U.S. patent application number 09/727568 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-30 for roller skate with angled wheels.
Invention is credited to Rudolph, Robert.
Application Number | 20020063403 09/727568 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24923160 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020063403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rudolph, Robert |
May 30, 2002 |
ROLLER SKATE WITH ANGLED WHEELS
Abstract
A roller skate has a base, a plurality of tandem frames, a like
plurality of axles, and a like plurality of wheels. Each frame is
affixed to the base and has bilateral, spaced apart, opposing side
walls that define a wheel well. Adjacent side walls of the frames
are interconnected to form unitary opposing structures. The side
walls of one of the frames is angularly related to the side walls
of at least one of the other frames. Each axle is carried in a
wheel well by the side walls of one of the frames. Each wheel is
disposed within one of the wheel wells and mounted for rotation on
the axle in the wheel well. The wheel wells are either equally or
unequally spaced. The roller skate may further include an article
of footwear, such as a shoe or a boot, to which the base is either
affixed or integral. Additionally, at least one brace may
interconnect the opposing walls of at least one frame.
Inventors: |
Rudolph, Robert; (Morton
Grove, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARK G. PANNELL
HANES & SCHUTZ, P.C.
7222 COMMERCE CENTER DR., SUITE 243
COLORADO SPRINGS
CO
80919
US
|
Family ID: |
24923160 |
Appl. No.: |
09/727568 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/11.221 ;
280/11.223 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63C 17/06 20130101;
A63C 17/0066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/11.221 ;
280/11.223 |
International
Class: |
A63C 017/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An undercarriage for a roller skate, the undercarriage
comprising a plurality of tandem frames, each frame having
bilateral, spaced apart, opposing side walls defining a wheel well,
wherein adjacent side walls are interconnected, wherein the side
walls of a first frame are angularly related to the side walls of
at least a second frame, and wherein each side wall of each frame
includes an axle support.
2. The undercarriage of claim 1 wherein the wheel wells are equally
spaced.
3. The undercarriage of claim 1 wherein the wheel wells are
unequally spaced.
4. The undercarriage of claim 1 further including a like plurality
of axles, each axle carried by the axle supports of the side walls
of one of the frames.
5. The undercarriage of claim 4 further including a like plurality
of wheels, each wheel disposed in one of the wheel wells and
mounted for rotation on the axle carried by the axle supports of
the side walls of the frame defining the wheel well.
6. The undercarriage of claim 1 further including mounting tabs
affixed to at least one of the side walls for mounting the
undercarriage to the sole of an article of footwear.
7. The undercarriage of claim 1 further including at least one
mounting plate configured for mounting to the sole of an article of
footwear and wherein at least one of the side walls is mounted to
the at least one mounting plate.
8. The undercarriage of claim 1 further including at least one
brace interconnecting the opposing walls of at least one frame.
9. The undercarriage of claim 1 wherein the side walls of the first
frame are angularly related to the side walls of the at least
second frame at an angle of between about eleven and about twenty
degrees.
10. A roller skate comprising: (a) a base; (b) a plurality of
tandem frames affixed to the base, each frame having bilateral,
spaced apart, opposing side walls defining a wheel well, wherein
adjacent side walls are interconnected, wherein the side walls of a
first frame are angularly related to the side walls of at least a
second frame; (c) a like plurality of axles, each axle carried by
the side walls of one of the frames; and, (d) a like plurality of
wheels, each wheel disposed in one of the wheel wells and mounted
for rotation on the axle carried by the axle supports of the side
walls of the frame defining the wheel well.
11. The roller skate of claim 10 wherein the wheel wells are
equally spaced.
12. The roller skate of claim 10 wherein the wheel wells are
unequally spaced.
13. The roller skate of claim 10 further including an article of
footwear and wherein the base is affixed to the article
footwear.
14. The roller skate of claim 10 further including an article of
footwear and wherein the base is integral to the article of
footwear.
15. The roller skate of claim 10 further including at least one
brace interconnecting the opposing walls of at least one frame.
16. The roller skate of claim 10 wherein the side walls of the
first frame are angularly related to the side walls of the at least
second frame at an angle of between about eleven and about twenty
degrees.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates in general to roller skates and, more
particularly, to roller skates having wheels disposed at an
angle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Inline roller skates have long been known. The wheels of the
inline skates are arranged in tandem and disposed in a common
plane. The tandem wheels disposed in a common plane cause the skate
to travel in a straight line. In order to turn the skate, the
skater must lean the skate, causing the wheels to lose some
traction with the skating surface and slide. The more the wheels
lean, the less traction they have on the skating surface. The
reduced traction causes the wheels to slip. As the wheels slip, the
skate turns.
[0003] Within the past few years, roller skates have been produced
where the wheels are arranged in tandem, but not disposed in a
common plane. Typically, the wheels of these skates are arranged in
alternately angled directions. For instance, one front wheel and
one rear wheel are angled to the left and the other wheels are
angled right. This arrangement is sometimes called a v-line
skate.
[0004] When a skater with v-line skates leans the skates over to
turn, those wheels angled in the direction of the turn become
closer to horizontal with the skating surface than would like
wheels in a standard inline skate. Those wheels angled opposite the
direction of turn remain more upright than like wheels in a
standard inline skate. This action greatly improves turning and
maneuverability.
[0005] In the sport of inline hockey, there is a great desire to
improve the maneuverability and to make the skate perform more like
an ice hockey skate. The V-line or angled wheels do exactly that.
They improve turning and make the skate feel more like a person is
on ice.
[0006] The V-line type frames that are currently being used work
well, but they are lacking in many respects over other skates.
Conventional v-line skates support the wheel axles from only one
side. Furthermore, each of the wheels is supported independently of
the others. Both of these issues result in a heavy skate that is
weak and lacking in stiffness.
[0007] Stiffness is important to skaters because a stiffer skate
greatly improves acceleration and speed by transferring more energy
to the skating surface. Conventional v-line skates lose stiffness
by supporting the axle on only one side and by supporting each axle
independently.
[0008] Conventional v-line skates are also structurally weak
because the axles are supported from only one side. This causes the
skate to be weaker and more prone to breaking. In order to
compensate for this weakness, thicker material is used for the
skate axle. The thicker material results in a heavier skate.
[0009] Skaters often lift their skates hundreds or even thousands
of times a day. A heavy skate may cause the skater to become
fatigued. Lighter skates would cause less fatigue. Additionally,
lighter skates enable the skater to accelerate faster.
[0010] Many conventional v-line skates also require special wheels.
As wheels tend to wear out, it would be more convenient for a skate
to use standardly available wheels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] According to principles of the present invention, a roller
skate has a base, a plurality of tandem frames, a like plurality of
axles, and a like plurality of wheels. Each frame is affixed to the
base and has bilateral, spaced apart, opposing side walls that
define a wheel well. Adjacent side walls of the frames are
interconnected to form a unitary opposing structure. The side walls
of one of the frames are angularly related to the side walls of at
least one of the other frames. Each axle is carried in a wheel well
by the side walls of one of the frames. Each wheel is disposed
within one of the wheel wells and mounted for rotation on the axle
in the wheel well.
[0012] According to further principles of the present invention,
the roller skate may further include an article of footwear, such
as a shoe or a boot, to which the base is either affixed or
integral. Additionally, at least one brace may interconnect the
opposing walls of at least one frame.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an orthogonal view of one embodiment of a skate
undercarriage of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded orthogonal view of the frames of one
of the undercarriage of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a bottom elevation of the present invention
undercarriage for a skate, showing an alternate embodiment for
attaching the undercarriage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an undercarriage 2 is shown for
skates. Undercarriage 2 includes a plurality of frames 4 aligned in
tandem. Tandem frames 4 are aligned one behind the other, but
partially offset. Each frame 4 is constructed from any suitable
material, for example, a lightweight, rigid metal. Although the
figures illustrate four frames 4 for undercarriage 2, any number of
frames 4 may be included in undercarriage 2 based on preference or
necessity.
[0017] Each frame 4 includes bilateral, spaced apart, opposing side
walls 6 defining a wheel well 8. Wheel wells 8 are either evenly
spaced or unevenly spaced apart.
[0018] As best seen in FIG. 1, side walls 6 of at least one frame 4
are angularly related to side walls 6 of at least another frame 4.
The angular relationship is responsible for the offset in alignment
of frames 4. The figures illustrate side walls 6 of the frames 4
being alternately angularly related. Side walls 6 of the first and
third frames 4 are parallel and angularly related to the side walls
6 of the second and forth frames 4. Included within the scope of
the present invention are other arrangements of angularly related
side walls 6.
[0019] Side walls 6 may be angularly related to each other at any
angle greater than zero degrees. However, the arrangement of the
present invention is particularly useful from about eleven degrees
up to about twenty degrees. Additionally, the angle is most useful
if divided so that each side wall 6 is angled an equal amount from
perpendicular to a skating surface. For example, if side walls 6
are angled at fifteen degrees from other side walls 6, each set of
side walls 6 is angled seven and one half degrees from
perpendicular to the skating surface.
[0020] Adjacent side walls 6 are interconnected by linkages 10. In
the illustrated embodiment, linkages 10 are plates. Other
embodiments of linkages 10 are contemplated by the present
invention. Linkages 10 significantly stiffen and strengthen
undercarriage 2. As a result of the strength and stiffness of
undercarriage 2, material may be removed from side walls 6 and
linkages 10, creating a much lighter undercarriage 2 than would
otherwise be possible.
[0021] As best seen in FIG. 3, an axle support 12 is formed in each
side wall 6 of each frame 4. Axle supports 12 support each side of
axles (not shown) for wheels 14. Supporting the wheel axles on each
side further helps to create a much stiffer undercarriage 2.
[0022] Wheels 14 are disposed in wheel wells 8. Wheels 14 are
arranged to roll in a uniform direction.
[0023] Braces 16 optionally interconnect opposing side walls 6. In
the illustrated embodiment, braces 16 interconnect opposing side
walls 6 through linkages 10. Alternatively, braces 16 interconnect
opposing side walls 6 directly.
[0024] Undercarriage 2 is mounted to a base such as the sole of an
article of footwear 20 or mounting plates. Illustrated in FIG. 2 is
one embodiment for mounting undercarriage 2 to a base. Toe plate 22
and heel plate 24 are affixed to undercarriage 2 and also to
footwear 20.
[0025] Illustrated in FIG. 1 is an alternate embodiment for
mounting undercarriage 2 to a base. Mounting tabs 18 enable
undercarriage 2 to be mounted to the sole of an article of
footwear, such as a rigid skating boot.
[0026] The foregoing description is only illustrative of the
invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by
those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.
Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternatives,
modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the
appended claims.
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