Knee skate and associated methods

Abstract

A knee skate may include a rigid shell having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end, and a closed forward end. The closed forward end may have a radius of curvature substantially the same as the radius of the semi-cylinder. The skate may also include rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors carried by the shell. Each castor may include a shaft with the castor wheel depending therefrom. The skate may include rearward and forward pairs of mounts carried by the shell. Each mount may have a passageway therein for receiving a respective shaft of a castor. The mounts and shell may be integrally molded as a single monolithic body, for example, of a metal such as aluminum. The user may position his knee, with or without additional padding, into the knee skate and readily move about a floor.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of construction tools, and, more particularly, to knee skates and associated methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Certain construction tasks may require a worker to work and move while in a kneeling position, and possibly for an extended period of time. For example, the work may relate to flooring installation and/or maintenance, such as for nailing tack strips, spreading glue or other materials on a floor, installing Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT), or running vinyl base, for example. Of course, other trades may find additional uses for knee skates. Knee skates save time and wear on one's body from getting up and down and crawling around on one's knees.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,845 to Ferriter discloses a knee support for supporting a kneeling person including a frame, a pad mounted on the frame and three wheel assemblies mounted on a bottom of the frame. The knee supports may also be used with separate wheeled foot supports. Along these lines, U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,391 to Cooper discloses a pivoted knee skate comprising a wheeled leg rest and wheeled foot rest pivotally connected together. U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2004/0094915 to Warren discloses a rolling knee skate with a multiple-wheeled support assembly including swiveling caster wheels.

Applicant believes that back in the late 1970's knee skates were sold through floor covering installer pro shops made out of a hard plastic using castor wheels and rubber knee pad inserts. The problem with the hard plastic knee skates from the 1970's was found to be that they would get stress cracks and break in the area where the wheel housing met the main body. It is believed that due to such, these skates were only on the market for about three years.

In addition, several knee skates, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,845 and Published Patent Application No. 2004/0094915 have three wheels and may be relatively unstable. Despite continuing developments in knee skates, the ruggedness, durability and stability of such devices may still benefit from further developments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing background it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a knee skate that is comfortable, facilitates movement, is stable, and is rugged and durable.

This and other objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a knee skate including a rigid shell having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end, and a closed forward end. The skate may include rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts carried by the metal shell, and rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors carried by respective ones of the rigid mounts. The closed forward end may have a radius of curvature substantially the same as the radius of the semi-cylinder.

The rigid mounts and shell may be integrally molded as a single monolithic body, for example, for ease of manufacture and durability. For example, the mounts and shell may comprise metal, such as aluminum.

Each castor may include a shaft with the castor wheel depending therefrom, and may facilitate movement in 360 degrees. Each mount may have a passageway therein for receiving a respective shaft of a castor. The user may position his knee, with or without additional padding, into the knee skate and readily move about a floor. The four castor wheels provide additional stability as compared to three-wheel versions as in the prior art.

Each of the castor wheels may comprise a spherical castor wheel that is self-lubricating, and that has no exposed axle. The castor wheels may also be readily replaceable.

A method aspect of the invention is for making a knee skate. The method may include integrally forming a rigid shell having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end and a closed forward end with rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts carried by the rigid shell, and connecting rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors to be carried by respective ones of the rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a workman using the knee skates in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a pair of knee skates as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the knee skate as shown in FIG. 1 with the castors removed for clarity.

FIG. 4 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the knee skate as shown in FIG. 1 with the castors removed for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

With initial reference to FIG. 1, the knee skates 10 in accordance with the invention may be used by a workman 11 performing a task, such as the illustrated task of spreading an adhesive 12 onto a floor 13. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the skates 10 may have many other uses and applications as well. The worker 11 positions his knee, with optional additional padding 14, into the knee skate 10 and may readily move about the floor 13.

Referring now additionally to FIGS. 2-4, the knee skate 10 includes a rigid metal shell having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end 17, and a closed forward end 16. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the closed forward end 16 has a radius of curvature Rce (FIG. 4) substantially the same as the radius Rcs (FIG. 3) of the semi-cylinder.

The skate 10 also includes rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors 21, 22 carried by the metal shell 15. The castors 21, 22 are arranged at four corners of the metal shell 15 for enhanced stability. Each castor 21, 22 illustratively includes a shaft 21a, 22a with the castor wheel 21b, 22b depending therefrom. Such castor wheels 21, 22 facilitate movement in 360 degrees. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, each of the castor wheels 21, 22 may comprise a spherical castor wheel that is self-lubricating, and that has no exposed axle. The castor wheels 21, 22 may also be readily replaceable as will also be understood by those skilled in the art.

The skate 10 also includes rearward and forward pairs of metal mounts 25, 26 carried by the metal shell 15. Each metal mount 25, 26 has a passageway 29 (FIG. 3) for receiving a respective shaft of a castor. The metal mounts 25, 26 and metal shell 15 may be advantageously integrally molded as a single monolithic body for ease of manufacture and durability as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The metal shell 15 and metal mounts 25, 26 may be molded of aluminum, for example, for strength and reduced weight. The metal shell 15 and mounts 25, 26 may have a powder coated finish thereon. The knee skates 10 will accordingly last a long time, and may only need occasional replacing of the castor wheels 22, 23.

A method aspect is directed to making the knee skate 10 and may include forming a rigid shell 15 having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end 17 and a closed forward end 16 along with rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts 25, 26 carried by the rigid shell. The closed forward end 16 may have a radius of curvature substantially the same as the radius of the semi-cylinder. The method may also include connecting rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors 22, 23 to respective ones of the rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts 25, 26.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Accordingly, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated embodiments disclosed, and that other modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A knee skate comprising:

a rigid shell having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end and a closed forward end;

rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts carried by said rigid shell; and

rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors carried by respective ones of said rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts.

2. The knee skate according to claim 1 wherein the closed forward end of said rigid shell has a radius of curvature substantially the same as a radius of curvature of the semi-cylindrical shape of said rigid shell.

3. The knee skate according to claim 1 wherein said rigid shell and said rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts are integrally formed as a monolithic unit.

4. The knee skate according to claim 3 wherein said rigid shell and said rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts comprise metal.

5. The knee skate according to claim 3 wherein said rigid shell and said rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts comprise aluminum.

6. The knee skate according to claim 1 wherein each rigid mount has a passageway therein; and wherein each rolling castor comprises:

a shaft received in a respective passageway; and

a castor wheel depending from said shaft.

7. The knee skate according to claim 6 wherein said castor wheel comprises a spherical castor wheel.

8. The knee skate according to claim 1 further comprising a layer of knee padding carried by said rigid shell.

9. A knee skate comprising:

a metal shell having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end and a closed forward end;

rearward and forward pairs of metal mounts carried by said metal shell;

said metal shell and said rearward and forward pairs of metal mounts being integrally formed as a monolithic unit; and

rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors carried by respective ones of said rearward and forward pairs of metal mounts.

10. The knee skate according to claim 9 wherein the closed forward end of said metal shell has a radius of curvature substantially the same as a radius of curvature of the semi-cylindrical shape of said metal shell.

11. The knee skate according to claim 9 wherein said metal shell and said rearward and forward pairs of metal mounts comprise aluminum.

12. The knee skate according to claim 9 wherein each metal mount has a passageway therein; and wherein each rolling castor comprises:

a shaft received in a respective passageway; and

a castor wheel depending from said shaft.

13. The knee skate according to claim 12 wherein said castor wheel comprises a spherical castor wheel.

14. The knee skate according to claim 9 further comprising a layer of knee padding carried by said metal shell.

15. A method for making a knee skate comprising:

integrally forming a rigid shell having a generally semi-cylindrical shape with an open rearward end and a closed forward end along with rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts carried by the rigid shell; and

connecting rearward and forward pairs of rolling castors to respective ones of the rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the closed forward end of the rigid shell has a radius of curvature substantially the same as a radius of curvature of the semi-cylindrical shape of the rigid shell.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the rigid shell and the rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts comprise metal.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the rigid shell and the rearward and forward pairs of rigid mounts comprise aluminum.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein each rigid mount has a passageway therein; and wherein each rolling castor comprises:

a shaft received in a respective passageway; and

a castor wheel depending from the shaft.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the castor wheel comprises a spherical castor wheel.