Patent ID: 6845990
Filing Date: 2005-01-25
Classification: A63C

Abstract:
1. An in-line skate comprising: a skate frame having front and rear ends; a front wheel mounted rotatably on said skate frame adjacent to said front end of said skate frame; a rear wheel rotatably mounted on said skate frame adjacent to said rear end of said skate frame; and a middle wheel assembly including at least two middle wheels, each of which is mounted rotatably on said skate frame between said front and rear wheels, each of which is aligned with said front and rear wheels in a longitudinal direction, and each of which is rotatable about a first rotation axis defined by said middle wheel, each of said middle wheels further defining a first wheel center and a first inclined plane that passes through said first wheel center and that is perpendicular to said first rotation axis, said first inclined plane being inclined relative to a vertical plane perpendicular to a ground plane by a first acute angle; wherein said front and rear wheels define second and third rotation axes, second and third wheel centers, and second and third inclined planes, respectively, said second an third inclined planes passing through said second and third wheel centers, said second and third inclined planes also being perpendicular to said second and third rotation axes, and said second and third inclined planes further being inclined relative to the vertical plane by second and third acute angles, respectively, said second and third acute angles smaller than said first acute angle, said first, second, and third inclined planes being inclined relative to the vertical plane in the same direction; and wherein said middle wheels and said front and rear wheels further define first, second, and third vertical heights that are respectively measured said first, second, and third wheel centers to the ground plane, said second and third vertical heights being higher than said first height.