Four-wheel inline roller skate

Abstract

A four-wheel inline roller skate is proposed, which comprises a suitably rigid upper chassis (1) adapted to receive, on the side facing away from the ground (P), a shoe (2), and, adapted to receive, on the side facing the ground (P), two suitably rigid lower chassis (3, 4), each comprising two wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) of a predefined outer diameter and width, which are each freely pivotally mounted in pivot centres (310, 320) on the front lower chassis (3) under the toe section (21) of said shoe (2) and in pivot centres (410, 420) on the rear lower chassis (4) under the heel section (22) of said shoe (2), such that all four wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) with identical outer diameters are arranged in the same geometrical plane (N) and substantially equidistantly, each of said lower chassis (3, 4) being pivotally connected with the upper chassis (1) in its own pivot centre (30, 40), in addition, the inline roller skate is further provided with a brake (5) adapted to co-operate with the rear wheel (42) of the rear lower chassis (4). To improve stability and manoeuvrability, said pivot centres (30, 40) of the lower chassis (3, 4) are arranged on the upper chassis (1) in a respective centreline between the pivot centres (310, 320; 410, 420) of the corresponding pairs of wheels (31, 32; 41, 42), and at the same time also in the area between a respective connective line (Z) between the pivot centres (310, 320; 410, 420) of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) and the ground, namely extreme points (T31, T32; T41, T42) on the periphery of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42), which come in contact with the ground (P) when the inline roller skate abuts onto the ground.

Description

[0001] Four-wheel inline roller skate

[0002] The invention relates to a four-wheel inline roller skate, namely a sports or recreational requisite which is mountable on a user's foot so that, after the inline roller skates are mounted on both feet, the user is able to skate on at least approximately level and sufficiently firm ground. Unlike a conventional four-wheel inline roller skate which consists of two pairs of wheels arranged in the ground plane in the corners of a virtual rectangle and therefore in two parallel planes, the subject of the present invention is a four-wheel inline roller skate which also comprises four wheels which are, however, arranged linearly one behind the other and in a single normal plane which, during regular use of the inline roller skate in its static state, is at least approximately perpendicular to a respective ground. According to the International Patent Classification, inline roller skates with wheels arranged in two pairs are classified in class A 63 C 17 / 02, single-track type roller skates in class A 63 C 17 / 06 and inline roller skates with brakes in class A 63 C 17 / 14.

[0003] The underlying problem of the invention is how to configure a four-wheel inline roller skate with the most efficient transfer of forces from the user's foot to the ground, while significantly reducing the effect of forces and vibrations due to stepped or otherwise uneven ground, and at the same time having significantly improved stability and also better manoeuvrability, either when pushing off from the ground by transferring power in the toe or heel section of the foot, or when driving in turns or even when braking. With these advantages, such an inline roller skate should be particularly suitable for skating in extreme conditions, such as those encountered in speed skating, artistic skating and indoor roller hockey.

[0004] A four-wheel inline roller skate is disclosed in WO 2011 / 099914 Al and comprises a suitably rigid support frame or chassis in which a bottom chassis section, also suitably rigid, is mounted, in which wheels are freely pivotally equidistantly arranged in line or all four wheels are arranged in a single normal plane. The frame is provided with an upper surface more distant from the ground, which is adapted for receiving and attaching a shoe, into which the user’s foot is insertable, thus connecting the inline roller skate to the user’s foot. In order to simulate as closely as possible the effect of an ice skate in conventional hockey when playing indoor hockey with this type of an inline roller skate, namely at least the possibility of a certain tilt of the foot’s front and rear sections towards the ground, the upper and lower chassis sections are articulated so that the upper chassis section can be tilted in relation to the lower chassis section in the aforementioned tilting way. The wheels are pivotally mounted in the lower chassis section, yet without any possibility of relative movement with respect to the chassis in a direction perpendicular to the ground. In practice, this means that all the wheels, although freely pivotally, are nonetheless substantially rigidly clamped in the lower chassis section, so all the wheels properly abut on the ground only when the ground is absolutely flat. However, if the ground is uneven, individual wheels may occasionally be rather distant from the ground and lose traction. Even if a small obstacle of a few millimetres high is hit, e.g. stepped unevenness in the ground, which the front wheel can in principle still overcome due to the user's inertia, at least the second and third wheels of the inline roller skate completely lose contact with the ground, in addition to the significant thrust transmitted to the user, which can also cause falls and injuries, even if the fourth wheel is still in contact with the ground. If this happens in a turn, the friction between the inline roller skate and the ground can be reduced to such an extent that the user slips and loses balance. Conversely, a problem arises when the user accelerates while pushing off the ground, when power is transferred from the user's foot via the inline roller skate to the ground predominantly in the toe section of the foot. In this case, the user normally leans slightly forward, with the toe section of the foot pressing mainly on the front wheel, which is the only one in contact with the ground when the wheels are rigidly mounted in this position. Single-wheel driving is completely unstable and unpredictable, as it is in principle impossible to maintain the direction of movement while only one wheel rolls on the ground. To avoid this, the user must then adapt his / her posture and, in particular, the position of the feet to allow all four wheels to rest on the ground, wherein such a position is completely unnatural and involves a correspondingly greater effort and irregular strain on muscles and joints, with a corresponding increase in the risk of injury. On top of that, the inline roller skate of this type is also without a brake, which means its use is very risky and dangerous in the first place.

[0005] A similar inline roller skate with a brake, the use of which is safer in this respect, is described in EP 0 810009 A2.

[0006] Furthermore, a four-wheel single-track roller skate is known from EP 0 848 971 Al, which also comprises an upper chassis in which four wheels are freely pivotally mounted and a shoe is attachable to its upper surface. In this case, the wheels are mounted in the chassis in pairs, so that the two pairs of wheels are each mounted in a respective lower chassis. Each of the lower chassis, with its associated pivotally mounted wheels, is mounted in the upper chassis in a pivot centre arranged in a central line between the two wheels and in the area between the wheels and the shoe, i.e. at a relatively large vertical distance from the ground. Accordingly, each of the lower chassis, with two wheels each, is pivotally connected to the upper chassis in said pivot centre, so that the wheels of each of the lower chassis are each simultaneously movable, yet in opposite directions, in the vertical direction. When the front wheel moves away from the ground, the rear wheel moves towards the ground or vice versa. In addition, one spring is mounted on each side of the pivot centre in the area between the upper chassis and a respective lower chassis. This means that one spring is mounted above each wheel in the area between the associated lower chassis and the upper chassis. Such a solution is significantly more advantageous than the previously discussed solution according to WO 2011 / 099914 Al in terms of overcoming obstacles, as the force and lift of the front wheel is compensated by the simultaneous movement of the other wheel in the opposite direction when an obstacle is encountered on the ground, or vice versa, resulting in a reduction in the outward displacement of the upper chassis and shoe, and said springs should further accelerate the return of the lower chassis to its initial position, thus helping to improve the response to the geometry of the ground. The situation in the area of the remaining lower chassis or the remaining pair of wheels, i.e. the third and fourth wheels, is also quite analogous. The concept of EP 0 848 971 Al certainly contributes, at least to a certain extent, to a less jerky and safer ride, with a better contact between the wheels of the inline roller skate and the ground, even when driving on uneven ground. As mentioned, the two pivot centres, in which the two lower chassis are pivotally connected with the upper height, are arranged above the wheels and are therefore located at a relatively large distance from the ground. In physical terms, these pivot centres are the points through which the user's weight and the forces generated by the user's muscles are transferred from the user's foot in the shoe via the wheels to the ground. As the point of application of force during push- off and acceleration and also during jerky turning is so distant from the ground due to the arrangement of said pivot centre between the upper and lower chassis, a lever is created due to the geometry itself while the inline roller skate is tilted e.g. due to a deflection from the vertical plane in the direction of which the user's weight is acting, or particularly due to the action of the force of gravity and muscular forces in different directions, which lever, with the force of gravity and muscular forces, generates a torque which, during use of the inline roller skate, practically at all times, with the exception of the extremely rare cases of a perfectly perpendicular and inherently unstable position of the wheels of the inline roller skate with respect to the ground, causes the inline roller skate and also the user’s foot in the ankle area to be prone to overturning. The use of such an inline roller skate for sporting purposes is therefore not only fatiguing for the user due to the excessive strain on the muscles in the ankle and calf areas, but is also associated with a serious risk of injury during prolonged activities in more demanding sports, such as speed or artistic roller skating or playing hockey. In addition, the inline roller skate according to EP 0 848 971 Al does not seem to be provided with a brake.

[0007] The present invention relates to a four-wheel inline roller skate generally comprising a suitably rigid upper chassis adapted to receive, on the side facing away from the ground, a shoe, and adapted to receive, on the side facing the ground, two suitably rigid lower chassis substantially arranged one after another in the same geometrical plane. Said two chassis each comprise two wheels of a predefined outer diameter and width, which are each freely pivotally mounted in the pivot centres on the front lower chassis under the toe section of said shoe and in the pivot centres on the rear lower chassis under the heel section of said shoe. Correspondingly, all four wheels with identical outer diameters are arranged in the same geometrical plane and substantially equidistantly. On the other hand, each of said lower chassis is pivotally mounted in its own pivot centre to the upper chassis. The inline roller skate is further provided with a brake adapted to co-operate with the rear wheel of the rear lower chassis under the upper chassis and the heel section of the shoe.

[0008] The inline roller skate of the invention is characterized in that said pivot centres of the lower chassis are arranged on the upper chassis in a respective centreline, perpendicular with respect to the ground, between the pivot centres of the corresponding pairs of wheels, and at the same time also in the area between a respective connective line between the pivot centres of the wheels and the ground, namely respective extreme points on the periphery of the wheels, which come in contact with the ground when the inline roller skate abuts onto the ground. A further characteristic of the inline roller skate of the invention is that the brake is formed as a suitably rigid circular segment having a smooth inner surface, the inner diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the wheels, and is detachably attached in the interior of the upper chassis in the area between the heel section of the shoe, particularly is attached in the upper chassis at such a distance from the rear wheel of the rear lower chassis under the heel section of the shoe that, when the rear lower chassis is pivoted in its pivot centre, said rear wheel comes in contact with said inner surface of the brake. In a preferred embodiment, the upper chassis is configured as a support having a U-shaped cross-section, the web of which is adapted in its upper, i.e. outer surface, to receive a shoe, while the flanges are spaced apart at least by a width of the wheels which are, thanks to said distance, insertable into the clearance between the flanges. Each of the flanges of the upper chassis is optionally extended in the area of the pivot centres of the lower chassis with two cams projecting towards the ground or more particularly away from the shoe. In one of the embodiments of the inline roller skate of the invention, each of the lower chassis is formed of a pair of two-leg levers which are spaced in parallel from each other by a width of the wheels and firmly connected, said levers having the shape of an extremely opened V with an apex oriented towards the ground and away from the shoe. As a result, a respective wheel can be inserted between the corresponding levers and freely pivotally mounted at a free end of one of the legs on a respective two-leg lever, while in the central area of the levers, which projects towards the ground, a pivot centre is foreseen between a respective lower and upper chassis. Between said levers of the lower chassis and the upper chassis such a distance is available that each of the chassis can rotate in the corresponding pivot centre by a predetermined angle with respect to the upper chassis.

[0009] Said brake in the form of a circular segment having a diameter that at least approximately corresponds to the outer diameter of the wheels comprises a grooveshaped smooth inner surface, the cross-sectional shape of which is adapted to the outline of the cross-section of the rear wheel.

[0010] The invention will be explained in more detail in the continuation by way of an embodiment illustrated on the attached drawings, in which

[0011] Fig. 1 shows a four-wheel inline roller skate of the invention, front view;

[0012] Fig. 2 shows the inline roller skate of Fig. 1 with the shoe removed, also front view; Fig. 3 shows the inline roller skate in a cross-section in the III-III plane of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows the inline roller skate in a cross-section in the IV-IV plane of Fig. 2.

[0013] A four-wheel inline roller skate illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a suitably rigid upper chassis 1 adapted to receive, on the side facing away from the ground P, a shoe 2, and, adapted to receive, on the side facing the ground P, two suitably rigid lower chassis 3, 4, substantially arranged one after another in the same geometrical plane.

[0014] Said two lower chassis 3, 4 (Fig. 2) each comprise two wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 of a predefined outer diameter and width, which are each freely pivotally mounted in pivot centres 310, 320 on the front lower chassis 3 under the toe section 21 of said shoe 2 and in pivot centres 410, 420 on the rear lower chassis 4 under the heel section 22 of said shoe 2. The wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 may be conventional commercially available wheels integrated also in sports requisites of other manufacturers and are provided with a substantially toroid peripheral ring of rubber or plastics having suitable properties in terms of strength, wear and friction.

[0015] All four wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 have an identical outer diameter and are arranged in the same geometrical plane N and substantially also at the same distance from each other, such that an adequate length of the inline roller skate is provided for because of their diameter and their relative distance that, on the one hand, provides for the necessary stability of the user and, on the other, at least those manoeuvrability properties of the inline roller skate, which are needed to move on the ground and make turns during sports activities, for instance in artistic roller skating or inline speed skating or playing indoor hockey.

[0016] Each of said lower chassis 3, 4 is pivotally connected with the upper chassis 1 in its own pivot centre 30, 40, such that a respective lower chassis 3, 4 is, independently on a respective remaining lower chassis 3, 4 relative to the upper chassis 1, pivotal by a predetermined angle, such as 5-15°, optionally more, which particularly provides for the adaptability of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 to the ground P when the latter is not absolutely flat. Said adaptability results in a double effect. On one hand, all four wheels 31, 32; 41, 42, when driving on an uneven ground, are practically constantly in contact with the ground P. On the other, when an inline roller skate hits an obstacle on the ground, for instance a step, the upward movement of the upper chassis 1 or the shoe 2, while getting over the obstacle, is reduced by a half, which considerably reduces shocks and vibration during inline roller skate use.

[0017] Within the meaning of the solution to the initially set technical problem, the inline roller skate of the invention has the pivot centres 30, 40 of the lower chassis 3, 4 arranged on the upper chassis 1 in a respective centreline, perpendicular with respect to the ground P, between the pivot centres 310, 320; 410, 420 of the corresponding pairs of wheels 31, 32; 41, 42, and at the same time also in the area between a respective connective line Z between the pivot centres 310, 320; 410, 420 of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 and the ground P, namely extreme points T3i, T32; T4i, T42on the periphery of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42, which come in contact with the ground P when the inline roller skate abuts onto the ground. Such arrangement of the pivot centres 30, 40 results in a changed position of the point of attachment of forces due to the user’s weight and muscular force, which is therefore transferred under the pivot centres 310, 320; 410, 420 of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42. This almost completely eliminates the tendency of the inline roller skate getting overturned around its longitudinal geometrical axis which extends substantially in parallel with the ground P. Due to the changed point of attachment of said forces in the pivot centres 30, 40 closely above the ground P and below the pivot centres 310, 320; 410, 420 of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42, said forces contribute only to the inline roller skate returning to its initial position in the vertical plane N perpendicular to the ground P. This allows for more efficient pushing off during acceleration as in this case, too, the front wheels 31, 32 are both simultaneously and firmly supported on the ground P.

[0018] In the illustrated embodiment (Fig. 3 and 4), the inline roller skate is formed in a way that the upper chassis 1 is configured as a support having a U-shaped cross-section, the web 10 of which is adapted in its upper, i.e. outer surface 100, to receive a shoe 2, while the flanges 11, 12 are spaced apart at least by a width of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 which are, thanks to said distance, insertable into the clearance between the flanges 11, 12. To provide for an adequate position of the pivot centres 30, 40, each of the flanges 11, 12 of the upper chassis 1 is extended in the area of the pivot centres 30, 40 with two cams 110', 110", 120', 120” projecting towards the ground or more particularly away from the shoe 2. In principle, the upper chassis 1 can be formed of a single piece obtained for instance by cold forming a metal sheet, it may optionally also be formed by assembling and connecting the pre-shaped web 10 and flanges 11, 12 with said cams 110', 110", 120', 120”, by fastening with screws or riveting, for instance.

[0019] Each of the lower chassis 3, 4 is formed of a pair of two-leg plate levers 35', 35"; 45', 45" which are spaced in parallel from each other by a width of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 and firmly connected, said levers having the shape of an extremely opened V with an apex oriented towards the ground and away from the shoe 2, such that a respective wheel 31, 32; 41, 42 is inserted between the corresponding levers 35', 35"; 45', 45" and freely pivotally mounted at a free end of one of the legs of a respective lever 35', 35"; 45', 45". In the central area of the levers 35', 35"; 45', 45”, projecting towards the ground, a respective pivot centre 30, 40 is foreseen between a respective lower chassis 3, 4 and the upper chassis 1. Between said levers 35', 35"; 45', 45” of the lower chassis 4, 5 and the upper chassis 1 at least such a distance is available that each of the chassis 3, 4 can rotate in the corresponding pivot centre 30, 40 by a predetermined angle with respect to the upper chassis 1.

[0020] The inline roller skate of the invention is further provided with a brake 5 adapted to co-operate with the rear wheel 42 of the rear lower chassis 4 under the upper chassis 1 and the heel section 22 of the shoe 2. In the illustrated embodiment (Figs. 2 and 4), the brake 5 is configured as an adequately rigid circular segment having a smooth inner surface 50, the inner diameter of which matches the outer diameter of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42. The brake 5 is detachably attached in the interior of the upper chassis 1 in the area under the heel section 22 of the shoe, so it may be replace in the event of a wear, if needed. It is crucial for the brake 5 to be attached in the upper chassis 1 at such a distance from the rear wheel 42 of the rear bottom chassis 4 under the heel section of the shoe 2, that after said rear lower chassis 4 is pivoted in its pivot centre 40, said rear wheel 42 comes in contact with said inner surface 50 of the brake 5. In the illustrated embodiment, said brake 5 in the form of a circular segment having a diameter that at least approximately corresponds to the outer diameter of the wheels 31, 32; 41, 42 comprises a groove-shaped smooth inner surface 50, the cross-sectional shape of which is adapted to the outline of the cross-section of the rear wheel 42. This provides for efficient and uniform contact of the wheel 42 with the inner surface 50 of the brake 5, which, on one hand, contributes to more efficient and non-impulsive braking, and on the other to a moderate and uniform wear of the brake 5 and the wheel 42 without any local superficial damages to any of them.

Claims

Claims1. A four-wheel inline roller skate that comprises a suitably rigid upper chassis (1) adapted to receive, on the side facing away from the ground (P), a shoe (2), and, adapted to receive, on the side facing the ground (P), two suitably rigid lower chassis (3, 4), substantially arranged one after another in the same geometrical plane, each comprising two wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) of a predefined outer diameter and width, which are each freely pivotally mounted in pivot centres (310, 320) on the front lower chassis (3) under the toe section (21) of said shoe (2) and in pivot centres (410, 420) on the rear lower chassis (4) under the heel section (22) of said shoe (2), such that all four wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) with identical outer diameters are arranged in the same geometrical plane (N) and substantially equidistantly, each of said lower chassis (3, 4) being pivotally connected with the upper chassis (1) in its own pivot centre (30, 40), in addition, the inline roller skate is further provided with a brake (5) adapted to cooperate with the rear wheel (42) of the rear lower chassis (4) under the upper chassis (1) and the heel section (22) of the shoe (2), characterized in that said pivot centres (30, 40) of the lower chassis (3, 4) are arranged on the upper chassis (1) in a respective centreline, perpendicular with respect to the ground (P), between the pivot centres (310, 320; 410, 420) of the corresponding pairs of wheels (31, 32; 41, 42), and at the same time also in the area between a respective connective line (Z) between the pivot centres (310, 320; 410, 420) of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) and the ground (P), namely extreme points (T31, T32; T41, T42) on the periphery of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42), which come in contact with the ground (P) when the inline roller skate abuts onto the ground, and that the brake (5) is configured as an adequately rigid circular segment having a smooth inner surface (50), the inner diameter of which matches the outer diameter of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42), and is detachably attached in the interior of the upper chassis (1) in the area under the heel section (22) of the shoe, namely it is attached in the upper chassis (1) at such a distance from the rear wheel (42) of the rear bottom chassis (4) under the heel section of the shoe (2), that after said rear lowerchassis (4) is pivoted in its pivot centre (40), said rear wheel (42) comes in contact with said inner surface (50) of the brake (5).

2. The inline roller skate of claim 1, characterized in that the upper chassis (1) is configured as a support having a U-shaped cross-section, the web (10) of which is adapted in its upper, i.e. outer surface (100), to receive a shoe (2), while the flanges (11, 12) are spaced apart at least by a width of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) which are, thanks to said distance, insertable into the clearance between the flanges (11, 12).

3. The inline roller skate of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each of the flanges (11, 12) of the upper chassis (1) is extended in the area of the pivot centres (30, 40) with two cams (110', 110", 120', 120”) projecting towards the ground or more particularly away from the shoe (2).

4. The inline roller skate of any of claims 1-3, characterized in that each of the lower chassis (3, 4) is formed of a pair of two-leg plate levers (35', 35"; 45', 45”) which are spaced in parallel from each other by a width of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) and firmly connected, said levers having the shape of an extremely opened V with an apex oriented towards the ground and away from the shoe (2), such that a respective wheel (31, 32; 41, 42) is inserted between the corresponding levers (35', 35"; 45', 45”) and freely pivotally mounted at a free end of one of the legs of a respective lever (35', 35"; 45', 45”), wherein in the central area of the levers (35', 35"; 45', 45”), projecting towards the ground, a pivot centre (30, 40) is foreseen between a respective lower chassis (3, 4) and the upper chassis (1), and wherein between said levers (35', 35"; 45', 45”) of the lower chassis (4, 5) and the upper chassis (1) such a distance is available that each of the chassis (3, 4) can rotate in the corresponding pivot centre (30, 40) by a predetermined angle with respect to the upper chassis (1).

5. The inline roller skate of any of claims 1-4, characterized in that said brake (5) in the form of a circular segment having a diameter that at least approximatelycorresponds to the outer diameter of the wheels (31, 32; 41, 42) comprises a grooveshaped smooth inner surface (50), the cross-sectional shape of which is adapted to the outline of the cross-section of the rear wheel (42).

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