Inline skate with training wheels and kit therefor

Abstract

An inline skate having training wheels and a kit for converting a regular inline skate to one having training wheels. The kit comprises a left inline skate training wheel similar to any of the four regular inline skate wheels and having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough, a right inline skate training wheel similar to any of the four regular inline skate wheels and having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough, an axle, left and right lock nuts and washers to separate the inline skate training wheels from the lock nuts and from the left and right longitudinal frame members that the regular wheels attach to. The axle traverses the apertures and the holes in the frame members to securely hold the right and left inline skate training wheels to the left and right longitudinal frame members, optionally using compression sleeves. An inline skate having training wheels permanently attached is also shown.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of this invention is inline skates, and more particularly, improved inline skates as well as stand-alone kits that can be used to modify existing inline skates.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART

Inline skating is roller skating done on inline skates. An inline skate is often called a Rollerblade, but this is actually the brand name of an inline skate, related accessory, and protective gear company. See Wikipedia.com. Inline skates usually have 4 or 5 wheels, arranged in a single line. Inline skates often have a heel stop and less frequently have a toe stop.

Inline skating generates more speed than roller skates. In addition, inline skating, as opposed to roller skating, is not done only in skating rinks but also on the same surfaces that skateboarding occurs on—namely on the road, on a sidewalk, on fences and steps, and on special tracks and areas, including skate parks and half-pipes. Accordingly, it is imperative that inline skaters who are not experts at inline skating be extremely careful and take extra precaution when skating. Otherwise, inline skating can be dangerous to passersby and to the skater.

Since inline skating is dangerous, many people shy away from it, especially those who are not in good shape. It is rare to see an octogenarian doing inline skating. Yet because inline skating can be fun, it would be beneficial to have a version of inline skating that is safer than the present-day inline skating. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to have a simple way to allow the owner of inline skates to modify his or her skates so that the resulting inline skates that are safer.

It would also useful for inline skates to be safe enough for children without experience to use. It would be nice for those who use inline skates to be able to teach their children how to use inline skates in a safe way. Ideally, it would be nice to have a way to teach inline skating even to someone with no prior experience with inline skating and to those who are in bad physical condition.

Ideally, it would also be advantageous to have a way to modify existing inline skates so that the difficult part of inline skating, maintaining your balance, can be adjusted higher or lower based on a choice made by the user. Such a choice could depend upon the user's progress in the learning of the skill of inline skating.

Although training wheels for inline skates would satisfy many of these needs, to date, training wheels for inline skates have not caught on. The demand for inline skates with training wheels has not lead manufacturers of inline skates to offer them. One possible reason is that inline skates with training wheels have not been designed in a way that is cost-effective to manufacture or attractive enough to the consumer. Furthermore, it is costly to buy inline skates with training wheels and then have to buy regular inline skates without training wheels when the level of expertise increases sufficiently. It would be preferable to have a way to easily modify existing inline skates so that they can accommodate training wheels.

Inline skates come in different sizes. It would be particularly valuable to have a way of adapting existing inline skates to ones with training wheels in such a manner that the apparatus or method used to to do it can be used for any sized inline skate. In this scenario the user would be able to make one purchase and then have the ability to convert any inline skate of any size (and/or brand or style) to one having training wheels.

It would be particular advantageous to have a simple, easy to perform, inexpensive and concise way of converting a regular inline skate into an inline skate that has training wheels. The present invention achieves all of these objectives, while also providing numerous additional benefits.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is an inline skate having training wheels and a kit for converting a regular inline skate to one having training wheels. The kit comprises a left inline skate training wheel similar to any of the four regular inline skate wheels and having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough, a right inline skate training wheel similar to any of the four regular inline skate wheels and having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough, an axle, a left lock nut and a right lock nut and washers to separate the inline skate training wheels from the lock nuts and from the left and right longitudinal frame members that the regular wheels attach to. The axle traverses the apertures and the holes in the frame members to securely hold the right and left inline skate training wheels to the left and right longitudinal frame members, optionally using compression sleeves.

Important Objects and Advantages

The following important objects and advantages of the present invention are:

(1) To provide inline skates having training wheels;

(2) To provide an inline skate training kit for adding training wheels to an existing inline skate;

(3) To provide such an inline skate training kit that permits one to convert the inline skate into one with training wheels without the need for complicated equipment;

(4) To provide an inline skate training kit that permits one to convert the inline skate into one with training wheels with just simple tools such as a screwdriver and a wrench;

(5) To provide an inline skate training kit that permits one to convert the inline skate into one with training wheels without any carpentry or engineering skills;

(6) To provide such an inline skate training kit with a limited number of simple parts;

(7) To provide such an inline skate training kit that weighs at most only a few pounds;

(8) To provide an inline skate training kit that consists of the two training wheels, a simple axle, two simple lock nuts and a few washers;

(9) To provide such an inline skate training kit that takes approximately a minute to assemble;

(10) To provide such an inline skate training kit that costs much less than the cost of an inline skate;

(11) To provide such an inline skate training kit that is inexpensive;

(12) To provide such an inline skate training kit that has the capability of adapting any brand, style and/or size of inline skates to a pair of inline skate with training wheels;

(13) To provide such a kit that is durable and likely to be relatively maintenance-free;

(14) To provide a pair of inline skates having training wheels that is not significantly costlier to manufacture than ordinary inline skates;

(15) To provide inline skates having training wheels that allows elderly people and people who are not in good shape to learn inline skating;

(16) To provide inline skates having training wheels or kit to make this to people who have no prior experience skating;

(17) To provide a kit and an inline skate having training wheels that makes inline skating safe;

(18) To provide a kit for converting existing inline skates to inline skates having training wheels in a manner that allows the user to choose which wheel the training wheels can be placed adjacent to;

(19) To provide a kit for converting existing inline skates to inline skates having training wheels in a manner that allows the user to adjust the skates for a desired level of difficulty of use; and

(20) To provide a kit for converting existing inline skates to inline skates having training wheels in a manner that allows the user to adjust the skates for a desired level of difficulty of balance maintenance

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a is an exploded view of the inline skate training kit of the present invention in relation to an existing inline skate;

FIG. 1b is an exploded view identical to FIG. 1 but also including compression sleeves 89;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an inline skate of the present invention wherein a screw is missing to show hole 111 in frame member 172a;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the skate of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the inline skate of FIG. 2, the left side view being identical thereto;

FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment the inline skate of the present invention similar to FIG. 3 but wherein the training wheels are shorter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The apparatus of the present invention will now be illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the inline skate training kit of the present invention have been assigned reference numeral 10. Preferred embodiments of the inline skates of the present invention have been assigned reference numeral 100. This applies to inline skates that come with training wheels and it applies to the skates that did not come with training wheels but now have training wheels because they have been modified using the kit 10 of the present invention. Other elements have been assigned the reference numerals referred to below.

The inline skate training kit 10 is used for adding training wheels to an existing inline skate of the kind including a frame that has a left longitudinal frame member 72 and a right longitudinal frame member 74 surrounding the left and rights sides, respectively, of the regular inline skate wheels. In this kind of a skate the frame members 72, 74 have substantially identical holes for receiving screws, bolts or other connecting members to secure each of the four five regular inline skate wheels aligned in series to the left and right frame members 72, 74.

Kit 10 comprises (for each skate in a pair of skates) a left inline skate training wheel 20 that is identical in height, and in a preferred embodiment identical in size, but in all embodiments at least substantially similar to, any of the four regular inline skate wheels and that has a centrally disposed aperture 22 therethrough, a right inline skate training wheel 30 that is identical in height, and in a preferred embodiment identical in size, but in all embodiments at least substantially similar to, any of the four regular inline skate wheels and that has a centrally disposed aperture 32 therethrough, an axle 40, a left lock nut 42 and a right lock nut 44, and a sufficient number of separating washers 50. Separating washers 50 are placed between each training wheel 20, 30 and their respective lock nut 42, 44 and between each training wheel and the left or right longitudinal frame members 72, 74 of frame 70. Washers 50 include external washers 50a, 50b to separate wheels 20, 30 from the lock nuts 42, 44 and internal washers 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f to separate wheels 20, 30 from the left and right longitudinal frame members 72, 74. The number of washers can vary as needed. The term washer should be understood to mean anything placed between the wheels 20, 30 and either lock nuts 42, 44 or frame members 72, 74 to make the skate more durable and/or secure.

Axle 40 has an outer threading 40a at a left end and at a right end thereof to accommodate lock nuts 42, 44. Lock nuts 42, 44 also have corresponding matching threading that allows the nuts to screw onto or otherwise securely lock onto to the left and right ends of axle 40. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the secure connection being provided only by means of the axle 40 having outer threading and the lock nuts 42, 44 having inner threading. Other well known connection means can be substituted. For example, lock nuts 42, 44 can be affixed securely to axle 40 by any other means or structure known to those skilled in the art presently or in the future.

In one preferred embodiment, axle 40 also has a diameter that is slightly smaller than the apertures 22, 32 and the holes in frame members 72, 74, and therefore allows axle 40 to traverse and tightly fit into (i.e. fit into with small clearance) these centrally disposed apertures 22, 32 and holes so as to securely hold the left inline skate training wheels to the left longitudinal frame member 72 and the right inline skate training wheel to the right longitudinal frame member 74. As explained below, in order to deal with variations in the diameter of the holes in the frame members 72, 74 for different sizes and/or brands of skates, compression sleeves can be utilized to fill the space or multiple-sized axles can be provided.

The axle 40 has a length that extends from the left side 22 of the left inline skate training wheel 20 to the right side 32 of the right inline skate training wheel 30, plus the left and right lock nuts 42, 44 and any washers between said inline skate training wheels and said lock nuts.

The four wheels in the series of wheels should not be understood to be in any particular order. Thus the term “first wheel” in the series of first, second, third and fourth wheel should be understood to optionally refer to the one of the two middle wheels or to any of the two end wheels.

The training wheels 20, 30, in one preferred embodiment as pictured in FIGS. 1-4, are of identical height and shape as the four or five regular wheels. For a more challenging experience for the user that stimulates greater exercise and balance skillfulness, training wheels 20, 30 can be made shorter, in any amount as desired.

Thus, in a second preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, training wheels 20, 30 are approximately one half inch shorter than the four regular wheels and hence are positioned so that when they are attached to the existing inline skate they end up being raised of the ground by approximately one quarter inch when the inline skate is held in a completely upright position. Thus, when inline skating causes the skate to tilt to the right side, training wheel 30 provides support only after the amount of the tilt makes up for that approximately one quarter of an inch. Similarly, when inline skating causes the skate to tilt to the left side, training wheel 20 provides support only after the amount of the tilt makes up for that approximately one quarter of an inch.

The training wheels can be installed adjacent any of the 4 or 5 wheels of the inline skate. By varying which wheel the training wheels are surrounding, the user can adjust the level of difficulty of the inline skate. It is believed that the middle 2 wheels (or 3 wheels if the skate has 5 wheels) are more important to be balanced. If the first or last wheels are surrounded by the training wheels, then the user can more readily lose balance when shifting his or her weight to the front or rear of the skate. In addition, if the skate has a heel stop, and the user wants to gradually improve the skill of stopping, then the user can place the training wheels adjacent the rear wheel. When the user is satisfied that he or she has learned the skill of stopping and wishes to balance the middle area of the skate, then the user simply screws off the lock nuts and takes off the axle and training wheels and re-positions them adjacent the middle wheel.

Likewise, if the skate has a toe stop, and the user wants to gradually improve the skill of stopping, then the user can place the training wheels adjacent the front wheel. When the user is satisfied that he or she has learned the skill of stopping and wishes to balance the middle area of the skate, then the user simply screws off the lock nuts and takes off the axle and training wheels and re-positions them adjacent the middle wheel.

In order to standardize the kit for any sized inline skate, the present invention contemplates two solutions. In one solution different axles 40, lock nuts 42, 44 and washers 50 having different diameters or widths are provided to the user so the axle can snugly (and hence securely) fit into the holes in the left and right longitudinal frame members 72, 74 and the apertures in the training wheels (and the regular inline skate wheels). In another version, axle 40 and lock nuts 42, 44 and washers 50 are one size but the potential gaps between the cylindrical diameter of axle 40 and the aforementioned apertures and holes is taken up as needed by short cylindrical compression sleeves 89 of varying thicknesses. It is well known that such pieces exist, although they typically are used to close a space between an axle and tubing that the axle is inserted into. For example, a company called Watts manufactures such short metal compression sleeves for use in tubing. Here the “tubing” is just the cylindrical hole.

One embodiment of the present invention is the inline skate itself, which may be manufactured from the beginning with the training wheels already there. Thus, the inline skate 100 includes a frame 110 that has left longitudinal member 172 and a right longitudinal member 174, a ceiling 176 and at least one cross member 178, a series of wheels 160 including a first wheel 161, a second wheel 162, a third wheel 163 and a fourth wheel 164, each of the wheels in the series of wheels 160 being aligned with each other, the left and right longitudinal members 172, 174 each having at lower portions 172a, 174a thereof holes 111 adjacent each wheel of the series of wheels. Inline skate 100 also has a receptacle 192 for receiving a human foot, the receptacle 120 attached to the ceiling 176 and of course includes a left inline skate training wheel 120 having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough (not shown), the left inline skate training wheel located to a left of the first wheel 161, the second wheel 162, the third wheel 163 or the fourth wheel 164 (or fifth wheel (not shown)), and a right inline skate training wheel 130 having a centrally disposed aperture (not shown) therethrough, the right inline skate training wheel 130 located to a right of the same first wheel, 161, second wheel 162, third wheel 163 or fourth wheel 164 (or fifth wheel (not shown)).

Inline skate 100 also comprises an axle 140 (not shown because it is buried in the skate) having an outer threading at a left end and at a right end thereof, said axle traversing the apertures in the left and right inline skate training wheels so as to fit tightly therein, running through an aperture in the first wheel and traversing, and fitting tightly in, the left and right longitudinal members, a left lock nut and a right lock net positioned at left and right ends of the axle and having threading that matches the outer threading, and washers to separate the left and right inline skate training wheels from the left and right longitudinal frame members and from the left and right lock nuts 142, 144.

It should be understood that although FIGS. 2-4 do not show the axle or the centrally disposed apertures in the training wheels, the skate 100 is identical skate shown in FIG. 1 (except the missing screw in FIG. 2).

It is to be understood that while the apparatus of this invention have been described and illustrated in detail, the above-described embodiments are simply illustrative of the principles of the invention. It is to be understood also that various other modifications and changes may be devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof. It is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. The spirit and scope of this invention are limited only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A kit for adding training wheels to an existing inline skate, the inline skate of the kind including a frame that has left and right longitudinal frame members, the frame members having substantially identical holes for receiving connecting members that secure each of four regular inline skate wheels aligned in series to said left and right frame members, the left and right frame members positioned at the left and right sides of the regular inline skate wheels, the kit comprising:

for each inline skate,

a left inline skate training wheel having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough,

a right inline skate training wheel having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough,

an axle having an outer threading at a left end thereof and having an outer threading at a right end thereof,

a left lock nut and a right lock nut each of which have threading that mates with the outer threadings at the left and right ends of the axle,

washers to separate the inline skate training wheels from the left and right longitudinal frame members and from the left and right lock nuts,

the axle capable of traversing and tightly fitting into the centrally disposed apertures and any of the holes so as to securely hold the left inline skate training wheel to the left longitudinal frame member and the right inline skating wheel to the right longitudinal frame member, the axle spanning a length from a left side of the left inline skate training wheel to a right side of the right inline skate training wheel, and spanning across a width of the left and right lock nuts and any washers between said inline skate training wheels and said lock nuts.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are identical in height to any of the four regular inline skate wheels.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the axle is approximately four and three-eighths inches long.

4. An inline skate training kit of claim 1, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are identical in height to any of the four regular inline skate wheels and wherein the axle is approximately four and three-eighths inches long.

5. The inline skate training kit of claim 1, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are shorter in height than each of the regular inline skate wheels so that when said left and right inline skate training wheels are attached to the existing inline skate, the left and right inline skate training wheels are situated above a ground level when the existing inline skate is held in an upright position.

6. The inline skate training kit of claim 1, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are shorter in height than each of the regular inline skate wheels so that when said left and right inline skate training wheels are attached to the existing inline skate, the left and right inline skate training wheels are situated approximately one quarter inch above the ground level when the existing inline skate is held in an upright position.

7. A kit for adding training wheels to an existing inline skate, the inline skate of the kind including a frame that has left and right longitudinal frame members, the frame members having substantially identical holes for receiving connecting members that secure each of four regular inline skate wheels aligned in series to said left and right frame members, the left and right frame members positioned at the left and right sides of the regular inline skate wheels, the kit comprising:

for each inline skate,

a left inline skate training wheel having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough,

a right inline skate training wheel having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough,

an axle having an outer threading at a left end thereof and having an outer threading at a right end thereof,

a left lock nut and a right lock nut each of which have threading that mates with the outer threadings at the left and right ends of the axle,

washers to separate the inline skate training wheels from the left and right longitudinal frame members and from the left and right lock nuts,

one or more annular compression sleeves for insertion between the axle and the holes and/or between the axle and the centrally disposed apertures so that the axle is capable of traversing and tightly fitting into the centrally disposed apertures and any of the holes so as to securely hold the left inline skate training wheel to the left longitudinal frame member and the right inline skating wheel to the right longitudinal frame member, the axle spanning a length from a left side of the left inline skate training wheel to a right side of the right inline skate training wheel, and spanning across a width of the left and right lock nuts and any washers between said inline skate training wheels and said lock nuts.

8. The kit of claim 7, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are identical in height to any of the regular inline skate wheels.

9. The kit of claim 7, wherein the axle is approximately four and three-eighths inches long.

10. The kit of claim 7, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are identical in height to any of the regular inline skate wheels and wherein the axle is approximately four and three-eighths inches long.

11. The kit of claim 7, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are shorter in height than each of the regular inline skate wheels so that when said left and right inline skate training wheels are attached to the existing inline skate, the left and right inline skate training wheels would be situated above a ground level when the existing inline skate is held in an upright position.

12. The kit of claim 11, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are shorter in height than each of the regular inline skate wheels so that when said left and right inline skate training wheels are attached to the existing inline skate, the left and right inline skate training wheels would be situated approximately one quarter inch above the ground level when the existing inline skate is held in an upright position.

13. An inline skate having training wheels, comprising,

a frame, the frame including a left longitudinal member and a right longitudinal member and at least one cross member,

a series of wheels including a first wheel, a second wheel, a third wheel and a fourth wheel, each of the wheels in the series of wheels aligned with each other,

the left and right longitudinal members each having at lower portions thereof holes adjacent each wheel of the series of wheels,

the frame also including a ceiling,

a receptacle for receiving a human foot, the receptacle attached to the ceiling,

a left inline skate training wheel having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough, the left inline skate training wheel located to a left of the first wheel,

a right inline skate training wheel having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough, the right inline skate training wheel located to a right of the first wheel,

an axle having an outer threading at a left end and at a right end thereof, said axle traversing the apertures in the left and right inline skate training wheels so as to fit tightly therein, running through an aperture in the first wheel and traversing, and fitting tightly in, the left and right longitudinal members,

a left lock nut and a right lock net positioned at left and right ends of the axle and having threading that matches the outer threading,

washers to separate the left and right inline skate training wheels from the left and right longitudinal frame members and from the left and right lock nuts.

14. The inline skate of claim 13, wherein the right and left inline skate training wheels are identical in height to any of the wheels in the series of wheels.

15. The inline skate of claim 13, wherein the axle is approximately four and three-eighths inches long.

16. The inline skate of claim 13, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are identical in height to any of the wheels in the series of wheels and wherein the axle is approximately four and three-eighths inches long.

17. The inline skate of claim 13, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are shorter in height as compared to any of the wheels in the series of wheels.

18. The inline skate of claim 17, wherein the left and right inline skate training wheels are shorter in height than each of the wheels in the series of wheels so that when said left and right inline skate training wheels are attached to the existing inline skate, the left and right inline skate training wheels would be situated approximately one quarter inch above the ground level when the existing inline skate is held in an upright position.