WO2015171812A1 - Binding system and method with interchangeable frames having sporting blades or rollers thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

A chassis has a motive interface device affixed thereto for a motive sport footwear, wherein the chassis has a housing of rigid plastic or rubber, a mechanism for attachment of a motive interface device at a bottom portion of the chassis, and a top portion of the chassis having at least two throughholes therein each having an internally threaded metal insert. There also may be a set of chassis for at least two types of motive mechanisms from the group consisting of inline skates, roller skates, ice skates and other motive mechanisms, wherein some chassis may have the metal insert and some may not. Further, there is a combination of a sole plate and a set of chassis, wherein the sole plate has two throughholes at a standard predetermined distance apart. Preferably, the standard is UFS for the distance between throughholes, a width of the chassis and bolt size.

Description

BINDING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH INTERCHANGEABLE FRAMES HAVING SPORTING BLADES OR ROLLERS THEREON

Cross Reference To Related Application(s)

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/989,242 filed May 6, 2014, and which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a binding system and method having interchangeable chassis (frames) for use with such a binding, each chassis (frame) having a sports motive mechanism such as an inline skate wheel set, an aggressive or freestyle inline skate wheel set, an ice skating blade, a speed skating blade, a hockey skating blade, a roller skating blade ("quad") and others.

Description of the Related Art

Ice skating and roller skating have been popular for a long time. In the 1980s, inline skates became popular, and thereafter aggressive inline skates for tricks and stunts. Each type of blade or wheel set conventionally also has its own boot. Having multiple sets of skates takes up a lot of room and is expensive.

The desire and need for a boot with interchangeable motive mechanisms has long been recognized. For almost a century or more, inventors have been working to make one boot with an interchangeable set of motive mechanisms. For example, U.S. Patent No. 1,530,211 to Siemnash issued in 1925 discloses a combination skate that has an interchangeable ice skating blade and roller skating wheel set.

Inventors have continued to work on this problem. The need for interchangeability has grown substantially given inline skates, aggressive inline skates, and other new motive mechanisms that have come about since 1925.

In the aggressive or freestyle inline skating field, there are many types of frames and wheel sets. Riders frequently need to change frames, either due to damage or due to trying different tricks that require different frame structure and/or different wheels. It is also common to rotate the frame in order to rotate the wheels for longer life.

To address the issue of interchangeability using one boot, UFS or "uniform frame system" was developed by Salomon. A UFS frame uses multiple different types of frames with various types of wheel sets, but always has two bolt holes on the top formed in the exact same configuration. This means that the distance the bolt holes are apart is exactly the same and the structure of the holes (size, mating surface, etc.) is exactly the same to mate with boots or bindings having a UFS sole plate for attachment of any UFS frame.

The UFS sole plate has bolt receiving holes with internal threading to receive the threaded end of bolts that are UFS standard diameter. Therefore, a user of one type of aggressive inline frame and wheel set can change to another type of frame and wheel set, as long as both frames are UFS.

UFS bolt holes are generally at either 165 mm (for kids) or 195 mm (for adults) apart. The UFS bolt diameter is M6 (6 mm).

UFS is extremely common in the aggressive inline skating field. Every or virtually every skate manufacturer follows UFS for all or most of their aggressive inline skates. Further, for other inline skates and for roller skates and ice skates, conventionally frames are riveted to the sole of a boot. With aggressive inline skates, boots and sometimes frames can get beat up and need changing often.

The need for an easy to use and simple interchangeable boot and frame system has existed for quite some time. Others have tried but have not succeeded in a simple top mounted system, where the bolt head on the sole plate side and bolted downward.

U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2010/0225100 to DePetri teaches a system for connecting a boot to a frame housing containing multiple motive options including roller wheels, ice blades, or mini- skis using vertically oriented bolts secured from the bottom of the frame into the boot.

US Patent No. 6,070,866 to Cornelius for roller skates and US Patent No. 4,351,536 to Sandino for ice skates both teach a system for connecting a boot either directly to or through a mounting plate to a frame housing using vertical top entering bolts. However, while Cornelius and Sandino use a bolt entering from the top, they still require a nut below the frame, vitiating the advantage of having a top down mount.

A simple and easy to use system that has interchangeable frames having different motive devices, preferably other than aggressive inline skates, which are attachable by UFS with a bolt from the bottom of the frame and/or from above the frame is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, there is a motive mechanism frame as disclosed herein, and which frame is made in accordance with UFS.

In another embodiment, there is a set of frames for inline skates and roller skates and/or ice skates and/or other motive mechanisms, which frames are each made to UFS.

In another embodiment, there is a combination of a sole plate (or a binding or boot with a sole plate) and one or more interchangeable frames with the sole plate, wherein each of the frames and sole plate are made to a common standard, and wherein at least one of the frames is for a motive mechanism other than aggressive inline skates. A motive mechanism frame as disclosed herein other than for aggressive inline skates, wherein the frame is made in accordance with UFS and the sole plate has a threaded insert, preferably of metal, for receiving a bolt threaded from the bottom (or the top).

A motive mechanism frame as disclosed herein other than for aggressive inline skates, wherein the frame is made in accordance with UFS and also has a threaded insert disposed in the position of the UFS through holes for the frame mounting bolts.

In each of the above embodiments, the frames are preferably for skates (boots or bindings and frame type) other than for aggressive inline skates. However, they may also be used with aggressive inline skates.

Preferably, in a further variation of each of the above embodiments, there is a mechanism on at least one of the frame types or more than one of the frame types having an internally threaded member that is accessible to and adapted to receive a bolt threaded downward into the threaded member from the top of the frame, preferably of a dimension matching UFS, and for attaching the frames to the sole plate (e.g., of boots or bindings) and preferably of metal.

In another embodiment, there is a method of affixing and detaching frames to the sole plate in accordance with the above embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an exploded side view of a conventional boot and frame of an inline skate using UFS; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional frame on an line skate using UFS;

Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a conventional boot showing its sole plate using UFS;

Fig. 4 is a side view of an inline skate in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein there is a binding with a sole plate and a wheel set having a frame;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wheel set with frame of Fig. 4 or suitable for use with the binding and sole plate of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the frame of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the frame of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a top perspective view of the soul plate of the skate of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged top view of a portion of the soul plate of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a side perspective view of a quad wheel set (for a roller skate) with frame in

accordance with a second preferred embodiment;

Fig. 11 is a top view of the frame and quad wheel set of Fig. 11;

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the frame and quad wheel set of Fig. 11;

Fig. 12A is a vertical sectional view of an interface of the sole plate of Figs. 8 and 9 and the frame of Figs. 10-12 (or 13-13A) (or a variation of any of the frames herein);

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Fig. 13 is a side view of an ice skating blade set (for an ice skate) with frame in accordance with a third preferred embodiment;

Fig. 13A is a top view of the frame of Fig. 13;

Fig. 14 is a side view of the binding of Fig. 4 with the sole plate, showing the binding in an open position;

Fig. 15 is a front perspective view of an ice skate which may be hockey, or ice or figure, or other blade type with the binding of Fig. 4;

Fig. 16 is a front perspective view of a quad skate with the binding of Fig. 4;

Fig. 17 is a front perspective view of an inline skate which may be an aggressive or freestyle inline skate, a recreational inline skate, or other inline skate type with the binding of Fig. 4;

Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view of a variation of an interface of the sole plate of Figs. 8 and 9 and the frame of Figs. 10-12 (or 13-13A) (or a variation of any of the frames herein); and

Fig. 19 is a vertical sectional view of a variation of an interface of the sole plate of Figs. 8 and 9 and the frame of Figs. 6-7 (or a variation of any of the frames herein, where the bottom of the frame is readily accessible for threading and unthreading a bolt to the frame).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

In one embodiment, there is a frame for skates or other sports boot or binding, which frame is made in accordance with a standard, preferably UFS and which frame has a threaded insert or other attachment mechanism fixed in position at each UFS bolt hole for accepting threads of a UFS size bolt (e.g., M6 bolt or screw or fastener). The frame also preferably has side walls or raised walls having a standard distance apart, preferably the standard UFS channel distance apart. The frame further preferably has a recess surrounding the bolt hole area that is a standard diameter, preferably UFS diameter and a depth to receive a standard annular boss, preferably a UFS annular boss on a sole plate for or of a boot or binding that is compatible with the standard, preferably UFS.

In another embodiment, there is a set of at least two frames for attachment to a sole plate of skates or other sports boot or binding, where one frame is UFS (or other standard) and is for inline wheels and another frame is made with the threaded insert and is for ice skates such as figure skates and/or hockey skates and/or speed skates and/or other ice skates.

In an additional version of this embodiment, there may be other frames for other types of skates such as skates with spherical balls as a motive mechanism, or other types of motive mechanisms, which other frames may or may not have the threaded insert.

In a further embodiment, there is a sole plate or a binding (or boot) that has a sole plate that is of a desired standard, preferably UFS compatible, and a set of at least two frames, at least one with the threaded insert and at least one without the threaded insert.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Definitions:

In this application, the following definitions are used:

Aggressive or freestyle inline skates are inline skates that typically have a low-profile frame (or chassis) that has wheels of about 64 to 68 mm diameter or less (smaller than recreational skates), which provides for control and stability to execute jumps, landings, grinds and other tricks, and typically such skates have boots or bindings that are substantially more protective against impact and/or torsion as compared with recreational inline skates such as having additional padding in the liner and/or hard shell or at least hard plastic supports in some areas, and may also have a grinding area proximate the center of the frame, and/or the center two wheels being even smaller than the front and back wheels;

Binding is a mechanism for connecting a user's foot generally with footwear thereon to a sports or recreational motive mechanism;

Frame or chassis is the part of a skate that attaches to the sports boot or binding and that holds the wheels, skate blade, rails or other motive interface device;

Hockey inline skates have a "hi-lo" chassis which accommodates two bigger diameter wheels in the back and two smaller diameter wheels in the front for increased speed;

Ice skates are a sports boot or binding and a mechanism to attach a blade or runner, which blade may be a figure skating blade (with a toe pick), a hockey skating blade (no toe pick), a speed skating blade (long), or other blade or runner;

Inline or in-line skates are a type of wheeled skate whose wheels are set in a line, typically for greater speed and maneuverability than other roller skates, and these often have four wheels (but could have two or three or five or other number), and these include recreational inline skates, aggressive or freestyle inline skates, and hockey inline skates;

Motive interface device includes skate blades, wheels, rollers, rails, balls, and any other device that is what glides, rolls, slides or otherwise moves over the ground or surface on which a user is moving;

Motive mechanism includes any mechanism such as a blade on ice, wheels on land, etc. that is the manner of propelling ice skates, roller skates, quad skates, inline skates, skates with spherical balls as a motive interface device, skis, rails, and comparable sports or recreational devices wearable on one' s feet;

Motive sport footwear includes ice skates, roller skates, quad skates, inline skates, skates with spherical balls as a motive interface device, skis, rails, and comparable sports or recreational devices wearable on one' s feet;

Readily accessible is defined herein;

Recreational inline skates are inline skates that typically have a higher profile frame (or chassis) relative to aggressive inline skates to accommodate wheels larger than about 68 mm diameter, e.g., 72 mm up to about 80 mm, for greater speed and comfort compared to aggressive inline skates, and typically such skates have boots or bindings that are made for comfort rather than protection (as compared to aggressive inline skates) and usually do not have a grinding area, and usually all wheel diameters are the same;

Roller skates or quad skates are a type of wheeled skate that has a sports boot or binding and a mechanism to attach four wheels per skate, typically in a two wheels per axle arrangement;

Skate includes the sports boot or binding and the motive interface device attached to the underside of the sports boot or binding;

Sole plate is a generally rigid member which may be affixed to and/or may be an integral or unitary part of a sports boot and/or binding;

Sports boot (or just boot as used herein) is a boot for connecting a user's foot generally without footwear (other than socks) thereon to a sports or recreational motive mechanism; and

Wheeled skates include any type of skate that has a sports boot or binding and a mechanism to attach any type of wheel thereon, and includes inline or roller skates.

Figures 1 to 3 - Conventional Aggressive or Freestyle Inline Skates and UFS:

In order to best understand embodiments of the invention, one needs to understand a standard, e.g., UFS. Figs. 1 to 3 show UFS.

An aggressive or freestyle inline skate 2 has a boot or binding 4 with a sole plate 4a (fixed to or unitary with the boot or binding) and a frame 6 with an inline wheel set 6b. A top portion 6a of the frame 6 and the sole plate 4a are made in accordance with set standards, typically, UFS (uniform frame system).

Specifically, each UFS sole plate 4a has a bottom surface (Fig. 3) that has two threaded members 4b, each centered within an annular boss 4c and located at a specified distance U from each other. In addition, each UFS frame 6 (Fig. 2) has a top surface 6a having a pair of through holes 6c located at the center of a recess 6d, the through holes 6c also being located at the same specified distance U from each other. The diameter of the annular bosses 4c and the diameter of the recesses 6d are essentially the same and in particular such that the bosses rest in the recesses for lateral strength and alignment. The height of the bosses is also preferably the same as the depth of the recesses.

The specified distance U for an adult size skate in UFS is 195 mm. The specified distance U for a child size skate in UFS is 165 mm. There is also a channel 4e formed in the bottom surface of the sole plate. Channel 4e has a standard width W (Fig. 3), which is the same as the width W (Fig. 2) of the top 6a of the UFS frame for additional lateral support.

The threaded member is of a standard diameter and thread size to fit an M6 bolt 8 or screw (6 mm). M6 is the UFS bolt diameter size. The bolt length will vary depending on multiple factors, such as the skate, the frame, and the manufacturer. Bolt length may vary between about 13 mm and about 28 mm, or may be other lengths.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In UFS, the threaded end 8a of bolt 8 passes through the through holes 6c from the bottom of the frame (direction of arrow B in Fig. 1) and is threaded by means of its head 8b (an alien head) into insert member 4b (direction of arrow A in Fig. 1).

While some frames and wheel sets enable direct access to the bolt head 8b without removing wheels in an aggressive inline skate, sometimes the inner wheels need to be removed such as in a "flat set up," to reach the bolts.

UFS frames and sole plates usually enable the frame to be rotated 180 degrees in a horizontal plane, so that the outer edge of the wheels 6b becomes the inner edge and vice versa. This enables the wheels to last longer.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this aggressive inline skate frame has a grinding area 7 (a concave recess in the bottom of the skate frame proximate the center and between the center two wheels.

Figures 4 to 7 - Inline Skates Embodiment:

In Figs. 4 to 7, there is shown an inline skate 12 having a binding 14 with a sole plate 16 attached and/or unitary therewith, and a frame 18, in accordance with a set of frames and/or set of motive sport footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The frame 18 has a set of wheels 20, such as for an inline skate, which may be an aggressive (or freestyle) inline wheel set or a recreational inline wheel set. Preferably all of the wheels have the same diameter, although they do not have to have the same diameter. Preferably the frame has no grinding area (no enlarged central recess accessible between the wheels), although it could have one.

The wheels 20 are mounted on the frame usually using alien bolts 21 as axles. The threaded ends of the bolts are seated in a threaded receptor 23. The threaded receptor is preferably a figure eight shape (or other shape that prevents rotation) held in a recess in a sidewall 18d of frame 18. This structure enables the wheel to rotate freely on the axle and the axle (alien bolt) to be tightened or loosened without the "nut" (the threaded receptor) rotating.

The frame 18 is made to UFS specifications as is the sole plate 16. The frame has a top surface 18a that has the UFS width W between sidewalls 18d. The frame also has recesses 18b with the same diameter (D), the same depth (d) of the recesses 18b and the same spacing distance U for its two through holes 18c as the UFS specification (as the corresponding parts of Fig. 2).

Figures 8 to 9 - Sole Plate:

In Figs. 4 to 7, there is shown an inline skate 12 having a binding 14 with a sole plate 16 attached and/or unitary therewith, and a frame 18, in accordance with a set of frames and/or set of motive sport footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The sole plate 16 is shown in more detail in Figs. 8 and 9, and as noted above, is also made to

UFS specifications. Specifically, its underside has the same channel with width W, the same threaded

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) member and spacing U, the same annular bosses with diameter D and height d, as the corresponding UFS parts of the UFS sole plate 4a of Fig. 3.

In addition, the top 16d of the sole plate 16 of Figs. 8 and 9 has two recesses, preferably D- shaped recesses 16c that receive a corresponding D-shaped metal receptor 16b. The top 16d also has the threaded member 16a attached thereto preferably by being molded into (by co-molding or in molding such as molding in place) the sole plate. Preferably the recesses are noncircular and the shape of the metal receptor has the same noncircular shape to fit snuggly in the recesses without being rotatable, so a bolt may be threaded into the threaded member 16a. Metal receptor 16b is essentially a washer with its hole slightly chamfered so that a bolt can readily mate with the hole, and it will act as a guide for the threaded member 16a.

The sole plate may be formed as part of the binding (or a boot) or may be separately formed and fixed thereto.

Figures 10 to 12 and 12A - Roller or Quad Skates Embodiment:

In Figs. 10 to 12, there is shown a roller (or quad) skate chassis (or frame) and wheel assembly

30, which may be attached to the sole plate 16 and therefore the binding (or boot). The frame 32 is preferably part of a set of frames and/or set of motive sport footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, or may be the only frame.

The frame 32 has a wheel mounting structure 34 which includes axles for mounting four wheels 33 in two rows of two, as in a typical roller skate. There may be a brake, as in roller and inline skates.

There are also two bolts 33a that hold the wheel mounting structure 34 to the frame 32. The frame has the same sidewall width W as the width W of the UFS specifications and of the channel of the sole plate 16.

In addition, there is an annular recess 37 with the same diameter (D) as the UFS specifications and as the diameter D of the recess 18b, and has the same depth (d) as well. In the case of the roller skate frame, since the wheels 33 and/or wheel mounting structure 34 block ready access to the UFS bolf s head, and since the wheels 33 and/or wheel mounting structure 34 are not readily removable, there is a threaded insert member 36 located in the recess 37. The threaded insert member 36 preferably receives the threaded end of the same standard M6 bolts that the threaded member 16a in the sole plate receives. Accordingly, a standard M6 alien bolt may be used to fix the skate from the top of the sole plate 16, by passing through the threaded member 16a and then into the threaded insert member 36.

In this embodiment, the through hole in the frame is of a larger radius than the standard UFS specifications, so that the threaded insert member 36 may be provided therein. For example, it may be molded into, epoxied, unitarily formed in, or otherwise fixed to the rest of the frame in the position of the through hole.

Fig. 12A is a cross section of the sole plate 16 in the area of the D-shaped recesses 16c showing the D-shaped metal receptor 16b and the threaded insert member 16a. The underside of the sole plate 16 has the annular boss that fits into the recess 37 in the frame. The threaded insert member 36 is attached to the frame preferably by being molded into the frame 32 at area 32a. A UFS sized bolt 39 threads from the top through the threaded insert member 16a and into the threaded insert member 36.

In any embodiment, there may be a threaded insert (preferably of metal) affixed to the frame at the throughholes to enable top mounting where the bottom of the frame is not readily accessible (e.g., as in certain roller skates and where the motive element is a roller ball) and/or simply for convenience.

Figures 13 and 13A - Ice Skates Embodiment:

In Fig. 13, there is shown a frame 40 with an ice skating blade 42 fixed to the frame, e.g., by bolts 45. The top surface of the frame 40 has the same UFS compatible shape as in the embodiment of Figs. 10 to 12, and has the threaded insert member 36 in the recess 37 of the frame as in Fig. 12A. Fig. 13 A is a top view of the ice skate frame, showing the UFS configuration. Top surface 45 has sidewalls 44 located distance W apart to fit in the UFS channel 16e in the sole plate 16. Top surface 46 also has two UFS sized recesses 47 with threaded insert members 48 located in the center of the recesses for accepting M6 bolt threads. The threaded inserts are the same as threaded insert members 36 and are located at a distance of U apart from each other. If the skate blade 42 is readily removable using the bolts 45, then the threaded insert may be unnecessary. However, because an ice skate blade must be tightly fixed to the frame, with no wobble, it is preferred to use the threaded insert member 48. Figure 14 - Binding:

In Fig. 14, there is shown the binding 14 in an open position. The binding has a front section 14a and a rear section 14b which is preferably movable between an open position as shown therein and a closed position as shown in Fig. 4. The rear section 14b may be hinged. The opening of the binding enables quick entry and/or quick exit by the rider. Also, it is desirable to make the binding adjustable, e.g., one type to accommodate kids sizes e.g. 4 to 7 and another type to accommodate adult sizes, e.g., 8 to 11. There may also be a boot as in Figs. 1 and 3 or similar thereto. Sole plate 16 is a generally rigid member which may be affixed to and/or may be an integral or unitary part of the boot and/or the binding.

Figures 15 to 17 - System Embodiment(s):

In Figs. 15 to 17, there is shown the binding with the ice skate version, the roller skate (quad) version and the inline skate version, respectively. As noted above, the binding may be a boot. Fig. 15 is a combination of the binding of Fig. 14 (including the sole plate of Figs. 8 and 9) with the ice skate frame 40 of Figs. 13 and 13A. Fig. 16 is a combination of the binding of Fig. 14 (including the sole plate of Figs. 8 and 9) with the quad roller skate frame 32 of Figs. 10 and 11. Fig. 17 is a combination of the binding of Fig. 14 (including the sole plate of Figs. 8 and 9) with the inline skate frame 18 of Figs. 6 and 7.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Any Motive Sport Footwear e.g., ice skates, roller skates, quad skates, inline skates, skates with spherical balls as a motive interface device, skis, rails, and comparable sports or recreational devices wearable on one' s feet may be made with a UFS frame in accordance with the invention. In the system, the motive sport footwear where the motive interface device, such as blades and/or roller skate wheels, is such that access to a bolt that would pass through the UFS through holes is not readily or reasonably available, is preferably made with the threaded insert of Fig. 12A and is otherwise UFS compatible.

Additionally, any motive sport footwear where there is reasonable access, such as inline skates, whether freestyle, recreational or roller hockey, may be on a frame that is UFS compatible and has the through holes of a UFS frame.

Because the sole plate is UFS compatible, the frames and thus the motive sport footwear in the system are interchangeable with each other. Therefore, there system may be made with two, three, four or even five different types of frames, and preferably at least one of which has the threaded insert. Moreover, in a variation, the frames are all interchangeable and built to the same standards, which need not necessarily be UFS specifications. However, additional significant advantage is achieved by making the frames in the system to UFS specifications. Further, while at least one frame with the threaded inserts is preferably in the system, the system can be embodied with interchangeable frames built to the same standards.

This, in a most preferred embodiment, is true regardless of the type of motive device on the frame, whether or not top or bottom mounting is required.

Figures 18 and 19 - Threaded Insert and Bolting Variations:

As shown in Fig. 18, which is very similar to Fig. 12 A, any frame may be made with the threaded insert member 36 and still bolted from the bottom using a bolt 39a (which is preferably the same as bolt 39). As shown in Fig. 19, there is a typical UFS mounting of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In this case, there is no threaded insert member 36 and the bolt 39a is used. In this situation, the frame at area 32b (corresponding to area 32a of Fig. 12a) has a standard UFS throughhole. Any of the bottom mounting frames of the invention may use this structure.

Where the bottom of the frame is readily accessible for threading and unthreading a bolt to the frame (i.e., when the motive device is either not in the way of threading and unthreading a bolt from the underside of the frame, or when the motive device or a portion thereof may be removed by simply removing a bolt or action of comparable ease and without destroying the frame and/or motive device), preferably the standard connection system of Fig. 19 is used. Where the bottom of the frame is not readily accessible, then it is preferable to use the threaded insert (such as threaded insert members 36 or 48) in the frame. Note that the metal receptor 116b and threaded insert member in the frame is preferably structured the same or substantially similar to the threaded insert member and metal receptor in the sole plate and installed such as shown in Fig. 9, i.e., by using the D-shaped (nonround) recess, and the D- shaped (or matching nonround) metal receptor 16b (which recess and D-shaped metal receptors are on the bottom side with respect to the top of the frame), and with the threaded member facing upward.

Preferably, threaded memberl6a and metal receptor 16b of the sole plate and their counterparts used in threaded insert members 36 and 48 in the frame are metal, even though the sole plate and/or frame may be a hard plastic or hardened rubber.

Fig. 19 shows metal receptor 116b while Fig. 12A does not. However, metal receptor 116b may be used in the embodiment of Fig. 12A and metal receptor 116b need not be used in the embodiment of Fig. 19. The metal receptor in the sole plate may be optionally used as well, although it is preferred. It would also be possible to simply embody any of the frames for a motive interface device that is not an aggressive inline skate frame as a UFS compatible frame, with the threaded insert or without it.

Another unique aspect of the invention is providing a UFS frame with a threaded insert.

All of the above variations, with frame or frames, with a system of frames and a binding or boot with a sole plate, and/or in combination with a binding or boot with a sole plate, may embody the invention. Inventive method(s) of using the frames of the system and/or of attachment of the frame(s) with or without the threaded insert to the boot or binding with sole plate is evident from the above structure and description as well.

The frames and sole plates herein may be made of any material suitable for a frame, such as metal, plastic e.g., nylon for strength and relative lightweight, polypropylene, e.g., reinforced

polypropylene, or a combination of plastics and/or other materials. Threaded inserts and the threaded member are preferably metal, although possibly other materials may be suitable.

Although the invention has been described using specific terms, devices, and/or methods, such description is for illustrative purposes of the preferred embodiment(s) only. Changes may be made to the preferred embodiment s) by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims. For example, the parts of the sole plates and frames in the preferred embodiments made to UFS may be made to another standard, although that is less preferred. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the preferred embodiment(s) generally may be interchanged in whole or in part.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims

CLAIMS WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A chassis for having a motive interface device affixed thereto for a motive sport footwear, wherein the chassis comprises:

1. a housing of rigid plastic or rubber;

ii. a mechanism for attachment of a motive interface device at a bottom portion of the chassis;

iii. a top portion of the chassis having at least two throughholes therein, each of said throughholes being defined by a metal insert which is internally threaded for receiving a threaded bolt for attachment to a sole plate for a boot or binding.

2. The chassis of claim 1, wherein the housing is at least one of a rigid plastic and rubber, and the metal insert is co-molded with the housing.

3. The chassis of claim 1, wherein the motive interface device is at least one of fixed to the chassis so as not to be readily removable and the throughholes in the chassis are not readily accessible for threading a bolt and permanently fixed to the chassis so as not to be removable without causing permanent damage and the throughholes in the chassis are not readily accessible for threading a bolt.

4. The chassis of claim 1, wherein the internally threaded metal insert is made for receiving an M6 bolt size, and wherein the throughholes are disposed at a distance according to UFS standard and a width of the chassis is in accordance with UFS standard.

5. A set of chassis for at least two types of motive mechanisms from the group consisting of inline skates, roller skates, ice skates and other motive mechanisms, wherein each chassis comprises: i. a housing of rigid plastic or rubber;

ii. a mechanism for attachment of a motive interface device at a bottom portion of the chassis; and

iii. a top portion of the chassis having at least two throughholes therein at a standard predetermined distance apart.

6. The set of chassis of claim 5, wherein the top portion of each chassis has a standard predetermined width.

7. The set of chassis of claim 5, wherein the standard is UFS.

8. The set of chassis of claim 5, wherein the predetermined distance is one of 165 mm and 195 mm.

9. The set of chassis of claim 5, wherein at least one type of chassis in the set has an internally threaded metal insert affixed to the top portion of the chassis and at least one type of chassis in the set does not have a threaded metal insert.

10. The set of chassis of claim 5, wherein the internally threaded metal insert is co-molded with the housing.

11. The set of chassis of claim 5, wherein the internally threaded metal insert is made for receiving an M6 bolt size.

12. The set of chassis of claim 5, wherein the motive interface device is at least one of fixed to the chassis so as not to be readily removable and the throughholes in the chassis are not readily accessible for threading a bolt and permanently fixed to the chassis so as not to be removable without causing permanent damage and the throughholes in the chassis are not readily accessible for threading a bolt.

13. A combination of a sole plate and a set of chassis for at least two types of motive mechanisms from the group consisting of inline skates, roller skates, ice skates and other motive mechanisms, wherein the sole plate comprises two through holes at a standard predetermined distance apart, and an internally threaded metal insert in the throughholes for receiving a bolt, and wherein each chassis comprises:

i. a housing of rigid plastic or rubber;

ii. a mechanism for attachment of a motive interface device at a bottom portion of the chassis; and

iii. a top portion of the chassis having at least two throughholes therein at the standard predetermined distance apart.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein the top portion of each chassis has a standard predetermined width matching a standard predetermined width for mating with the sole plate.

15. The combination of claim 13, wherein the standard is UFS.

16. The combination of claim 13, wherein the predetermined distance is one of 165 mm and 195 mm.

17. The combination of claim 13, wherein at least one type of chassis in the set has an internally threaded metal insert affixed to the top portion of the chassis and at least one type of chassis in the set does not have a threaded metal insert.

18. The combination of claim 13, wherein the internally threaded metal insert is co-molded with the housing.

19. The set of chassis of claim 13, wherein the internally threaded metal insert is made for receiving an M6 bolt size.

20. The set of chassis of claim 13, wherein the motive interface device is at least one of fixed to the chassis so as not to be readily removable and the throughholes in the chassis are not readily accessible for threading a bolt and permanently fixed to the chassis so as not to be removable without causing permanent damage and the throughholes in the chassis are not readily accessible for threading a bolt.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)