GB2350305A - Steerable roller skates - Google Patents

Abstract

A steerable roller skate comprises either front and back pivotable ring-shaped members 1 with pairs of wheels 4 attached, or front and back pivotable C-shaped members (2, Fig 2) attached to the axles of pairs of wheels. Pivot points 2 and (3, Fig 2) on the ring and C-shaped members, allow the skate to be steered when leaned into a turn. The ring or C-shaped members may be attached directly to footwear as shown or to a base-plate (5, Fig 2) onto which the footwear is attached. The base-plate may be an elastomeric block to provide suspension and resistance to steering. The roller skate may include footwear with a channel (2, Fig 3) along the length of the sole (1, Fig3), and an elastomeric band (3, Fig) which fits into the channel. The C-shaped members may be moulded into the elastomeric band, and the axles pass through holes in the band. A grind plate (9, Fig 3) may be attached to the elastomeric band by bungees (7, Fig 3). The movement of the ring or C-shaped members is limited by elastic chords or similar means to return the wheels to the original alignment when the skate is not leaned on.

Description

1 2350305 HIGH-STABILITY ROLLER-SKATE.

General Description [Refer to figure 1]. The four wheels of each skate are fixed in pairs to opposite sides of front and back rings (1) that pivot about points below, behind and above the foot (2). A skate being leaned into a turn will steer accordingly (3) as the wheels on the inside of the turn (4) rise up in relation to the foot as their respective rings tilt them toward each other (5) and hence cause the outside wheels to move apart (6). The skate is therefore carried through a circular arc (7), the size of which depends on the angle to which it has been tilted. To return the wheels to their previous alignment once the skate is not leaned on, movement of the rings is limited by elastic chords or similar means of elastic restriction. Attachment of the rings is either direct to the boot (8), or to a base-plate onto which the boot is attached. The base-plate could incorporate a step-in binding mechanism and be adjustable in length to allow one size of skate to fit a range of shoe sizes, with straps or other such fastening devices to enable fitting of regular footwear. As the foot rides close to the ground and the wheel base is wider than that of conventional roller-skates, the need for stiff boots is eliminated and more comfortable shoes can safely be used.

Slalom Version [Refer to fiqure 21. This version of the High Stability Roller Skate resembles conventional roller skates in that the front and rear pairs of wheels spin on straight axles (1) below the foot. The ends of each axle are bolted to a "C" strip (2) that pivots about a "mushroom" clip (3) to which it attaches at the top of the outsole of a basketballstyle shoe (4). As with other versions, by tilting the skate and hence also the two "rings" (in this case, a "ring" is an axle and a C strip), the skate steers accordingly. Between each pair of wheels, the axle passes through a central elastomeric block (5) that runs along the sole of the shoe in an appropriately shaped groove (6). As well as providing suspension and resistance to steering, the block may also act to reenforce the shoe if its sole is not sufficiently rigid for skating. The block may also be adjustable in length to be used with different shoe 2 sizes, include grind plates and/or brakes, and may even incorporate recesses (7) to facilitate folding away of the C strips for ease of storage. The lower part of each mushroom clip is either moulded directly into the shoes outsole (8), or passes through a recess (9) in the outsole and into the block to which it attaches. To release the shoe, one simply squeezes the mushroom clips and the structure detaches (10). Indentations (11) in the outsole above the wheels prevent contact when in use, and both these and other recesses may be filled with corresponding pads to use the shoe as regular footwear. Similarly, the mushroom clips could be concealed with flexible caps (12).

"Roller Snakes"' [Refer to Figure 31. This alternative basketball-style design features an outsole (1) with a channel (2) that extends to each end of the shoe. An elastomeric band (3) passes along the channel to then stretch around the top of the outsole. Hollow cores (4), for the axles (5) of the wheels to pass through, are moulded into the band, as are "C" strips (6) that bolt to the axles to form the characteristic tilting rings of the invention and thus provide the steering motion of the skates. After stretching the band onto the shoe, side "buniees"' (7) are tensioned further by stretching them downwards and hooking them into grooves (8) in a grind plate (9). The grind plate increases the shoes rigidity as it is pulled upwards by the bunjees and therefore prevents unwanted bending. As the ends of the grind plate pass under both axles of the skate, forward and sideward grinding can be performed. Any band of suitable material and geometry, possibly incorporating brakes, can be used for a given shoe size for the wheel type and skating style required.

Many other methods can be used to hold the component parts together, to attach them to the foot, and in the adjustments that can be made for the steering affect and foot size required. By changing the precise locations of the points of attachment of the rings, by limiting their resistance to tilting with appropriate forms of restriction and by altering the size and shape of the rings or any structure to which they are attached, any adjustments in length, width, height and skating style can be made.

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Claims (9)

1. A roller skate with wheels that form front and rear pairs, each pair being fixed to a common ring that pivots on points around the foot so as to bring about the steering motion of the skates.

2. A roller skate as described in Claim 1 with pivoting rings that may be of any geometry and structure that enables them to pivot on points around the skaters' footwear and to be secured to it with appropriate means of attachment, either directly, or to an intermediary structure such as a footplate onto which the footwear is secured.

3. A roller skate as described in Claim 2 comprising an adjustable footplate that allows different sizes and types of footwear to be secured to it by means of a binding mechanism, straps or other such methods of fastening.

4. A roller skate as described in any proceeding claim comprising a shoe onto which the other component parts of the skate are either permanently attached, or are secured to it by means of clips, elastic chords, or other suitable methods of attachment.

5. A roller skate as described in any proceeding claim comprising a shoe with a modified exterior, shaped to facilitate the fitting of one or more component parts of the skate, such as an elastomeric band or block to which the axles of the wheels or the upper sections of each ring may be attached.

6. A roller skate as described in any proceeding claim comprising a band or block that may be detachable and consist, at least in part, of an elastomeric material, and be shaped to allow the detached structure to fold away for ease of storage.

7. A roller skate as described in any proceeding claim comprising a shoe onto which the various parts of the structure are either directly attached, or form part of one or more detachable units such as a band or block that form the remaining part of the skate.

8. A roller skate as described in any proceeding claim with a grind plate that passes between the wheels and under the axles so as to permit both forward and sideward grinding, and also to increase the rigidity of the skaters' footwear.

9. A roller skate as described in any proceeding claim with elastic chords that are tensioned to secure the grind plate to the remaining structure of the skate, and may form part of an elastomeric band that passes along a channel in the shoes exterior.

1O.A roller skate substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.