Land vehicles – Skates – Wheeled skate
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-23
2001-09-25
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Skates
Wheeled skate
C280S011222, C301S005700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293565
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to roller skates, and more particularly, to an in-line roller skate that allows lateral movement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In-line roller skates, often referred to as roller blades, are an extremely popular skate that offers the skater both speed and maneuverability. A typical roller blade has either four or five polyurethane wheels linearly aligned and mounted within a wheel frame. The wheel frame can be attached to a variety of different boot types depending upon the needs of the skater. Attached to the boot and/or skate frame is a toe stop, heal stop, or both. Uses of roller blades range from simple recreational skating to professional roller hockey.
As roller blade use has increased, so have the demands placed on the skate assembly. For example, free-style skaters perform difficult skating maneuvers or ticks on both flat and sloping surfaces. One of the more demanding users of roller blades is the roller hockey goaltender or goalie. Both professional and amateur goalies require not only the ability for linear motion, i.e., movement in forward and backward directions, but also the ability for lateral motion, i.e., side-to-side movement. One measure of a goalie's effectiveness is how quickly he or she can move side-to-side, thus indicating how well the goalie can guard the goal. An unfortunate side effect of this lateral motion, even for goalies using state-of-the-art roller hockey skates, is that goalies are constantly twisting their knees, leading to frequent knee injuries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,949 discloses an in-line skate designed to provide the skater with the ability to easily move in a direction other than forward or backward. The disclosed system utilizes a steering mechanism that allows the individual rollers to curve to the right or left, depending upon whether the skater shifts their body weight to the right or left, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,052 discloses an in-line skate that can be used to skate forward, backward, or sideways. The disclosed skate can also turn right, turn left, or spin. The skate uses a composite belt that wraps around all of the in-line wheels similar to the caterpillar treads used on a tractor or military tank. The composite belt is comprised of a resilient belt, string, and beads.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that an in-line roller skate that allows the skater an increased range of motion, in particular side-to-side motion, is desired. The present invention provides such a skate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a skate assembly that allows the skater linear forward and backward motion as well as lateral side-to-side motion. The skate assembly can be adjusted to fit the size and weight of the skater, the skill level of the skater, and the skating or playing style of the skater.
In one embodiment of the invention, each skate assembly includes a plurality of roller assemblies, preferably either 4 or 5 roller assemblies. Within each roller assembly ig a roller that can rotate in any direction, thus providing the skater with the flexibility to skate in any direction. This flexibility is especially advantageous for roller hockey goalies that require the ability to skate side-to-side as well as forward and backward or for extreme skaters that perform a variety of difficult skating maneuvers. In order to provide a push-off area that allows the skater to either initiate movement or accelerate, the skate assembly includes a friction plate.
In another embodiment of the invention, each skate assembly includes at least one roller assembly, and preferably at least three roller assemblies, interposed between a pair of conventional wheels. The pair of conventional wheels provides stability when the skater is moving in either a forward or backward direction since these two wheels are confined to rotation in a single plane. When the skater wishes to move laterally he or she tilts the skates, for example by inwardly angling both knees, causing the conventional wheels to be raised from the playing surface and placing all of the skater's weight on the omni-directional rollers. At this point lateral skate motion is as easy as linear skate motion.
In one embodiment of an individual roller assembly the top surface of the roller rests against or is cupped within a first set of bearings. A bearing cage containing a second set of bearings surrounds the roller along a plane below the maximum diameter of the roller, thus capturing the roller between the two bearing sets. Preferably the force applied by the first and second sets of bearings to the roller is adjustable, for example through adjustment of the relative positions of the bearing sets, thus allowing control of the resistance of the roller to motion.
In another embodiment of an individual roller assembly the roller is held within a cavity, the cavity being comprised of at least upper and lower roller housings. A portion of the roller extends out of the cavity to provide the rolling surface. The inner surfaces of the housings that are in contact with the roller are coated with a low friction coating such as a polymer coating, so that the roller can easily rotate within the housing.
In another embodiment of an individual roller assembly the roller is held between two bearing sets mounted on either side of the roller. Each bearing set is held within a retainer that is mounted to the skate assembly frame by tension bolts. Adjustment of the tensioning bolts adjusts the pressure applied by the bearing sets on the roller. Thus the amount of force that is required to rotate the roller can be controlled and tailored to the needs of a particular skater.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings.
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Advertising materials from “RollerBall International Inc.” web-site, copyright 1998-1999, pp. 3, 4, 5 and 6 of 6.
Bouchard Anthony
Bouchard, Jr. Richard J.
Beck David G.
Fischmann Bryan
Johnson Brian L.
McCutchen Doyle Brown & Enersen LLP
Netminders, Inc.
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