for the U-shaped cover (22); and

a gusset plate (20) is fixed on a lower face of the base (3) in an area located between the two pivoting systems (7, 7'"'"') for the two pair of wheels, and is provided at opposite ends with bumpers (19, 19'"'"') for damping shocks by articulated arms (21, 21'"'"') of the pivoting systems when the latter are returning to normal position.