WO1996036408A1

WO1996036408A1 - Roller skate

Info

Publication number: WO1996036408A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/006792
Authority: WO
Inventors: Moshe Granot
Original assignee: Landau, Asaf
Priority date: 1995-05-16
Filing date: 1996-05-14
Publication date: 1996-11-21
Also published as: IL113753A0; AU5744196A

Abstract

A roller skate (2) includes a base member (6) fixed to the bottom of a shoe (4) to receive a user's foot, and a wheel carrier (8) pivotally mounted to the base member and rotatably mounting a plurality of wheels (W1, W2, W3, W4), and a brake member (10) mounted to the base member (6) and effective to brake the roller skate when the base member is pivoted with respect to the wheel carrier, while still maintaining the wheels in contact with the ground. In a first embodiment, the brake member (10) is a brake shoe engageable with one or more wheels (W3, W4) of the roller skate; in a second embodiment, the brake member is a brake shoe (55, 56, 57) engageable with brake discs (51, 52) attached to the rear wheel; and in a third embodiment, the brake member (60) is secured by arms (61, 62) rearwardly of the rear wheel to engage the ground during braking action.

Description

ROLLER SKATE

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a roller skate, and particularly to a braking arrangement for a roller skate. The invention is expecially useful with respect to the in-line skates commonly called "Roller Blades" which includes a single line of wheels, and therefore the invention is described below particularly with respect to this application.

Roller skates of the in-line skates type have recently become very popular particularly among children. However, one of the drawbacks of the roller blades now in wide use is the difficulty in braking. One popular model includes a fixed braking element at the rear of the roller skates engageable with the ground when the user pivots the rear end of the roller skates downwardly about the user's heel. However, such a braking arrangement puts the user in a very unstable position during braking since the upper end of the roller skate moves upwardly out of contact with the ground. As a result, the skater may easily lose balance or control.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a roller skate in general, and particularly of the in-line skate type, with a braking arrangement which enables the user to brake the roller skate in a better manner than that described above.

According to a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roller skate comprising a base member to be fixed to the bottom of a shoe to receive a user's foot; and a wheel carrier mounted to the base member, and in turn rotatably mounting a plurality of wheels; characterized in that the wheel carrier is pivotally mounted to the base member about a horizontal pivotal axis, and in that the base member further mounts a brake member effective to brake the roller skate.

As indicated above, the invention is particularly applicable to the roller blade type of roller skate wherein the wheel carrier carries a single line of wheels.

Several embodiments of the invention are described below for purposes of example.

In one described embodiment, the brake member is a brake shoe engageable with at least one of the wheels of the wheel carrier when the base member is pivoted with respect to the wheel carrier. In a second described embodiment, the brake member is a brake shoe engageable with a pair of brake discs secured to opposite sides of at least one of the wheels of the wheel carrier when the base member is pivoted with respect to the wheel carrier. In a third described embodiment, the brake member includes a brake element carried by the base member rearwardly of the plurality of wheels to engage the ground when the base member is pivoted with respect to the wheel carrier.

As will be described more particularly below, a roller skate, particularly of the in-line skate type, constructed in accordance with the foregoing features permits the user to effect a braking action by merely shifting weight from the sole of the foot to the heel of the foot. When doing so, the wheels remain in contact with the ground so that the user maintains a more stable position during the braking action, thereby decreasing the chances of falling or otherwise losing control. Such a roller skate also requires a minimum change in the construction and normal use of the present roller skates particularly of the roller blade type.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view illustrating a shoe having attached to it one form of roller skate constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the roller skate of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 2 but with parts broken away to show internal structure;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 3 but showing the positions of the parts during a braking action;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along line V—V of Fig. 3 during the normal use of the roller skate;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 5 but showing the positions of the parts during a braking action;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along line VII—VII of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a three-dimensional view illustrating a modification in the construction of the roller skate of Figs. 1-6 and constituting a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view along line IX—IX of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to that of Fig. 8 but illustrating a third embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The Embodiment of Fiσs. 1-7

With reference to Fig. 1, the illustrated roller skate, therein generally designated 2, is of the in-line skate type; that is, it includes a single line of wheels W--W., of which wheel W- is the frontmost one, and wheel W- is the rearmost one. The roller skate 2 is attached to a shoe 4 to be worn by the user. Preferably, the attachment is in a permanent manner (e.g., by rivets, welding, etc.) as is presently the common practice with respect to roller skates of the roller blade type, but it is contemplated that the attachment could be in a removable manner (e.g., by a clamp) to enable the roller skate also to be used along with conventional shoes.

The structure of the roller skate 2 is more particularly seen in Figs. 2-7. It includes three main components, namely: a base member 6 for attachment of the roller skate to the shoe 4; a wheel carrier 8 carrying the line of four wheels W--W₄; and a brake shoe 10 for braking the roller skates when desired by the user.

The base member 6 comprises two longitudinally extending bars 11, 12 connected together in parallel spaced relationship at the front ends by a sole plate 13, and at the rear ends by a heel plate 14. Sole plate 13 is attached to the sole of the shoe 4 in any suitable manner, e.g., by rivets (not shown); and heel plate 14 is similarly attached to the heel of the shoe. The heel plate 14 is wider than the sole plate 13 so that it extends laterally on opposite sides of the base member 6. The heel plate 14 is also at a slightly higher elevation than the sole plate 13, by the section 15 of plates 11 and 12 of the base member. Such a construction stably supports the user's weight. It also distributes more of the user's weight to the front end of the roller skate 2 during normal use.

The lower surfaces of the two bars 11, 12 of the base member 6 are formed with cutouts 16, 17 (Figs. 2-4) for accommodating the two intermediate wheels W_, W^ of the wheel carrier 8.

The wheel carrier 8 is pivotally mounted to the base member 6 by a pivot pin 20 at the rear end of the wheel carrier, between the two rearmost wheels W.., W.. Wheel carrier 8 also incudes a pair of bars 21 , 22 secured in parallel spaced relationship by a spacer plate 23 secured across the front ends of the two bars, and by pins 24 secured between the two bars and serving as rotary axes for the wheels W..-W.. Spacer plate 23 engages the front undersurfaces of the two bars 11, 12 of base memebr 6 in the normal, non-pivoted position of that member with respect to to the wheel carrier 8. The overall length of the wheel carrier 8 is greater than that of the base member 6, such that the frontmost wheel W₁ projects forwardly of the front end of the base member 6, and the rearmost wheel W. projects rearwardly past the rear end of the base member.

The four wheels W--W. are rotatably supported on pins 24 between the two bars 21, 22 of the wheel carrier 8. Preferably, the spacing between wheels W₁ and W~ is equal to that between wheels ₃ and ., whereas the spacing between wheels W_ and ₃ is slightly larger than the other two wheel spacings. The wheel carrier 8, pivotal along pivotal axis 20 to the base member 6, is normally urged against the base member by a coil spring 25 secured between the front end of the wheel carrier centrally of its bars 21, 22, and the front end of the base member 6 centrally of its bars 11, 12. Wheel carrier 8, however, is releasably retained in its normal position, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, by a releasable retainer device, generally designated 30, best seen in Figs. 5 and 6. Releasable retainer device 30 includes a spacer tube 31 extending between the bars 11, 12 of the base member 6. Tube 31 houses a pair of balls 32, 33 which are spring-urged outwardly by a coil spring 34 so as to be releasably received within recesses or openings 35, 36 formed in the two bars 21 , 22 of the wheel carrier 8 in the normal (non-pivoted) position of the wheel carrier. However, when a sufficient pivotal force is applied to the base member 6, balls 32, 22 unseat from their openings 35, 36 to permit the pivotal movement. These spring-urged balls also engage the sides of bars 11, 12 to self-center the wheel carrier 8 during this pivotal movement.

The previously-mentioned brake shoe 10 is pivotally mounted at the rear end of base member 6 along piotal axis 40. Brake shoe 10 is of a length to overlie only the two rearmost wheels W₃, W.. The underside of brake shoe 10 is formed with two curved recesses 41, 42 of complementary curvature as the outer surfaces of wheels W_, W., respectively, for engagement therewith. Brake shoe 10 is preferably also formed with a longitudinal groove 43 extending for its complete length including the curved recesses 41 , 42 engageable with the outer side surfaces of wheels W,, W. during the braking action. Brake shoe 10 is further formed with a slot 44 accommodating pivot pin 20 of the wheel carrier 8. Slot 44 is slightly elongated to permit some linear movement, as well as pivotal movement, of the.brake shoe with respect to pin 20 during the braking action.

The illustrated roller skate operates in the following manner:

After the user has donned a pair of the shoes 4 illustrated in Fig. 1, each equipped with a roller skate 2, it will be seen that when the user normally stands on the roller skates, the weight of the user is distributed between the sole plate 13 and heel plate 14 of each roller skate, with a larger proportion of the weight being received by the sole plate because of the higher elevation of the heel plate. Accordingly, the user's weight will be applied to the base member 6 of each roller skate along a line, somewhere between the sole plate 13 and heel plate 14, which line is substantially forwardly of pivotal axis 20 of the wheel carrier 8, therefore tending to pivot the base member 6 to a closed position against wheel carrier 8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This closed or normal position of the base member with respect to the wheel carrier is further aided by spring 25 and also by the retainer device 30 since its balls 32, 33 are spring-urged into openings 35, 36 of the two bars 21, 22 of the wheel carrier 8.

Accordingly, in the normal, closed condition of the wheel carrier 8, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the brake shoe 10 is not in engagement with any of the wheels W.-W., and therefore the roller skate operates as in a conventional construction.

Whenever the user wishes to brake the roller skate, the user shifts his or her weight to the heel plate 14 of the base member 6. The center of the heel plate 14 is rearwardly of the pivotal axis 20 of the wheel carrier 8, so that this shifting of the user's weight to the heel will apply a force tending to pivot the base member 6 clockwise about pivotal axis 20, that is, to the open position wherein the front end of the base member 6 rises above the front spacer plate 23 of the wheel carrier 8, thereby expanding spring 25 as shown in Fig. 4. Since pivotal axis 40 of the brake shoe 10 is rearwardly of pivotal axis 20 of the base member 6, this pivotal movement of the base member will bring brake shoe 10, particularly its curved undersurfaces 41, 42, downwardly against the two wheels W-. and W.. The brake shoe 10 thus brakes the rotation of the two rear wheels W₃, W., of the roller skate 2.

It will thus be seen that this braking action can be easily effected by the user by merely shifting the user's weight to the heel. It will also be appreciated that when this braking action is effected, the base member 6 pivots to its open position (Fig. 6) with respect to the wheel carrier 8, so that the wheels of the wheel carrier remain in contact with the ground, thereby stably supporting the user. Whenever the user wishes to terminate the braking action, the user merely shifts the weight slightly forwardly so that the weight is applied forwardly of the piotal axis 20, which will permit the base member 6 to pivot back to its normal position, thereby releasing the brake.

The Embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9

The roller skate illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 is similar to that of Figs. 1-7, and therefore the same reference numerals have been applied to the corresponding parts to facilitate understanding. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 8, however, a pair of brake discs 51, 52 are secured to opposite sides of the rear wheel W. and are engaged by the brake shoe 55 which is configured with side extensions 56, 57 to engage the discs. Such an arrangement relieves the wheels from the wear and tear caused by the braking action, and subjects the braking discs 51 , 52 to such wear and tear. These discs can be constructed to better withstand such wear and tear and also to be replaced whenever necessary.

In all other respects, the roller skate illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 is constructed and operates in the same manner as described above with respect to Figs. 1-7. The Embodiment of Fig. 10

Fig. 10 illustrates a further embodiment wherein the brake member is not engageable with the wheels (Figs. 1-7) or brake discs secured to the wheels (Figs. 8 and 9), but rather is engageable with the ground, similar to the brake member commonly provided in the existing roller skates. However, as briefly described above when the brake member included in the existing roller skate construction is used for braking, this is generally accompanied by the movement of the front wheels out of contact with the ground, which causes the skater to easily lose balance or control. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 10, however, the brake member may be utilized to brake the roller skates while the wheels W_.-W. remain in contact with the ground, thereby better enabling the skater to maintain balance and control during braking.

The brake member illustrated in the roller skate of Fig. 10, and therein designated 60, is of generally triangular configuration and is carried by a pair of arms 61, 62 fixed by fasteners (e.g., rivets) 63, 64 to the rear end of the heel plate 14 of base member 6 such that the brake member extends rearwardly of the rear wheel W.. Brake member 60 is normally spaced above the ground and therefore ineffective during normal skating. When the user shifts weight to the heel plate 14 to pivot to the base member 6 clockwise about pivotal axis 20, brake member 60 is brought into contact with the ground to produce a braking action. while the wheels W_.-W. remain in contact with the ground to enable the user to maintain stable balance and control during the braking action.

In all other respects, the roller skate illustrated in Fig. 10 is constructed and operates in the same manner as described above with respect to Figs. 1-7, and therefore the same reference numerals have been used to identify corresponding parts.

While the invention has been descsribed with respect to three preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that these are set forth merely for purposes of example, and that many other variations may be made. For example, the pivotal mounting 20 may include a shock absorber, and/or shock absorbers may be provided in the wheel mountings. The above described braking arrangements may also be included in a conventional roller skate. Many other variations, modifications and applications of the invention will be apparent.

Claims

1. A roller skate, comprising: a base member to be fixed to the bottom of a shoe to receive a user's foot; and a wheel carrier mounted to said base member, and in turn rotatably mounting a plurality of wheels; characterized in that said wheel carrier is pivotally mounted to said base member about a horizontal pivotal axis, and in that said base member further mounts a brake member effective to brake the roller skate when the base member is pivoted with respect to the wheel carrier.

2. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , wherein said wheel carrier carries a single line of wheels.

3. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , wherein said brake member is a brake shoe engageable with at least one of the wheels of said wheel carrier when the base member is pivoted with respect to said wheel carrier.

4. The roller skate according to Claim 3, wherein said wheel carrier is pivotally mounted at the rear end of said base member, and said brake shoe is carried at the rear end of the base member to engage at least the rearmost wheel of the line of wheels when the base member is pivoted with respect to the wheel carrier.

5. The roller skate according to Claim 4, wherein said brake shoe is dimensioned to engage the two rearmost wheels of the line of .wheels when the base member is pivoted with respect to the wheel carrier.

6. The roller skate according to Claim 5, wherein said brake shoe is pivotally mounted to the base member at a pivot axis between the two rearmost wheels, and includes a recessed surface for and engageable with each of said two rearmost wheels.

7. The roller skate according to Claim 6, wherein said pivotal axis of the wheel carrier to the base member is rearwardly of the axis of the force to be applied by the user's weight, and slightly forward of the axis of the user's heel, during normal use of the roller skate.

8. The roller skate according to Claim 7, wherein the pivotal axis of the brake shoe with respect to the base member is slightly rearwardly of the pivotal axis of the wheel carrier to the base member.

9. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , wherein said brake member is a brake shoe engageable with a pair of brake discs secured to opposite sides of at least one of said wheels of the wheel carrier when the base member is pivoted with respect to said wheel carrier.

10. The roller skate according to Claim 1, wherein said brake member includes a brake element carried by the base member rearwardly of the plurality of wheels to engage the ground when the base member is pivoted with respect to said wheel carrier.

11. The roller skate according to Claim 10, wherein said brake element is carried by a pair of arms fixed to and extending rearwardly of the base member.

12. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , further including spring means for urging said wheel carrier towards said base member.

13. The roller skate according to Claim 12, wherein said spring means comprises a coil spring between said base member and said wheel carrier remote from the pivotal axis of the wheel carrier to the base member.

14. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , further including releasable retainer means for releasably retaining the wheel carrier in a normal position against the base member.

15. The roller skate according to Claim 14, wherein said releasable retainer means comprises a pair of spring-urged balls carried by said base member on opposite sides thereof receivable within recesses formed in opposite sides of the wheel carrier.

16. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , wherein said wheel carrier carries a line of four wheels.

17. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , wherein said base member includes a heel plate for attachment to the sole of the user's shoe, and a sole plate for attachment to the sole of the user's shoe, said sole plate being at a slightly lower elevation than said heel plate.

18. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , wherein said wheel carrier comprises a pair of spaced bars rotatably mounting between them a line of said wheels.

19. The roller skate according to Claim 1 , attached to a shoe.

20. A roller skate, comprising: a shoe to be worn by a user; a base member including a heel plate attached to the heel of said shoe and a sole plate attached to the sole of said shoe, said sole plate being at a slightly lower elevation than said heel plate; a wheel carrier pivotally mounted to said base member about a horizontal pivotal axis, said wheel carrier rotatably mounting a plurality of wheels in a single line; and a brake member carried by said base member and effective to brake the roller skate when the base member is pivoted with respect to said wheel carrier.