Multilayer skate wheel

Details Multilayer skate wheel Multilayer skate wheel

1997-06-20

2001-05-08

Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)

Land vehicles: wheels and axles

Wheel

Skate wheel

C152S323000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06227622

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wheels for skates such as in-line skates, quad roller skates, and skateboards, and more particularly to wheels with improved speed, shock absorption, vibration absorption, traction, and grip.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Skate wheels ideally combine the attributes of resilience, wear resistance, and grip for a smooth ride on various paved surfaces without substantial energy loss and wheel wear. However, conventional in-line skate wheels, such as recreational, racing, and hockey wheels either have good vibration absorption but low wear resistance (soft wheel) or good wear resistance but low vibration absorption (hard wheel).
A skater's speed is also affected by the interaction between the wheel hardness and the roughness of the skating surface. A hard wheel will skate fast on a very smooth surface. However, as the surface becomes rougher, a soft wheel will more smoothly ride over small surface bumps and results in less skater energy loss. A hard wheel requires the skate to move vertically over bumps causing vibrations, extra movement of the wheel, and thus, extra energy expended.
Others have attempted to provide a wheel with improved dampening, resilience, and/or grip. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,432 (Klamer) discloses a dual material wheel. The surface of the wheel exposes the two materials including the softer material. However, such a wheel may be slow, having increased rolling friction. Furthermore, the soft material would not wear well and will create vibration due to the hardness on the skating surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a wheel that may be used for a skate such as an in-line skate, tandem skate, or skateboard. The wheel includes a hub, a tire circumscribing the hub, and at least one layer or ring between the hub and the tire. The tire is constructed of a first material. The ring is disposed at least partially between the hub and the tire. The ring is constructed of an elastomeric material softer than the first material of the tire construction.
Preferably, the hub includes a rim projecting radially outwardly therefrom. The rim has openings extending therethrough parallel to the rotational axis of the hub. The ring is disposed on the outer periphery of the rim with the tire extending beneath the rim through the openings. Preferably, the ring is in an at least slightly stretched state on the outer periphery of the rim.
The first material, from which the tire is constructed, preferably includes urethane. The elastomer ring or layer material includes a softer urethane than the first material. The ring material in one preferred embodiment includes a solid elastomer. In another preferred embodiment the ring material includes microcellular elastomer (e.g., polyurethane foam). Preferably, the first material includes a urethane with a Shore A hardness between 70A and 100A. The microcellular urethane ring has a density between 10 to 60 pounds per cubic foot. In the solid elastomer ring or layer embodiment, the hardness of the ring is between 20A to 75A on the Shore A scale. The ring's surface is rough so as to bond well to the urethane tire material.
The invention also encompasses a method of making a skate wheel including providing a hub, placing a ring of elastomeric foam around the outer periphery of the hub, placing the hub and the ring within a mold, and inserting tire material into the mold around the hub and ring. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the ring comprises a microcellular urethane, while the tire material includes a solid elastomer. Preferably, the tire material is poured or cast into the mold.
In the preferred method of carrying out the invention, the hub includes a rim or other extensions projecting radially outwardly from the center portion of the hub and includes transverse openings through the rim. The ring is placed on the outer periphery of the rim or other projections and the tire material flows through the openings to substantially surround the ring. The ring preferably has a rough surface for positive mechanical bonding to the tire material. Alternatively, the tire material may be injected into the mold.
The present invention also encompasses an alternate method of making a dual durometer skate wheel. The skate wheel includes a rotational axis and the method includes placing first and second uncured resin materials in a wheel mold. The second material has a higher density than the first material. The mold is then spun about the rotational axis of the wheel to allow the second, higher density material to be concentrated generally at the outer periphery of the wheel mold. The first and second materials are at least partially mixed (B-stage process) at their interfaces for bonding therebetween. The first and second materials are then cured.
Preferably, at least one of the resin materials includes polyurethane. In one aspect of the preferred embodiment, the first and second materials are preferably poured into the mold.
An alternate method of the present invention includes making a dual durometer wheel by providing a wheel mold, placing a separator within the mold, inserting a first resin material on one side of the separator, inserting a second resin material on the other side of the separator, allowing at least one of the first and second materials to at least partially cure, removing the separator, and curing at least one of the first and second materials (“B-staging”). Preferably, a hub is provided inside both the first and second materials before inserting the materials into the mold. The first material is disposed adjacent the hub at an inner periphery and adjacent the separator at an outer periphery. The second material is adjacent the separator at an inner periphery.
The invention also includes a method of making an in-line skate wheel in a mold by spinning the mold on the axis of the wheel, placing a predetermined amount of first resin material into the mold, and placing a second resin material into the mold within the first material before the first material completely cures. The first material fills less than the complete volume of the mold to allow space for the second material within the first material. Preferably, the first material is allowed to gel before the second material is placed therewithin. Once allowed to gel, the rotation of the mold is stopped before adding the second material. Also, the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a hub inserted into the mold before the second material is placed therein. The hub is placed within the first material such that the second material is placed substantially between the hub and the first material.


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