Method for determining the rates of motion and wheel for roller skates and skateboard

• US 6,268,720 B1
• Filed: 02/01/1999
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel Gross
• Original Assignee: Daniel Gross
• Inventors: Groos, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOLLY, ANTHONY S
• Application Number:
  US09/230,765
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 324/174, 324/207.25, 324/166, 324/160, 324/168, 324/171, 324/175, 324/173, 324/163, 340/539, 734/93, 735/142.9, 280/11.223, 280/11.19, 280/11.27, 280/11.221
• US Class Current: 324/163
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/22 Wheels for roller skates
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0009 Force sensors associated with a bearing testing of bearings G01M13/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0019 by using strain gages, piezoelectric, piezo-resistive or other ohmic-resistance based sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/465 by using dynamo-electro tachometers or electric generator
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/52 by measuring amplitude of generated current or voltage

Abstract

A wheel for roller skates or roller boards, the wheel having a non-rotating axle of rotation and a wheel body rotatable around an axle of rotation, the wheel includes means for measuring the speed at the wheel and means in the wheel for determining its rate of rotation and/or the actual rate of travel of a user of the roller skate or roller board or other sports equipment containing the wheel.

Claims

1. A wheel for roller skates and roller boards sports equipment having a non-rotating axle, comprising:

a) a wheel body for being rotatably mounted around the non-rotating axle;

b) means disposed in said wheel body for determining rotational speed of said wheel; and

c) means disposed in said wheel body for determining the actual speed of travel of a user.

2. A wheel for roller skates and roller boards sports equipment having a non-rotating axle, comprising:

a) a wheel body for being rotatably mounted around the non-rotating axle;

b) means disposed in said wheel body for determining rotational speed of said wheel;

c) means for determining ground contact with said wheel;

d) means for determining an angle between a touch-down direction of said wheel body and an actual direction of travel of a user; and

e) means for determining the actual speed of travel of the user from the rotational speed of said wheel, the ground contact of said wheel and said angle.

3. A wheel for roller skates and roller boards sports equipment having a non-rotating axle, comprising:

a) a wheel body for being rotatably mounted around the non-rotating axle;

b) means disposed in said wheel body for determining rotational speed of said wheel;

c) means for determining ground contact of said wheel including means for recording a measurement curve representative of the rate of rotation of said wheel whereby the ground contact is determined from kinks occurring in the measurement curve.

4. A wheel for roller skates and roller boards sports equipment having a non-rotating axle, comprising:

a) a wheel body for being rotatably mounted around the non-rotating axle;

b) an insertable component for insertion in said wheel body in a non-rotating manner with respect to the non-rotating axle; and

c) said component including means for determining the rotational speed of said wheel body and the actual speed of travel of a user.

5. A wheel for roller skates and roller boards sports equipment having a non-rotating axle, comprising:

a) a wheel body for being rotatably mounted around the non-rotating axle;

b) a transducer mounted in said wheel body to provide an output signal proportional to the rate of rotation of said wheel;

c) sensor to determine ground contact of said wheel; and

d) an electronic control mounted in said wheel body and operably connected to said transducer and said sensor to determine the actual speed of travel of a user.

6. A wheel as in claim 5, wherein:

a) said transducer includes a coil and a magnet operably associated with each other such that said coil generates an output proportional to the rotational speed of said wheel.

7. A wheel as in claim 6, wherein:

a) said coil is mounted in a non-rotating manner with respect to the non-rotating axle; and

b) said magnet is mounted to said wheel body.

8. A wheel as in claim 6, wherein:

a) said coil is mounted to said wheel body; and

b) said magnet is mounted in a non-rotating manner to the non-rotating axle.

9. A wheel as in claim 5, and further comprising:

a) another sensor to determine an angle between a touch-down direction of said wheel and an actual direction of travel of a user.

10. A wheel as in claim 5, wherein said sensor includes a piezo element located in an external running surface of said wheel body.

11. A wheel as in claim 5, wherein said sensor includes a number of piezo elements spread over the circumference of said wheel body.

12. A wheel as in claim 5, wherein said sensor includes a piezo element provided on the non-rotating axle and in a region of an axle suspension means.

13. A wheel as in claim 5, wherein said sensor includes a piezo element provided in a wheel axle suspension means and wheel bearings of said wheel.

14. A wheel as in claim 5, wherein said sensor extends between the non-rotating axle and the ground.

15. A wheel as in claim 14, wherein said sensor is fixed to an extension of the non-rotating axle and an exterior of an axle suspension means.

16. A wheel as in claim 5, and further comprising:

a) a generator including a magnet and a coil provided in said wheel body; and

b) said generator includes a shaft functioning as the non-rotating axle.

17. A wheel as in claim 5, wherein said transducer and said electronic control are disposed in an insertable component for insertion in said wheel body in a non-rotating manner with respect to the non-rotating axle.

18. A wheel as in claim 17, wherein said insertable component includes a synthetic resin into which said transducer and said electronic control are cast.

19. A wheel as in claim 5, and further comprising:

a) a wrist watch-like display including a receiver in radio connection with said electronic control.

20. A wheel for roller skates and roller boards sports equipment having a non-rotating axle, comprising:

a) a wheel body for being rotatably mounted around the non-rotating axle;

b) a transducer mounted in said wheel body to provide an output signal proportional to the rate of rotation of said wheel;

c) sensor to determine ground contact of said wheel and an angle between the touch-down direction of said wheel and the actual direction of travel of a user; and

d) an electronic control mounted in said wheel body and operably connected to said transducer and said sensor to determine the actual speed of travel of a user.

21. A method for determining the rate of travel or the travel distance of a user of roller skates or roller boards, comprising:

a) determining the rate of rotation of a wheel of the roller skates or roller boards;

b) determining the angle between the touch-down direction of the wheel and the actual direction of travel of a user;

c) determining ground contact of the wheel; and

d) determining the rate of travel or the travel distance of the user from the rate of rotation of the wheel, ground contact of the wheel and the angle between the touch-down direction of the wheel and the actual direction of travel of a the user.

22. A method as in claim 21, wherein:

a) said determining ground contact is implemented by recording a measurement curve describing the rotational speed of the wheel; and

b) determining ground contact from kinks in the measurement curve.