ROLLER SKATE AND SKATE BOARD
A roller skate or skate board that has a steering and shock absorbing suspension for the wheels (57, 58), characterized by an axle and pivot unit (24, 38, 39) that is partially embedded in a shock absorber (2, 13, 23, 27) that extends longitudinally in the direction of the pivot axis, held in a bracket that is mounted to the roller skate or skateboard with the pivot at an acute angle to a sole plate of the roller skate or skateboard.
This invention lies in the field of roller skates and skateboards.
BACKGROUNDSeveral designs have been attempted that allow skates to both run on a curved path under control of the skater and to improve the “feel” of the skate by absorbing shocks from the skating surface. Examples of these are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,086,557, U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,739 and the present inventor's published patent application GB 2 416 313 A. Similarly designs have been made for skate boards, for example described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,752 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,666. These designs have generally been based on support of the wheel axles by resilient means which is constrained to allow movement of the axles upon compression of the resilient means in a direction inclined from the vertical which introduces a component of horizontal movement and hence a steering effect of the axles.
THE INVENTIONA roller skate or skate board in accordance with this invention is characterized by the assembly of a unit including a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket, the bracket mounting the shock absorber and axle and pivot unit on a sole plate of the skate or skateboard with the pivot at an acute angle to the sole plate.
Further in accordance with the invention there is provided an assembly adapted for mounting on a roller skate or skateboard consisting of a unit comprising a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket.
Generally there will be two such assemblies in a skate or skateboard, one for a front axle and the other for a rear axle, which will provide a steering effect on both axles, however, the invention may be implemented with only one such assembly.
The assembly may conveniently be mounted on a sole plate for the skate but alternatively the bracket may be mounted directly to a sole of a boot of the roller skate or a sole plate may be incorporated in the boot.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a pair of side plates are added to the assembly, designed to hold the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit in the bracket. The side plates may have flanges to enhance their holding action.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention dual side plates are provided that span between two assemblies, each assembly being of a unit comprising a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket, each bracket mounting the shock absorber and axle and pivot unit.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the bracket may have a split that allows the bracket to be partially opened to facilitate insertion of the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit with a bolt to then close the split.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the bracket mounts an upper region of the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit with a lower bracket mounting a lower region of the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit, the bracket and lower bracket fixed to the sole plate of the skate or skateboard.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention a dual lower bracket is provided that spans between two assemblies, each assembly being of a unit comprising a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket, each bracket mounting the shock absorber and axle and pivot unit on a sole plate of the skate or skateboard with the pivot at an acute angle to the sole plate and the dual lower bracket mounting the lower regions of the shock absorber and axle and pivot unit.
In accordance with a still further embodiment of the invention two brackets are integrally formed as one component forming also the sole plate, each bracket mounting a shock absorber and axle and pivot unit with the pivot at an acute angle to the sole plate.
The assembly may incorporate a brake pad or provision for attachment of a brake pad.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the unit including an axle and pivot also incorporates a flange oriented orthogonally to an axis of the pivot.
The pivot may be formed as a solid rod, a tube or a folded sheet metal.
The bracket is to be mounted on a sole plate of a roller skate or a skateboard with the pivot at an acute angle to the sole plate (a sole plate is shown in
The assembly may conveniently be mounted on a sole plate for the skate but alternatively the bracket may be mounted directly to a sole of a boot of the roller skate or a sole plate may be incorporated in the boot, an example is shown in
- 1 bracket
- 2 shock absorber
- 2a bore of shock absorber
- 4 flange
- 5 pivot
- 6 axle
- 7 recess
- 8 protrusions
- 9 bolts
- 10 side plates
- 10a side plate flanges
- 11 bracket
- 11a bracket surfaces
- 12 recess
- 13 shock absorber
- 14 flange
- 15 shock absorber
- 16 hole
- 17 bracket
- 18 split
- 19 flange
- 20 protrusions
- 21 bolt
- 22 web
- 22a sole plate
- 22b mounting formations
- 23 shock absorber
- 24 pivot and axle unit
- 25 lower bracket
- 25a screws
- 26 upper brackets
- 26a screws
- 27 shock absorber
- 27a spacers
- 28 split
- 29 axle
- 30 pivot
- 31 brackets
- 31a dual lower bracket
- 32 sole plate
- 32a plates
- 33 dual lower bracket
- 33a bolts
- 34 integral brackets
- 34a bracket mounting shock absorber
- 35 dual lower bracket
- 36 bolts
- 37 tee nuts
- 38 axle and pivot unit
- 39 axle and pivot unit
- 40 sole plate surface
- 41 bracket
- 42 dual lower bracket
- 43 U-bolts
- 44 small blocks
- 45 sole plate
- 46 brake pad
- 47 bracket
- 48 brake pad
- 49 ridges
- 50 grooves
- 51 clip
- 52 recess
- 53 bolts
- 54 brackets
- 55 dual lower bracket
- 56 sole plate
- 57 wheels
- 58 wheels
- 56 Skate
- 59 arrow
Claims
1. A roller skate or skate board comprising an assembly of a unit including a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket, the bracket mounting the shock absorber and the axle and pivot unit on a sole plate of the skate or skateboard with the pivot at an acute angle to the sole plate.
2. An assembly adapted for mounting on a roller skate or skateboard comprising a unit comprising a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket which mounts the shock absorber with axle and pivot.
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the unit including an axle and pivot also incorporates a flange oriented orthogonally to an axis of the pivot.
4. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 1, that comprises two assemblies as claimed, one for a front axle and the other for a rear axle, which will provide a steering effect on both axles.
5. The assembly in claim 3, wherein the assembly is affixed on a sole plate for a roller skate or a skate board.
6. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of side plates are added to the assembly, designed to hold the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit in the bracket.
7. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 6, wherein the side plates have flanges to enhance their holding action.
8. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 7, wherein dual side plates are provided that span between two assemblies, each assembly being of a unit comprising a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket, each bracket mounting the shock absorber and axle and pivot unit.
9. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bracket has a split that allows the bracket to be partially opened to facilitate insertion of the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit with a bolt to then close the split.
10. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 9, wherein the bracket mounts an upper region of the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit with a lower bracket mounting a lower region of the shock absorber with embedded axle and pivot unit, the bracket and lower bracket fixed to the sole plate of the skate or skateboard.
11. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 4, wherein a dual lower bracket is provided that spans between two assemblies, each assembly being of a unit comprising a rigidly joined axle and pivot, a shock absorber extending co-axially with the pivot and substantially wholly embedding the pivot and a bracket;
- each bracket mounting the shock absorber and axle and pivot unit on a sole plate of the skate or skateboard with the pivot at an acute angle to the sole plate; and
- the dual lower bracket mounting the lower regions of the shock absorber and axle and pivot unit.
12. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 11, wherein two brackets are integrally formed as one component forming also the sole plate, each bracket mounting a shock absorber and axle and pivot unit with the pivot at an acute angle to the sole plate.
13. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 12, wherein the assembly incorporates a brake pad or provision for attachment of a brake pad.
14. A roller skate or skate board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot is formed as a solid rod, a tube or a folded sheet metal.
15. (canceled)
16. (canceled)
17. (canceled)
18. (canceled)
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
21. (canceled)
22. (canceled)
23. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 16, 2008
Publication Date: Nov 25, 2010
Inventor: Michael Olaf Trew (Cape Town)
Application Number: 12/602,757
International Classification: A63C 17/26 (20060101); A63C 17/14 (20060101); A63C 17/01 (20060101);