Suspension system for in-line skates

• US 6,491,309 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carroll Sheldon
• Original Assignee: Carroll Sheldon
• Inventors: Sheldon, Carroll
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Restifo, Jeffrey J.
• Application Number:
  US10/175,299
• Time in Patent Office: 174 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.221, 280/11.223, 280/11.224, 280/11.225, 280/11.231, 280/11.232, 280/11.27, 280/11.28, 280/87.03
• US Class Current: 280/11.27
• 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 includes a front walking arm assembly on a skate with front and rear wheels. The front walking arm assembly is pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot axle located between the front and rear wheels of the assembly. A standard wheel plane is formed by the axles of the front and rear wheels when the skate is traversing a planar surface, and the walking arm assembly pivot axle is located below the standard wheel plane.

Claims

1. In an in-line skate having at least three longitudinally aligned wheels wherein each wheel has an axle, said skate further, including a boot, and base frame, and a depending front two-wheel walking arm assembly, the improvement comprising a transverse pivot axle connecting the walking arm assembly to the base frame having its pivoting axis below a standard wheel plane formed by the axles of the wheels when the wheels engage a planar skating surface, said pivot axle generally centered between the centers of the two wheels of the walking arm assembly.

2. The skate of claim 1, further comprising a stop, limiting upward movement of the rear wheel of the walking arm assembly.

3. The skate of claim 1, in which said skate includes four longitudinally aligned wheels, and having a depending rear two-wheel walking arm assembly, the rear walking arm assembly including a transverse pivot axle connecting the rearward walking arm assembly to the base frame, and having its pivoting axis below the standard wheel plane and generally centered between the two wheels of the rear walking arm assembly.

4. A skate, comprising:

a boot;

having a base frame

a plurality of longitudinally aligned, ground-engaging, wheels rotatably mounted on the base frame, each wheel having a transverse axle and said axles forming a standard wheel plane when the wheels engage a planar skating surface;

a first and a second of said wheels having their axles mounted on front and rear ends of a front walking arm; and

the front walking arm pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot axle located below the standard wheel plane and between the first and second wheels.

5. The skate of claim 4, wherein the walking arm pivot axle is located generally midway between the first and second wheels.

6. The skate of claim 5, wherein the walking arm pivot axle is located generally midway between the standard wheel plane and the ground.

7. The skate of claim 6, further comprising:

a third and a fourth of said wheels having their axles mounted on front and rear ends of a rear walking arm; and

the rear walking arm pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot axle located below the standard wheel plane and between the third and fourth wheels.

8. The skate of claim 7, wherein the rear walking arm pivot axle is located generally midway between the third and fourth wheels.

9. The skate of claim 8, wherein the rear walking arm pivot axle is located generally midway between the standard wheel plane and the ground.

10. The skate of claim 9, further comprising a first stop, limiting upward movement of the second wheel of the front walking arm assembly.

11. The skate of claim 10, further comprising a second stop, limiting upward movement of the front wheel of the front walking arm assembly.

12. The skate of claim 4, wherein the walking arm pivot axle is located generally midway between the standard wheel plane and the ground.

13. The skate of claim 4, further comprising:

a third and a fourth of said wheels having their axles mounted on front and rear ends of a rear walking arm; and

the rear walking arm pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot axle located below the standard wheel plane and between the third and fourth wheels.

14. The skate of claim 13, wherein the rear walking arm pivot axle is located generally midway between the third and fourth wheels.

15. The skate of claim 13, wherein the rear walking arm pivot axle is located generally midway between the standard wheel plane and the ground.

16. The skate of claim 4, further comprising a first stop, limiting upward movement of the second wheel of the front walking arm assembly.

17. The skate of claim 16, further comprising a second stop, limiting upward movement of the front wheel of the front walking arm assembly.