EP1011823A1

EP1011823A1 - Roller skate with reinforcing leggings and in particular for braking

Info

Publication number: EP1011823A1
Application number: EP97910496A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Olivier Husson; Nicolas Husson; Armelle Husson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-16
Filing date: 1997-10-16
Publication date: 2000-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-16
Also published as: WO1998016283A1; FR2754461B1; DE69720547D1; EP0932434A1; FR2754461A1; WO1998016280A1; EP1011823B1

Abstract

The sport gear, in particular the roller skate comprises a frame to be fixed longitudinally under the sole of a boot. It further comprises supporting leggings (8) consisting of two lateral arms (9) with their lower ends (11) integral with the frame (2), on either side of it, and pivoting about a transversal axis (12) and with its upper ends (13) comprising means for being fixed on the legs of the user above the ankle. Preferably, this gear in which the frame supports the rollers, comprises braking means for at least one roller, which are actuated by pivoting the supporting leggings backwards.

Description

ROLLER SKATE WITH REINFORCING LEG AND ESPECIALLY BRAKING

The present invention relates to a sports apparatus capable of being fixed under the sole of a walking shoe, said apparatus being of the inline roller skate or ice skate type.

The traditional skates are in molded shell integrating both the shoe and the skate part itself. This arrangement has the disadvantage of space and the obligation to completely change the pad in the event of a change in the size of the user's foot.

Sports equipment has already been proposed which is capable of being fixed, in a removable manner, under the sole of a walking shoe. Such an apparatus is notably described in the document FR.2.725.88O. However, in this document, it is recalled that even if the shoe has no apparent particularity, it must nevertheless maintain the ankle sufficiently to allow skating safely. It is advisable for this purpose, to provide a lacing or strap above the ankle. According to the applicants, the recommended solution does not allow effective lateral ankle support during skating, except using particularly reinforced and rigid shoes at the ankle which makes them less able to walk.

The aim that the applicants have set themselves is to overcome the aforementioned drawback by proposing a sports device which is capable of being fixed under the sole of a shoe which is particularly well suited to walking, which does not have any particular reinforcement at the level of ankle.

This object is perfectly achieved by the sports apparatus, of the skate type, in particular on skates, of the invention, which comprises in known manner a chassis capable of being fixed longitudinally under the sole of said shoe. Typically, this device comprises a holding leg formed by two lateral arms, the lower ends of which are integral with the chassis, on either side of the latter, and pivoting along a transverse axis and the upper ends of which comprise means fastening on the user's leg above the ankle.

Thus it is the support leg, forming an integral part of the sports apparatus which ensures the lateral support of the ankle, the latter being substantially blocked laterally by the two lateral arms which extend rigidly between the chassis arranged under the sole of the shoe and the part of the leg located above the ankle. This lateral support is made possible, during skating, whatever the inclination of the leg relative to the plane of the chassis supporting the sole of the shoe due to the pivoting of the lateral arms along a transverse axis.

Preferably the upper ends of the two lateral arms are connected by a bent and curved extension; moreover the fixing means consist of a fixing strap, positioned in the interior space of the curved extension. The user, after having fixed the sole of his shoe on the chassis, places the curved extension around his leg and fixes it with the strap.

Advantageously, the fixing strap comprises a semi-rigid U-shaped part which is capable of enveloping the rear of the leg and which is articulated with respect to the middle zone of the curved extension. This particular arrangement makes it possible to avoid creating constraints between the fixing strap and the curved extension of the lateral arms whatever the inclination of the leg relative to the plane of the chassis supporting the sole.

Preferably, in the storage position, the lateral arms having pivoted forward the support leg is folded substantially along the chassis, which limits the size of the device as much as possible. invention.

As this is a device of the roller skate type, the chassis of which supports wheels, various solutions have already been provided to the braking problem, all of which, according to the applicants, are controlled by tilting the foot backwards while maintaining the skate's support on the ground. In this case the brake shoe is no longer guided by the front wheels which are no longer in contact with the ground; the skate becomes unstable and balance is affected. In addition, in the case where the solution implements a buffer fixed on the rear of the skate, this presence increases the size of the skate and also hinders rear skating.

It is another object of the invention to propose a different solution which is based on the use of the aforementioned sports apparatus. According to the invention, this device, the chassis of which supports wheels, comprises means for braking at least one wheel, which are actuated by the pivoting towards the rear of the retaining leg. Thus, to brake, the user just has to realize this pivoting towards the rear of the leg by an extension of the corresponding foot, all the wheels being able to remain in contact with the ground.

According to a first alternative embodiment, the braking means comprise: a) a part forming a brake, surmounting a wear pad and slidably mounted substantially vertically with respect to the chassis, b) a lever subject to the transverse pivot axis of the leggings and c) a spring connecting the lever and the brake; more these different elements are arranged relative to each other so that during the pivoting back of the leg the lever is applied to the brake, forcing it to slide down until the buffer d wear is applied to the floor. In this first variant, braking is therefore obtained by friction on the ground with a wear pad, which is located, for example, on the front of the last rear wheel, which has the advantage of not hampering skating. rear and which does not alter the size of the skate.

In this first variant, a significant improvement can be made, which makes it possible to combine both braking on the ground and braking on the wheel. In this case the brake forming part has a V-shaped edge, near a wheel; moreover during the sliding down of said brake-forming part, the inner faces of the V-shaped edge are applied to the flanks of the wheel.

According to a second alternative embodiment of the device, the chassis of which comprises two vertical uprights between which wheels are mounted along transverse axes, the braking means comprise, on each side of the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the wheel, a brake pad which is held between a vertical upright and a sidewall of the wheel and which has a displacement lug; said lug passes through an orifice pierced in the vertical upright and protrudes towards the outside thereof. The internal face of the corresponding lateral arm has locally, in line with the lug, a thickness which varies progressively and forms a cam, so that when the support leg is pivoted towards the rear, the lateral arm gradually presses on the lug and moves the plate towards the side of the wheel.

Preferably the brake pad is held by a blade forming a spring on the axis of the wheel. This blade allows the pad to return to its initial position, without contact with the side of the wheel, when the support leg has returned to a normal skating position.

In a third variant embodiment, the braking means comprise a part forming a brake having at least one braking surface near a wheel, said part being slidably mounted substantially horizontally relative to the chassis, held thereon by a spring. recall and comprising at least one training pad; moreover, one of the lateral arms comprises a stop; finally these different elements are arranged with respect to each other so that during the pivoting towards the rear of the retaining leg, the stop, engaged on the drive stud, drives the piece forming brake towards the rear of so that the braking surface is applied to the wheel.

According to a preferred version, the braking implementing this alternative embodiment is carried out on two or even three adjacent wheels. In this case the brake forming part comprises a plurality of braking surfaces, opposite the corresponding wheels. The present invention will be better understood on reading the description which will be given of several exemplary embodiments of a sports apparatus of the in-line roller skate type provided with a holding leg, illustrated by the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective representation of the holding skid pad and without braking means,

FIG. 2 is a partial schematic representation in longitudinal section of a first example of a skate with leg support and braking on the ground, in the skating position,

FIG. 3 is a partial schematic representation in longitudinal section of the shoe of FIG. 2 in the braking position,

FIG. 4 is a partial diagrammatic representation from the side of a second example of a skate with support leg and disc braking, in the skating position,

FIG. 5 is a partial schematic representation in section along the V-V axis of the skate of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a partial schematic representation of the side of the shoe of FIG. 4 in the braking position,

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation in section along the axis VII-VII of the shoe of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a partial diagrammatic representation in section along the axis VIII-VIII of the shoe of FIG. 6, FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic side view of a third embodiment of a skate with leg support and integrated braking on the three rear wheels,

- Figure 1 0 is a partial schematic representation along the axis X- X of the skate of Figure 9.

The present invention relates to a sports apparatus which, in known manner, comprises a chassis on which the sole of a walking shoe can be fixed by suitable means.

In the first example, illustrated in FIG. 1, this device 1 has its chassis 2 which consists of a support 3 under which are arranged, vertically, two vertical uprights 4 which support wheels 5 mounted on axes 19 transverse to to the general direction of the chassis 2. On the upper part of the support 3 are provided means 6, 7 for fixing the apparatus 1 to the sole (not shown) of the shoe. In the example illustrated, these means consist of a centering stud 6 and a hook 7 located respectively towards the rear and towards the front of the support 3. This stud 6 and this hook 7 cooperate with recesses and stiffening inserts provided in the sole of the shoe. Typically, according to the invention, the apparatus 1 comprises a holding leg 8 whose function is to transmit the lateral movements of the leg directly to the chassis without lateral and torsional forces on the ankle and without causing discomfort for the user during flexions and extensions of the foot caused by skating. This leg 8 consists of two lateral uprights 9, 10 whose lower end 1 1 is secured to the vertical uprights 4 by a pivot axis 1 2. The upper ends 13 of the two lateral arms. 9, 10 are connected by a bent and curved extension 14 which delimits an interior space for a fastening strap 1 5. This strap 1 5 comprises a semi-rigid U-shaped part 1 6, which is housed substantially along the contour of the curved extension 14 and which is fixed to the latter, in an articulated manner, in its middle zone. This semi-rigid part 1 6 is terminated by conventional fixing elements 1 7 which will not be described beyond measure.

After having locked the sole of his shoe in position on the support 3 of the device 1, the user places the back of his leg in the semi-rigid U-shaped part and blocks it in position on the support leg 8 thanks fasteners 1 7.

A stop 18 may optionally limit the rear pivoting of the leg 8 as illustrated in Figure 1, in this case the side arms 9, 10 have, towards their lower end 1 1, a portion 1 1 has bent, which comes into contact with the stops 1 8 when the rear pivoting of the leg and therefore of the user's leg is too great.

It should be noted that during storage of the device 1, the user folds the leggings 8 forward, by pivoting the lateral arms 9, 10 forwards. It is the extension 14 which in this case acts as a stop, coming into contact, in its middle part, with the support 3. For this it is of course necessary that the dimensions of the lateral arms 9, 10 and of the support 3 allow this locking in position. Since the fixation of the support leg must be located above the ankle, that is to say the malleoli of the tibia and the fibula, it is sufficient that the curved extension 14 is slightly above the ankle to obtain this blocking in position of the leg in the folded state towards the front of the device.

In Figures 2 and 3 is illustrated a first embodiment of a sports device 20, of the inline roller skate type, which is provided with a holding leg 21 whose rear pivoting actuates a braking system 22. In this first example, the braking system combines both the action of a wear pad 23 on the ground and a metal part 24, constituting the actual brake, on the wheel 25. This braking system 22 is housed between the two vertical uprights 26 of the chassis of the appliance 20. Under the part 24 forming a brake is fixed, for example by gluing, the wear pad 23. This part 24 and the pad 23 are slidably mounted in a slide 27 between the two vertical uprights 26. A lever 28 is fixed to the transverse axis 29 of pivoting of the holding leg 21. A return spring 30 connects the lever 28 and the part forming the brake 24. The rear part 31 of the part 24 has a concave surface, constituting a braking surface.

In the skating position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the lateral arms 21 of the leggear have a substantially vertical position, or slightly inclined with respect to the vertical, the lever 28 is substantially horizontal and the part 24 and the pad d wear 23 are raised relative to the ground by means of spring 30.

During braking, the user puts his foot in extension so as to pivot the lateral arms 21 backwards (FIG. 3). This correlatively causes the angular displacement of the lever 28 which pushes down the part 24 and its wear pad 23 which slide in the slide 27. The wear pad 23 comes into contact with the ground 32 and performs the braking of the device 20. In addition during its downward movement, the concave surface of the rear part 31 of the part 24 comes into contact with the wheel 25 and performs a complementary braking action, combining with that of the wear pad 23.

In order to allow the leg to be folded forward, the part 33 of the lever 28 which secures said lever 28 to the pivot axis 29 of the leg 21, is provided with a light 34 and the drive of the lever 28 during braking is caused by a stop 35. This stop moves in the lumen 34 when pivoting the leg forward.

Figures 4 to 8 illustrate a second embodiment of a sports apparatus 40 of the in-line roller skate type, according to the invention, which comprises a support leg with its two lateral arms 41 which actuate, during their pivoting backwards, a braking system comprising two brake pads 42 acting at least on the sidewalls 43 of a wheel 44.

The description which follows will be made with regard to a single plate 42 actuated by a single lateral arm 41, the assembly being symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal plane DD of the wheel 44. The plate 42 is interposed between the sidewall 43 of the wheel 44 and a vertical upright 45 of the chassis 46 of the apparatus 40. The plate 42 is provided, on the face opposite to the wheel 44, with a lug 47 which passes through an orifice made in the vertical upright 45. The arm lateral 41 of the leg is articulated on the axis 50 of rotation of the wheel 44. It locally has an area 48 of gradually varying thickness, intended to form a cam, for braking.

In the normal skating position, the lug 47 is pulled out, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the head of the lug 47 facing the zone 48 at the smallest thickness. During braking, and therefore pivoting rearward of the lateral arm 41, in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 8, the head of the lug 47 is gradually pushed back by the area 48 of the arm 41, the l thickness increases during this pivoting, forming an inclined slope relative to the general direction of arrow F. The lug 47 being pushed back in the direction of arrow G, the correlative displacement of the plate 42 which comes into contact is obtained with the sidewall 43 of the wheel 44, thus realizing the braking of the device 40, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The plate 42 is held in place by a blade 49, forming a return spring, which is fixed on the axis 50 for rotation of the wheel 44, so that when the lateral arm 41 returns to normal position, the plate 42 returns to its original position illustrated in FIG. 5. Possibly the thickest part of the area 48 or a complementary stop 51 can limit pivoting towards the back of the leggings. The brake pad 42 preferably has, as illustrated, a shape which substantially matches both the sidewall proper of the wheel and a rounded portion thereof.

In Figures 10 and 1 1 is illustrated a third embodiment of a sports device 60 of the in-line roller skate type comprising, according to the invention, a support leg 61 whose vertical arms 62, articulated on the axis 63 for rotation of the rear wheel 64 actuate a braking system acting on the last three wheels 64, 65, 66 of the device 60, which includes four.

The brake 67 is formed of a part which is guided longitudinally in the space between the two vertical uprights 68 of the chassis of the apparatus 60. This part comprises, for each wheel 64, 65, 66 a pad or wear plate 69 having a braking surface 70 substantially V-shaped, as partially illustrated in Figure 1 1. Each braking surface 70 is shaped to substantially marry the outer periphery of a wheel 64, 65 or 66 during the rear displacement of the part 67, actuated by the angular displacement of the lateral arm 62. This actuation is made possible by a part by a drive stud 71 which is fixed to the rear of the part 67 and which projects outwards from the vertical upright 68, passing through an orifice 72 drilled in said upright 68, and on the other hand by a stop 73, fixed on the lateral arm 62. This stop 73, during the rear pivoting of the arm 62, is supported on the drive stud 71 and moves the piece 67 backwards. A return spring 74 connects the piece 67 to the vertical upright 68 so that said part 67 can return to its normal position after braking. It should be emphasized that the braking means which have just been described can be actuated by means other than a reinforcement leg, especially when the shoe is not a walking shoe, but a reinforced shoe. It suffices that an actuating part integral with the chassis of the apparatus and pivoting with respect to the latter along a transverse axis is in engagement with the leg or part of the shoe, capable of pivoting and that the means of braking of at least one wheel, are actuated by the rearward pivoting of said part, this pivoting being itself caused by that of the leg or of said part of the shoe.

In this case, the actuating part itself does not provide lateral support for the ankle during skating. It only allows the actuation of the braking means, functionally replacing the side arms of the leggear in the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments.

Claims

1. Sports apparatus, of the skate type in particular on rollers, comprising a chassis capable of being fixed longitudinally under the sole of a shoe, characterized in that it comprises a leg support (8) formed by two lateral arms (9), the lower ends (1 1) are integral with the chassis (2), on either side thereof, and pivotable along a transverse axis (12) and the upper ends (13) of which comprise means for fixing to the leg of the user above the ankle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the upper ends (13) of the two lateral arms (9) are connected by an extension (14) bent and curved, and in that the fixing means consist of a fixing strap (15), positioned in the interior of the curved extension (14).

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that the fixing strap (15) comprises a semi-rigid part (16) in a U which is capable of enveloping the rear of the leg and which is articulated relative to the median zone of the curved extension (14).

4. Apparatus according to one of claims 2 or 3 characterized in that in the storage position, the lateral arms (9) having pivoted forward, the retaining leg (8) is folded substantially along the chassis ( 2).

5. Sports apparatus according to claim 1, of the in-line roller skate type, the chassis of which supports wheels, characterized in that it comprises means for braking at least one wheel, which are actuated by pivoting. towards the rear of the support leg.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterized in that the braking means (22) comprise: a) a part forming a brake (24), surmounting a wear pad (23) and slidably mounted substantially vertically relative to the chassis (24 ), b) a lever (28) secured to the transverse pivot axis (29) of the leggear and, c) a return spring (30) connecting the lever (28) and the brake (24), which are arranged one relative to the others so that when pivoting the rear leg (21), the lever (28) is applied to the brake (24), forcing it to slide down until the pad wear (23) applies to the ground.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 characterized in that the brake part (24) has a V-shaped edge, near a wheel (25) and in that when sliding down said brake part (24), the inner faces of the V-shaped edge are applied to the sides of the wheel (25).

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, the chassis (46) comprises two vertical uprights (45) between which wheels (44) are mounted along transverse axes (48) characterized in that, the braking means comprise, each side of the longitudinal plane of symmetry (DD) of a wheel (44), preferably the rear wheel, a brake pad (42) which is held between a vertical post (45) and a sidewall (43) of the wheel ( 44) and which has a displacement lug (47), in that said lug (47) passes through an orifice pierced in the vertical upright (45) and protrudes towards the outside thereof, and in that the internal face of the corresponding lateral arm (41) has locally, at the lug (47), a zone (48) forming a cam whose thickness varies progressively, so that when pivoting the rear leg of holding, said zone (48) gradually presses on the lug (47) and moves the plate (42) towards the side (43) of the wheel (44).

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 characterized in that the brake pad (42) is held by a blade forming a return spring (49) fixed on the axis of the wheel (44).

1 0. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterized in that the braking means comprise a part (67) forming a brake having at least a braking surface (70) near a wheel (64), said part (67) being slidably mounted substantially horizontally relative to the chassis (68), held thereon by a return spring (74) and comprising at least one drive stud (71), in that one of the lateral arms (62) comprises a stop (73), and in that when the support leg is pivoted towards the rear, the stop ( 73), engaged on the drive stud (71), drives the part (67) forming a brake towards the rear so that the braking surface (70) is applied to the wheel (64).

1 1. Apparatus according to claim 10 characterized in that the brake part (64) has a plurality of braking surfaces, opposite the corresponding wheels (64,65,66).