Tangs figure-blade roller skate

• US 5,398,949 A
• Filed: 07/31/1992
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Min M. Tarng
• Original Assignee: Min M. Tarng
• Inventors: Tarng, Min M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US07/923,225
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.22, 280/11.23, 280/11.2, 280/11.27, 280/11.28, 280/11.115, 280/87.042
• US Class Current: 280/11.206
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/306 Ice wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/01 Skateboards A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence; rolling devices on skis A63C5/035
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/10 with endless tracks
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/1436 contacting the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/22 Wheels for roller skates
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/06 enabling conversion into another device

Abstract

The figure-blade roller skake costitutes the steering cushion mechanism. Due to the steering cushion mechanism, as the roller blade skate tilts, the wheels are aligned on an curved track. Shifting the body weight right, the steering cushion mechanism will cause the rollers to curve to the right; shifting the body weight left, the steering cushion mechanism will cause the rollers to the curve to the left. The brake wheel uses the clamping force to brake the skate to stop. The brake wheel can serve as both wheel and brake.

Claims

1. A skating apparatus comprising a frame, a plurity of wheels and axles, and a resilient axle clamping support means,

said wheels being rotatably mounted on said frame with said axles;

said axles being supported by said resilient axle clamping support means,

said frame comprising a seris of pairs of hole means inclined at different angles;

said resilient axle clamping support means being mounted in said hole means on both sides of said frame, said resilient axle clamping support means holding said axles and providing resilient restoring forces to restore said axle to original position, said resilient restoring forces comprising longitudinal restoring force along an axis of said axle and transverse restoring force along an axis of said hole means;

tilting said skating apparatus, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to align said wheels to form a curved track to change the skating direction.

2. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wheels are rotatably mounted on said axles with bearings, said resilient axle clamping support means pressing against said bearings to offer said logitudinal restoring force to said wheels to keep said wheels be rotatably mounted in position on said axles.

3. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said axles have flange means, said resilient axle clamping support means being clamped between said frame and said flange means to offer said resilient restoring force.

4. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pairs of said hole means at front portion of said frame incline forward;

said wheels fitting in said pairs of hole means at front portion of said frame being mounted inside said frame;

as skater shifts his weight rightward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the right;

as skater shifts his weight leftward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the left.

5. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pairs of said hole means at front portion of said frame incline backward;

a pair of said wheels corresponding to each pair of said hole means at front portion of said frame being mounted outside said frame;

as skater shifts his weight rightward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the right;

as skater shifts his weight leftward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the left.

6. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pairs of said hole means at rear portion of said frame incline backward;

said wheels fitting in said pairs of hole means at rear portion of said frame being mounted inside said frame;

as skater shifts his weight rightward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the right;

as skater shifts his weight leftward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the left.

7. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pairs of said hole means at rear portion of said frame incline forward;

a pair of said wheels corresponding to each pair of said hole means at rear portion of said frame being mounted outside said frame;

as skater shifts his weight rightward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the right;

as skater shifts his weight leftward, said resilient axle clamping support means being distorted to adjust said axles to rotate said wheels to curve towards the left.

8. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a bracket kit for each of said hole means, said bracket kit comprising said hole means;

said resilient axle clamping support means fitting inside said bracket kit;

flipping over said bracket kit to change said hole means from inclining forward to inclining backward and vice versa.

9. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, said hole means being slots, said resilient axle clamping support means having a spring biasing against a sliding plug fitting inside each of said slots to provide said resilient restoring force to said axles.

10. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising roller chains, said wheels having a groove on its rim, a resilient belt fitting inside said groove, said roller chains comprising beads, said beads being hooked up with a string to wrap around said wheels with said resilient belt as the cushion.

11. A skating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a first brake wheel mounted on one end of said frame with a bracket mechanism, said bracket mechanism comprising a bracket, two swivel arms and two disks, said two swivel arms pivotally mounted on said bracket, said two disks being pivotally mounted on the ends of said two swivel arms, said brack wheel being rotatably mounted on said disks, under body weight, said swiveling arms being bended to clamp and stop said disks from rotation.

12. A skating apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising bearings, said brack wheel being rotatably mounted on said bearings and said bearing being mounted on said disks.

13. A skating apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a movable blockage pivotally mounted on said bracket, said blockage being movable to lock said swiveling arms not to swivel;

as said movable blockage releasing said swiveling arms, said swiveling arm being free to clamp said disks to apply friction force to said brake wheel.

14. A skating apparatus according to claim 11, said movable blockage being biased with an expanding spring.

15. A skating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a self-propelling means, said self-propelling means being coupled to one of said wheels to drive said skating apparatus.

16. A skating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said self-propelling means comprising a pad, a link, a crankshaft with screws, a hub, a friction holding means and an engaging drum,

said friction holding means applying friction force to said engaging drum;

said screws being knotched on said crankshaft and said engaging drum being shifted by said screws;

said pad driving said link, said link rotating said crankshaft, said crankshaft rotating to shift said engaging drum right and left to engage said engaging drums with said hub to rotate.

17. A skating apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising an elongated board and a self-propelled wheel, said self-propelled wheel being mounted on the front portion of said elongated board, said frame being mounted on the rear portion of said elongated board.

18. A skating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said self-propelled wheel further comprising steering means to rotate said wheel.

25. A skating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wheels comprise twin rims being separated by a notch, said twin rims having functions as two knives of an ice skate, said rims of said wheels form a curved track to turn direction in skating.

19. A skating apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of wheels, a brake wheel and a bracket mechanism,

said plurality of wheels being rotatably mounted on said frame;

said bracket mechanism comprising a bracket, two disks and two swiveling arms,

said bracket being mounted on one end of said frame, said swiveling arms being pivotally mounted on said bracket, said disks being pivotally mounted on ends of said swiveling arms, said brake wheel being rotatably mounted on said disks.

20. A skating apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising bearings, said brake wheel being rotatably mounted on said bearings and said bearing being mounted on said disks, under body weight, said swivelling arms being bended to clamp and stop said disks from rotation.

21. A skating apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising a movable blockage pivotally mounted on said bracket, said blockage being movable to lock said swiveling arms not to swivel;

as said movable blockage releasing said swiveling arms, said swiveling arm being free to clamp said disks to apply friction force to said brake wheel.

22. A skating apparatus according to claim 21, said movable blockage being biased with an expanding spring.

23. A skating apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising a movable blockage slidingly mounted on said bracket, said blockage being slidable to lock said swiveling arms not to swivel;

as said movable blockage releasing said swiveling arms, said swiveling arm being free to clamp said disks to apply friction force to said brake wheel.

24. A skating apparatus according to claim 23, said movable blockage being biased to lock with a spring.