Abstract:
A shoe and a wheel device include one end detachably secured together with a projection-and-lock notch engagement. A toe member and a separate heel member are engaged on the front and the rear portions of the shoe. A latch is attached to the wheel device for latching and securing the heel member and the rear portion of the shoe to the wheel device. A quick release lock device is attached to the middle portion of the wheel device and engageable with the heel member for locking the heel member and the middle portion of the shoe to the wheel device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a shoe and wheel combination, and more particularly to a shoe and wheel combination including an easily and quickly detachable structure or configuration. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various kinds of typical shoe and wheel combinations have been developed and used today, and comprise a wheel device for detachably securing to the bottom of the shoe. Normally, the shoe includes two or more fasteners extended downward therefrom for securing the wheel device to the bottom thereof together with the other or the additional lock nuts or the like. The lock nuts may not be easily unthreaded and disengaged from the fasteners. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,512 to Chang discloses the other type of shoe and wheel combination including a wheel device having one end rotatably secured to one end of the shoe with a pivot shaft, and having the other end detachably secured to the shoe with a lock device or the like. However, the pivot shaft may not be easily disengaged from the shoe, such that the wheel device may not be easily and quickly disengaged from the shoe after the lock device has been disengaged from the shoe, and such that the wheel device may not be easily disengaged from the shoe. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional shoe and wheel combinations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shoe and wheel combination including an easily and quickly detachable structure or configuration. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a shoe and wheel combination comprising a shoe including a first portion, a middle portion and a rear portion, a toe member engaged onto the front portion of the shoe, a heel member engaged onto the rear portion of the shoe, a wheel device including a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion, means for detachably securing the front portion of the wheel device and the toe member together to detachably secure the front portion of the shoe between the toe member and the front portion of the wheel device, and means for detachably latching the rear portion of the wheel device and the heel member together to detachably secure the rear portion of the shoe between the heel member and the rear portion of the wheel device. 
     The detachably securing means includes at least one block extended downward from the toe member and engaged into the front portion of the shoe, and at least one projection provided on the front portion of the wheel device for engaging with the block. 
     The block includes a lock notch formed therein for receiving the projection of the wheel device. The wheel device includes a plate provided on the front portion thereof, and a catch extended upward from the plate, the projection is extended forward from the catch. 
     The detachably latching means includes at least one protrusion extended downward from the heel member and engaged into the rear portion of the shoe, and a latch provided on the rear portion of the wheel device for engaging with the protrusion and for latching the rear portion of the wheel device and the heel member together. 
     The wheel device includes at least one conduit provided on the rear portion thereof and having an opening formed therein, the protrusion includes an orifice formed therein and aligned with the opening of the conduit for receiving the latch. 
     The latch includes a middle portion rotatably secured to the rear portion of the wheel device with a pivot shaft, and includes a first end having a hook for engaging into the opening of the conduit and the orifice of the protrusion. A spring biasing device may further be provided for biasing the latch to engage with the protrusion. 
     A device may further be provided for locking the heel member to the middle portion of the wheel device and includes a quick release lock device attached to the middle portion of the wheel device and engageable with the heel member for locking the heel member to the middle portion of the wheel device. 
     The quick release lock device includes a lever rotatably secured to the middle portion of the wheel device, and an arm having a first end rotatably secured to the lever and a second end for engaging with the heel member and for locking the heel member to the middle portion of the wheel device. 
     The heel member includes a casing extended downward therefrom and engaged into the shoe, the arm is engaged with the casing for locking the casing to the wheel device. The casing includes an aperture formed therein for receiving the arm. The shoe includes a housing extended downward therefrom and having an aperture formed therein for receiving the arm. 
     A receptacle is further provided on the middle portion of the wheel device for receiving the casing and includes an orifice formed therein for receiving the arm and for allowing the arm to engage with the casing. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe and wheel combination in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the shoe and wheel combination; and 
     FIGS. 3,  4 ,  5  are cross sectional views taken along lines  3 — 3 ,  4 — 4 , and  5 — 5  of FIG. 1 respectively. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a shoe and wheel combination in accordance with the present invention comprises a wheel device including a frame  10  having one or more wheels  11  rotatably secured thereto for engaging with the ground or the like, and having a plate  12  disposed or provided on one end, such as the front end thereof, and having a board  16  disposed or provided on the other end, such as the rear end thereof. The front portion or the front plate  12  of the wheel device includes a catch  13  extended upward therefrom and having one or more, such as three projections  14  extended forward therefrom. 
     The rear portion or the rear board  16  of the wheel device includes one or more, such as two conduits  17  formed or provided therein and preferably extended upward and downward beyond the board  16 , best shown in FIG.  4 . The conduits  17  each includes a bore  18  formed therein, and one of the conduits  17  includes an opening  19  (FIG. 4) formed therein and communicating with the bore  18  thereof. A latch  20  has a middle portion pivotally or rotatably secured to the frame  10  with a pivot shaft  21 , and includes a hook  22  provided on one end thereof for engaging into the opening  19  of the conduit  17 , and includes a knob  23  provided on the other end thereof for forcing or for disengaging the hook  22  from the conduit  17 . A spring  24  or the like may be engaged between the knob  23  and the frame  10  for biasing the hook  22  to engage into the opening  19  of the conduit  17 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a receptacle  30  is disposed or provided or formed on the frame  10 , such as provided on the middle portion of the frame  10 , and includes a chamber  31  formed therein, and includes an orifice  32  formed in one side thereof and communicating with the chamber  31  thereof. A lever  33  has one end, such as the upper end pivotally or rotatably secured to the frame  10  with a pivot axle  34 , and includes a hand grip  38  formed or provided on the other end, such as the lower end thereof. An arm  35  includes one end, such as the lower end pivotally or rotatably secured to the middle portion of the lever  33  with a pivot pin  36 , and includes a tongue  37  formed or provided on the other end, such as on the upper end thereof for engaging into the orifice  32  of the receptacle  30 . 
     The shoe and wheel combination includes a shoe  40  to be detachably secured onto the frame  10  of the wheel device. The shoe  40  is preferably made of soft or resilient materials, such as the typical rubber or synthetic materials, and may be used as the typical shoes, such as the sports shoes or the like when the shoe  40  is disengaged from the frame  10  of the wheel device. For clearly showing the securing of the shoe  40  onto the frame  10  of the wheel device, only the shoe sole of the shoe  40  has been shown in the drawings, such that the shoe sole of the shoe  40  represents the shoe to be detachably secured onto the frame  10  of the wheel device. 
     The shoe  40  includes one end, such as the front end having a passage  41  formed or provided therein for receiving the catch  13  and the projections  14  of the plate  12 , and having a recess  46  formed in the upper portion thereof and communicating with the passage  41  thereof. The rear portion of the shoe  40  includes one or more, such as two cavities  44  formed therein for receiving the upper portions of the conduits  17  of the rear board  16  respectively (FIG.  4 ). The shoe  40  includes a housing  42  formed or provided or extended downward from the middle portion thereof and having an aperture  43  formed in the side portion thereof (FIG. 5) for receiving the tongue  37  of the arm  35 . The shoe  40  also includes a depression  47  formed in the middle and the rear portion thereof and communicating with the housing  42  and the cavities  44  thereof. 
     A toe member  70  has a lower portion engaged in the recess  46  of the shoe  40  and includes one or more, such as three blocks  71  extended downward therefrom and engaged into the passage  41  of the shoe  40 . The blocks  71  each includes a lock notch  72  (FIG. 3) formed therein for receiving the catch  13  and the projections  14  of the front plate  12  and for detachably securing or latching or locking the front portions of the shoe  40  to the front plate  12  of the frame  10 . In assembling, the projections  14  of the front plate  12  may first be engaged upward into the lock notches  72  of the blocks  70  and then may be moved forward to solidly engage into the lock notches  72  of the blocks  70  and to detachably lock the front portions of the shoe  40  to the front plate  12  of the frame  10 . The toe member  70  is made of stronger materials, such as plastic materials, metal materials, composite materials, or the like. The front portions of the shoe  40  and the plate  12  of the frame  10  may thus be easily and quickly secured or latched together without additional fasteners. 
     A heel member  80  includes a bottom panel  81  engaged in the depression  47  of the shoe  40 , and includes a casing  82  extended downward therefrom, such as extended downward from the front portion thereof, and engaged into the housing  42  of the shoe  40 . The casing  82  includes an aperture  83  formed therein and aligned with the aperture  43  of the housing  42  and the orifice  32  of the receptacle  30  (FIG.  5 ). In assembling, the tongue  37  of the arm  35  may be engaged into the orifice  32  of the receptacle  30  and the aperture  43  of the housing  42  and the aperture  83  of the casing  82 , and may be hooked to the casing  82 . The hand grip  38  of the lever  33  may then be rotated to engage with the frame  10  and to quickly lock the casing  82  to the frame  10 . The lever  33  and the arm  35  thus form a quick release locking device for detachably locking the heel member  80  and the middle portion of the shoe  40  to the frame  10 . 
     The heel member  80  includes one or more protrusions  84  extended downward from the rear portion thereof, and engaged into the cavities  44  of the shoe  40  and engaged into the conduits  17  of the rear board  16 . One or the protrusions  84  includes an orifice  87  formed therein and aligned with the opening  19  of the conduit  17  (FIG.  4 ). In assembling, the hook  22  of the latch  20  may be engaged into the opening  19  of the conduit  17  and the orifice  87  of the protrusion  84  may be engaged with the protrusion  84  for further detachably locking the heel member  80  and the rear portion of the shoe  40  to the frame  10 . The heel member  80  is also made of stronger materials, such as plastic materials, metal materials, composite materials, or the like. 
     In assembling the frame  10  of the wheel device and the shoe  40  together, the blocks  71  of the toe member  70  may be engaged into the passage  41  of the shoe  40 . The projections  14  of the front plate  12  may then be engaged into the lock notches  72  of the blocks  71  and may be moved forward relative to the shoe  40 , for detachably securing the front portion of the shoe  40  and to the front plate  12  of the frame  10  with the toe member  70 , without additional fasteners. The hook  22  of the latch  20  may then be engaged into the opening  19  of the conduit  17  and the orifice  87  of the protrusion  84  for quickly and detachably locking the heel member  80  and the rear portion of the shoe  40  to the frame  10 . The shoe  40  may thus be easily and quickly secured to the frame  10  and may be easily and quickly disengaged from the frame  10  by disengaging the hook  22  of the latch  20  from the protrusion  84 . 
     The tongue  37  of the arm  35  may further be engaged into the orifice  32  of the receptacle  30  and the aperture  43  of the housing  42  and the aperture  83  of the casing  82 , and may be hooked to the casing  82 . The hand grip  38  of the lever  33  may then be rotated to engage with the frame  10  and to quickly lock the casing  82  to the frame  10 . The heel member  80  may thus be further solidly secured to the frame  10  by the lever  33  and the arm  35 . The wheel device may thus be easily and quickly assembled onto the bottom of the shoe  40  without additional fasteners. 
     Accordingly, the shoe and wheel combination in accordance with the present invention includes an easily and quickly detachable structure or configuration. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.