WO1998002216A1

WO1998002216A1 - In-line roller skate with several positions

Info

Publication number: WO1998002216A1
Application number: PCT/FR1997/001062
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincent Forest
Original assignee: Salomon S.A.
Priority date: 1996-07-12
Filing date: 1997-06-13
Publication date: 1998-01-22
Also published as: CA2231797A1; FR2750882A1; EP0873163A1; FR2750882B1

Abstract

The invention discloses an in-line roller skate comprising a boot (5) formed by a shell (10) and external sole (6) associated with a frame (1) on a lower part of which are arranged skating wheels (4), characterised in that it comprises means for adjusting (11) all the relative positions of the boot (5) with respect to the frame (1) in a vertical plane, namely: longitudinally, from the front to the rear for obtaining a selected centering of the boot (5) relative to the wheels (4) of the frame (1); angularly, for obtaining a selected inclination of the boot, variable from a raised heel (5a) position to a raised toe (5b) position; in height, for obtaining a selected distance of the boot (5) relative to the ground (S). The said means are common for obtaining all these positions and making them effective separately or in combination.

Description

MULTIPOSITION ONLINE WHEEL SKATE

The present invention relates to a skate of the roller or in-line type comprising a shoe, the sole of which is associated with an upper plate of a chassis on a lower part of which the skating wheels are arranged.

The evolution of the technique in this area has led to a certain number of adjustments such as for example, the angular adjustment of the chassis relative to the hull in a horizontal plane or even the longitudinal adjustment of the same chassis relative to the hull .

However, such adjustments are insufficient to satisfy all types of skating practice, so that several skates are necessary depending on the practice that the user wishes to exercise.

Indeed, it is generally accepted that it is preferable for the skater's foot to be as low as possible relative to the wheels or casters so that the foot is as close as possible to the ground.

However, it has been observed that the more the foot is lifted from the ground, the more manageable the roller or inline skate becomes. This is particularly interesting for the practice of hockey or for skating, in the presence of various situations such as offered by skating in town or on the street.

On the other hand, it is true that for the practice of speed or to carry out long distance races, it is always preferable that the foot is as close as possible to the ground.

There are therefore currently mainly two types of skates, namely the hockey type skate, high on wheels, and the speed type skate, low on wheels.

The object of the present invention is therefore to remedy this drawback and to propose a versatile skate that can be easily adjusted according to the type of practice sought.

To this end, the invention relates to an inline skate comprising a shoe associated with a chassis on a lower part of which are arranged skating wheels, characterized in that it comprises means for adjusting all the relative positions of the shoe with respect to the chassis in a vertical plane, namely:

- longitudinally, from front to back to obtain a chosen centering of the boot relative to the wheels of the chassis,

- anguously, to obtain a chosen inclination of the shoe, variable from a raised position of its heel to a raised position of its toe,

- in height, for obtaining a chosen distance of the shoe from the ground, said adjustment means being common for obtaining all these positions, said modifications of positions being able to be carried out separately or in combination.

The invention therefore allows a combination of two adjustments, that is to say longitudinally and angularly, and therefore offers a wide range of use as well as a third adjustment, in height relative to the ground, independent of the first two, which provides a truly versatile skate that can adopt all possible positions in a vertical plane.

The present invention also relates to the characteristics which will emerge during the description which follows and which should be considered in isolation or according to all their possible technical combinations. This description given by way of nonlimiting example will make it easier to understand how the invention can be implemented, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are side views of a shoe showing a shoe and a frame connected together by adjustment means according to the invention, respectively in the high position and in the low position relative to the self,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lower part of the skate according to FIG. 1,

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 respectively show a shoe according to the invention in the middle position, in the tilted back position, in the tilted forward position,

- Figures 7, 8 and 9 respectively show a shoe according to the invention in the centered position, in the position offset longitudinally rearward and in the position offset longitudinally forward.

In general, the shoe shown in FIG. 1 is constituted by a chassis 1 of U-shaped cross section on which the wheels 4 are fixed.

The chassis 1 is associated with a shoe 5 which is, in the example shown, constituted by a shell 10 defining a sole part 6 and extends upwards by a collar 7 intended to surround the lower leg of a user .

This collar 7 is, in a manner known per se, open at its front part to allow the positioning of the foot in the shoe 5 and is provided with clamping means 8 known per se.

According to the general concept of the invention, the aforementioned inline skate wheel includes adjustment means 11 for all the relative positions of the shoe 5 relative to the chassis 1 in a vertical plane, namely:

- longitudinally, from front to back to obtain a chosen centering of the shoe 5 relative to the wheels 4 of the chassis 1,

anguarily, to obtain a chosen inclination of the shoe, variable from a raised position of its heel 5a towards a raised position of its toe 5b,

- in height, for obtaining a distance M1, H2, chosen from the shoe 5 relative to the ground S, said adjustment means 11 being common for obtaining all these positions and able to make them performed distinctly or in combination.

With reference to all of the figures, but more particularly to Figures 1 and 3, where they are more particularly detailed, the adjustment means 11 consist of two transverse axes 12 and 13 passing through, simultaneously and freely, two first oblong concave slots 14 each formed on a lower extension 16 of the shoe 5 and two second convex oblong slots 15 each formed on an upper extension 18 of the chassis 1.

In fact, the two convex slots 15 and the two concave slots 14 are respectively formed on two parallel lateral flanks 17 constituting the upper extension 18 of the chassis 1 and on two parallel lateral flanks 19 constituting the lower extension 16 of the shoe 5.

The flanks 17 of the chassis 1 are in sliding contact with the flanks 19 of the shoe 5, so as to allow adjustment in position effected by displacement of the axes 12 and 13 in said slots 14, 15. Thus, said concave 14 and convex slots 15 can take any position relative to each other between a first extreme position given by a maximum spacing of the axes 12 and 13 when they are at the ends of said slots 14, 15 , and a second extreme position given by a minimum spacing of the same axes 12, 13, when they are side by side in the central zone of the slots 14 and 15. This is illustrated respectively by FIGS. 2 and 1. In fact, the axes 12, 13 each time define the intersections of the two pairs of lights 14, 15.

As shown in Figure 3, the adjustment axes 12 and 13 are associated with clamping means 20 and 21 able to immobilize the shoe 5 relative to the chassis 1 in a selected position.

These clamping means 20 and 21 consist of external nuts cooperating with threaded ends of the adjustment pins 12 and 13 coming out of the slots 15, 14.

The comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating different examples of positioning of the shoe 5 relative to the chassis 1 clearly shows that the distance of the shoe from the ground can oscillate between a maximum height H1 (cf. FIG. 1) and a height H2 minimum (see Figure 2). Such a height adjustment only corresponds in fact to a symmetrical displacement in the slots 14, 15, of each of the axes 12, 13, on either side of their median position shown in FIG. 1 which corresponds to the maximum height.

The positioning examples shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 show that with these same adjustment means 11, the shoe 5 can, from a medium position (Figure 4) relative to the chassis 1, be inclined towards the 'rear at an angle α1 (Figure 5), or be tilted forward at an angle α2 (Figure 6) relative to the same average position. FIG. 4 in fact represents a shoe 5 on a chassis 1 in said middle position. In this case, the positions of FIGS. 5 and 6 are obtained by non-symmetrical displacements of the axes 12, 13, with respect to their position in FIG. 4.

The angles α, α1, α2, each time measure the inclination of the upper (collar 7) of the shoe relative to the vertical and correspond to well-defined types of skating. Thus, the angle α corresponds to an average position for "normal" skating, while the angle α1 corresponds to a straighter skating position and therefore to a more "relaxed" type of skating, and the angle α2 corresponds to a forward tilted skating position, more suitable for speed skating.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 show the different possibilities of adjustment in the longitudinal direction of a shoe 5 relative to a chassis 1 using the same adjustment means 11 on which we acted to obtain a rearward movement shoe 5 at a distance a from the front wheel (Figure 8), or an advance of the same shoe 5 at a value b relative to the rear wheel (Figure 9). In this case, the shoe shown in FIG. 7 shows an intermediate position between those which have just been mentioned, that is to say that the shoe 5 is in a position centered relative to the chassis 1 and that the distance c of the rear of the shoe relative to the rear wheel is substantially equal to the distance d relative to the tip of the shoe relative to the front wheel. As in the case of FIGS. 5 and 6, the positions of FIGS. 8 and 9 are obtained by non-symmetrical displacements of the axes 12, 13, with respect to their position in FIG. 7. The centered position, shown in Figure 7, will be preferred for making medium curves, while the rear position, shown in Figure 8, will be preferred for large curves, and the advanced position, shown in Figure 9, will be preferred for small turns, type "scull ^* .

It will also be noted that positioning indexes 22 and 23 can be arranged respectively on the shoe 5 and the chassis 1 so as to identify their relative position.

It can therefore be seen that the invention offers an infinite number of adjustment possibilities as a function of the mutual position of the lights 14, 15.

For example, the angulation and longitudinal position adjustments can be combined. Thus, a retracted position of the shoe combined with a greater inclination towards the front will allow better performance on the climb, while an advanced position of the shoe combined with an inclination thereof towards the rear will be more specific. for the descent.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described. For example, the curvatures of the lights 14, 15, could be reversed. Similarly, a single lumen 14, 15, could be through, the other being made in the form of a curved groove having for example a cross section in the form of a dovetail.

Claims

1- In-line roller skate comprising a shoe (5) associated with a chassis (1) on a lower part of which are arranged skating wheels (4), characterized in that it comprises adjustment means (11) of the relative positions of the boot (5) relative to the chassis (1) in a vertical plane, namely:

- longitudinally, from front to back to obtain a chosen centering of the shoe (5) relative to the wheels (4) of the chassis (1),

- anguously, to obtain a chosen inclination of the shoe, variable from a raised position of its heel (5a) to a raised position of its toe (5b),

- in height, for obtaining a chosen distance (H1, H2) of the shoe (5) relative to the ground (S), said adjustment means being common for obtaining all these positions and suitable for them make it distinct or in combination.

2- Skate according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustment means (11) consist of two transverse axes (12, 13) simultaneously and freely passing through at least one first curved obio organ lumen (14) formed on a lower extension ( 16) of the shoe (5) and at least one second obiongue lumen of inverted curvature (15) formed on an upper extension (17) of the chassis (1).

3- Skate according to claim 2, characterized in that two concave slots (14) and two convex slots (15) are respectively provided on two parallel lateral flanks (18) constituting the lower extension (16) of the shoe (5) and on two parallel lateral flanks (19) constituting the upper extension (17) of the chassis (1), which flanks (18) of one (1) are in sliding contact with the flanks (19) of the other ( 5).

4- Skate according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the adjustment pins (12, 13) are associated with clamping means (20, 21) capable of immobilizing the shoe (5) relative to the chassis (1) according to a chosen position.

5- Skate according to claim 4, characterized in that the clamping means (20, 21) are constituted by external nuts cooperating with threaded protruding ends of the adjustment pins (12, 13).

6- Skate according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that positioning indexes (22 and 23) are disposed respectively on the shoe (5) and the chassis (1) so as to identify their relative position.