WO1997034670A1

WO1997034670A1 - Improved brake for an in-line skate

Info

Publication number: WO1997034670A1
Application number: PCT/FR1997/000476
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lino Crespan
Original assignee: Salomon S.A.
Priority date: 1996-03-21
Filing date: 1997-03-18
Publication date: 1997-09-25
Also published as: ITVI960039A0; ITVI960039A1; IT1287264B1

Abstract

An improved brake for a skate (2; 200) with in-line rollers (4; 40), consisting of a frame (3; 300) for supporting a boot (5; 500) in which the skater places his or her foot and to which the rollers (4; 40) and a brake (1; 100) are attached. The brake is mounted on the boot (5; 500) and includes at least one frictional portion (11; 111) connected to the frame (3; 300) via a pivotable member (6; 600) enabling the boot (5; 500) to be lowered to urge the frictional portion (11; 111) against at least one body (4; 400) moving relative to the frame (3; 300) when the skater shifts his or her weight onto the heel area (53; 530) of the boot (5; 500).

Description

Advanced brake for inline skates

The present invention relates to an improved type brake, particularly suitable for use on inline skates.

It is known that inline skates are usually provided with a brake consisting of a buffer, preferably made of an elastic material with a high coefficient of friction, fixed on the rear part of the frame of the skate. To brake, the skater lifts the front part of the skate in order to drag the brake against the ground and thus cause, by friction, the stopping of the race.

There are also other possibilities, where for example the brake is centered on the rear wheel of one of the two pads and is mechanically connected, by means of pushing devices, to the rear part of the shoe housing the foot of the skater. In this case, the braking action is always produced by the friction of the brake against the ground and takes place when the skater puts pressure with his foot on the back of the shoe until the brake is lowered.

There are also other embodiments where the brake no longer exerts any friction action against the ground, but is rather disposed inside the wheels, exerting its braking action directly on the wheel, by an operation similar to that of disc brakes.

However, all of these usual types of brakes have drawbacks.

For brakes which exert their braking action by friction against the ground, the disadvantage lies in the fact that this type of brake requires the skater to push hard on the brake, in order to obtain good braking.

The brakes arranged inside the wheels have the drawbacks of a relatively complicated construction, of a rather high production cost and, above all, of unreliable operation.

The present invention aims to overcome such drawbacks, by providing an improved type of brake, particularly suitable for use on inline skates and which, compared to the usual equivalent brakes, can be actuated with greater ease.

In addition, the brake of the invention should require, when it is actuated, a significantly lower force compared to existing brakes of similar type.

The last objective, and not the least, of the brake of the invention is to be of a simpler and less expensive construction compared to the brakes of known type equivalent to this one.

Said objectives are achieved by producing an improved brake for inline skates, comprising, in accordance with the main claim:

- a chassis, on which swivel wheels are assembled, intended for support a shoe sheltering the skater's foot;

- a brake, connected to the shoe at the heel area and intended to stop the rotation of the wheels by friction against at least one body in movement relative to the chassis; said brake being characterized by the fact that it consists of at least one mechanical friction part, connected to the chassis thanks to the interposition of a tilting part allowing an elastic lowering of the shoe when the skater puts his weight on the body on the heel area, in order to cause contact between the friction part of the brake and at least said body in relative movement relative to the chassis.

According to the embodiment chosen, the brake consists of a friction part, made of a material with a high coefficient of friction and fixed to the end of a stirrup, connected to the heel area of the shoe.

The caliper is assembled to the tilting part, which thus allows it to lower elastically and thus cause the brake to come into contact with the body in movement relative to the chassis of the skate. One of the variant embodiments consists in considering that the body, in relative movement relative to the frame of the skate and in contact with the friction part, is the ground.

According to another alternative embodiment, the body in relative movement relative to the frame of the skate and in contact with the friction part can be one of the two rear wheels of the skate itself.

In these two alternative embodiments, the tilting and elastic part with respect to the chassis is constituted by a toggle joint, one end of which is fixed to the chassis and the other end is connected to the caliper supporting the brake. The advantage of the brake of the invention is that it is of a very simple constitution and also of a more reliable operation and of a less costly production.

The mentioned objectives and advantages of the invention are presented in more detail in the description of the embodiments adopted, by way of indication but not limitation, and represented in the appended schematic drawing, showing:

- In Figure 1, the brake of the invention, fixed on an inline skate and shown in the rest position;

- In Figure 2, the brake of Figure 1 shown in the operating position;

- In Figure 3, an alternative embodiment of the brake of the invention, shown in the rest position;

- In Figure 4, the same variant of the brake of the invention, visible in Figure 3, shown in the operating position.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the brake of the invention, of which the assembly is indicated by the number 1, is fixed on a shoe, the assembly of which is represented under the number 2, essentially consisting of a chassis, indicated under the number 3, to which swivel wheels are assembled, represented by the number 4, and intended to receive a shoe sheltering the skater's foot.

We note in particular that the zone 51 essentially corresponds to the sole of the shoe and is found to be fixed to the chassis 3 by means of a fastening element 52, while the zone 53, near the heel of the shoe 5, is raised relative to the chassis 3 and comprises a caliper 54 fixed to the shoe and supporting the brake.

It is also noted that the brake 1 is composed of a friction piece 11, which is fixed to the caliper 54 at its lower end, the caliper 54 being itself fixed to the chassis 3 thanks to the interposition a tilting part, the assembly of which is indicated under number 6.

Another alternative embodiment, which is not shown here, could provide a caliper 54 forming a single block with the shoe 5, of which the brake would therefore be an integral part.

The tilting part 6 is composed of a toggle joint comprising a first link 61, one end of which is fixed to the frame 3, by means of a first pin 63, and the other end of which 64 is connected, thanks to a central axis 65, at the end 66 of a second link 67, the second end 68 of which is itself connected to the stirrup 54 by means of a second axis 69. The central axis 65 which makes the connection between the links 61 and 67 has an external spring 165 attached by its ends 161 and 167 to the link 61, on the one hand, and to the link 67, on the other hand, which thus act as an elastic hinge at the level of the common central axis 65.

The position of the skate brake 1, illustrated in FIG. 1, corresponds to a situation in which the skater advances in the direction indicated by the arrow 7. In this case, the area 53, at the heel of the shoe 5 is high relative to the chassis 3 and is therefore, as well as the brake 1 and in particular the friction part 11, in an elevated position relative to the ground 8.

When the skater wants to stop his race, he just has to place his body in a positive position. more or less vertical, so that its weight presses at the heel area 53 of the shoe 5. In this way, as shown in Figure 2, the body weight, exerting an essentially vertical thrust indicated by the arrow 9, causes the shoe 5 to be lowered by elastic tilting with respect to the fastening part 52 which connects the chassis 3 to the area 51 at the sole of the shoe. Thus, the pusher 55 of the shoe 5, located at the level of the heel 56, exerts pressure against the appendage 267 of the second link 67; the latter then rotates around the second axis 69 which connects it to the caliper 54, thereby bending the toggle joint 6 around the central axis 65. In this way, the friction part 11 of the brake 1 then enters contact with the ground 8 and thus causes the rotation of the wheel 4 to stop, consequently stopping the shoe.

When the skater wishes to resume his race, it suffices to exert a new pressure in the direction 7, which lifts the area 53 of the heel of the shoe 5 and interrupts the contact of the brake 1 with the ground.

In the embodiment described, the stop of the shoe occurs when the rotation of the wheels 4 is stopped by an action on the brake 1, and in particular by the force exerted on the friction part 11 which composes it, thus producing a friction against the body in relative movement with respect to the chassis 3 of the skid, namely, in this specific case, the ground 8.

In another alternative embodiment based on the same principle, solution, shown in Figures 3 and 4, the wheels 40 and in particular the rear wheel constitute the element in relative movement against which the brake, indicated as a whole under the number 100, exerts its braking action. According to this variant, the brake is composed of a friction piece 111, fixed to a caliper 154, which is in turn fixed on the underside of the shoe 500 at the heel area 530. In this case also, the piece of friction 111 can optionally be made in one piece with the shoe 500 instead of being fixed to the stirrup 154.

It should be observed that in this variant also, the lowering of the shoe 500 relative to the chassis 300 of the shoe 200 is performed flexibly by means of the interposition of a toggle joint 600. The latter consists of two links , a first link 610 rotating around one of the ends of the frame 300 and a second link 670 articulated on the stirrup 154, the two links being interconnected by means of a central axis 650, around which they pivot to meet a spring 651 disposed between them.

In this way, in the two variant embodiments mentioned, the improved brake of the invention achieves the objectives set.

The first objective, aimed at achieving a brake that is easier to actuate compared to conventional brakes of equivalent type, is perfectly achieved. Indeed, as we have seen, the brake of the invention is actuated almost automatically by the force of the weight of the skater who, as he loses his speed, exerts a more or less vertical pressure at the heel area of the shoe, so as to lower the shoe as well as the brake integral therewith. It has been noted, moreover, that braking does not require any additional effort on the part of the skater since it is his weight himself which performs the braking.

Furthermore, the brake of the invention turns out to be of a simpler construction, of a lower production cost and of a greater operating reliability compared to the usual brakes. During the execution phase of the brake of the invention, different variants are possible, in particular as regards the shape of the friction part or the toggle joint which compose it.

It is understood in any case that these variants, as well as any possible new variant, are considered to be protected by the present invention.

Claims

1) Improved brake for in-line skates (2; 200) with wheels (4; 40) composed of the following elements:

- a chassis (3; 300) assembled with swivel wheels (4; 40), used to receive a shoe (5; 500) intended to accommodate the skater's foot;

- a brake (1; 100), fixed on the shoe (5; 500) at the level of the heel area and intended to stop the rotation of the wheels (4; 40) by friction against at least one element in movement relative to to the chassis; characterized in that the brake (1; 100) is composed of at least one friction part (1 1; 1 1 1), mechanically connected to the chassis (3; 300) by the interposition of a tilting part ( 6; 600) allowing the elastic lowering of the shoe (5; 500), when the skater carries the weight of his body at the heel area (53; 530) of the shoe (5; 500), in order to making contact between the friction piece (11; 11 1) and at least one body in relative motion (8; 800) relative to the chassis (3; 300).

2) Brake according to claim 1, characterized in that the friction part (11; 111) which composes the brake (1; 100) is fixed to one end of a caliper (54; 154), fixed to the heel (53; 153) of the shoe (5; 500) and connected to a tilting part (6; 600); said tilting part (6; 600) being intended to allow the elastic lowering of the stirrup (54; 154) as well as the pressure against the latter of at least one pusher (55) integrated into the shoe (5; 500), in order to make contact between the friction part (11; 111) of the shoe (1; 100) and at least one body in relative movement (8; 400) relative to the chassis (3; 300) when the skater weighs the weight of his body at the heel area (53; 153) of the shoe (5; 500).

3) Brake according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of a friction piece (11; 111) integrated into the shoe (5; 500).

4) Brake according to claim 3, characterized in that the friction part (11; 111) which composes the brake (1; 100) is produced in a single piece with the shoe (5; 500).

5) Brake according to claim 2, characterized in that the element in relative movement '^ ar relative to the frame of the shoe (2), against which a friction element (11) of the brake (1) of the brake (1) is made, is the ground (8) on which the wheels (4) rest.

6) Brake according to claim 2, characterized in that the body in relative movement relative to the chassis (300) of the shoe (200), against which the friction piece (111) of the brake (100) is made to friction is at least one of the skate wheels (200). 7) Brake according to claim 6, characterized in that one of the wheels (40) against which the friction piece (11) of the brake (100) comes to friction is the rear wheel.

8) Brake according to claim 2, characterized in that the pusher (55) of the shoe (5; 500) exerts a force against a projection (267) integrated into the tilting part (6; 600) when the shoe (5; 500) is lowered.

9) Brake according to claim 2, characterized in that the tilting part is constituted by a toggle joint (6; 600) composed of two links, the first link (61; 610) having one end connected to the chassis (3; 300 ) by a first axis (63) and another end (64) connected, via a central axis (65; 650), to the first end (66) of the second link (67; 670), of which the other end (88) is finally connected to the stirrup (54; 154), which is itself fixed on the shoe (5; 500); the toggle joint tilting resiliently by means of a spring (166; 651).