WHEEL DEVICE FOR SKATE BOARD OR ROLLLER SKATE
Disclosed is a wheel device for a skate board or a roller skate. A wheel includes a single central hub having an exterior wall and a bore for the housing of rollers, the rollers providing the connection with the hub of a truck; and a tread removably mounted on the exterior wall of the hub. A shoulder of the tread includes a first support face and a second support face, the two faces being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the common axis. The tread is locked in rotation and in axial position on the hub by means of locking screws, including heads abut against the second support face of the shoulder, the screws traversing the shoulder from side to side and attaching on the connecting means of the hub.
The invention relates to a wheel device for skate board or roller skate.
It relates to the technical field of systems of holding a tread (or tire) in position on a wheel hub.
PRIOR ARTWheel devices for skate board or roller skate comprising a wheel mounted on truck are known, the aforementioned wheel comprising a central hub having a single bore for the housing of rollers, the aforementioned rollers providing the connection of the aforementioned hub with the aforementioned truck. A removable tread is mounted on the exterior wall of the hub, connecting means enabling holding in position of the aforementioned tread on the aforementioned hub.
This type of mounting is particularly advantageous because it enables easy changing of the tread when it is worn or when the user wishes to modify the characteristics (tread made of rigid, flexible material, including an air chamber, . . . ), without having to dismount the hub or the rollers.
Such devices are described for example in the following patent documents:
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- FR 2,369,855 (MATTEL) wherein the hub comprises a series of radial ribs designed to be lodged in complementary grooves provided in the tread for a radial locking. The maintenance axial position of the tread on the hub is achieved by means of a cap configured to be screwed into the aforementioned hub by bearing on the aforementioned tire;
- FR 930,820 (MARCHAND) wherein a tread is mounted on the hub. The holding in position of the tread on the hub is carried out by elastic blades terminated by hooks;
- CH 595,860 (PERUHAG) wherein the hub comprises an annular bulge designed to be housed in an annular groove formed on the tread. This connection provides a axial and radial locking of the tire relative to the hub;
- U.S. Pat. No. 2,635,923 (ISHAM) wherein the hub has an external thread designed to be screwed into an internal thread provided on the tread. The holding in position of the tire on the hub is carried out by means of a cap configured to be screwed into the hub by bearing on the aforementioned tire;
- U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,440 (KLEIN) wherein a tread is mounted around the hub. The connection between the hub and the tread is acheived by means of a shell inserted in the interior the aforementioned tread and wherein the aforementioned hub is screwed. The radial locking of the tread on the shell is provided by a screwed cap;
- U.S. Pat. No. 2,304,944 (MARTINEC) wherein a nut is screwed into the hub. The nut and the hub are provided with lips penetrating into complementary grooves formed in the tread. These lips, combined with the tightening of the nut, enable radial and axial locking of the tire;
- GB 06752 (HERBERT) wherein the tread is locked in rotation on the hub by means of a projecting rib that engages in a complementary groove provided in the shoulder of the aforementioned tread. The axial locking is provided by a cover.
- FR 2,875,143 (LENOIR), U.S. Pat. No. 2,038,453 (SMITH), U.S. Pat. No. 1,100,242 (COBB) or U.S. Pat. No. 2,136,531 (VOGT) wherein a pair of flanges act to radially and axially lock the tread on the hub.
All these solutions known from the prior art have a number of disadvantages. Indeed, at medium speeds (for example greater than or equal to 3500 rev/min for a wheel diameter of 70 mm) or high (for example greater than or equal to 7500 rev/min for a wheel diameter of 70 mm), these connections generate vibrations that make the practice of skate boarding or roller skates cumbersome, even difficult. Furthermore, it was found that the hub/tread connection caused overheating detrimental to holding in position of the aforementioned tread. Risks of loosening of the tread were also found. This is due to the fact that, at medium or high rotation speeds, the tread is stretched by centrifugation and alters the connection with the hub (or the locking flanges). This loosening phenomenon is amplified by using a soft tread.
The main objective of the invention is to remedy this state of affaires. In particular, an object of the invention is to limit the vibrations at medium or high speeds. Another object of the invention is to limit the temperature rise at the hub/tread connection. Yet another object of the invention is to eliminate the risk of loosening of the tread.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONThe solution offered by the invention is a wheel device for skate board or roller skates, comprising a wheel mounted on a truck, the aforementioned wheel comprising:
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- a single central hub single having a bore for the housing of rollers, the aforementioned rollers providing the connection with the aforementioned hub of the aforementioned truck,
- a tread removably mounted on the exterior periphery of the hub.
The device is remarkable in that the tread has a bore provided with a shoulder forming housing for the hub, the interior wall of the aforementioned shoulder radially positioning the exterior wall of the aforementioned hub, the aforementioned tread being locked in rotation and in axial position on the aforementioned hub by means of a locking screw traversing the aforementioned shoulder from side to side and attaching on the connecting means of the aforementioned hub.
By traversing the tread from side to side, the screws provide a complete rotational and axial locking of the aforementioned tread on the hub. All relative movement of the tread and of the hub being eliminated, the risks of heating are zero. In addition, at medium or high rotation speeds, the periphery of the tread is stretched by centrifugation, but does not alter in anyway its connection with the hub, the locking of the aforementioned tread being fully ensured. The device object of the invention thus enables a particularly fine and very safe practice of roller devices, whatever the rotational speeds.
Other features of the invention are listed below, each of these features can be considered alone or in combination with the remarkable features defined above:
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- the hub comprises radial attachment brackets each comprising at least an axial bore for the passage of locking screws; axial bores for the passage of locking screws traverse the shoulder of the tread from side to side, the aforementioned bores being arranged so as to be positioned opposing bores of the attachment brackets when the aforementioned tread is mounted on the hub; the locking screws traverse the bores of the attachment brackets and of the shoulder.
- the blocking screws are positioned at equal distance from each other.
- the attachment brackets are connected to each other, the connection between the aforementioned brackets comprising axial orifices for air circulation.
- the tread comprises axial orifices for air circulation.
- the attachment brackets comprise a front face positioned against the tread and a rear face opposed to the aforementioned front face, the aforementioned rear face being provided with ribs positioned on both sides of the axial bore.
- the ribs are spaced so that a clamping nut of the locking screw can be housed between the aforementioned ribs.
- the axial bore of the attachment brackets is tapped, the aforementioned tapping extending on the interior flanks of the ribs.
- the tapping formed on the interior flanks of the ribs is not coaxial with the tapping in the attachment brackets, so that the aforementioned ribs exert a clamping force on the locking screws.
- the tread comprises ribs stiffening the periphery of the aforementioned tread, the aforementioned ribs being arranged between one of the support faces of the shoulder and the internal bore of the aforementioned tread, the aforementioned ribs being located at equal distance from each other and positioned between the axial bores of the aforementioned tread.
- protective washers are positioned on the truck, the aforementioned washers being housed in the interior of the bore of the hub, on both sides of the rollers, the aforementioned washers comprising a circular lip whose exterior diameter substantially corresponds to the interior diameter of the aforementioned bore.
Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent by reading the description of a preferred embodiment which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, made as examples and are not limiting and in which:
The invention applies particularly to skateboards (ie skateboards in English), to roller skates, commonly called “quad,” or to any other similar wheeled device.
Referring to
In
The hub 20 has an internal bore 23 (
The exterior wall 220 of the hub 20 is concentric with the internal bore 23 and comprises attachment brackets 24, which extend away from the aforementioned wall. In
Referring to
Referring to
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The tread 3 can have an internal bore 33 (
Referring to
The tread 3 comprises axial bores 35 for the passage of screws 4. These bores 35 are arranged on a common diameter concentric with the interior diameter of the shoulder 32, are positioned at equal distance from each other and are parallel to the common axis A. They traverse the shoulder 32 from side to side, (that is to say, they open up on support faces 330 and 331) and are arranged to be positioned vis-a-vis the bores 25 of the attachment brackets 24 when the tread 3 is mounted on the hub 20. In this position, the locking screws 4 (or any other similar fastening means) can be inserted into the bores 35, 25 so as to traverse the shoulder 32 from side to side and re-emerge at the attachment brackets 24 in order to lock the tread 3 in axially position and in rotation on the hub 20. Such a mounting enables compensation for all the dimensional plays between tread 3 and the hub 20. In practice, the central part of the tread 3 comprising the shoulder 32 is designed so as not to creep while withstanding the stress of the pressure of the locking screws 4 and the stress of the effects of centrifugation due to the high operational rotation speeds. In particular, the width, thickness and material used to make the shoulder 32 will be selected by person of skill in the art so that the aforementioned shoulder is sufficiently rigid in order to not be subjected to creep under the compressive stress of screw 4 and under stress from medium or high centrifugal rotation speeds. One will note that the locking screws 4 are positioned at equal distance from each other, thus avoiding any imbalance on the wheel. To stiffen the periphery of the tread, the latter can include ribs (not shown) arranged between one of the support faces 330 and/or 331 of the shoulder 32 and the interior wall 320 of the aforementioned shoulder the internal bore 33. These ribs will be located at equal distance from each other and positioned between the axial bores 35 of the tread 3, so as to obstruct neither the positioning of the screw heads 40, nor the installment of the aforementioned tread against the attachment brackets 24 of hub 20.
In the mounting of
In an implementation variant shown in
Referring to
In practice, the mounting of the wheel 12 in the truck 11 is carried out in the following manner: the rollers 21 are positioned on the bore 23 of the aforementioned hub. A first washer 5 is inserted on the truck 11 so as to come to abut against a shoulder 110 of the aforementioned truck. The hub-roller mounting is inserted on the truck 11 so as to act to abut against the previously installed washer 5. The mounting is on the truck 11 so that the side of the hub 20 bearing the attachment brackets 24 is first inserted for the aforementioned truck. In this way, the attachment brackets 24 are not an obstacle to the subsequent demounting of the tread 3. The second washer 5 is inserted on the truck 11 so as to act to abut against the interior ring of the rollers 21. A locking nut is screwed on the threaded end of the truck 11 so as to act to axially arrest the mounting assembly. The nut 112 has an outside diameter less than the interior diameter of the shoulder 32 of the tread 3 so as not to obstruct the dismounting of the latter. The tread 3 is then attached on the hub 20. To change the thread 3, it is not necessary to dismount the mounting assembly. It suffices to remove the locking screw 4 and axially pull on the aforementioned tread so as to slide out of the hub 20. The locking nut 112 is thus no longer stressed during the changing of the tread 3. Its locking power will thus retain all of its operational effectiveness.
In summary, and in a nonlimiting manner, the device of the invention provides a hub having integrated rollers whose configuration enables full use of the capacity of the aforementioned rollers and avoidance of occurrence of heating problems. It also enables avoidance of entry of dust into the hub having integrated rollers. In addition, the user can mount, on a single roller having single integrated bearings, multiple types of tires having different characteristics: tire made of rigid material, tire made of flexible material, tire including an air chamber, etc. A simple and effective connection is provided between the hub having rollers and the tread, this connection integrating a compensation for all the dimensional plays between the aforementioned hub and the aforementioned thread. Any risk of loosening of the tread in operation is eliminated. The rising temperature of the tread rubbing on the ground is limited by promoting the flow of air in the mounting.
Claims
1. A wheel device for skate board or roller skate comprising a wheel mounted on a truck, the aforementioned wheel comprising:
- a single central hub having an exterior wall and a bore for the housing of rollers, the aforementioned rollers providing the connection with the aforementioned hub of the aforementioned truck,
- a tread removably mounted on the exterior wall of the aforementioned hub, the aforementioned hub, the aforementioned interior bore and the aforementioned tread having a common axis,
- characterized by the fact that:
- the tread has a bore provided with a shoulder forming a housing for the hub, the aforementioned shoulder comprising an interior wall radially positioning the exterior wall of the aforementioned hub,
- the aforementioned shoulder comprising a first support face and a second support face, the aforementioned two faces being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the aforementioned common axis,
- the aforementioned tread being locked in rotation and in axial position on the aforementioned hub by means of locking screws, which screws comprise heads which abut against the second support face of the shoulder, the aforementioned screws traversing the aforementioned shoulder from side to side and attaching on the connecting means of the aforementioned hub.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein:
- the hub comprises radial attachment brackets each comprising an axial bore for the passage of locking screws,
- axial bores for the passage of locking screws traverse the shoulder from side to side through of the tread, the aforementioned bores being arranged so as to be positioned opposing bores of the attachment brackets when the aforementioned tread is mounted on the hub,
- the locking screws traverse the bores of the attachment brackets and of the shoulder.
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the attachment brackets are connected to each other, the connection between the aforementioned brackets comprising axial orifices for air circulation.
4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the tread comprises axial orifices for air circulation.
5. A device according to claim 2, wherein the attachment brackets comprise a front face positioned against a support face of the tread and a rear face opposed to the aforementioned front face, the aforementioned rear face being provided with ribs arranged on both sides of the axial bore.
6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the ribs are spaced so that a clamping nut of the locking screw can be housed between the aforementioned ribs.
7. A device according to claim 5, wherein the axial bore of the attachment brackets is tapped, the aforementioned tapping extending on the interior flanks of the ribs.
8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the tapping formed on the interior flanks of the ribs is not coaxial with the tapping in the attachment brackets, so that the aforementioned ribs exert a clamping force on the locking screw.
9. A device according to claim 2, wherein the tread comprises ribs stiffening the periphery of the aforementioned tread, the aforementioned ribs being arranged between one of the support faces of the shoulder and the internal bore of the aforementioned tread, the aforementioned ribs being located at equal distance from each other and positioned between the axial bores of the aforementioned tread.
10. A device according to claim 1, wherein protective washers are positioned on the truck, the aforementioned washers being housed in the interior of the bore of the hub, both sides of the rollers, the aforementioned washers comprising a circular lip whose exterior diameter substantially corresponds to the interior diameter of the aforementioned bore.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 4, 2012
Publication Date: Jan 10, 2013
Inventor: Vincent FEROUSSIER (Saint-Michel-d'Aurance)
Application Number: 13/541,728
International Classification: A63C 17/22 (20060101);