EP0741598B1 - Shoe with retractable rollers - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/FR95/00093 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 22, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 22, 1996 PCT Filed Jan. 26, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO95/20424 PCT Pub. Date Aug. 3, 1995Roller mounted shoe including at least one front roller (3a, 3b) and at least one rear roller (4a, 4b). The front (3a, 3b) and rear (4a, 4b) rollers are movable between a first ground-engaging position and a second raised position. The front (3a, 3b) and rear (4a, 4b) rollers are connected to one another by means of a flexible link (11) extending through the sole (2), so as to simultaneously displace the front (3a, 3b) and rear (4a, 4b) rollers using pull members connected to the flexible link (11).

Description

The invention relates to a shoe with retractable wheels, as well as a shoe sole comprising retractable wheels.

Document GB-334,782 describes a roller skate, in which the wheels are mounted on a hollow body in the form of a cradle. The cradle-shaped hollow body is mounted to oscillate by means of a linkage between two extreme positions in one of which the wheels carry the cradle-shaped body while in the other extreme position, the cradle-shaped body rests On the ground. This roller skate device requires the use of a complex mechanical linkage and mechanical locking means which significantly raise the feet of the user in an uncomfortable position.

Document US Pat. No. 3,884,485 relates to a retractable roller skate comprising a body adapted to be attached to a shoe, a plurality of rollers carried in rotation on retraction means and housed in said body. The retraction means serve to move said rollers in one of two distinct positions: in a separate position, the rollers are completely housed inside the body and, in the other separate position, they protrude at least partially from said body . The retraction means comprise pivoting levers lockable by means of a manual control button with spring return. Although this device is simpler than the device described in GB-334 782, it involves the use of mechanical means making it impossible to integrate the roller skate platform with a shoe sole.

Document US Pat. No. 3,979,842 describes an exercise device forming a shoe. This device includes a thick sole inside which levers recalled by springs are pivotally mounted at one end while their other end carries a caster. Because the very thick sole takes up significant mechanical forces transmitted by the pivots of the levers and also form an end stop for the water positions of said levers, it is necessary to build the very thick sole in a relatively rigid material, such than glass fiber reinforced plastic. The use of such a shoe with a rigid sole quickly proves to be uncomfortable and causes excessive fatigue for the user.

The document US Pat. No. 3,983,643 describes a shoe usable for walking and practicing roller skating.

This device is similar to the previous one in that it provides pivoting levers around fixed axes carrying rollers housed in a relatively rigid sole of great thickness.

Document US-4 333 249 describes a transformable device for the use of sports. This device is a roller skate lockable between two positions by means of pivoting levers capable of being locked between a retracting position and a rolling position. This device is adaptable to a shoe, but does not itself constitute a shoe adapted to the foot of a user.

The object of the invention is to provide a shoe comprising rollers retractable between two positions, not requiring the use of lever mechanisms of the prior art and allowing continuous practice of roller skating and walking in an ergonomic position. not tiring the user.

The subject of the invention is a shoe with wheels, of the type comprising at least one wheel front and at least one rear caster; the front and rear rollers being movable between a first position of contact with the ground and a second raised position, characterized in that the front and rear rollers are interconnected by at least one flexible link passing inside the sole, so as to move the front and rear rollers simultaneously using traction means connected to said flexible link.

• les moyens de traction comportent au moins un lien flexible, dont une extrémité dépassante de la chaussure comporte un moyen de préhension du genre manette ou tirette ;
• ledit lien flexible faisant partie desdits moyens de traction passe à travers un logement intérieur à la semelle ;
• les moyens de traction comportent des moyens de verrouillage des roulettes avant et arrière dans chacune desdites deux positions de contact avec le sol et relevée ;
• les roulettes avant et arrière sont reliées à des plaques avant et arrière aptes à coulisser le long de chemins de guidage solidaires de la semelle ;
• chaque roulette avant est montée solidaire d'un essieu avant, chaque roulette arrière est montée solidaire d'un essieu arrière, les essieux sont reliés entre eux par au moins un lien flexible.

According to other features of the invention

• the traction means comprise at least one flexible link, one end of which protrudes from the shoe includes a handle or lever pulling means;
• said flexible link forming part of said traction means passes through a housing inside the sole;
• the traction means comprise means for locking the front and rear rollers in each of said two positions of contact with the ground and raised;
• the front and rear rollers are connected to front and rear plates capable of sliding along guide paths integral with the sole;
• each front caster is mounted integral with a front axle, each rear caster is mounted integral with a rear axle, the axles are connected together by at least one flexible link.

The invention also relates to an adaptable shoe sole or integral with a shoe of known type, provided with front and rear rollers movable between a position of contact with the ground and a raised position, characterized in that the sole comprises cavities capable of accommodating at least two flexible links, the first of which connects the front and rear casters and of which at least a second is capable of being pulled to move the front casters and back from one of said two positions to the other of said two positions.

• chaque dit second lien souple apte à être tiré débouche à l'extérieur de la semelle et comporte à son extrémité débouchante un moyen de blocage du genre crochet, boucle de fixation, attache rapide du genre "Velcro" (marque déposée), bouton-pression ou similaire;
• la semelle comporte des conformations constituant des moyens de guidage du déplacement des roulettes avant et arrière ;
• lesdites conformations comportent un couloir de glissement avant solidaire de la semelle et un couloir de glissement arrière solidaire de la semelle.

According to other features of the invention;

• each said second flexible link capable of being pulled out opens on the outside of the sole and includes at its open end a blocking means of the hook, fixing loop, quick coupler type "Velcro" (registered trademark), press button or similar;
• the sole has conformations constituting means for guiding the movement of the front and rear rollers;
• said conformations comprise a front sliding corridor secured to the sole and a rear sliding corridor secured to the sole.

• La figure 1 représente schématiquement une vue en coupe selon la ligne I-I de la figure 2 d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• La figure 2 représente schématiquement une vue en coupe selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1 d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• La figure 3 représente schématiquement une vue en coupe analogue à la figure 1 d'un second mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• La figure 4 représente schématiquement une vue en coupe selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 5 d'un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention ; et
• La figure 5 représente schématiquement une vue en évaluation selon la flèche V de la figure 4 du troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood thanks to the description which follows given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 schematically shows a sectional view along line II of Figure 2 of a first embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 2 schematically shows a sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1 of a first embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 3 schematically shows a sectional view similar to Figure 1 of a second embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 4 schematically shows a sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 5 of a third embodiment of the invention; and
• FIG. 5 schematically represents a view in evaluation according to arrow V in FIG. 4 of the third embodiment of the invention.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shoe with wheels according to the invention comprises an upper part 1 shown in dotted lines intended for receive the foot of the user and a sole 2 adapted to the upper part 1, preferably integral with the latter. Two front rollers 3a and 3b and two rear rollers 4a and 4b can be moved between a first position of contact with the ground shown in solid lines and a second raised position shown in dotted lines. The running surface 5 of the rollers 3a, 3b 4a, 4b is preferably made of an anti-slip material of the rubber gum, polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) type.

Each roller 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b is mounted for free rotation on an axis 6 secured to a support 7 itself secured to a plate made of flexible material 8. As flexible material, mention may be made of plastics of the such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or other resilient materials capable of undergoing slight elastic deformation.

The sole 2 has in its thickness two cavities 9 and 10 adapted to the contour of the support plates 8 so as to constitute means for guiding the plates 8 during a displacement in translation under the action of traction means connected to said plates support 8.

According to the invention, the support plates 8 carrying the front and rear rollers are connected to each other by a flexible link 11 passing inside the sole 2, so as to simultaneously move the front rollers 3a, 3b and rear 4a, 4b using traction means.

In this example, the traction means comprise two flexible links 12 and 13 having a projecting end 12a and 13a comprising a gripping means 14.

As gripping means 14, there may be mentioned a lever, a zipper, a ring, a loop, a hook or the like.

All the flexible links 11 to 13 pass inside the sole 2 in a corridor of low height and width adapted to the width of the flexible link.

As flexible link, one can quote straps, belts, reinforced fabrics, chains, cables or braids.

Advantageously, the flexible links 12 and 13 can be locked in position using blocking means cooperating with the gripping means 14; for this purpose, the upper part 1 of the shoe may comprise locking members 15 of the hook type, arranged at a spacing greater than the width of a flexible link 12 and 13 and less than the width of a gripping means 14 Of course, the blocking means cooperating with the gripping means can constitute the male part of the cooperating female part, or vice versa; one can also use for blocking a button cooperating with a hook, a fastening loop cooperating with a ring or hook, a quick coupler of the "velcro" type (registered trademark), a snap button or any other similar means preventing the return to flexible link 12 or 13.

The operation of the invention is as follows: after having detached the rear gripping means 14 from its locking means 15 (FIG. 1) and after having pulled on the front gripping means 14 in a translation passing all of the members coupled to the front lever 14 from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines, an overall displacement of the plates 8 is brought forward and backward from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines. This movement of the plates 8 connected together by the flexible link 11 causes the front rollers 3a, 3b and rear 4a, 4b to pass from the first position of contact with the ground shown in solid lines to the second raised position represented in dotted lines.

The invention thus allows, in the position of contact with the ground shown in solid lines, movement on casters; while in the position shown in dotted lines, the invention allows normal walking. A particular advantage of the invention lies in the fact that due to the small size of the passages of the flexible links 11, 12 and 13, the sole 2 is perfectly flexible and allows normal walking without fatigue. Preferably, the sliding cavities 9 and 10 are formed directly in the thickness of the sole or are coated at least partially at the places of friction with a material more resistant than the composition of the surface of the sole in contact with the ground.

In order to maintain good elasticity and good flexibility of sole 2, the cavities 9 and 10 are slightly offset from one another in the horizontal plane in an arrangement substantially parallel to the sole of the foot following a slight upward slope from back to front. It is then necessary that the passage of the flexible link 11 is carried out descending from the rear towards the front, so as not to excessively increase the thickness of the sole 2 so that the thickness of the sole 2 is comparable to the thickness of a walking or sports shoe sole of a type known per se.

This reversal of slope also provides a natural anti-return blocking effect ensuring by itself locking plates and axles in a predetermined position.

The front rollers 3a, 3b and rear 4a, 4b are preferably mounted removable to allow their replacement in the event of excessive wear. To allow this replacement, the axis 6 is removable relative to the support 7: this axis 6 can be constituted by a screwed assembly or by an axis retained in place by elastic rings or the like.

With reference to FIG. 3, the elements identified by numbers identical to those of FIGS. 1 and 2 are identical or functionally equivalent to the elements of FIGS. 1 and 2.

In this alternative embodiment, the traction means do not include flexible links 12 and 13 described with reference to Figures 1 and 2; these traction means comprise rings 16 fixed on tabs projecting laterally from the sole 2, capable of cooperating with blocking means 17 of the hook, reinforced rivet or similar type to block all of the support plates 8 and of the flexible link 11 in the position shown in solid lines of contact with the ground or in the position shown in dotted lines, raised and without contact with the ground. The rings 16 are pivotally mounted on lateral lugs 18 so as to pivot around a horizontal axis in the direction of the arrows P.

Thus, in this second embodiment of the invention, the gripping means 16 serve simultaneously as locking means locking the front rollers 3a and rear 4a in one or the other of said positions of contact with the ground or raised.

By comparison with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, in which the traction means 12 to 14 passing inside the sole 2 and emerging at one or the other front or rear end of the sole, in this embodiment of Figure 3 the gripping means pass inside the sole 2 opening laterally on one and / or the other side of the sole 2.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, another embodiment according to the invention comprises an upper part 20 intended to receive the foot of a user and a lower part 21 forming a sole.

The sole 21 has two through recesses 22 and 23 in which are mounted prisoners a front axle 24 and a rear axle 25. The front and rear axles 24, 25 are connected to each other by a flexible link 26 passing through the interior of the sole 21. A flexible link 27 passing inside the sole 21 is connected to the front axle and a flexible link 28 passing inside the sole 21 is connected to the rear axle. The flexible front links 27 and rear 28 form with traction rings 29 and 30 traction means able to move the axles between a first position of contact with the ground not shown and a second raised position shown in solid lines.

The rings 29 and 30 are fixed to the straps 27 and 28 by snaps 31 and 32 able to cooperate with the rivets of corresponding snaps 33a, 33b cooperating with the button 31 and 34a, 34b cooperating with the button 32.

Thus, after having simultaneously moved the front 24 and rear 25 axles using the traction means 27 to 30 connected via the axles to the flexible link 26, the user locks the axles and the rollers carried by these axles in position using locking means such as snaps 31 and 32 cooperating with the snap button parts 33a, 33b, 34a, 34b.

The through cavities 22 and 23 in which the axles 24 and 25 are trapped constitute guide conformations for the movement of the axles between a position of contact with the ground and a raised position. The front sliding corridor 23 integral with the sole 21 has a shape of a ramp rising in the direction of the front with a first horizontal part, an inclined part with change of direction corresponding to an inflection point and a second horizontal part: the corresponding movement of the axles is thus imposed by the sliding corridors 22 and 23 to follow a trajectory similar to the profile of a slide.

Because the rollers 34a, 34b mounted on the front axle 24 and 35a, 35b mounted on the rear axle 25 are external to the sole 21 and protrude on either side of the roller shoe according to the invention, the sole 21 can have a very low height imposed only by the need to house the front guide passage 23; in addition, the diameter of the rollers 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b is independent of the thickness of the sole and can be arbitrarily chosen by having a diameter significantly greater than the thickness of the sole 21, as shown in FIG. 5 with regard to the front part of the sole 21.

In the particular embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, the sole 21 has a thickness comparable to the thickness of the soles of sports shoes of known type and has great flexibility. This characteristic allows the sole to be folded during walking, thus providing ergonomic walking conditions which do not tire the user of the shoe according to the invention.

The sliding corridors 22 or 23 are advantageously made of a material resistant to abrasion and having a hardness greater than that of the material of the sole in contact with the ground. The front ends 22a and 23a of the sliding corridors constitute stops for the axles 25 and 24 in the raised position, while the rear ends 22b and 23b constitute stops for the axles 25 and 24 in the lowered rolling position in contact with the ground.

According to an advantageous manufacturing method the rollers 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b are formed by overmolding of an elastomeric material or a polyurethane on ball bearings 36 or roller bearings of a type known per se retained on the axles by nuts 37. The overmolding of the tread on mechanical bearings of known type thus ensures perfect resistance to lateral impacts and prevents the tread of the rollers 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b from coming off.

Preferably, the flexible links 26 to 28 are formed from a single continuous strap, belt or strip on which the axles 24 and 25 are fixed, being parallel to each other.

The abutment surfaces 22a, 22b and 23a, 23b are also parallel to each other and orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the shoe, so that the axles movable in the direction of the arrows D in FIG. 4 remain constantly parallel to each other during their displacement. Advantageously, provision is made for the external surface of the axles to have disks 38 of large external diameter avoiding any offset of the axles and thus ensuring maintenance of their respective parallelisms.

The invention described with reference to a particular embodiment is in no way limited thereto but on the contrary covers, within the framework of the claims, all modifications of form and all variants of embodiments in which the front and rear castors of a shoe with casters or a sole adaptable to a shoe are connected together by at least one flexible link allowing the simultaneous movement of the front and rear casters.

Claims (10)

1. Shoe fitted with rollers, comprising at least one front roller (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and at least one rear roller (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b), said front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and said rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b) being movable between a first position of contact with the ground and a second raised position, characterised in that the front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and the rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b) are connected to one another via at least one flexible connection means (11, 26) extending through the inside of the sole (2, 21) in order to simultaneously move the front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and the rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b) by means of traction elements (12-14; 16, 17, 27-30) connected to said flexible connection means (11, 26).
2. Roller shoe according to Claim 1, characterised in that the traction elements (12-14; 16, 17, 27-30) comprise at least one flexible connection means (12, 13; 27, 28), of which an end projecting from the shoe comprises a gripping means (14, 30) such as a lever or handle.
3. Roller shoe according to Claim 2, characterised in that said flexible connection means (12, 13; 27, 28) forming part of said traction elements passes through an internal chamber of the sole (2, 21).
4. Roller shoe according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the traction elements (12-14; 16, 17, 27-30) comprise means for locking the front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b) in each of said two positions: the position of contact with the ground and the raised position.
5. Roller shoe according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b) are connected to front and rear plates (8) able to slide along the guide tracks integral to the sole (2).
6. Roller shoe according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that each front roller (34a, 34b) is mounted as an integral part of a front axle (24), and each rear roller (35a, 35b) is mounted as an integral part of a rear axle (25); and that said axles (24, 25) are connected to one another via at least one flexible connection means (26).
7. Shoe sole fitted with front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b), which are movable between a position of contact with the ground and a raised position, characterised in that the sole (2, 21) comprises cavities capable of housing at least two flexible connection means, of which the first (11, 26) connects the front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b), and of which at least one second (12, 13; 27, 28) is capable of being pulled from one of said two positions to the other of said two positions in order to move the front and rear rollers.
8. Sole according to Claim 7, characterised in that each second flexible connection means (12, 13; 27, 28) capable of being pulled terminates on the outside of the sole (2, 21), and at its terminating end comprises a securing means (14, 31, 32) such as a hook, a buckle fastener, a quick fastener of the Velcro (registered trade mark) type, press-stud or similar.
9. Sole according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, characterised in that the sole (2, 21) comprises structures (9, 10; 22, 23) forming guide elements for the movement of the front rollers (3a, 3b; 34a, 34b) and rear rollers (4a, 4b; 35a, 35b).
10. Sole according to Claim 9, characterised in that said structures comprise a front slide groove (9, 23) integral to the sole (2, 21) and a rear slide groove (10, 22) integral to the sole (2, 21).

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