EP1501383B1 - Roller skate - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to roller skates and more particularly roller skates with in-line wheels. The invention relates more particularly to the so-called aggressive shoe intended for acrobatic figures, these pads having important requirements in terms of protection of the joints. We can define two large families of roller skates, those in which the shoe is an integral part of the skate and those for which it is necessary to have an independent walking shoe to be able to use the skate.

There is also a third family of skates that could be described as hybrid because they include a removable boot. In some cases, these slippers are intended to walk but it is not about real shoes.

When the shoe is an integral part of the pad, it is possible to provide a rigid structure in the form of a shell that ensures good protection of the ankle joint. This is not the case of an independent shoe pad.

An independent shoe shoe pad is shown in the document DE-U-93 07 747 . It comprises a hull provided with three simple ratchet clamps identical to each other. Between the clamp of the lower leg and the clamping device placed on the instep, the shell has on each side a wide notch, to facilitate the flexion of the lower leg.

Such a pad provides poor protection for the ankle joint, particularly in the forward bending movements of the lower leg. In fact, the shell, which constitutes the rigid structure, is not only discontinuous between the medial side and the lateral side but also between the zone of the instep and the zone of the lower leg. Of course we can imagine that when the tightening of the instep is at most the two portions of the shell come into contact with one another. However, such conditions are rare and in most cases the user will feel discontinuities of support of the rigid elements between the medial portion of the shell and the lateral portion. The notched strap designed to connect these two portions is thin, more flexible and, being set back from the shell, it does not rest against the instep of the user.

Similarly, the user will feel a discontinuity in the pressure exerted by the hull on his foot between the zone of the instep and the area of the lower leg. It is however established that all sensory sensors placed on the surface of the skin may be necessary for the prevention of injuries due to excess of joint capacities. In this sense, the pressure discontinuities exerted by the rigid structures of a pad on the foot of a user endanger the joint.

Such a pad also does not provide good protection of the ankle joint during lateral flexions of the leg because of the large notches the lateral strength of the collar is not sufficient.

On the other hand, the skate described in DE-U-93 07 747.6 is not modular and the adaptation of it to the different sizes requires the use of an internal locking system which moves the foot forward with respect to the rear support portions of the hull, making the latter virtually inoperative.

Finally, the clamping of this pad is balanced between the three clamping zones since it is ensured in these three areas by three identical ratchet mechanisms that do not have any assistance in tightening.

A roller skate whose shoe is an integral part of said shoe is described in the application EP 891 794 . It includes a shell bottom and a hinged collar along the axis of the ankle joint. This shoe nevertheless has the disadvantage of limiting the movements of the foot other than forward bending, which is ensured by the articulation of the collar. On the other hand, the bending movement generated by the pivot of the collar on the bottom of the shell lacks continuity and fluidity. With this type of pad, a skater who wishes to give more amplitude to his movements has no alternative but to loosen all the clamping mechanisms of his pad. In doing so he allows his foot more possibility of movement, but he also loses continuous contact with the rigid shell and therefore he does not benefit at any time from the support that the hull could bring him. Everything happens as if he had a box in his foot, in which his foot can move, it comes into contact with one of the walls of the box according to the movements it performs. The loss of the user's contact with the load transmission circuits of the pad, that is to say the rigid or semi-rigid elements, is however not recommended in terms of proprioception.

The first object of the invention is to provide an aligned roller skate which allows the use of an independent shoe, which provides good protection of the ankle joint. The pad provided by the invention must also be inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use.

According to the invention there is provided an in-line roller skate according to claim 1 for receiving a shoe, which shoe comprises a longitudinal frame on which a plurality of wheels are fixed, a base whose upper surface is provided to support the sole of the shoe. walking of said shoe, a rear quarter whose upper part is equipped with a comfort element surrounding the lower leg. The pad also includes a forefoot clamping device that presses the front portion of said shoe against said upper surface of the base, a lower leg clamp clamping said upper portion against the lower leg and a neck restraint. a foot exerting a force on the instep portion of said shoe and having a frame providing continuous support from a lateral side to a medial side from the instep area to the upper portion of the foot; skate. The frame is made of a rigid plastic material and comprises two main parts. The first, called plastron, substantially surrounds the entire area of the instep of the user and ensures the continuity of support maintenance from the internal lateral side to the external lateral side. The plastron has a width of at least 3 cm, so as to distribute the large clamping force exerted by the lever mechanism of the instep holding device. The second of these main parts, called tab, is attached to the chest by means of a foot, from which it widens and curls to match the front of the lower leg of the user. The tongue extends substantially at the same level as the top of the upper part of the pad and thus ensures the continuity of support maintenance from the area of the instep to the top of the pad. Under the frame is attached padding slightly wider than the frame itself, so as to avoid direct contact of the frame with the user.

Preferably, the instep holding device also comprises adjustment means connecting the plastron to the inner side of the quarter and clamping means connecting the armature to the outer side of the rear quarter. The clamping means comprise a toothed strap, a ratchet of the toothed strap and a drive lever of the toothed strap. This considerably increases the holding force of the instep area. The adjustment means allow them to accurately position the front plate before the tightening takes place.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an assembly consisting of a skid and an independent shoe providing comfort and protection of the ankle joint equivalent to those offered by a conventional "aggressive" skate .

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an assembly comprising an aligned roller skate according to claim 1 and an independent shoe, which shoe comprises a longitudinal frame on which a plurality of wheels are fixed, a base whose upper surface is provided to support the outsole of said shoe, a rear quarter whose upper portion is equipped with a comfort element surrounding the lower leg. The pad also includes a forefoot clamping device that presses the front portion of said shoe against said upper surface of the base, a lower leg clamp clamping said upper portion against the lower leg and a neck restraint. a foot exerting a force on the instep portion of said shoe and having a frame providing continuous support from a lateral side to a medial side from the instep area to the upper portion of the foot; skate. The frame is made of a rigid plastic material and comprises two main parts. The first, called plastron, substantially surrounds the entire area of the instep of the user and ensures the continuity of support maintenance from the internal lateral side to the external lateral side. The second of these main parts, called tab, is attached to the chest by means of a foot, from which it widens and curls to match the front of the lower leg of the user. The tongue extends substantially at the same level as the top of the upper part of the pad and thus ensures the continuity of support maintenance from the area of the instep to the top of the pad. The rear quarter includes an opening whose upper edge is substantially horizontal. The shoe includes in its rear part a sidewalk protruding. When the shoe is inserted into the pad, the sidewalk cooperates with said upper stop and prevents any movement of the heel of the shoe upwards.

Preferably, the instep support device is provided with a clutch assist mechanism comprising a pawl and a lever.

Another aspect, which is not part of the invention, also relates to a pad provided for receiving any shoe and in particular a skateboard shoe or any type of sports shoe in general. Each shoe having its own characteristics, sole height, lateral overhangs thereof, etc. ...., it is difficult to guarantee the correct positioning of the user's foot relative to the pad and to reproduce this positioning whatever the shoe used.

The object of the invention is to provide a pad not having the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, the objective of the invention is to provide a pad which allows the multidirectionality of deformation of the rod, in particular to accompany lateral and medial flexion of the lower leg of the user.

The object of the invention is also to provide a pad which allows greater continuity of the deformations of the rod.

The object of the invention is also to provide a pad which allows the skater to be in contact at any time with the rigid elements of the shell without this contact being a hindrance to the movements of the foot.

The goal is finally to provide a skate that ensures the correct positioning of the foot regardless of the shoe used.

• une base destinée à supporter le pied de l'utilisateur,
• un châssis fixé sous la base,
• un contrefort arrière rigide,
• au moins deux éléments rigides reliés par leur partie basse à ladite base et dont la partie haute s'étend jusqu'au bas de jambe de l'utilisateur, les parties hautes des éléments rigides sont libres de bouger les unes par rapport aux autres,
• un collier ceinturant l'ensemble des parties hautes des éléments rigides suivant un plan de serrage perpendiculaire à l'axe de la jambe de l'utilisateur.

According to this other aspect which does not form part of the invention, the pad comprises:

• a base for supporting the user's foot,
• a chassis fixed under the base,
• a rigid rear buttress,
• at least two rigid elements connected by their lower part to said base and whose upper part extends to the lower leg of the user, the upper parts of the rigid elements are free to move relative to each other,
• a collar encircling all the upper parts of the rigid elements in a clamping plane perpendicular to the axis of the leg of the user.

In another embodiment, the collar is attached to the rest of the structure so that it can pivot about an axis perpendicular to the axis of articulation of the ankle and located lower than the clamping plane of said collar. .

In another embodiment, adjustment means make it possible to vary in height the clamping plane of said collar, in order to vary the rigidity in lateral and anterior flexion of the pad.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the careful reading of the description which follows and accompanies the drawings.

The figure 1 is a front perspective view of the shoe and shoe assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention.

The figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the shoe and shoe assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention when the shoe is removed from the shoe.

The figure 3 is a view of the back quarter of the skate of the figure 1 , in rear perspective.

The Figures 4a, 4b and 4c are rear views of the skate of the figure 1 , explaining the behavior of the latter during lateral flexions of the ankle joint.

The figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative version of the base.

The figure 6 is a partial sectional view of the pad according to the first embodiment of the invention.

the figure 7 is a view of a shoe according to a second embodiment which does not form part of the invention,

the Figures 8a, 8b, 8c are rear views of the skate of the figure 7 in different positions of lateral movement,

the Figure 9a and 9b are rear perspectives of the subassembly constituted by the rear quarter according to the second embodiment,

the Figures 10a and 10b are partial views of another embodiment of the invention,

the figures 11 and 12 are side views of skates according to other embodiments, the mode of the figure 12 not part of the invention.

The figures 1 and 2 respectively show a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of a pad according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the figure 1 an independent shoe 30 is inserted into the pad while in the figure 2 it is removed. The shoe 1 comprises a footwear portion 2 fixed by detachable fastening means on a frame 3 equipped with a sliding element. In the example shown, the sliding element is constituted by two wheels mounted in line in the longitudinal plane of the frame. Although the pad in question is particularly suitable for the practice of aggressive skating, the choice of a two-wheeled chassis is not limiting and can be considered a three-frame; four or five wheels. It is also possible to attach a blade for ice skating or a mini ski.

The footwear portion comprises a base 5 intended on the one hand, the attachment of the frame and on the other hand, to support the foot of the user. The bottom surface of the base is wider than the chassis attached to it. Thus when the frame is fixed, a medial glide surface and a lateral sliding surface are defined. These medial and lateral sliding surfaces each comprise a co-planar front portion and a rear portion of the glide plane of the pad. During certain figures, the user can use one or the other of these sliding surfaces to slide on a rail or a ramp. The base 5 extends on the lateral side and the medial side by two substantially vertical edges which provide the lateral stability of the shoe in the pad, a lateral rim 6 and a medial rim 7.

The upper surface of the base is substantially flat and comprises a removable heel 31 for substantially raising the heel of the user. Since the pad is likely to be used with independent shoes that do not necessarily have the same heel heights and the heel height plays an important role in the handling of the pad, it is preferable to provide a removable heel. However, it is also conceivable to provide that the heel is not removable. The heel 31 is made of a damping material, such as a high density foam, so as to protect the user when receiving jumps.

The footwear portion comprises a rigid rear quarter 8 fixed on the rear part of the base 5. This quarter represented at the figure 3 comprises a rear buttress 9 from which three rigid elements 10, 11, 12 are derived. These elements extend to the upper part of the pad and comprise an outer wing 11 supporting the outer side of the lower leg of the user, an inner wing 12 supporting the inner side of the lower leg and a rear wing 10 supporting the back part of the lower leg. One could also speak of medial wing for the inner wing and wing wing for the outer wing. These three wings are made of plastic and form with the rear buttress a one-piece piece: the rear quarter 8. The structure of this piece associated with the choice of material gives it a certain lateral flexibility both to the inner side to the outer side. Of course, it may be envisaged in the context of the invention to provide the wings as separate parts fixed removably or not to the rear buttress. On the other hand it is possible to give the outer wings 11 and inner 12 forms substantially different from each other so as to differentiate their behavior in flexibility. An opening 15 is formed in the rear buttress 9, at the base thereof. This opening improves the rearward flexibility of the rear quarter 8.

Between the opening 15 and the front edges of the rear quarter, it comprises a very rigid area called stiffness bar 32. The bar present on the lateral side as on the medial side ensures the lateral stability of the leg of the user and effectively protects the ankle joint from sprains. Advantageously according to the invention, the lateral bar, respectively the medial bar, is extended by the lateral wing, respectively by the medial wing. The thickness of plastic material used for the manufacture of the hindquarter being lower at the wings than the bar, the rigidity of the quarter 8 is progressive, decreasing regularly from the bottom to the top.

The collar 27 is fixed, by a screw 28 on the rear side of the pad, to the rear wing 10 or rear buttress 9. It comprises a back 17, an inner arm 18 and an outer arm 19. A low clamping device leg 21 extends the arms so that the collar makes the tightening of the upper part of the pad, against the lower leg of the user. The position of the arms 18, 19 and the lower leg strap define a substantially horizontal clamping plane. Vertical adjustment means of the clamping plane are provided in the form of a plurality of holes in the rear wing and arranged in a vertical line.

The lower leg tightening device 21 comprises two flexible straps, one of these two straps, the medial strap 48, is attached to the inner arm of the collar while the other, the lateral strap 50, is attached to the outer arm . A lateral loop 47 and a medial loop 49 are fixed on the tongue 29. The lateral strap 50, respectively the medial strap 48, passes into the lateral loop 47, respectively the medial loop 49, and can be folded back on itself. fastening means of velcro type then ensuring the retention of the strap.

Thanks to the two loops fixed on the tongue and the independence of the two straps, the low leg clamping device allows, in addition to clamping, the very precise positioning of the tongue. This last additional function is also achievable independently of the actual clamping. Thus, although not having fully actuated the clamping device, the user can choose and ensure the maintenance in the chosen position of the tab 29. In practice, to save time the user can be content to release only one of the two straps before being able to leave the foot of the skate.

A cushion 16 is inserted into the space formed by the three wings, it comprises a foam-type damping material. The cushion cushion 16 extends only in the lower leg area of the user. It is held at the rear wing 10 by means of a screw. Advantageously, the same screw fixes the collar 27 and the cushion 16 to the rear quarter 8. The cushion is also directly attached to the collar 27, at the ends of the arms 18 and 19. In the same way that it is possible to adjust the height of the lower leg clamping device, it is possible to adjust the height of the cushion 16 in height in order to adapt it to different morphologies.

The Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show the behavior in lateral flexion of a pad according to the invention. Each of these figures represents a partial rear view of the pad at different times of use of the pad.

In the figure 4a , the pad undergoes no lateral deformation, the collar and the clamping plane that it defined are horizontal.

The figure 4b shows the pad flexed sideways to the right. The inner wing is offset to the right, the collar pivots about the hinge axis, viewable by the screw 28, and causes the bending to the left of the outer wing. The external notch 13 which separates the outer wing 11 of the rear wing 10 allows the flexion of the outer wing 11. On the other hand, the presence of the collar 27 which surrounds the upper part of the pad causes flexion of the internal wing 12 to the right.

The figure 4c shows a symmetrical behavior of the pad during a bending to the left.

In order to further facilitate the lateral bending of the rear quarter 8, the outer side and / or the inner side, it is envisaged to equip the outer wing and / or the inner wing with a slot easing. These softening slits can be horizontal, vertical or oblique.

Advantageously, the rear quarter 8 associated with the collar 27 according to the invention allows the skater to be in contact at any time with the rigid elements of the pad and this even during bending on the sides, without this contact being a problem. discomfort for movements.

The footwear portion also comprises a clamping device 33 which is in the form of a flexible strap attached to one side of the base 5 at the area occupied by the portion of the foot of the user which surrounds the metatarsophalangeal flexion zone. On the other side, a loop for the passage of the strap is fixed. The strap is equipped with fastening means such as Velcro strips. The strap is optionally lined with a comfort element comprising a foam-type material. Preferably, the fastening means of this strap and the buckle do not protrude laterally from the outer and inner edges of the base. Thus the forefoot strap and its attachment means are protected from damage caused by the friction of the exposed parts of the pad against concrete, bitumen or any other surface on which the sport of "aggressive skating" will be practiced. Several anchoring zones of the forefoot clamping device are provided so as to modify the longitudinal position of the clamping device.

In addition to the lower leg tightening device 21 and the forefoot strap, the footwear portion 2 comprises an instep holding device 23. This comprises a breastplate 22 intended to cover the area of the instep of the instep. the user, means for adjusting the position of the plastron and clamping means. The adjusting means comprises an anchoring zone consisting of a plurality of threaded inserts anchored in the rear quarter, preferably on the inner side thereof, an adjustment strap fixed by means of a screw to one of the threaded inserts. The free end of this adjustment strap 34 comprises a plurality of aligned holes. Through an enlarged head screw 35, the free end of the adjustment strap is fixed to the front plate 22. Preferably the enlarged head of the screw must allow the handling thereof directly by the user, without the assistance of any tool. The adjustment means allow the centering of the plastron on the instep of the user according to his morphology and the shoe he uses. The plurality of threaded inserts provided in the rear quarter allows the height adjustment of the plastron.

On the opposite side of the adjusting means are the actual clamping means. Unlike the other two clamping means of the footwear part, it is assisted by a lever mechanism. It comprises an anchoring zone consisting of a plurality of threaded inserts anchored in the rear quarter, preferably on the outer side thereof, a clamping strap 36 fixed by means of a screw to the one of the threaded inserts and a tightening assist mechanism.

The free end of the tightening strap is provided with notches designed to cooperate with a ratchet of the mechanism 37. Said mechanism also comprises a lever whose role is to assist the user when tightening. Finally the mechanism 37 has a button that releases the pawl of its engagement with the notches to perform the loosening.

The plastron 22 is part of a frame 24 extending continuously from the inner side to the outer side. A slot 25 is formed in the central portion of the plastron, this slot makes it possible to soften said frame when the user is required to bend his leg forward. The frame has a certain width, at least greater than 3 or 4 cm. Under the frame is fixed padding 26. The padding 26 is slightly wider than the frame 24 and as it extends continuously from the inner side to the outer side. Padding 26 which does not include a top-to-bottom discontinuity is visible through slot 25.

Unlike other pads of the same type, the pad according to the invention favors the tightening at the instep compared to the tightening of the lower leg and forefoot. All the force of the tightening developed by means of the lever is distributed over the surface of the armature, that is to say so continuously from the internal side to the external side as over the large width of the armature. On the other hand padding 26 protects the instep of the user against too strong contact with the frame.

The armature 24 also comprises a tongue 29. This tongue 29 is made of the same material as the plastron 22. In the example shown, the tongue and the plastron are a single piece. Due to the rigidity, the plastron 22 and the tongue 29 are part of the skate structure parts, which also include the base and the rear quarter.

The tongue 29 comprises a foot 38 which attaches to the plastron in the center thereof. From this foot, the tongue widens and curls to envelop the lower leg of the user. The padding 26 is extended under the tongue to leave no portion of the tongue in contact with the leg of the user.

Advantageously, the tongue 29 provides in its own way a function similar to that performed by the three wings 10, 11 and 12 accompanying the bending of the leg forward. On the other hand, it improves the quality of the wrapping of the lower leg by the rigid elements of the pad. When the lower leg tightening device is operated, rather than simply pressing the two wings, lateral and medial, against the lower leg, it, through the tongue 29, also exerts a force pushing down leg against the rear wing.

The presence of a rigid tongue 29 and the continuity of structure that it offers with the plastron allows a very great continuity of the control of the bending, particularly towards the front.

The lower leg clamp includes a flexible strap attached to the outer arm of the collar. The free end of this strap passes through a loop attached to the inner arm of the collar and equipped with fastening means of velcro type ensuring the retention of the strap. A loop fixed on the tongue 29 allows a sliding connection between the strap and the tongue 29.

The shoe represented in figure 2 has a walking sole and a low stem. In the lower part of the stem, a sidewalk 40 protrudes. This sidewalk is intended to cooperate with the upper edge of the opening 15. The zone of the instep of the shoe is devoid of bulky rigid elements so as to avoid any pain when the armature 24 is resting on it. When the shoe is inserted into the shoe as shown in FIG. figure 1 , the clamp mechanism of the instep device is actuated and thanks to the force developed by the lever, the shoe is pushed back until the sidewalk 40 passes under the upper edge. Once in place, the shoe is perfectly immobilized.

The figure 5 describes an alternative version of the base equipping a pad according to the invention. In this version the base comprises two independent shoes 43, 44. Advantageously, these shoes have slip characteristics different from the base. The sliding characteristics of the shoe or the base correspond to the ease offered by these elements to allow sliding on metal or concrete. These characteristics are related to the nature of the material and, to a different extent, to the shape of the piece. The shoes have sliding characteristics also different from those of the material constituting the frame and in particular those constituting the central arch of the frame.

The shoes 43, 44 each comprise a horizontal portion which is inserted between the base and the frame. The lower surfaces of these shoes protrude from the lower surface of the base so that when the user slides longitudinally, only the horizontal portions of the shoes are in contact with the metal rail or the edge of the concrete. On each side of the horizontal portions, the hooves have vertical portions which are also protruding from the surrounding areas of the base. The hooves are made of polyacetal, material that promotes sliding. The base and the chassis are made of fiber-filled polyamide in order to increase the resistance. The pad according to the invention multiplies the possibilities of figures because the user can either roll on the wheels, or slide longitudinally on the shoes at a fast speed, or slide transversely on the central arch of the frame at a slower speed, the has the greatest resistance to slipping chassis material.

The figure 6 shows the detail of the fastening of the rear quarter 8 on the base 5. The rear quarter 8 comprises a horizontal plate 41 placed on the rear part of the upper surface of the base 5. The rear quarter 8, the base 5 and the frame are held together by a single screw associated with a threaded insert. The threaded insert comprises a horizontal flange resting on the bottom of the rear quarter plate and a threaded sleeve which is inserted into an oblong opening 42, which passes through the plate 41. A screw screwed from below the frame ensures the removable attachment of the rear quarter 8 with the rear parts of the base and the chassis. A similar fastening device secures the front portion of the chassis to the base. The oblong opening 42 is oriented in the longitudinal direction and allows to change the position of the rear quarter 8, so as to adapt the pad for several sizes. The spacing of the two fastening means is compatible with the UFS whose technical data are described in the patent application SN 09/779 843 .

The figure 7 shows a shoe 1 according to a second embodiment which does not form part of the invention. It consists of a chassis 3 receiving a plurality of wheels 4, a base 5 and a part full foot. The base 5 is intended firstly for fixing the frame 3 and secondly to support the foot of a user. It further comprises sliding plates 45, these plates are directly from the base 5 itself and form with it a single piece. Of course, these plates may also be made from a material different from that of the base 5 in order to modify the coefficient of sliding of the pad.

The footwear portion of the pad 1 is intended to receive the foot of a user equipped with a low or semi-skateboard shoe type shoe (not shown). It comprises a front strap 33, fixed on the base 5 and covering the metatarsophalangeal flexion zone. To make it possible to adapt the footwear to the morphology of the user, two pairs of anchoring points of the front strap on the base are provided on the base 5. The footwear part also comprises a rigid rear quarter 8 fixed on the rear portion of the base 5. This quarter comprises a rear buttress 9 from which three rigid elements 10, 11, 12 are derived. These elements extend to the upper part of the pad and comprise an outer wing 11 supporting the outer side of the lower leg of the user, an inner wing 12 supporting the inner side of the lower leg and a rear wing 10 supporting the back part of the lower leg. These three wings are separated from each other by an external notch 13 and by an internal notch 14. These three wings are made of plastic and form with the rear buttress a single piece: the rear quarter 8. The structure of this associated part at the choice of material gives it some lateral flexibility both towards the inner side and towards the outer side. Of course, it may be envisaged in the context of the invention to provide the wings as separate parts fixed removably or not to the rear buttress. On the other hand it is possible to give the outer 11 and inner 12 wings substantially different shapes so as to differentiate their behavior in flexibility. An opening 15 is formed in the rear buttress at the base thereof. This opening improves the backward flexibility of the rear quarter 8.

A damping cushion 16 is inserted in the space formed by the three wings, it comprises a foam-type damping material. It is intended to surround around the lower leg of the user in a spiral. The cushioning cushion extends only in the area of the lower leg of the user. It is held at the outer 11 and inner 12 wings by means of two screws.

The collar 27 is fixed, by a screw 28 on the rear side of the pad, to the rear wing or rear buttress. It comprises a back 17, two arms 18, 19 made of the same plastic material. The back 17 and the two arms are separated by notches 20 more or less important improving the lateral flexibility of the collar 27. A lower leg strap 21 extends the arms so that the collar makes the tightening of the upper part of the pad, against the lower leg of the user. The position of the arms 18, 19 and the lower leg strap define a substantially horizontal clamping plane. Vertical adjustment means of the clamping plane are provided in the form of a plurality of holes in the rear wing and arranged in a vertical line. The figure 9a shows the back quarter and the collar 27 in high position in the optics of a pad with maximum rigidity. The figure 9b shows the same pad adjusted in the optics of maximum flexibility, the collar 27 being fixed very low. The collar 27 can be made by injection or by gluing and or stitching of different elements of tissue type, plastic sheet.

An instep holding device 23 is provided to maintain the user's heel at the bottom of the rear buttress. It comprises an internal anchoring zone (not shown), a central force distribution zone and an external adjustment zone. The inner, middle and outer zones are oriented along a line called PCT for "short heel perimeter". The clamping along this line has the effect of pressing the heel of the user at the bottom of the rear buttress 9. The central zone is in the form of a plastron 22 while the outer zone is constituted by a notched strap and d a locking mechanism 37 with ratchet. The plastron 22 has, inter alia, the effect of distributing the clamping pressure of the strap and allow a greater clamping force without generating pain for the user.

The figure 11 has an equipped skate, an alternative version of the plastron 22. In this version, the plastron 22 extends to the top of the shoe and it is equipped with passage means of the lower leg strap 21. Advantageously, the part The upper part of this plastron plays the role of a fourth rigid element having the same function as the outer and inner wings. Although it is not directly connected to the base like the wings 10, 11 and 12, it is indirectly connected via the instep strap. When the strap is tightened against the foot of the user, the connection of the strap to the buttress is relatively rigid. Such a plastron may be equipped with means for bending, such as weakened areas. But it can also be equipped with means protecting the user from hyperflexion, such as for example one or stops.

The pad according to the second embodiment described herein is intended to be used with any shoe, including a skateboard shoe or a sports shoe in general. Due to the presence of the cushion cushion 16, this shoe will be low or semi-rising. Advantageously, the cooperation between the PCT type instep strap and the opening 15 formed in the rear buttress 4 guarantees the optimal positioning of the lower leg of the user. Indeed, if the user has a shoe whose sole is very wide or has significant overhangs, the soleplate may overflow through the opening 15 and the back of the lower leg of the user will be pressed against the wing rear 10.

The Figures 8a, 8b and 8c show the behavior in lateral flexion of a pad according to the invention. Each of these figures represents a partial rear view of the pad at different times of use of the pad.

In the figure 8a , the pad undergoes no lateral deformation, the collar and the clamping plane that it defined are horizontal.

The figure 8b shows the pad flexed sideways to the right. The inner wing is offset to the left, the collar pivots about the hinge axis 9 and causes the bending to the left of the outer wing.

The figure 8c shows a symmetrical behavior of the pad during a bending to the left.

The Figures 9a and 9b show in perspective two views of the back quarter. In the lower part of the rear wing are drilled a plurality of holes arranged in a vertical line. So the collar can take different positions, the lower the collar will be ( Fig. 9b ), the more the user will have a great laxity of movement. On the other hand, the pad can be adapted optimally to the morphology of the user. A person of very large size will prefer the high setting ( Fig. 9a ) while another will opt for a lower setting. The inner and outer wings are also each equipped with a plurality of holes arranged in a vertical line. These various holes are used for fixing the internal buttress element in different vertical positions for a morphological adaptation of the pad to the user.

The Figures 10a and 10b show an alternative embodiment of the adjustment means of the clamping plane of the collar. In this, the pivot axis of the collar 46 on the rear quarter is not placed in the clamping plane, and the latter can be placed in two positions. In the high position, the clamping plane is above the hinge axis, while in the lower position it is below the axis. The passage from the high position to the low position is done by the 180 ° pivoting of the collar around the axis of articulation thereof.

The figure 12 presents another embodiment which does not form part of the invention in which the collar 27 is a strap fixed on the rear wing 10. The point of attachment of the strap which is in the clamping plane of the collar 27 can be moved vertically according to the desired rigidity. It is of course possible to use in this embodiment the plastron described in FIG. figure 11

The invention is not limited to the few embodiments and alternatives, described herein by way of example, but also covers any pad covered by the claims.

NOMENCLATURE

• 1- skate
• 2- footwear part
• 3- chassis
• 4- wheel
• 5- base
• 6 lateral rim
• 7- Medial rim
• 8- back quarter
• 9- rear buttress
• 10- rear wing
• 11- outer wing
• 12- internal wing
• 13- external notch
• 14- internal notch
• 15- opening
• 16- cushion
• 17- back
• 18- outer arm
• 19- internal arm
• 20- nicks
• 21- lower leg clamp
• 22- breastplate
• 23- instep support device
• 24- frame
• 25- slot
• 26- padding
• 27- necklace
• 28- screws
• 29- tongue
• 30- independent shoe
• 31- heel
• 32- Bar
• 33- clamping device before foot
• 34- tightening strap
• 35- screws with enlarged head
• 36- tightening strap
• 37- mechanism
• 38- foot of the tongue
• 39- outsole
• 40- sidewalk
• 41- tray
• 42- oblong opening
• 43- front hoof
• 44- back hoof
• 45- slip plate
• 46- pivot axis of the collar
• 47- lateral buckle
• 48- medial strap
• 49- medial loop
• 50- lateral strap

Claims (15)

1. Inline skate (1) for receiving a shoe (30) comprising a front part, an instep part and a walking sole (30), wherein the skate comprises:

   - a longitudinal frame (3) with a front end and a rear end

   - a plurality of wheels (4) being attached to the frame (3),

   - a base (5) connected to the upper portion of the frame (3) and having an upper surface provided for supporting the walking sole (39) of the shoe (30),

   - a rear area (8) receiving the heel part of the shoe (30),

   - an upper part equipped with a comfort element (16) surrounding the lower leg of a user,

   - a forefoot clamping device (33) pressing the front part of the shoe (30) against the upper surface of the base (5),

   - a clamping device for the lower leg (21) tightening the upper part against the lower leg of the user,

   - an instep holding device (23) exerting a force on the instep part of the shoe (30) and comprising a fitting (24) ensuring a continuous support from a lateral side to a medial side and from a zone of the instep to the upper portion of the skate (1),

   characterized in that the fitting (24) comprises:

   - a plastron (22) connected to the rear area (8) by adjustment means and by tightening means (34, 36) and

   - a tab (29) which is connected to the plastron (22) and extending this one in direction of the upper portion of the skate (1).
2. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the adjustment means connect the fitting (24) to the inner side of the rear area, and that it comprises an adjustment strap (34) having a plurality of aligned holes and a screw with a broadened head (35).
3. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the tightening means connect the fitting with the outer side of the rear area, and that it comprises a toothed belt (36), a retention pawl of the toothed belt and a driving lever of the toothed belt.
4. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the plastron (22) has a width of over 3 cm.
5. Skate according to claim 4 characterized in that the plastron (22) comprises a slit (25).
6. Skate according to claim 5 characterized in that the slit (25) divides the plastron into two strips, each one having a width of over 1 cm.
7. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the instep holding device (23) comprises a padding (26) attached underneath the fitting.
8. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the tab (29) comprises a foot which connects it to the plastron (22), and a broadened and curved portion.
9. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the rear area (8) is equipped with a plurality of threaded inserts serving as anchorage for the tightening means and the adjustment means (34, 36) of the instep holding device (23).
10. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the rear area (8) comprises:

    - a horizontal plate

    - a rear stiffener (9) with a pair of rigidity bars (32) and an opening

    - an outer lateral wing (11)

    - an inner lateral wing (12)

    - a rear wing (10) separated from the outer lateral wing (11) and the inner lateral wing (12) by indentations (13, 14).
11. Skate according to claim 10 characterized in that the area comprises adjusting means of its position regarding the base such that the skate is adapted to different shoe sizes.
12. Skate according to claim 10 characterized in that it comprises a collar (27) which is arranged such that it covers the wings (11, 12).
13. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that comprises only two wheels (4) and that the frame (3) comprises a wide arch with two ends to which the two wheels (4) are attached.
14. Skate according to claim 1 characterized in that the base (5) comprises two sliding shoes (43, 44), one being attached to the front, the other one to the rear of the base (5).
15. Skate according to claim 10 characterized in that that at least one of the lateral outer and/or lateral inner and/or rear wings comprises at least a softening slit.

Images