Convertible skate

• US 6,322,088 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Klamer, Reuben B., Pardo, Beatriz E., Pardo, Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/327,602
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 280/7.1, 280/11.19, 280/11.22, 280/11.27
• US Class Current: 280/11.27
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/02 with wheels arranged in two pairs A63C17/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/06 single-track type
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/06 enabling conversion into another device

Abstract

The convertible skate includes wheels that are interchangeable between an in-line configuration and a conventional roller skate configuration. The skate can be readily changed between the different configurations by depressing a first button to release a latch and unlock the front pair of wheels from a first configuration. The front wheels can then be rotated into and locked by the latch at their second configuration. The same type of conversion method and apparatus can be used to convert the rear pair of wheels between different configurations. The skate may also include a reverse spinning brake that prevents the skate from rolling backwards. The reverse spinning brake works in either the in-line configuration or the conventional roller skate configuration without requiring any changeover process between configurations.

Claims

1. A roller skate comprising:

a skate shoe;

a first rotary platform coupled to said skate shoe for rotational movement with respect to said shoe about a first platform rotational axis between a first rotational position and a second rotational position;

a second rotary platform coupled to said skate shoe for rotational movement with respect to said shoe about a second platform rotational axis between an initial rotational position and a subsequent rotational position;

a first front wheel mount fixed and rotatable with said first rotary platform;

a second front wheel mount fixed and rotatable with said second rotary platform;

a first wheel coupled to said first front wheel mount for rotation about a first wheel axis and having an initial position; and

a second wheel coupled to said second front wheel mount for rotation about a second wheel axis;

whereby rotation of said first rotary platform from said first rotational position to said second rotational position changes the position and orientation of said first wheel with respect to said shoe such that said first wheel is rotated from its initial position.

2. The roller skate of claim 1, whereby rotation of said second rotary platform from said initial rotational position to said subsequent rotational position changes the position and orientation of said second wheel with respect to said shoe.

3. The roller skate of claim 2, wherein said first rotary platform is coupled to said second rotary platform whereby rotation of said first rotary platform rotates said second rotary platform.

4. The roller skate of claim 3, wherein said first rotary platform includes gear teeth, and said second rotary platform includes gear teeth that mesh with said gear teeth of said first rotary platform to cause said first and second rotary platforms to rotate synchronously.

5. The roller skate of claim 2, wherein said first platform rotational axis is offset with respect to said second platform rotational axis laterally and longitudinally with respect to said shoe.

6. The roller skate of claim 2, further comprising:

means for selectively locking said first and second rotary platforms in said first rotational position and initial rotational position, respectively, and said second rotational position and subsequent rotational position, respectively.

7. The roller skate of claim 2, wherein when said first and second rotary platforms are in said respective first and initial rotational positions, said first and second wheel axes are parallel and not coaxial, and when said first and second rotary platforms are in said respective second and subsequent rotational positions said first and second wheel axes are coaxial.

8. The roller skate of claim 1, further comprising:

a reverse spinning brake mechanism coupled to said skate shoe and disposed to operatively engage said first wheel in said first rotational position of said first rotary platform to inhibit rotation of said first wheel in a selected rotational direction of said first wheel about said first wheel axis.

9. The roller skate of claim 8, wherein said reverse spinning brake mechanism is disposed to operatively engage said first wheel in said second rotational position of said first rotary platform.

10. The roller skate of claim 9, wherein said reverse spinning brake mechanism includes a knurled rod disposed approximately parallel to said first wheel axis and mounted to be wedged against an outer surface of said first wheel when said first wheel is rotated about said first wheel axis in a first rotational direction.

11. The roller skate of claim 1, wherein said first rotary platform is first and second rotational positions are offset by approximately 180°

about said first platform rotational axis.

12. A method for changing from a first configuration to a second configuration a roller skate having a shoe, a first wheel coupled to said shoe for rotation about a first wheel axis, and a second wheel coupled to said shoe for rotation about a second wheel axis, comprising the steps of:

rotating said first wheel about a first conversion axis from a first wheel initial position to a first wheel final position; and

rotating said second wheel about a second conversion axis from a second wheel initial position to a second wheel final position, wherein

said step of rotating includes said conversion axes remaining parallel, such that said wheels disposed in said initial positions rotate in a first direction about said wheel axes in response to forward movement of said skate, and said wheels disposed in said final positions rotate in a second opposite direction in response to forward movement of said skate.

13. The method for changing a skate of claim 12, further comprising:

locking said wheels at said final positions.

14. The method for changing a skate of claim 12, wherein said conversion axes are perpendicular to said wheel rotational axes.

15. The method for changing a skate of claim 12, wherein said wheel axes are collinear in said final positions.

16. A convertible skate, comprising:

a skate shoe;

a first wheel platform coupled to said skate shoe and movable with respect to said skate shoe between a first position and a second position;

a second wheel platform coupled to said skate shoe and movable with respect to said skate shoe between an initial position and a subsequent position;

a first wheel coupled to said first wheel platform for rotation about a first wheel axis and for movement with said first wheel platform between said first position and said second position;

a second wheel coupled to said second wheel platform for rotation about a second wheel axis and for movement with said second wheel platform between said initial position and said subsequent position; and

means for moving said first wheel platform from said first position to said second position, wherein said first wheel axis when in said first position is collinear with said first wheel axis when in said second position.

17. The convertible skate of claim 16, wherein said means for moving said first wheel platform includes a structure connecting said first wheel platform to said skate shoe for rotational movement with respect to said shoe about a first wheel platform rotational axis between said first position and said second position.

18. The convertible skate of claim 16, further comprising:

means for moving said second wheel platform from said initial position to said subsequent position, wherein said second wheel axis when in said initial position is not collinear with said second wheel axis when in said subsequent position.

19. The convertible skate of claim 18, wherein said means for moving said first and second wheel platforms include gear teeth located on a periphery of each of said first and second wheel platforms, said gear teeth on said first wheel platform meshing with said gear teeth located on said second wheel platform to move the first and second wheel platforms simultaneously.

20. The convertible skate of claim 16, further comprising:

means located on said shoe for preventing said first wheel from spinning in a reverse direction about said first wheel axis and for allowing said first wheel to spin in a forward direction opposite said reverse direction.

21. The convertible skate of claim 16, further comprising:

means located on said shoe for selectively locking said first wheel platform in said first position and second position.