Roller Skate Adjustable Platform with Tilting Rear Wheels
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheeled skates lack sufficient braking capacity while maintaining stability, and they are not easily adjustable to fit different shoe sizes without tools or manual intervention, often requiring buckles for attachment.
Innovation Solution
A roller skate design featuring an adjustable platform with a single front wheel and three tiltable rear wheels, incorporating a biasing mechanism for automatic extension and retraction, and a locking assembly that allows the skate to lock in an extended position, enabling secure attachment to shoes without buckles, and a brake pad system that maintains wheel engagement during tilting for braking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional brake pads are used in wheeled skates, then braking action is provided, but substantial forces are required to apply the brake and balance control is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The brake system automatically engages when the skate tilts during normal braking motion, eliminating the need for the skater to manually apply force to a brake pad. The system serves itself by converting the natural tilting motion into braking action through the rear wheel lifting mechanism, providing braking capacity without compromising balance control
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the manual braking action from the system by removing the need for skater-applied brake pads. Instead, the brake function is achieved through the automatic lifting of the rear wheel via the tilting mechanism, separating the braking function from manual intervention and improving ease of operation
2Reliability
If wheeled skates require manual adjustment or tools for size adjustment, then secure fit is achieved, but ease of adjustment and user convenience are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting assembly automatically adjusts its length through a self-contained mechanism that extends or retracts without requiring tools or manual intervention. The system serves itself by using the skater's foot insertion motion to trigger the automatic extension and locking mechanism, providing secure attachment while maximizing ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary automatic extension mechanism between the skate components that mediates the adjustment process. This intermediary system handles the size adjustment automatically through its internal mechanism, eliminating the need for direct manual manipulation or tools while ensuring reliable secure fit
3Power
If rear wheels are lifted off the ground during braking, then brake pad contact is achieved, but wheel engagement with the skating surface is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by selectively lifting only the rear wheel while maintaining front wheel contact with the skating surface. This localized action provides braking capacity through the brake pad contact at the rear while preserving stability through continued engagement of the front wheels, allowing braking action without complete loss of surface engagement
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances braking capacity, maintains stability, and allows for easy adjustment to fit various shoe sizes without tools, ensuring secure attachment and efficient braking by keeping rear wheels engaged with the ground during tilting.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing means for biasing the platform into a retracted condition
Data Source
AI summary
A roller skate having enhanced durability and stability is disclosed. Furthermore, the roller skate is particularly adapted for affixing to a person's footwear, such as sneakers, boots or the like. The skate includes a platform for supporting a skater's foot. The platform includes a toe plate and heel plate connected by an adjustable connecting assembly. A front truck is affixed to the underside of the toe plate, while a rear truck is affixed to the underside of the heel plate. The front truck includes simple bracket arms for affixing a single front wheel which is capable of rotating, but not capable of tilting about the platform's longitudinal axis. Meanwhile, the rear wheel truck is mounted to the underside of the heel plate so as to permit both tilting movement about an inclined longitudinal axis, and also rotation about a transverse axis relative to the roller skate's platform. Preferably, the roller skate includes three wheels rotatably mounted to the rear wheel truck. A button projects upwardly from the roller skate's heel plate so as to engage a skater's heel when it is placed upon the roller skate's platform. The button is connected to the roller skate's connecting assembly so that depression of the button causes the platform to unlock from an extending condition to allow the skate to automatically contract to capture a skater's foot.