Frame for an in-line roller skate having a movable wheel-receiving element

• US 8,398,093 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francois Beaudoin, Guy Beaudry
• Original Assignee: Francois Beaudoin, Guy Beaudry
• Inventors: Boucher, Marc-Andr
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/187,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.19, 280/11.223, 280/11.224, 280/11.225, 280/1.27, 280/11.28, 280/11.27
• US Class Current: 280/11.28
• 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

An in-line roller skate having a shoe and a wheel supporting frame extending therefrom for supporting aligned wheels. The frame includes a main frame body mounted to the shoe and at least one auxiliary frame body for supporting a wheel and being pivotally mounted to the main frame body. A resilient and deformable member is interposed between the auxiliary frame body and the shoe. The auxiliary frame body is so pivotable as to provide for moving the wheel towards and away the shoe for a distance determined by the extension and compression of the resilient and deformable member.

Claims

1. An in-line roller skate comprising:

a shoe; and

a wheel supporting frame extending from said shoe for supporting aligned wheels and comprising;

a main frame body mounted to said shoe, said main frame comprising first and second pairs of wheel-receiving arms for rotatably receiving respective wheels and shafts;

a first auxiliary frame body comprising a first pair of arms for rotatably receiving a leading wheel and a shaft and a second pair of arms for being pivotally mounted to the shaft of the wheel received by one of said first and second main frame wheel-receiving arms and adjacent to the wheel received by said auxiliary frame;

a first resilient and deformable member interposed between said first auxiliary frame body and said shoe and between the two adjacent wheels for extension and compression along the vertical distance between said auxiliary frame body and said shoe;

a second auxiliary frame body pivotally mounted to said main frame body and carrying a trailing wheel;

a second resilient and deformable member being interposed between said second auxiliary frame body and said shoe,

wherein said first auxiliary frame body is so pivotable as to provide for moving said leading wheel towards and away from said shoe for a distance determined by the extension and compression of said first resilient and deformable member, said second auxiliary frame body being so pivotable as to provide for moving said trailing wheel towards and away from said shoe for a distance determined by the extension and compression of said second resilient and deformable member.

2. An in-line roller skate according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second resilient and deformable members is respectively mounted between said main frame body and said first and second auxiliary frame bodies.

3. An in-line roller skate according to claim 1, wherein at least one of first and second said auxiliary frame members comprises a pair of lateral sides and a linking member therebetween.

4. An in-line roller skate according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second resilient and deformable members is mounted to said linking member.

5. An in-line roller skate according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said resilient and deformable members is mounted to an underside of said main frame body.

6. An inline roller skate according to claim 4, wherein said linking member comprises a tab member upwardly protruding therefrom, at least one of said first and second resilient and deformable members receiving said tab member therethrough, said tab member being movably mounted to said main frame body.

7. An in-line roller skate according to claim 6, wherein said main frame body comprises a pin member, said tab member comprising a slit for receiving said pin member therethrough, said slit being so configured as to provide for said tab member to move upwardly and downwardly along said pin during pivoting movement of at least one of said first and second auxiliary frame members.

8. A wheel-supporting frame for an in-line skate having a shoe, said frame comprising:

a main frame body mountable to the shoe;

a first auxiliary frame body for supporting a leading wheel and being pivotally mounted to said main frame body;

a first resilient and deformable member for being interposed between the underside of said main frame body and the top face of said first auxiliary frame body and for being positioned directly beneath the shoe,

said main frame body underside and said first resilient and deformable member comprise respective openings for receiving therein a tab member extending from said first auxiliary frame body top face and comprising a slit for receiving a pin member mounted to said main frame body, said slit and said pin being positioned directly beneath the shoe when said wheel-supporting frame is mounted thereto,

said first auxiliary frame body comprising a recessed floor surrounding said tab thereby providing a cavity for receiving a portion of said resilient and deformable member;

a second auxiliary frame body pivotally mounted to said main frame body and carrying a trailing wheel; and

a second resilient and deformable member being interposable between said second auxiliary frame body and the shoe,

wherein said first auxiliary frame body is so pivotable as to provide for moving said leading wheel towards and away from said shoe for a distance determined by the movement of said tab member along said pin member and by the compression of said resilient and deformable member, said second auxiliary frame body being so pivotable as to provide for moving said trailing wheel towards and away from said shoe for a distance determined by the extension and compression of said second resilient and deformable member.

9. A wheel-supporting frame according to claim 8 wherein said pin member extends through said opening.

10. A wheel-supporting frame according to claim 8, wherein said first auxiliary frame member further comprises a pair of lateral sides and a linking member therebetween, said linking member defining said top face.

11. A wheel-supporting frame according to claim 10, wherein said lateral sides comprise respective wheel-receiving arms for rotatably receiving a wheel therebewteen.

12. A wheel-supporting frame according to claim 11, wherein said lateral sides comprises respective second arms for rotatably receiving a portion of said main frame body therebetween.

13. A wheel-supporting frame according to claim 12, wherein said portion of said main frame comprises a wheel rotatably mounted to a shaft, said respective second arms being rotatably mounted to said shaft.

14. A wheel-supporting frame according to claim 8, wherein, said slit is so configured as to provide for said tab member to move upwardly and downwardly along said pin during pivoting movement of said auxiliary frame member.

15. An in-line roller skate comprising:

a shoe; and

a wheel supporting frame extending from said shoe for supporting aligned wheels and comprising;

a main frame body mountable to said shoe;

at least one auxiliary frame body for supporting a wheel and being pivotally mounted to said main frame body; and

a resilient and deformable member for being interposed between the underside of said main frame body and the top face of said auxiliary frame body and being positioned directly beneath said shoe,

said main frame body underside and said resilient and deformable member comprise respective openings for receiving therein a tab member extending from said auxiliary frame body top face and comprising a slit for receiving a pin member mounted to said main frame body, said slit and said pin being positioned directly beneath said shoe, said auxiliary frame body comprising a recessed floor surrounding said tab thereby providing a cavity for receiving a portion of said resilient and deformable member,

wherein said at least one auxiliary frame body is so pivotable as to provide for moving said wheel towards and away from said shoe for a distance determined by the movement of said tab member along said pin member and by the compression of said resilient and deformable member and wherein said main frame and auxiliary frame bodies support a respective wheel, said in-line roller skate being further characterized in that the pivot axis of said auxiliary frame body about said main frame body is offset relative to the axis of rotation of the wheel supported by said main frame body.

16. An in-line roller skate according to claim 15 wherein said pin member extends through said opening.

17. An in-line roller skate according to claim 15, wherein said auxiliary frame member further comprises a pair of lateral sides and a linking member therebetween, said linking member defining said top face.

18. An in-line roller skate according to claim 15, wherein said auxiliary frame body top face is open so as to receive said resilient and deformable member therein.

19. An in-line roller skate according to claim 15, wherein said auxiliary frame body pivot axis is positioned above said axis of rotation.

20. An in-line roller skate according to claim 15, wherein said shoe defines a front end and a rear end thereof along its longitudinal length, said auxiliary frame body pivot axis being positioned between said shoe front end and said axis of rotation.

21. An in-line roller skate according to claim 15, wherein said shoe defines a front end and a rear end thereof along its longitudinal length, said auxiliary frame body pivot axis being positioned between said shoe rear end and said axis of rotation.

22. An in-line roller skate according to claim 15, wherein said auxiliary frame body pivot axis is positioned below said axis of rotation.

23. An in-line roller skate comprising:

a shoe; and

a wheel supporting frame extending from said shoe for supporting aligned wheels and comprising;

a main frame body mountable to said shoe for supporting at least one wheel;

a first auxiliary frame body for supporting a leading wheel and being pivotally mounted to said main frame body about a first pivot having a pivot axis that is adjacent the pivot axis of the leading wheel;

a first resilient and deformable member interposed between the underside of said main frame body and the top face of said first auxiliary frame body and being positioned directly beneath said shoe;

a second auxiliary frame body for supporting a trailing wheel and being pivotally mounted to said main frame body about a second pivot having a pivot axis that is adjacent the pivot axis of the trailing wheel;

a second resilient and deformable member interposed between the underside of said main frame body and the top face of said second auxiliary frame body and being positioned directly beneath said shoe;

wherein said first auxiliary frame body is so pivotable as to provide for moving said leading wheel towards and away from said shoe for a distance determined by the extension and compression of said first resilient and deformable member, said second auxiliary frame body being so pivotable as to provide for moving said trailing wheel towards and away from said shoe for a distance determined by the extension and compression of said second resilient and deformable member, and wherein the positioning of said first and second resilient and deformable members is selected from the group consisting of;

(i) said first resilient and deformable member being positioned between the first pivot axis and the leading wheel pivot axis, (ii) said second resilient and deformable member being positioned between the second pivot axis and the leading wheel pivot axis, and (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii).