Suspension system for inline skates

• US 6,186,518 B1
• Filed: 04/12/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sports FX Co.
• Original Assignee: Sports FX Co.
• Inventors: Moses, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINNER, TONY H
• Application Number:
  US09/290,378
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 280/842, 280/11.231, 280/11.223, 280/11.225, 280/11.27, 280/11.28, 280/87.041, 280/87.042, 280/787, 280/124.17
• US Class Current: 280/11.225
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/0046 with shock absorption or suspension system
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/062 with a pivotal frame or cradle around transversal axis for relative movements of the wheels

Abstract

A suspension system for use with inline skates. The suspension system employs a mounting bracket that supports a flex beam on a left side and a flex beam on a right side of the mounting bracket. Downwardly extending tabs formed at the ends of the flex beams are each connected to an axle on which one of a plurality of wheels is supported. In a preferred embodiment, four inline wheels are connected to the flex beams, such that the first and third wheels are attached to one flex beam and the second and fourth wheels are attached to the other flex beam. This configuration allows the end of each flex beam and the wheel mounted thereon to deflect vertically as well as laterally and about a longitudinal axis of the flex beam. An independent suspension system is thus provided for each wheel. The ends of the flex beams are tapered (in thickness) to control the resiliency of the flex beams.

Claims

1. A suspension system for an inline skate, comprising:

(a) a bracket adapted to attach to a boot that receives a user'"'"'s foot; and

(b) a single integral flex beam having a center, and opposite ends extending longitudinally from the center, the center of the flex beam being fixedly connected to said bracket and supported thereby, each end of the flex beam having an axle that is mounted thereon and supported only by the flex beam, each axle having an end that extends laterally to one side of the flex beam and which is adapted to connect with and support a wheel, enabling the wheel to freely rotate about the axle, said ends of the flex beam deflecting to absorb shock when a wheel supported by an end of the flex beam rolls over a bump.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising another single integral flex beam, said other flex beam having a center and opposite ends extending longitudinally from the center, with the center of said other flex beam being fixedly connected to said bracket and supported thereby, each end of the other flex beam having an axle that is mounted thereon and supported only by the other flex beam, each axle having an end that extends laterally to one side of the other flex beam and which is adapted to connect with and support a wheel, enabling the wheel to freely rotate about the axle, said flex beam and said other flex beam being laterally spaced apart along opposite sides of the bracket, said ends of the other flex beam deflecting to absorb shock when a wheel supported by an end of the other flex beam rolls over a bump.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the flex beam is fabricated from a metal having predefined elastomeric properties.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flex beam is tapered to be thinner at each end to achieve a specified deflection when a defined force is applied to the flex beam.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said flex beam is removably coupled to the bracket using a fastener.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ends of said flex beam deflect vertically to absorb the shock of a wheel rolling over a bump.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the ends of said flex beam deflect laterally to absorb the shock of a wheel rolling over a bump.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the ends of said flex beam deflect about a longitudinal axis of the flex beam to absorb the shock of a wheel rolling over a bump.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the bracket has a side that depends downwardly and wherein the flex beam is attached to the side of the bracket, along a lower edge.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said bracket and said flex beam are formed as an integral unit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the bracket is generally shaped like an inverted “

U,”

with opposite sides, further comprising another flex beam, said flex beam and said other flex beam being mounted to the opposite sides of the bracket.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each side of the bracket includes a front edge and a rear edge that are angled towards each other along a bottom of the bracket to provide clearance for deflection of the wheels.

13. The system of claim l, wherein the flex beam includes a tab at each end, each tab including an orifice adapted to accept an axle for supporting a wheel.

14. A suspension system for an inline skate having a boot that receives a user'"'"'s foot, said suspension system comprising:

(a) a mounting bracket having a surface adapted to support a sole of the boot and two opposite sides that depend downwardly from said surface;

(b) a first flex beam that is of a single integral configuration and a second flex beam that is of a single integral configuration, said first flex beam and said second flex beam being fixedly attached adjacent to a lower edge at laterally spaced apart sides of the mounting bracket, each flex beam having two opposite ends, the ends of the first flex beam being longitudinally spaced apart from the ends of the second flex beam along a longitudinal axis of the inline skate; and

(c) a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart wheels, each of said plurality of wheels being rotatably mounted in line, on different, longitudinally spaced apart axles, each axle being connected to different ends of the first flex beam and the second flex beam and extending laterally to one side of the first flex beam and laterally to an opposite side of the second flex beam, such that a different wheel is resiliently supported by each different end of the first and the second flex beams, the first and second flex beams deflecting and thereby absorbing shock when the wheels supported by the first and second flex beams roll over a bump.

15. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein said mounting bracket has an inverted “

U”

shape defined by the surface and sides of the mounting bracket.

16. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein said mounting bracket and said first and second flex beams are formed as an integral unit.

17. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein said first and second flex beams are fabricated from a metal.

18. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein said first and second flex beams are fabricated from a plastic.

19. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein a first and a third wheel are supported by the first flex beam, and a second and a fourth wheel are supported by the second flex beam.

20. The suspension system of claim 14, further comprising a bearing for rotatably mounting a wheel on each axle.

21. The suspension system of claim 14, wherein said first and second flex beams deflect both vertically and horizontally to absorb the shock of a wheel rolling over a bump.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein said first and second flex beams deflect around a longitudinal axis of the first and second flex beams, respectively, when the wheels supported thereby roll over a bump.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the ends of said first and second flex beams are tapered in thickness to provide a desired degree of deflection.

24. A method for reducing shock and vibration transmitted to a skater when a wheel of an inline skate rolls over a bump, comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching a supporting structure to a sole of the inline skate;

(b) providing a plurality of flex beams, each flex beam being of a single integral configuration, extending along a longitudinal axis and having opposite ends;

(c) fixedly mounting said plurality of flex beams at laterally and longitudinally offset positions along said supporting structure; and

(d) mounting a plurality of wheels to the ends of the flex beams on axles that are each supported by only one of the flex beams, so that a different wheel is attached to an axle at each end of said plurality of flex beams at longitudinally spaced apart locations and adjacent wheels are not connected to the same flex beam, said flex beams deflecting to absorb the shock when the wheels roll over a bump.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing clearance between the supporting structure and the plurality of wheels to enable the deflection of the ends of the plurality of flex beams and the plurality of wheels supported thereby.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of flex beams deflect both vertically and horizontally as the plurality of wheels roll over a bump.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the longitudinal axes of said plurality of flex beams extend generally parallel to a direction along which said wheels are rolling.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the supporting structure and the plurality of flex beam are formed as an integral unit.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of flex beams deflects around its longitudinal axis when a wheel supported by the flex beam rolls over a bump.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of tapering a thickness of the plurality of flex beams adjacent to each end to achieve a desired degree of deflection in response to a deflecting force.