CA2369165A1 - Inline skate/ski and snowboard interface - Google Patents

Inline skate/ski and snowboard interface Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2369165A1
CA2369165A1 CA002369165A CA2369165A CA2369165A1 CA 2369165 A1 CA2369165 A1 CA 2369165A1 CA 002369165 A CA002369165 A CA 002369165A CA 2369165 A CA2369165 A CA 2369165A CA 2369165 A1 CA2369165 A1 CA 2369165A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
ski
skate
interface
snowboard
boot
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002369165A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Richard K. Weissenborn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA002369165A priority Critical patent/CA2369165A1/en
Publication of CA2369165A1 publication Critical patent/CA2369165A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63CSKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C9/00Ski bindings
    • A63C9/005Ski bindings with means for adjusting the position of a shoe holder or of the complete binding relative to the ski
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63CSKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C17/00Roller skates; Skate-boards
    • A63C17/18Roller skates; Skate-boards convertible into ice or snow-running skates
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63CSKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C9/00Ski bindings
    • A63C9/003Non-swivel sole plate fixed on the ski
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63CSKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C17/00Roller skates; Skate-boards
    • A63C17/04Roller skates; Skate-boards with wheels arranged otherwise than in two pairs
    • A63C17/06Roller skates; Skate-boards with wheels arranged otherwise than in two pairs single-track type

Landscapes

  • Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Abstract

An interface allows inline roller skates to be converted for use with various forms of winter snowsport equipment including skis, skiboards and snowboards, enabling their use on all forms of snow-covered out-door terrain, including ski and snowboard slopes, back country and cross-country tracks. Conventional inline roller skates are thus readily converted allowing the user to accelerate, turn, decelerate and stop using conventional downhill snow skiing, snowboarding and/or cross country skate skiing techniques.

Description

Inline Skate/Ski and Snowboard Interface BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides an interface to allow inline skates to be converted for use with skis, snowboards and the like.
Inline skating has become a popular form of sport and recreation as well as an enjoyable pastime. Inline skates are generally used in pairs and comprise a boot, frame and plurality of wheels. Prior art teaches that inline skates are distinguished from traditional quad skates by having wheels mounted in a common plane with the axles of the wheels in a parallel, spaced apart alignment. Inline skates having a plurality of wheels with a diameter of 2 to 3 1/4 inches (50 mm to 80 mm) mounted on an elongated frame and attached to a skate boot are well known in various forms from the state of the art. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,526 to Olsen et al. dated Jun. 22, 1999 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,135 464 to Borel dated Oct. 24; 2000.
Inline skating provides a skating motion that closely simulates both ice-skating and cross country skate skiing. Skating motions used when inline skating also closely simulate motions used while downhill skiing, skiboarding or snowboarding.
Inline skates with polyurethane wheels are best suited for use on smooth hard surfaces such as paved streets and sidewalks. Such skates are hot easily used on other surfaces such as ice nor snow.
Certain designs have been suggested to provide means to adapt inline skate for use on surfaces other than paved streets and sidewalks. For example: U.S. Pat.
No.
4,492,385 to Olson dated Jan.B, 1985 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,328 to Pawlowsli et al.
dated Max. 21, 2000 teaches the use of an interchangeable ice-skate blade that can be substituted for inline skate wheels thereby allowing an inline skate boot and frame to be used for ice skating. It is not possible, however to use ice-skate blades comfortably on snow covered surfaces where the use of skis or a snowboard is preferable.
Downhill snow skiers and skiboarders (a skiboard is a type of snow ski which is short, typically %2 -1 m in length) use hard plastic shell ski boots with a standardized toe and heel portion. Snowboarders employ the use of either 'hard-boots' or 'soft-boots' according to preference. Snowboard 'hard-boots' have a standardized toe and heel that closely resembles the toe and heel of downhill ski and skiboard boots. The present invention is designed to affix an inline skate boot and frame to downhill ski, ski-board or 'hard-boot' snowboard bindings.
OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
One object of this invention is to provide an interface to allow inline skates to be readily converted for use as ski or snowboard boots.
Another object of the invention to provide an interface that allows a skier or snowboarderto safely and comfortably attach an inline boot/frarne assembly to downhill skis, skiboards and snowboards using standard ski or snowboard bindings.
Another object of this invention is to make the interface compatible with a substantial number of inline skates, ski, skiboard and snowboard bindings.
Another object of this invention is to provide an interface that is readily interchangeable with inline skate wheels using the inline skate frame and existing axle components to securely fasten the interface.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means of attaching a light-duty inline skate boot and frame to a ski or snowboard to allow a skier or snowboarder to comfortably and efficiently use downhill skiing or snowboarding technique when traversing downhill.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a means of attaching a light-duty inline skate boot and frame to a skiboard to allow a skier to comfortably and efficiently use cross country skating technique to negotiate up-hill terrain and comfortably and efficiently use downhill skiing, technique when traversing downhill using the same equipment.
Accordingly, the invention in one aspect provides a skate/ski and snowboard interface that allows an inline skate boot and frame to be attached to a ski, skiboard or snowboard with bindings including a toe piece and a heel piece comprising a boot portion simulating a ski or snowboard boot and a mounting portion to allow the interface to be fixably attached to an inline skate frame; said boot portion including a front part adapted to engage a binding toe piece and a rear part adapted to engage a binding heel piece.
In one preferred form the boot portion includes a sole which presents a toe portion and a heel portion, each of which portions having a lip which is adapted to engage ski,.
skiboard and snowboard bindings.
In another preferred form the mounting portion of the interface includes at least one mounting block adapted to fit between the spaced apart sidewalls of an inline skate frame with mounting apertures on the block adapted to be aligned with the inline skate wheel axle apertures on the inline skate frame, allowing the interface to be fixably mounted to the skate frame by placing the skate wheel axles transversely through the skate frame and mounting block.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following discussion, taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the interface in accord with the present invention, shown in relation to an inline skate boot and skate frame (depicted in phantom view);
FIG 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the interface according to the invention allowing the interface to be adjusted relative to the skate frame mounting holes which can vary between types of inline skates and according to the manufacturer;
FIG. 2A is another side view of the interface fully extended;
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of one embodiment of the interface according to the invention;
FIG. 3A is a bottom view of the interface fully extended;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the toe component of the interface;
FIG. 4A is a side view of the toe component alone SECTION GG of FIG. 4;
FIG. 4B is an additional side view of the toe component along SECTION HH of FIG. 4;
FIG. 4C is a section detail taken along SECTION II of FIG 4;
FIG. 4D is a bottom plan view of the toe component of the interface;
FIG: 4E is a.front elevation view of the toe component of the interface according to END VIEW I of FIG 4D;
FIG. 4F is a back elevation view of the toe component of the interface according .
to END VIEW 2 of FIG. 4D;
FIG. 4G is a side view of the toe component of the interface;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the heel component of the interface;
FIG. 5A is a side view of the heel component along SECTION JJ of FIG. 5;
FIG. 5B is an additional side view of the heel component along SECTION KK
of FIG. 5;
FIG. SC is a section detail taken along SECTION LL of FIGS;
FIG. SD is a bottom plan view of the heel component of the interface;
FIG. SE is a front elevation view of the heel component of the interface according to END VIEW I of FIG. 5B;
FIG. SF is a back elevation view of the heel component of the interface according to END VIEW 2 of FIG. 5B;
FIG. SG is a side view of the heel component of the interface;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the slide component of the interface;
FIG. 6A is a side view of the slide according to FIG. 6;
FIG. 6B is an end view of the slide according to FIG. 6;
FIG. 6C is a bottom view of the slide according to FIG. 6;
FIG. 6D is a section detail taken along SECTION MM of FIG. 6C; and FIG. 6E is a section detail taken along SECTION NN of FIG. 6C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring firstly to FIG. 1, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, there is shown a skate/ski and snowboard interface 10 fixably mounted to an inline skate 1 where the inline skate wheels have been removed from the skate frame 3 and replaced by the interface 10 using the inline skate wheel axles 2 and associated hardware to fasten the interface 10 to the skate frame 3.
The skate/ski and snowboard interface in accordance with this embodiment generally comprises an interface 10 simulating a ski or snowboard boot. The sole 5 of interface 10 has a front part 6 adapted to engage the toe piece of a ski or snowboard binding and a rear part 7 adapted to engage the heel piece of a ski or snowboard binding.
The sole is preferably shaped in accordance with the International Standards Organization (ISO) specifications for ski and snowboard boots. These specifications call for the width of the sole as well as the radius and other dimensions of the heel and toe.
The front part 6 and the rear part 7 of the interface 10 have an adjustable spacing to simulate different sizes of ski boots and align the skate frame axle apertures 8 with mounting apertures 9 in mounting blocks 4a and 4c. Mounting blocks 4a, 4b and 4c have the same width as standard inline skate wheels, and take the place of skate wheels when positioned between the parallel and spaced apart sidewalk 12a and 12b of skate frame 3. The inline skate wheel axles 11 and associated hardware are used to securely fasten the interface 10 to the skate frame 3. Mounting aperatures 9a and 9c in mounting blocks 4a and 4c are round so as to provide minimal tolerance around skate wheel axles 11 when the axles 11 are positioned through apertures 9a and 9c to fasten the interface 10 to the skate frame 3, while mounting aperature 9b in mounting block 4b may take the form of an elongated slot in order to accommodate a wide variety of inline skates as the spacing of skate frame axle aperatures 8 may vary according to skate manufacturer.
Adjustment of the front part 6 and rear part 7 of the interface 10 is accomplished by loosening knob 13 to permit relative telescoping movement between the front part 6 and the rear part 7, following which knob 13 is tightened.
Referring now to FIGS. 4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f and 4g of the drawings, the front part 6 of the interface 10 has a U-shaped section as best shown in FIG. 4c including a base 14, side walls 15, 16 and upper sole plate 17. Referring now to Figs. 5, Sa,Sb, Sc, Sd, Se and Sf of the drawings, the rear part 7 has a T-shaped section best shown in Fig.
5c, including lower sole plate 18 and stem 19. At the bottom of the lower sole plate 18 there are teeth 20 (best shown in Figs. 5 and Sb) which mate with teeth 21 on the upper sole plate 21 of front part 6 (best shown in Figs. 4b and 4c).

Reference will now be had to Figs: 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d and 6e illustrating slide in some detail. A standard hex bolt 29 is positioned through hole 23 in slide 22 (best shown in Fig.6d) and hole 26 in front part 6 (best shown in Figs.4, 4c and 4d), with the bolt head captivated by hex depression 24 in slide 22. Slide 22 has a T-shaped section NN of Fig. 6c with external walls 26a, 27a and 28a that allow slide 22 to fit in and cooperate with walls 26, 28 and shelf 27 of slot 25 (best shown in Fig.Sc).
Slide 22 is movable length-wise along slot 25 in rear part 7. Knob 13 (best shown in Figs.
2 and 2a) is threaded on hex bolt 29 and may be loosened to allow relative telescoping of front and rear parts 6 and 7 to permit alignment of skate frame axle apertures 8 with mounting apertures 9 in mounting blocks 4a and 4c, and then tightened causing external wall 27a of slide 22 to compress against shelf 27 of slot 25, thereby causing a substantial number of teeth 20 on rear part 7 and teeth 21 on front part 6 to be firmly interlocked. It is preferred that the front part 6 and rear part 7 have at least 100 mm of telescoping movement with 1 mm to 2 mm incremental adjustment (depending on the size of teeth 20 and 21 ). Rear part 7 has a T-shaped section including lower sole plate 18 and stem 19. At the bottom ofthe lower sole plate 18 there are teeth,20 (best shown in FIGS. 5 and Sb) which mate with teeth 21 on the upper sole plate 17. It is preferred that at least 100mm of potential adjustment with 2mm increments as successive teeth are engaged.
A standard hex bolt is positioned through hole 23 in slide 22 and hole 26 in front part 6 with the bolt head being captivated by hex depression 24 in slide 22. Knob 13 may be tightened to compress front part 6 and rear part 7 together between knob 13 and slide 22.
Knob 13 may be loosened to permit adjustment of boat size and align the skate frame axle apertures 8 with mounting apertures 9 in mounting blocks 4a and 4c, and then tightened to maintain firm interlocking of front and rear parts 6 and 7. Slide 22 is movable along a slot 25 in rear part 7.
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described by way of example.
Those skilled in the art will realize that various modifications and changes may be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. Hence the invention is not to be limited to the embodiment as described but, rather, the invention encompasses the full range of equivalencies as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (6)

1. A skate/ ski and snowboard interface that allows an inline skate boot and frame to be attached to a ski, skiboard or snowboard with bindings including a toe piece and a heel piece comprising a boot portion simulating a ski or snowboard boot and a mounting portion to allow the interface to be fixably attached to an inline skate frame; said boot portion including a front part adapted to engage a binding toe piece and a rear part adapted to engage a binding heel piece.
2. A skate/ski or snowboard interface as in claim 1, wherein the boot portion includes a sole which presents a toe portion and a heel portion, each of which portions having a lip which is adapted to engage ski,. skiboard and snowboard bindings.
3. A skate/ski or snowboard interface as in claim 1, in which the mounting portion of the interface includes at least one mounting block adapted to fit between the spaced apart sidewalls of an inline skate frame with mounting apertures on the block adapted to be aligned with the inline skate wheel axle apertures on the inline skate frame, allowing the interface to be fixably mounted to the skate frame by placing the skate wheel axles transversely through the skate frame and mounting block.
4. A skate/ski or snowboard interface as in claim 1, wherein the boot sole, toe portion, heel portion and mounting block(s) of the interface are integrated to be manufactured as one piece.
5. A skate/ski or snowboard interface that allows an inline skate boot and frame to be attached to a ski, skiboard or snowboard with bindings including a toe piece and a heel piece comprising a boot portion simulating a ski or snowboard boot and a mounting portion to allow the interface to be fixably attached to an inline skate frame; said boot portion having an upper section including a front part adapted to engage a binding toe piece, a rear part adapted to engage a binding heel piece and means for adjusting the spacing between the rear part and the front part to simulate different sizes of ski or snowboard boots, one part of the boot portion having a U-shaped section the upper sole plate of which has transverse teeth, and the other part of the boot portion having a T-shaped section and having teeth at the bottom of the lower sole plate of the T-shaped section to engage the transverse teeth of the U-shaped section to permit incremental adjustments to simulate ski boot sizes and releasable means for clamping the U-shaped section and the T-shaped section to lock said teeth in engagement.
6. A skate/ski or snowboard interface as in claim 5, in which the releasable means for clamping the U-shaped section and the T-shaped section comprises a longitudinal slot in the T-shaped section, extending through an upright stem of the T, a slide longitudinally movable in the slot, at least one aperture in the base of the U-shaped section and at least one bolt passing through the aperture and slot and engaging said slide so that the teeth of the U-shaped section and the teeth of the T-shaped section will be locked in engagement when the bolt is tightened and will be disengagable for ski boot size adjustment when the bolt is loosened.
CA002369165A 2002-01-23 2002-01-23 Inline skate/ski and snowboard interface Abandoned CA2369165A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002369165A CA2369165A1 (en) 2002-01-23 2002-01-23 Inline skate/ski and snowboard interface

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002369165A CA2369165A1 (en) 2002-01-23 2002-01-23 Inline skate/ski and snowboard interface

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2369165A1 true CA2369165A1 (en) 2003-07-23

Family

ID=27626489

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002369165A Abandoned CA2369165A1 (en) 2002-01-23 2002-01-23 Inline skate/ski and snowboard interface

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2369165A1 (en)

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