Spokeless Wheel Inline Skate
An inline skate includes a boot having a sole, a toe area, and a heel area. The skate has a plurality of wheels each wheel respectively including: a bearing having an inner race, and a wheel mount rigidly mounted between the wheel frame and the inner race for mounting the inner race to the wheel frame in a rotationally fixed manner.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/921,048, filed on Mar. 30, 2007, entitled Spokeless Wheel Inline Skate; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a spokeless or hollow wheel inline skate. Inline skates are used for fitness, fun, and transportation.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inline skate typically has includes a set of at least four wheels. The each wheel is provided with bearings. The outer race of the bearing is pressed into a plastic or metal rim of the wheel. A removable axle is inserted through the bearing, at the center axis of the wheel, and into a frame provided for mounting the wheels of the skate in a line.
The axles are hollow and have a thread for receiving a screw, which secures the axle and thus the wheel to the frame.
The support for the lower leg and ankle in the front to back direction is typically provided by increased stiffness of the back of the skate boot. The increased stiffness of the back of the boot provides stability for the user of the inline skate.
The disadvantages of prior wheel configurations are that the axle of the wheel is low to the ground. Therefore, when an object such as a rock, stick, or other debris is struck by the wheels, the wheels are impeded causing the skater to stumble and possibly fall. Furthermore, because the wheels disposed in a fixed relationship to the boot, the wheels cannot deflect to absorb shock when the wheels strike debris. The disadvantages of the support for the lower leg being in the back of the boot is that more support is required on the front side of the leg or shin and increased rigidity in the rear of the boot does provide the best support the front of the leg. The replacement and maintenance of the wheel is time consuming because each wheel must be individually disassembled and rotated or replaced.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a spokeless wheel inline skate, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which is more versatile and easier to use and overcomes the disadvantages disclosed above. The spokeless wheel inline skate has an axle for the wheel that is defined by the inner race of a bearing and, which is offset to the topside of the wheel. This allows the inline skate to be better able to ride over debris. The spokeless inline skate has wheels that are mounted in a hinged manner with an elastic member which allows the wheel to deflect thereby further improving the skates ability to ride over debris The skate also has a rigid support for the front side of the foot and leg. The support provided by the present invention improves the stability of the skate towards the front of the skate by better supporting the lower shin area of a skater. The present invention provides that a removable wheel frame may be provided with all the wheels rigidly attached thereon so that all the wheels may be easily removed by removing and replacing or rotating the wheel frame.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an inline skate having a boot having a sole, a toe area, and a heel area. The skate has a plurality of wheels each wheel respectively including: a bearing having an inner race, and a wheel mount rigidly mounted between the wheel frame and the inner race for mounting the inner race to the wheel frame in a rotationally fixed manner.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, each the wheel mount is affixed to the wheel frame by a respective hinge and a respective fastener opposite the hinge. The fastener has an elastic element disposed at the fastener between the wheel frame and the wheel mount.
In accordance with another added feature of the invention, the hinge of the wheel mount is on a side of the wheel mount that is directed toward the toe area and the fastener is on a side of the wheel mount that is directed toward the heel area.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the elastic element is configured to regulate the movement of the wheel mount relative to the boot.
In accordance with still an additional feature of the invention, the wheel frame is selectively mounted to the sole of the boot.
In accordance with still yet an additional feature of the invention, the wheel mounts are removeably affixed to the wheel frame.
In accordance with still another additional feature of the invention, each wheel has a respective rubber portion.
In accordance with still yet another additional feature of the invention, each bearing has a respective outer race. Each outer race respectively has a projection extending about a circumference of the outer race projecting into the rubber portion to secure the rubber portion to the bearing outer race.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the projection is T-shaped.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the fastener passes through the elastic element.
In accordance with another additional feature of the invention, the boot includes a rigid tongue that is affixed to the boot by a pivot axis in the toe area of the boot.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the rigid tongue includes additional pivot axes over a length of the rigid tongue thereby making the tongue articulated.
In accordance with still yet a further feature of the invention, the rigid tongue is curved in a transverse direction of the boot and includes padding on a backside thereof.
In accordance with still yet another feature of the invention, the rigid tongue is formed of aluminum and includes padding on a backside thereof.
In accordance with still yet another further feature of the invention, the rigid tongue is curved in a transverse direction of the boot.
In accordance with another additional feature of the invention, the rigid tongue projects beyond a top of the boot. The tongue includes straps configured for attaching the tongue to a leg of a skater.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a spokeless wheel inline skate, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements. In the drawings:
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of this description.
The bearing 13 has also has an inner race 14. A wheel mount 15 is rigidly fixed to the inner race 14 of the bearing 13. The wheel mount 15 is also rigidly attached to the wheel frame 20 thereby affixing the wheel 10 to the skate 1 in a rotational manner. The mounting of the inner race 14 by the wheel mount 15 secures the inner race 14 in a rotationally fixed manner and permits the outer race 12 to rotate thereby allowing rotation of the wheels 10. The wheel mount 15 may be permanently molded to the wheel frame 20 or it can be removeably mounted by fasteners, such as screws. The wheel mount 15 can be a u-shape on both sides of the wheel 10. It is also possible for the wheel mount 15 to be affixed to the inner race 14 on only one side of the wheel 10.
Claims
1. An inline skate, comprising
- a boot having a sole, a toe area, and a heel area;
- a wheel frame mounted on said sole;
- a plurality of wheels each wheel respectively including: a bearing having an inner race; and a wheel mount rigidly mounted between said wheel frame and said inner race for mounting said inner race to said wheel frame in a rotationally fixed manner.
2. An inline skate according to claim 1, wherein each said wheel mount is affixed to said wheel frame by a respective hinge and a respective fastener opposite said hinge, said fastener has an elastic element disposed at said fastener between said wheel frame and said wheel mount.
3. An inline skate according to claim 2, wherein said hinge of said wheel mount is on a side of said wheel mount that is directed toward said toe area and said fastener is on a side of said wheel mount that is directed toward said heel area.
4. An inline skate according to claim 3, wherein said elastic element is configured to regulate the movement of said wheel mount relative to said boot.
5. An inline skate according to claim 4, wherein said wheel frame is selectively mounted to said sole of said boot.
6. An inline skate according to claim 1, wherein said wheel mounts are removeably affixed to said wheel frame.
7. An inline skate according to claim 1, wherein each said wheel has a respective rubber portion.
8. An inline skate according to claim 7, wherein each bearing has a respective outer race, each said outer race respectively has a projection extending about a circumference of said outer race projecting into said rubber portion to secure said rubber portion to said bearing outer race.
9. An inline skate according to claim 8, wherein said projection is T-shaped.
10. An inline skate according to claim 2, wherein said fastener passes through said elastic element.
11. An inline skate according to claim 1, wherein said boot includes a rigid tongue that is affixed to said boot by a pivot axis in said toe area of said boot.
12. An inline skate according to claim 11, wherein said rigid tongue includes additional pivot axes over a length of said rigid tongue thereby making the tongue articulated.
13. An inline skate according to claim 12, wherein said rigid tongue is curved in a transverse direction of said boot and includes padding on a backside thereof.
14. An inline skate according to claim 12, wherein said rigid tongue is formed of aluminum and includes padding on a backside thereof.
15. An inline skate according to claim 14, wherein said rigid tongue is curved in a transverse direction of said boot.
16. An inline skate according to claim 12, wherein said rigid tongue projects beyond a top of said boot, said tongue includes straps configured for attaching said tongue to a leg of a skater.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 31, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 2, 2008
Inventor: Alexander Konstantinou (Weston, FL)
Application Number: 12/059,467
International Classification: A63C 17/06 (20060101);