Shock absorbent in-line roller skate

• US 5,330,208 A
• Filed: 03/22/1993
• Issued: 07/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Francois E. Charron, Gerald O.S. Oyen
• Original Assignee: Francois E. Charron, Gerald O.S. Oyen
• Inventors: Oyen, Gerald O. S., Charron, Francois E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US08/050,819
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.19, 280/11.2, 280/11.22, 280/11.27, 280/11.28, 280/87.04, 280/87.042
• US Class Current: 280/11.225
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/0046 with shock absorption or suspension system
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/06 single-track type
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/226 Wheel mounting, i.e. arrangement connecting wheel and axle mount
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/42 Details of chassis of ice or roller skates, of decks of skateboards

Abstract

This invention is directed to in-line roller skates. More particularly, this invention pertains to shock absorbent in-line roller skates wherein the wheels are resilient mounted to navigate over rough, bumpy surfaces. An in-line roller skate comprising: (a) a boot adapted to receive a foot of a skater; (b) a first wheel supporting rail means secured to an underside of the boot; (c) a second wheel supporting rail means secured to an underside of the boot, adjacent the first rail; (d) at least three wheel means mounted in a line in association with the first and second rail means, the three wheel means being respectively connected to the first and second rail means by respective axles and bearings; and (e) resilient shock absorbing means located between the axle and bearing means and the rail means to enable the respective three wheel means to move upwardly or downwardly relative to the first and second rail means.

Claims

1. An in-line roller skate comprising

(a) a boot with a heel, arch and toe adapted to receive a foot of a skater;

(b) a first wheel supporting rail means secured to an underside of the boot and extending from the heel to the toe of the boot, and having at least one first cavity therein;

(c) a second wheel supporting rail means secured to an underside of the boot, adjacent and parallel to the first rail and having at least one second cavity therein;

(d) at least three wheel means mounted in tandum in a line between the first and second rail means, the three wheel means being respectively connected to the first and second rail means by respective axles and bearings, the first cavity being located between the boot and the axles and bearings associated with the first rail means, and the second cavity being located between the boot and the axles and bearings associated with the second rail means; and

(e) first disc-shaped resilient shock absorbing means located in the first cavity between the axles and bearings and the first rail means connecting to the boot and second disc-shaped resilient shock absorbing means located in the second cavity between the axles and bearings and the second rail means connecting to the boot to enable the respective three wheel means to move upwardly or downwardly relative to the boot and the first and second rail means.

2. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least three spring cavity means are formed in the first rail means and at least three cavity means are formed in the second rail means, the cavity means coinciding with the positions of the three wheel means respectively, each cavity means being adapted to receive disc-like resilient shock absorbing means.

3. A roller skate as claimed in claim 2 wherein four wheel means are rotationally mounted between the first rail means and the second rail means.

4. A roller skate as claimed in claim 3 wherein four resilient shock absorbing means are mounted in four respective cavities formed in the first rail means, and four resilient shock absorbing means are mounted in four respective cavities formed in the second rail means.

5. A roller skate as claimed in claim 4 wherein the eight resilient shock absorbing means fit in eight cavities in the respective first and second rail means associated with the axles and bearings of the four wheels.

6. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 where in the first and second rail means are unitarily constructed.

7. A roller skate as claimed in claim 2 wherein the resilient shock absorbing means are formed in the shape of discs which have peripheral grooves around the circumference thereof which discs are positioned in the respective cavity means in the first rail means and second rail means, the discs impinging on the axle and bearing means for each respective wheel means, and absorbing compression force when the respective wheel means moves upwardly, and dispensing compression force when the respective wheel means moves downwardly.

8. A roller skate as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first rail means and the second rail means have formed therein, in association with the respective cavity means, axle wells, which permit the axles to move upwardly or downwardly in relation to the first and second rail means.

9. An in-line roller skate comprising:

(a) a boot with a heel, arch and toe adapted to receive a foot of a skater;

(b) a resilient wheel mounting means secured to the underside of the boot, longitudinal with the boot, and having a elongated longitudinal wheel receiving cavity therein to form first and second longitudinal side walls;

with at least one opening formed in the first side wall of the wheel mounting means, and at least one opening formed in the second side wall of the wheel mounting means;

(c) a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted in series within the wheel receiving cavity; and

(d) a removable resilient compression force disc-like absorbing means fitted in the first opening in the wheel mounting means, and a removable resilient compression force disc-like absorbing means fitted in the second opening in the wheel mounting means.

10. A roller skate as claimed in claim 9 wherein four wheels are mounted in series and four openings are formed in each wall of the wheel mounting means on either side of the wheel receiving cavity, the eight openings being adapted to receive respective detachable resilient disc-shaped compression absorbing means.

11. A roller skate as claimed in claim 10 wherein the detachable resilient compression receiving means are formed in the shape of discs which have peripheral grooves around the circumference thereof, the peripheral grooves being adapted to fit with respective edges of the openings.

12. A roller skate as claimed in claim 11 wherein each wall of the wheel mounting means has formed therein a four openings, each opening receiving a pair of resilient disc-like compression absorbing means.

13. A roller skate as claimed in claim 12 wherein the disc-like resilient compression force absorbing means have compressible openings therein.

14. A roller skate as claimed in claim 12 wherein the disc-like resilient compression force absorbing mans are hollow.

15. A roller skate as claimed in claim 13 wherein the wheels have rotatable bearings therein and are mounted on axles which are secured to the side walls of the wheel supporting means.

16. A roller skate as claimed in claim 14 wherein a pair of disc-like resilient compression absorbing means are detachably fitted to the wheel mounting means for every axle.