Shock absorbent in-line roller skate with wheel brakes-lock

• US 5,951,027 A
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Francois Eugene Charron, Gerald O.S. Oyen
• Original Assignee: Francois Eugene Charron, Gerald O.S. Oyen
• Inventors: Charron, Francois Eugene, Oyen, Gerald O. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US08/746,418
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.2, 280/11.22, 280/11.23, 280/11.27, 280/11.28, 280/11.19, 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 17/1418 with radial movement against the roll surface of the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/223 Wheel hubs
• 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

An in-line roller skate comprising: (a) a boot with a heel and toe adapted to receive a foot of a skater; (b) a first wheel supporting rail secured to an underside of the boot and extending from the heel to the toe, the first rail having an opening therein between the heel and the toe to thereby form upper and lower first rail regions; (c) a second wheel supporting rail secured to an underside of the boot, and extending from the heel to the toe adjacent and generally parallel to the first rail, the second rail having an opening therein between the heel and the toe to thereby form upper and lower rail regions; (d) a plurality of wheels mounted in tandem in a line between the first and second rail, the wheels being respectively connected to the lower regions of the first and second rail by respective axles; and (e) at least one first resilient shock absorbing member located between the upper and lower regions of the first rail; (f) at least one second resilient shock absorbing member located between the upper and lower regions of the second rail, the first and second shock absorbing members enabling the respective wheels to move under force individually or in combination upwardly or downwardly relative to the upper regions of the first and second rails and the boot.

Claims

1. An in-line roller skate comprising:

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

(b) a first wheel supporting rail secured to an underside of the boot and extending from the heel to the toe, the first rail having a first cavity therein between the heel and the toe to thereby form upper and lower first rail regions above and below the first cavity, the first cavity removably receiving a first resilient shock absorbing mechanism and removably securing the resilient shock absorber in place;

(c) a second wheel supporting rail secured to an underside of the boot and extending from the heel to the toe the second wheel supporting rail being proximate and generally parallel to the first rail, and spaced from the first rail, the second rail having a second cavity therein between the heel and the toe to thereby form upper and lower rail regions above and below the second cavity, the second cavity removably receiving a second resilient shock absorbing mechanism and removably securing the resilient shock absorber in place;

(d) a plurality of wheels mounted in aligned series between the first and second rails, the wheels being respectively connected to the first and second rails by a respective series of lateral axles and bearings, first and second ends of the axles being located in the first and second cavities respectively;

(e) at least one first resilient shock absorbing mechanism removably located in the first cavity, between the upper and lower regions of the first rail, the lower end of the first resilient shock absorbing mechanism contacting the first end of the axle in the first cavity and resiliently enabling the first end of the axle to move upwardly in the first cavity when an upward force is applied to the wheel;

(f) at least one second resilient shock absorbing mechanism removably located in the second cavity between the upper and lower regions of the second rail, the lower end of the second resilient shock absorbing mechanism contacting the second end of the axle in the second cavity and resiliently enabling the second end of the axle to move upwardly in the second cavity when an upward force is applied to the wheel, the first and second resilient shock absorbing mechanisms enabling the plurality of wheels to move under force individually or in combination upwardly or downwardly relative to the upper regions of the first and second rails and the boot;

(g) a first member removably secured to the lower region of the first rail for removably holding the first shock absorbing mechanism in place in the first cavity and when removed enabling the first shock absorbing mechanism to be removed; and

(h) a second member removably secured to the lower region of the second rail for removably holding the second shock absorbing mechanism in place in the second cavity and when removed enabling the second shock absorbing mechanism to be removed.

2. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are a pair of respective resilient shock absorbing mechanisms for each wheel, axle and bearing and the resilient shock absorbing means are mounted in respective elongated vertical cavities formed in the first and second rails.

3. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower regions of the first and second wheel supporting rail have lateral stabilizer webs extending between them.

4. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective resilient shock absorbing mechanisms are located proximate to openings in the first and second rails and the openings enable the wheels and the lower regions of the first and second rails to move upwardly when subjected to a force.

5. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are four wheels and at least four first cavities are formed in the first rail and at least four second cavities are formed in the second rail, the first and second cavities coinciding with the positions of the axles of the four wheels respectively.

6. A roller skate as claimed in claim 5 wherein the resilient shock absorbing means are resilient elastomeric plugs that are held in place in relation to the axle means and the rail means by connector means.

7. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second resilient shock absorbing mechanism are coil springs.

8. A roller skate as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first and second shock absorbing means are coil springs.

18. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 including a releasable wheel stop located between the underside of a toe of the boot and the top of a front wheel of the plurality of wheels, said wheel stop being capable of being reciprocally moved from a forward extended non-wheel locking position, to a rearward recessed wheel locking position.

19. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 including a releasable wheel stop located between the underside of a heel of the boot and the top of the rear wheel of the plurality of wheels, said wheel stop being capable of being reciprocally moved from a forward recessed wheel locking position, to a rearward extended non-wheel locking position.

20. A roller skate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the wheel stop includes releasable detente means which holds the wheel stop in a predetermined position.

9. An in-line roller skate comprising:

(a) a boot adapted to receive a foot of a skater;

(b) a wheel mounting mechanism secured to the underside of the boot, longitudinal with the boot, and having therein an elongated longitudinal wheel receiving opening which defines a first longitudinal side rail and a second longitudinal side rail parallel with and spaced from the first side rail with at least one first vertical cavity formed in the first side rail, and at least one second vertical cavity formed in the second side rail of the wheel mounting mechanism;

(c) a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted in series within the wheel receiving opening the ends of the axles of the wheels being located respectively in the first and second cavities;

(d) a first removable resilient compression force absorbing mechanism fitted in or proximate to the first cavity in the wheel mounting mechanism and bearing on an axle of the wheel;

(e) a second removable resilient compression force absorbing mechanism fitted in or proximate to the second cavity of the wheel mounting mechanism and bearing on an axle of the wheel, thereby enabling the wheels to deflect vertically upwardly into the interior of the wheel receiving opening when subjected to a force;

(g) a first member removably secured to the first side rail for holding the first shock absorbing mechanism in place and when removed enabling the first shock absorbing mechanism to be removed; and

(h) a second member removably secured to the second side rail for holding the second shock absorbing mechanism in place and when removed enabling the second shock absorbing mechanism to be removed.

10. A roller skate as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first resilient compression force absorbing mechanism comprises a plurality of first resilient compression force absorbers, and the second resilient compression force absorbing mechanism comprises a plurality of second resilient compression force absorbers, which in combination enable the plurality of wheels to deflect into the interior of the wheel receiving opening.

11. A roller skate as claimed in claim 9 wherein the resilient compression receiving means are formed of resilient elastomer.

12. A roller skate as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first and second rails of the wheel mounting means have formed therein at least one respective opening, each opening receiving at least one resilient disc-like compression absorbing means.

13. A roller skate as claimed in claim 12 wherein the disc-like compression absorbing means are connected together in pairs.

14. A roller skate as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first and second resilient compression force absorbing mechanisms are coil springs.

15. A roller skate as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first and second resilient compression force absorbing mechanisms are coil springs.

16. A roller skate as claimed in claim 9 wherein the wheels have rotatable bearings therein and the axles are secured to the first and second side rails of the wheel supporting mechanism at the base of the first and second cavities.

17. A roller skate as claimed in claim 16 wherein the first and second resilient compression absorbing mechanisms are coil springs which are detachably fitted above the axles of the wheels which are rotatably mounted in the wheel mounting mechanism, and the lower ends of the coil springs bear upon the axles.

21. An in-line roller skate comprising:

(a) a boot adapted to receive a foot of a skater;

(b) a wheel mounting device secured to the underside of the boot, longitudinal with the boot, and having an elongated longitudinal wheel receiving opening therein, to form on either side first and second rails;

(c) a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on axles and bearings in series within the wheel receiving opening in longitudinal alignment with one another;

(d) a plurality of resilient shock absorbing mechanisms located above the respective axles and bearings in cavities in the first and second rails to enable the respective wheels to move under force vertically upwardly or downwardly relative to the first and second rails; and

(e) a releasable wheel rotation stop located between the underside of the boot and a wheel of the plurality of wheels, said wheel rotation stop being moveable so that it can impinge against the wheel to retard rotation of the wheel;

(g) a first removable member secured to the first rail for holding one of the shock absorbing mechanisms in place and when removed enabling the shock absorbing mechanism to be removed; and

(h) a second removable member secured to the second rail for holding one of the shock absorbing mechanisms in place and when removed enabling the shock absorbing mechanism to be removed.

22. A roller skate as claimed in claim 21 wherein the wheel stop is moveable between a first position wherein the stop is free of the forward wheel and permits the forward wheel to rotate and a second position wherein the stop abuts the forward wheel and prevents rotation of the forward wheel.

23. A roller skate as claimed in claim 22 wherein the wheel stop has a releasable lock which enables the stop to be locked in a first or second position.

24. A roller skate as claimed in claim 21 including a second wheel stop which is located between the underside of a heel of the boot and above a rear wheel of the plurality of wheels.

25. A roller skate as claimed in claim 21 wherein the wheel rotation stop is slidably mounted on the underside of the toe, the stop has a curved friction surface which faces the adjacent wheel, and the stop is movable horizontally between a first extended position whereby the curved surface of the wheel rotation stop does not impinge on a front wheel, and a second recessed position whereby the curved surface of the wheel rotation stop impinges on the front wheel and thereby stops rotation of the front wheel.

26. A roller skate as claimed in claim 25 wherein the wheel rotation stop slidably moves in respective slots in the first and second rails and the stop has lateral projections on each side thereof, the projections releasably fitting in respective detente openings formed in the first and second rails of the wheel mounting device, thereby enabling the wheel stop to reciprocally move from a first extended position to a second recessed position.

27. A roller skate as claimed in claim 21 wherein the wheel rotation stop has a releasable lock which enables the stop to be releasably locked in a first wheel-free position or releasably locked in a second wheel lock position whereby the wheel is prevented from rotating.

28. A roller skate as claimed in claim 21, wherein the plurality of wheels are mounted in tandem in a line between the first and second rail means and have therein a plurality of resilient spokes which enable the circumferences of the respective wheels to depress relative to the axle means when subjected to a load, and thereby absorb shock.

29. A rail and wheel apparatus for affixing to the underside of an in-line roller skate boot comprising:

(a) a first wheel supporting rail securable to an underside of the boot and extending from the heel to the toe of the boot, the first rail having a first cavity therein between heel and toe ends of the first rail, the first cavity receiving a first resilient shock absorbing mechanism and removably securing the upper end of the resilient shock absorbing mechanism in place in the first rail and the lower end of the resilient shock absorbing mechanism on an axle of a wheel;

(b) a second wheel supporting rail securable to an underside of the boot, and extending from the heel to the toe of the boot proximate and generally parallel to the first rail, and spaced from the first rail, the second rail having a second cavity therein between heel and toe ends of the second rail, the second cavity receiving a second resilient shock absorbing mechanism and removably securing the upper end of the resilient shock absorbing mechanism in place in the second rail and the lower end of the resilient shock absorbing mechanism on an axle of a wheel;

(c) a plurality of wheels mounted in a series between the first and second rails, the wheels being respectively connected to the first and second rails by a respective series of lateral axles and bearings, the first and second ends of the axles being located in the first and second cavities respectively;

(d) a first resilient shock absorbing mechanism located in the first cavity, the lower end of the first shock absorbing mechanism contacting the first end of the axle of the wheel in the first cavity and enabling the first end of the axle to move upwardly in the cavity when an upward force is applied to the wheel;

(e) a second resilient shock absorbing mechanism located in the second cavity, the lower end of the second shock absorbing mechanism contacting the second end of the axle of the wheel in the second cavity and enabling the second end of the axle to move upwardly in the cavity when an upward force is applied to the wheel, the first and second resilient shock absorbing mechanisms enabling the plurality of wheels to move under force individually or in combination upwardly or downwardly relative to the upper regions of the first and second rails and the boot;

(f) a first removable member secured to the first rail for holding the first shock absorbing mechanism in place and when removed enabling the first shock absorbing mechanism to be removed; and

(g) a second removable member secured to the second rail for holding the second shock absorbing mechanism in place and when removed enabling the second shock absorbing mechanism to be removed.

30. A rail and wheel system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the first and second shock absorbing mechanisms are springs.

31. A rail and wheel system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the plurality of wheels mounted in series between the first and second rails have therein a plurality of resilient spokes which enable the circumferences of the respective wheels to depress relative to the axles when subjected to a load, and thereby absorb shock.