CA2187679A1

CA2187679A1 - In-line skate braking system

Info

Publication number: CA2187679A1
Application number: CA002187679A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Michele Palladino
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-11
Filing date: 1996-10-11
Publication date: 1998-04-11

Abstract

An improvement to the sporting equipment of in-line skates. The braking system is designed so that all the wheels of the skate are in contact with the ground and that the braking action is manually applied to the wheels. The generic in-line skate has several elements such as a boot and a lower chassis that mount the wheels in series. The standard brake is a friction pad on the lower chassis extension. The structure of this improvement includes three distinct elements, the manual brake actuator, the braking mechanism and a modified lower chassis that accommodates the braking mechanism. The manual brake actuator operates similarly to a bicycle braking system; utilizing levers and cables. As the levers of the manual brake actuator are closed, the wire insert of the cable is moved resulting in engagement of the braking mechanism. This braking mechanism is configured for the two most popular types of braking configurations: the disc pincer type and the drum and shoe type.

Description

- 21 8767~
The present invention relates to a manually operated braking systems for in-line skates whereby, the hand ~el~tes a m~n~ brake actuator that engages the brakes to the wheels. Generic in-line skates are a sporting a~a~ allls consisting of a boot and lower chassis where the wheels are mounted in series not in tandem as in roller-skates.

Various types of braking systems are comrnercially used. The standard passive braking type include a brake pad at the bottom of the o lower ch~ssi~ extension of the in-line skate. The foot must be rotated about the ankle till the pad contacts the floor surface. This type of system for braking requires that most of the wheels be lifted off the ground, thereby re~ c.in~ road contact, increasing instability by placing more weight on one leg and lifting most of the wheels off the ground.
Another type of braking system is man~lf~ctllred by Rollerblade Inc., named "Active Brake Technology". This system forces down the brake pad onto the rolling surface by artic~ tin~ the ankle backwards as the foot is e~te~e~l fol ~vard. A lever connected to the upper ankle 20 support presses down the brake pad onto the ground. The Rollerblade Inc. system is very simple to manufacture, m~int~in~ all wheel contact to the ground but, brake force is simply drag and brake eff1ciency is dependent on the properties of the rolling surfaces. Also, braking action is dependent on the articulation of the lower boot.
.

It is desirable to have a braking system where the engagement force is put into the braking system instead of simply eng;q~ging a drag device. It is also advantageous to be able to apply the brakes regardless of foot position and motion. The present invention relates to a more 30 efficient braking system with a consistent braking force and independent brake application.
The present invention consists of a device for reducing the speed of in-line skates. In one aspect of the invention, the braking system comprises of a m~nl~l brake actuator, a lower ch~c~i~, a braking arm actuator and a disc braking mech~ni~m. The manual brake actuator consists of two high strength linear arms operating as levers. There is a cam structure on the bottom of one lever that connects to a brake cable.
There is a circular return spring separating the two levers.

2 1 87~79 As the levers are closed together, the wire insert of the brake cable is displaced. The opposite end of the brake cable is connected to the braking arm actuator. The tr~n~l~tional motion ofthe braking arm actuator engages the braking system through cam and follower interaction. When the m~ml~l brake actuator is released the return spring assists in the s~a~alion of the levers. The cam structure optimi7es the braking force by increasing the mechanical advantage.

o In this aspect, the disc braking mech~ni~m comprises, of at least one pair of braking arms, at least one metal wheel, a pair of brake pads for each metal wheel, a lower pulley for the brake cable and a coll",ression spring, for each braking arm.

In this aspect the lower chassis comprises of, a high strength wheel carriage forming an in-line skate and is connected to the boot. There is a hollow lower chassis extension for the braking arm actuator to slide into and the bottom of this ext~n~ion forms a secondary standard passive brake area. There is a transverse opening for-each brake pad, perpendicular to the braking surface, forming a guide for the smooth movement of the brake pad. Inside the extension, the braking arm actuator, translate along a pair of grooved guides. A hinge mount for each braking arm is located on both sides of the lower chassis.

The rectangular braking arm actuator, has a cam profile along the vertical ends to move the braking arms and at the bottom, there is a slot for the end of the brake cable wire to fit into. An elastomer return spring is located on the top of the braking arm actuator, which is fastened to the inside top of the lower extension. There are two pairs of location pins that fit into the groove guides of the lower chassis extension and these guide the translation of the braking arm actuator. The braking arm actuator operates with the braking arms through cam and follower interaction.

The rear end of the braking arms, follow the cam profile on the braking arm actuator and operate in tandem, as levers of the first kind, to produce a pincer braking action on the metal wheels. The linear braking - 21 8767q arms are constructed of high strength material and are mounted at the hinge joint on the lower chassis. There is a spherical faced structure at the braking arm actuator end. At the front of the braking arms there is a con~ression spring to disengage the brake pad from the wheel when the m~nl~l brake ~ct~l~tor is disengaged. There is a locking adjusting screw integrated in the arms for each brake pad.

The brake pads consist of a high friction material, with a pined connection to the adjustment screw. The through holes in the lower çh~si~ form a guide for the translation ofthe brake pad. The pads o conform to the braking surface on the metal wheels. The clearance between the brake pad and braking surface is set by the locking adjustment screw.

The metal wheel is formed by at least one pair of m~ting symmetric metal discs; the discs are fastened together. A polymer rim fits between the two discs forming a tire. A trapezoidal grove on the outsides of each metal disc, provides a braking surface for the brake pads and all the wheels rotate on the axles.

The disc braking mech~ni~m, whereby the levers ofthe manual 20 braking actuator are closed together by the hand, resulting in the tr~ncl~tion of the braking arm actuator. The braking arms operate as lever of the first kind therefore as the follower ends of the braking arms are pushed out by the braking arm actuator, at the opposite end, the brake pads clasp the metallic wheels, hence slowing the in-line skate.

In another aspect of the invention, the braking mech~ni~m operates as a drum and shoe mech~ni~m In this aspect, the braking system has the same manual brake actuator. The lower ch~si~ is 30 modified to accommodate the drum and shoe braking system and the braking arm actuator is elimin~te~l. In this embodiment there is a modified lower chassis, upper and lower braking arms, which are modified for the drum and shoe braking system.

_ 2 1 87679 In this aspect, the drum and shoe braking system comprises of, at least one braking wheel and axle, two pairs of braking shoes for each braking wheel and a co~ ssion return spring. The lower t~h~si~
consists of a generic in-line skate wheel carriage; modified to accommodate the braking mech~ni~m. There are two pairs of circular flanges for the upper and lower braking arms to mount onto. There is a lower extension for the passive secondary brake and a pair of slotted guides located on the inner and outer side of the lower extension.

Each of the braking arms form A-shaped levers of high strength o material. The braking arms are mounted and rotate around their respective circular flanges on the lower chassis. The pulley is located at the end of the lower braking arm. The brake cable wraps around the lower pulley and is fastened to the end of the upper braking arm.
The braking arm is reinforced by a crossmember p~sing through the slots in the brake extension, to the connect both sides of the braking arm, to form an A-frame.

The upper and lower braking arms operate as levers of the third kind. The two fulcrums for each braking arm are located near the ends of the A-shape. The fulcrums are mounted to their respective circular 20 flange on the lower chassis. The brake levers, operate on the exterior of the in-line skate.

A braking wheel assembly, consists of a standard polymer wheel fastened on a metallic axle. The end of the axle extends beyond the wheel carriage to form a braking surface. The braking wheel and axle rotate together on bearings located in the lower chassis.

The braking shoes are constructed of a high friction material and of a geometry for conforming with the braking surface. The shoes have a hinged joint that allows the shoes to conform to the braking surface.
The shoes are mounted near the fulcrums of the braking arms.

When the manual brake actuator is closed, this causes the tr~ tion of the brake cable wire. The wire applies a downward force on the upper braking arms at the same time an u~w~'ds force is applied to the lower braking arm. These forces cause the movement of the braking arms, thereby applying the braking shoes to the drum.

The invention as exemplified by the preferred embodiments, are described with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is the side view of the disc brake embodiment, in-line skate, in the neutral position;

Figure 1 Section B-B, is an auxiliary view of the braking arm actuator assembly;
Figure 1-A Section A-A, is a sectional view of the lower chassis of the disc brake embodiment, in the neutral position;

Figure 2, is the side view of the embodiment of the disc brake in-line skate with the brakes being applied;

Figure 2-C Section C-C, is the sectional view of the embodiment of the disc brake lower chassis with the brakes being applied.

Figure 3, is the side view ofthe embodiment ofthe drum and shoe brake in-line skate, in the neutral position;

Figure 3-D Section D-D, is a sectional view of the lower chassis of the drum and shoe brake embodiment, in the neutral position; and Figure 4 is the side view of the embodiment of the drum and shoe 40 brake in-line skate with the brakes being applied;

Referring to the drawing~ for the di~c brake embodiment of the2 1 8 7 6 7 9 invention, shown a m~ml~l brake actuator 12, an in-line skate 10, a braking arm actuator 13 and a lower chassis 11; cont~ining the braking arm actuator The manual brake actuator 12 has two levers 14 that are controlled by the hand. The brake cable 17 connects the m~ml~J brake ~ctll~tor to the end slot 28 at the bottom of the braking arm actuator. The brake cable enters the hollow lower extension 19 through the pulley 21, The wire insert is redirected upwards to fasten to the braking arm actuator end slot 28 . The cam mech~ni~m 15 in the m~ml~l braking actuator lO increases the braking force through mechanical advantage. The return circular spring 16 helps to separate the levers 14 when the manual brake actuator 12 is released.

~ ererring to ~igure 2, Figure 2-C section C-C, when the m~
braking ~ctll~tor 12 is closed, the brake cables wire insert is displaced, causing the braking arm actuator to move down. At the rear end the braking arms have a spherical face surface 31 that interact with the cam surface 27 on the braking arm ~ctll~tor. When the braking arm ~ tor moves down the cam structure along the vertical ends 27 push the braking arms 18 outwards.

The braking arms operate as levers of the first kind, therefore as one end is pushed out the other end is moved inwards. At the front end of the braking arm, a trapezoidal brake pad 20 is fastened by a locking adjustable screw 32. The pad horizontal translation is allowed, due to the pin joint 34 to the adjusting screw and the through hole and guide 24 in the lower chassis. There is a compression spring 22 at the brake pad end of the braking arms and an eIastomer return 29 on top of the braking arm ~chl~tor, to separate the pad from the wheel when the manual brake actuator is released. At the fulcrurn of the braking arms there is a hinge joint 33.

The braking mech~ni~m is contained to the lower chassis Figure 1-A section A-A and Figure 2-C section C-C respectively. There is an extension 19 on the lower chassis 11 for the secondary standard passive brake pad 23. There is a transverse hole 24 that operates a guide for the 2 1 8767q brake pad 20. There is a hinge flange 25 for the braking arms 33 to mount onto. In the extension there is a pair of tandem grooves 26 that the location pins 30 of the braking arm actuator slide into.

The lower chassis is of a high strength material that the wheels are n~ounted in~ e. The non- braking wheels are generic polymer in-line skate wheels~ that rotate on the axIe. l~he braking wheel has a groove around the outer edge 37 that mates with the brake pad 20. The braking nsetal wheel is formed by two metal discs that are fastened together 35 to form a rim so that a polymer tire 36 can fit into it.

Referring to the drawings: Figure ~, Figure ~-D section l~-D and I~igure 4. The embodiment of the invention, of the drum and shoe brake configuration, shown as a manual brake actuator 12, an in-line skate 10, ~s with the previous embodiment. In this embodiment the upper and luw~r br~king arrns are 40 and 41 respectively. They form an A-frame by ~e cross member 45, and are mounted on the circular ilanges 42 of the IO~J~ chassis. The ~rc~ss member goes through a slot 50 in the lower chassis extension. ~le slots have a len~th and arcuate, to allow the full motion of the braking arms. The braking arms operate as levers of the third kind. The return spring 46 is mounted between the cross members, wherebv when the manual brake actuator is released the brake shoes sep~te from the braking surface.

When t~le manual braking a.ctuator closes 12, the wire insert of the brake cable is displaced, resulting in the upper and lower braking arms to engage the brakes. The braking arms are engaged through a pulley system on lhe outside ends. The brake cable end is mounted on the end of the brake extension whereby the brake cable wire insert passes through the upper brake arrn and wraps around the pulley 43 on the lower braking a~n and is ~astened to the slot on the end of the upper braking arm 44.

The brake shoes 49, are mounted on a hinged joint near the fulcrum of the braking arms. The hinged joint allows the braking shoes to mate properly, with the braking surface through the range of motion of the braking arms. The braking surface 47 forms a drum by an extension on the wheel axle. The braking wheel and axle are fastened together hence, rotate together on bearings. When the braking arms are engaged, the brake shoes clasp the braking surface and thereby slowing the in-line skate. When the m~n~ l brake actuator is released, the return spring in the brake extension and the circular return spring of the m~nll~l brake o actuator release the shoes from the drum.

Although only two embodiments of the present invention has been described and illustrated, the present invention is not limited to the features of this embodiment, but include all variations and modifications within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A device for reducing the speed of an in-line skate, comprising:
a modified lower chassis;
a braking mechanism operably connected to the lower chassis; and a remote manual brake actuator whereby a hand operates the actuator thereby engaging the braking mechanism.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, where the manual braking actuator further comprises:
a pair of high strength linear arms, operating as levers;
a circular return spring separating the two levers; and a generic bicycle brake cable operably connecting the levers to the braking mechanism.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, whereby a hand closes together the two levers of the manual braking actuator, causing translation of the brake cable, thereby engaging the brake mechanism.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2,3, wherein the manual brake actuator has a cam structure fixed to the end of the lever with the cable connected to it, thereby increasing the mechanical advantage of the brake actuator.

5. A braking mechanism as claimed in claim 1, configured for disc brake operation comprising:
at least one metal braking wheel, with allowances for a polymer tire and a braking surface near the circumference;
a pair of brake pads for each metal wheel;
at least one pair of braking arms, that apply the brake pads to the metal wheel; and a braking arm actuator that is engaged by the manual braking actuator and acts upon the braking arms through cam and follower interaction.

6. A disc braking mechanism as claimed in claim 5, where the braking arms, further comprises:
at least one pair of linear metallic arms operating as levers of first kind;
a spherical faced follower structure at the back end, which interacts with the braking arm actuator;
a locking adjustment screw located at the front end, above the braking surface on the metal wheel, used to set the clearance between the brake pad and the wheel;
the brake pad mounts to a pin on the adjustable screw; and means of mounting the braking arms between the follower end and the brake pad end so that the arms operate as levers.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, where the modified lower chassis further comprises:
an in-line wheel carriage;
a hollow rectangular rear extension; and the wheel carriage and extension are operably connected to the braking mechanism.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, where the modified lower chassis further comprises:
a through hole on the inner and outer side of the extension, that allows for the operation of follower portion of the braking arms;
a through hole on the inner and outer side of the lower chassis above the braking surface of the metal wheel, that forms a guide for the translation of the brake pads; and a hinged mount on the inner and outer side of the lower chassis for each braking arm, allowing for the articulation of the braking arm from the follower end to the brake pad end.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7,8, where the modified lower chassis further comprises:
a lower pulley mounted perpendicular to the rear face of the extension, whereby a portion of the pulley enters the hollow interior of the extension;
a pair of opposite facing longitudinal groove in the interior of the hollow extension;
the brake cable wire insert leads from the manual brake actuator to wrap around the pulley and enters the hollow interior of the extension to fasten with the braking arm actuator; and the braking arm actuator is pulled down the groove guide by the manual brake actuator, causing the braking arms to be pushed out at the follower end, thereby applying the brakes at the other end.

10. A disc braking mechanism as claimed in claim 5,6, where the braking arm actuator further comprises:
a cam structure along the vertical ends;
an end slot that the end of the brake cable wire fits into;
two pairs of location pins;
as the braking arm actuator is engaged, the location pins guide the translation of the braking actuator along the slotted grooves, so that the cam surface pushes out the braking arms.

11. A disc braking mechanism as claimed in claim 10, where an elastomer return spring connecting the top of the brake actuator to the top of the extension, whereby when the hand releases the manual brake actuator the return spring pulls up on the braking arm actuator, helping to disengage the braking arms.

12. A disc braking mechanism as claimed in claim 5,6, where the brake pads comprises:
a high friction material;
a flexible connection to the adjustment screw;
a geometry that mates to the braking surface;
the braking arms rotation causes a horizontal translation of the brake pad, thereby applying the brake pad to the wheel;
and the pad is guided by the hole in the lower chassis, whereby the flexible joint compensates for the difference in rotational motion of the braking arm and translation motion of the brake pad.

13. A disc braking mechanism as claimed in claim 5, where the metal wheels comprises:
at least one pair of mating symmetric metal discs;
means to fastens the pair of discs into one wheel centre;
allowances for elastomer or polymer tire;
a braking surface with a geometry and surface texture to maximize frictional force; and the braking wheels are composed of a metal centre which is designed to tolerate the braking force and a polymer tire whereby, the polymer tire is placed between the two discs before they are fastened together.

14. In the braking system having the old elements of the manual brake actuator, modified lower chassis and the disc braking mechanism, the combination of the manual brake actuator with, a drum and shoe braking system using, an upper and lower braking arm, with a modified lower chassis designed to accommodate the braking arms and drum and shoe braking mechanism.

15. A drum and shoe braking mechanism as claimed in claim 14, comprising:
at least one braking wheel and axle assembly with a braking surface on the axle ends;
at least two pairs of braking shoes for each braking wheel; and a compression spring to separate the brake shoes from the braking surface.

16. A device as claimed in claim 14,1 where the modified lower chassis comprises:
a high strength wheel carriage of the in-line skate, connected to the boot;
a pair of collinear circular flange for each braking arm, an extension for the passive secondary brake;
the a pair of slotted guides located in the extension;
the upper and lower braking arms mount to their respective flange.

17. A device as claimed in claim 14 where the upper and lower braking arms, comprises:
A-shaped levers of high strength material;
the levers rotate around the flange on the lower chassis;
a pulley is located at the end of the lower braking arm;
the brake cable end is fastened to the end of the upper braking arm; and each braking arm forming an A-frame by the a crossmember passing through the slot in the brake extension.

18. A device as claimed in claim 2,3,4, whereby the brake cable's wire insert, wraps around the pulley on the lower brake arm and fastens to the upper brake arm.

19. A device as claimed in claim 17, where the upper and lower braking arms operate as a lever of the third kind, and the end of each arm mounts to their respective circular flange on the lower chassis;

20. A device as claimed in claim 15, where the braking wheel comprises:
a generic in-line skate wheel which is fastened on a metallic axle;
the axle ends extends beyond the wheel carriage;
a braking surface is formed on the axle ends; and the braking force slows the axle and wheel assembly.

21. A device as claimed in claim 15, with the braking shoe comprising:
a high friction material;
a geometry to conform with the axle ends, and means for mounting and adjusting on the inside braking arm.

22. A device as claimed in claim 14, whereby a hand closes a manual brake actuator, causing translation of a brake cable, the brake cable leads from the manual brake actuator to wrap around a pulley on the lower braking arm and is fastened to the end of the upper braking arm, the brake cable movement causes downwards movement on the upper braking arm and upwards movement on the lower braking arm, each braking arm is mounted at the ends to a pair of circular flanges, and the braking shoes are mounted on the braking arms; and a braking surface is formed by axle ends that extend beyond the lower chassis, the braking shoes are facing opposite across the braking surface

23. A device for reducing the speed of in-line skates, comprising:
a manual brake actuator, operably connected to a braking mechanism, a hand operates the manual brake actuator, to generate translation motion of a brake cable, thereby engaging the braking mechanism; and the braking mechanism is operably connected to a lower chassis of the in-line skate, the force generated by the hand is directed through a linkage, into a braking force that is applied to at least one braking wheel directly and indirectly and this braking force is increased by designing mechanical advantage into the linkage.