In-line roller skate with two-piece frame for wheels

• US 6,098,997 A
• Filed: 07/30/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tsan-Hsiung Cheng
• Original Assignee: Tsan-Hsiung Cheng
• Inventors: Cheng, Tsan-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lum, L.
• Application Number:
  US09/126,080
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.19, 280/11.22, 280/11.27, 280/11.28, 280/11.3, 280/87.042, 280/636, 280/842, 280/843
• US Class Current: 280/11.28
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/062 with a pivotal frame or cradle around transversal axis for relative movements of the wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/064 comprising steered wheels, i.e. wheels supported on a vertical axis

Abstract

A in-line roller skate having a front wheel frame and a rear wheel frame respectively pivoted to the sole of the boot thereof by rivets and arranged in a line to hold a respective pair of longitudinally aligned wheels, a brake pad selectively fastened to the front wheel frame or rear wheel frame, and two ball socket shells respectively mounted in receiving troughs on the wheel frames, the ball socket shells each holding two steel balls in close contact with the sole of the boot, allowing the wheel frames to flex with sole when the roller skate is tilted to change its skating direction. Flanges and notches are respectively provided at the wheel frames and the sole of the boot to act against the ball socket wheels and to limit the deviating angle of the wheel frames.

Claims

1. An in-line roller skate comprising a boot, a front wheel frame, a rear wheel frame, two rivets, two pairs of thrust ball bearings, two ball socket shells, a brake pad, and four wheels, said boot comprising two studs raised from a sole thereof near front and rear ends, and two through holes respectively defined in said studs through the sole, said rivets being respectively fastened to the through holes on the studs of said boot to secure said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame to said boot, said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame being respectively fastened about said rivets, each having a through hole which receives the respective rivet, said thrust ball bearings being respectively mounted around said rivets and retained at top and bottom sides of said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame, said front wheel frames and said rear wheel frame each having two transverse bolts arranged in parallel, and each frame having a bottom screw hole at one end for holding said brake pad, said wheels respectively rotating turned about the transverse bolts on said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame and arranged in a line, said brake pad being selectively fastened to the bottom screw hole on said front wheel frame or said rear wheel frame, wherein:

said boot comprises two holders integral with the sole and spaced between said studs, said holders each comprising a recess, a mounting groove and a notch, two spring elements respectively mounted in the recesses of said holders, two pairs of locating pins respectively mounted in the recesses of said holders at two opposite ends to secure ends of said spring elements in place, two pairs of locating slots formed at the sole and respectively spaced between said studs and said holders, and two metal plates each having two ends respectively fastened to the locating slots;

said wheel frames each comprise a receiving trough at a top side near one end respectively coupled to said spring elements, a coupling flange raised along one side of said receiving trough and respectively coupled to the mounting grooves on said holders of said boot, a projecting block at one end of said coupling flange respectively coupled to the notches on said holders of said boot to limit the turning angle of said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame relative to said boot, and a ball socket shell mounted in said receiving trough, said ball socket shell having two ball holes, and two steel balls respectively mounted in said ball holes and peripherally projecting out of said ball holes from two opposite ends and retained in close contact with the sole of said boot to bear the pressure from said wheels, allowing the respective wheel frame to slightly flex with movement of the sole of said boot while on the foot of the user.

2. The in-line roller skate of claim 1 further comprising two first metal plates respectively mounted in the recesses of said holders and stopped at said steel balls of said ball socket shells at a top side, and two second metal plates respectively mounted in the receiving troughs of said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame, and stopped at said steel balls of said ball socket shells at a bottom side.

3. A in-line roller skate comprising a boot, a front wheel frame, a rear wheel frame, two rivets, two pairs of thrust ball bearings, two ball socket shells, a brake pad, and four wheels, said boot comprising two studs raised from a sole thereof near front and rear ends and two through holes respectively defined in said studs through the sole, said rivets being respectively fastened to the through holes on the studs of said boot to secure said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame to said boot, said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame being respectively fastened about said rivets, each having a through hole which receives the respective rivet, said thrust ball bearings being respectively mounted around said rivets and retained at top and bottom sides of said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame, said front wheel frames and said rear wheel frames each having two transverse bolts arranged in parallel, and each frame having a bottom screw hole at one end for holding said brake pad, said wheels respectively rotating about the transverse bolts on said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame and arranged in a line, said brake pad being selectively fastened to the bottom screw hole on said front wheel frame or said rear wheel frame, wherein said boot comprises two holders integral with a sole thereof between said studs, said holders each comprising a mounting groove and a notch, two sets of locating rods raised from the sole and respectively spaced between said studs and said holders, two spring elements respectively fastened to said locating rods, each having two opposite ends respectively clamped on said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame;

said wheel frames each comprise a receiving trough at a top side near one end respectively secured to said spring elements, a coupling flange raised along one side of said receiving trough and respectively coupled to the mounting grooves on said holders of said boot, a projecting block at one end of said coupling flange respectively coupled to the notches on said holders of said boot to limit the turning angle of said front wheel frame and said rear wheel frame relative to said boot, and a ball socket shell mounted in said receiving trough, said ball socket shell having two ball holes, and two steel balls respectively mounted in said ball holes and peripherally projecting out of said ball holes from two opposite ends and retained in close contact with the sole of said boot to bear the pressure from said wheels, allowing the respective wheel frame to slightly step with movement of the sole of said boot while on the foot of the user.