Apparatus for operating roller imbedded in a shoe up and down

An apparatus for operating a roller up and down is provided, which includes a main body fixed to a bottom of a shoe, an operating body to which the roller is imbedded, which is slidably mounted within the main body, and an operating assembly to move the operating body within the main body between an operating position and a non-operating position, wherein the roller protrudes out from the main body in the operating position while the roller is retracted into the main body in the non-operating position. A wearer of a shoe is capable of shifting the shoe between an operating position in which the roller protrudes out from the bottom of the shoe and a non-operating position in which the roller is retracted into the bottom of the shoe, by a simple operation. Accordingly, the shoe can be used as a roller shoe when the roller is in the operating position, and used as a general walking shoe for everyday use when the roller is in the non-operating position. As a result, the wearer can conveniently use a roller shoe as well as a walking shoe with one shoe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 2008-0025872, filed on Mar. 20, 2008 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for operating a roller up and down, and more particularly, to an apparatus for operating a roller imbedded in a shoe worn for everyday use up and down, enabling a wearer not only to walk, but also enjoy roller skating with the shoe.

2. Description of the Related Art

Roller skates or inline skates are the shoes to which roller-bearing assemblies are attached so that the wearers can use them as a form of a recreation as well as a sport.

In order to travel with roller skates or inline skates, people generally pack their skates, go somewhere that it is possible to skate, change their shoes to roller skates or inline skates, and keep their shoes somewhere safe while they are enjoying skating. After skating, it is then necessary to change to normal shoes, and pack and carry the skates to home.

The problem is that the roller skates or inline skates are much larger and heavier than general shoes, and thus it is inconvenient to carry them. It is also inconvenient for a wearer to change from normal shoes to roller skates or inline skates, or vice versa, every time he or she wants to glide.

In order to resolve inconvenience experienced with the conventional skates, a roller shoe, in which roller is imbedded, has been developed.

For example, a roller may be imbedded in the back, or in both back and fore ends of the bottom surface of the shoe.

However, the conventional roller shoe has a roller always protruding from the surface of the shoe, frequently causing the wearer to lose balance while walking and get injured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an aspect of the present invention to provide an apparatus for operating a roller imbedded in a general shoe up and down, enabling a wearer to shift from walking to skating and vice versa with convenience and also preventing the wearer from getting injured.

In order to achieve the above-described aspects of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for operating a roller up and down, which includes a main body fixed to a bottom of a shoe, an operating body to which the roller is imbedded, which is slidably mounted within the main body, and an operating assembly to move the operating body within the main body between an operating position and a non-operating position, wherein the roller protrudes out from the main body in the operating position while the roller is retracted into the main body in the non-operating position.

The operating assembly may include a guide plate placed on an upper portion of the main body, and a cam bar arranged on a surface of the guide plate which faces the operating body, to move between a retracting position in which the cam bar is arranged parallel to the guide plate, and an upright position in which the cam bar stands upright from the guide plate to press the operating body.

The guide plate may include a cam bar receiving portion to receive the cam bar therein when the cam bar is arranged in the retracting position, and cam bar receiving portion being formed in a corresponding configuration to the cam bar.

The cam bar may include an axle portion, a pressing portion to press the operating body when the cam bar protrudes from the axle portion and is arranged to the upright position, and a supporting segment protruding from the axle portion to form an angle with respect to the pressing portion, to contact the guide plate and maintain the cam bar in the upright position when the cam bar is arranged in the upright position.

The cam bar may include an operating groove formed on an end to receive an operating tool to operate a rotating movement of the cam bar.

The apparatus may further include a cam bar supporting portion having a tubular support through which one end of the cam bar is passed, and the operating groove may be exposed outside through the tubular support.

The cam bar supporting portion may include a ball receiving portion extending from the tubular support, a ball received in the ball receiving portion and partly protruding to an interior of the tubular support, and a spring mounted within the ball receiving portion to press the ball toward the tubular support, and the cam bar may include a position indicating hole formed on an outer circumference of one end, to receive a part of the ball.

The supporting segment may contact the guide plate and the pressing portion is rotated away from the guide plate 90° or more, when the cam bar is in the upright position.

The pressing portion and the guide plate may be at an angle ranging from 95° to 125° when the cam bar is in the upright position.

The operating body may include an inclined surface formed on a surface which faces the guide plate, which is gradually recessed along a direction of rotation of the pressing portion so that an end of the pressing portion is moved in contact with the inclined surface when the cam bar is rotated, and a separation preventive protrusion protruding from an end of the inclined surface to impede the rotation of the pressing portion.

The operating body may include a plurality of shaft holes, and the guide plate may include a plurality of fitting holes to correspond to the shaft holes.

The apparatus may include a plurality of shafts to pass through the shaft holes of the operating body and engaged with the fitting holes of the guide plate, and an elastic body disposed within each of the shaft holes to surround outer circumference of each shaft, wherein the operating body is returned to the non-operating position due to recovery force of the elastic body.

The operating body may include a plurality of guide ribs protruding along a direction of movement of the operating body, the main body may include guide grooves formed in an inner wall to receive the guide ribs of the operating body, and the guide groove may be formed to have a length such that the roller is not exposed outside the bottom of the shoe when the roller is arranged in the non-operating position.

The operating body may include therein a rotating body to rotate with respect to the operating body, and the roller may be mounted to the rotating body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The matters defined in the description such as a detailed construction and elements are nothing but the ones provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out without those defined matters.

FIG. 1illustrates a bottom of a shoe to which an apparatus for operating a roller up and down is imbedded according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 2illustrates a roller of the apparatus ofFIG. 1protruding from the bottom of the shoe, andFIG. 3illustrates the roller of the apparatus ofFIG. 1retracted into the bottom of the shoe.

Referring toFIG. 1, apparatuses for operating a roller up and down1,100according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be imbedded in fore and back ends of a shoe bottom5in a penetrating manner. For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the apparatus1in the fore end of the shoe bottom5is the apparatus for operating a linear type roller up and down (‘linear type roller operating apparatus’), while the apparatus100in a back end of the shoe bottom5is the apparatus for operating a rotating type roller up and down (‘rotating type roller operating apparatus’).

The apparatuses1,100may have rollers7,107which alternate between protruding out from the shoe bottom5as shown inFIG. 2, and retracting into the shoe bottom5as shown inFIG. 3.

The linear type roller operating apparatus1will be explained first.

FIGS. 4 and 5are exploded perspective views of the linear type roller operating apparatus1according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The linear type roller operating apparatus1may include an operating body40, a main body30, and operating assemblies10,20.

The roller7is mounted to the operating body40to be protruded out from the shoe bottom5or retracted into the shoe bottom5.

The operating assemblies10,20operate the operating body40between an operating position in which the roller7is protruded from a main body30, and a non-operating position in which the roller7is retracted into the main body30.

The main body30may be configured as a rectangular box, of which two opposite sides are open, and fixed to the shoe bottom5in a manner such that both open sides are arranged in thickness direction of the shoe bottom5. A recess31is formed to a predetermined depth, at the upper open area of an inner wall of the main body, and along the edge of the inner wall. The recess31receives a guide plate10which will be explained below. The recess31is formed in the upper open area to correspond to the thickness of the guide plate10so as to allow the guide plate10to be received in the main body30without protruding out.

A guide groove33is extended from a lower open area of the main body30to the recess31, along the inner wall of the main body30. Accordingly, as a guide rib44of the operating body40, which will be explained below, is slid along the guide groove33, the operating body40is moved within the main body30. There may be a plurality of guide grooves33formed in a pair of shorter inner sidewalls having shorter widths than the other inner sidewalls of the main body30. However, the number or location of the guide grooves33is not limited, and therefore, these can be adjusted as necessary. The guide grooves33may be formed deeper than the recess31. By doing so, an end441of the guide rib44is impeded by the recess31near the end331of the guide groove33, causing the operating body40to stop in its movement toward the upper open area of the main body30.

Each guide groove33is formed to have a length such that the roller7is retracted into the shoe bottom5, without being protruded out from the shoe bottom5while the wearer is walking. Each guide groove33may be configured to have a triangular cross section, and thus have narrow contact area as possible, thereby minimizing possible friction during sliding movement of the operating body40which will be explained in greater detail below.

Meanwhile, a pair of fixing ribs37may protrude from an outer wall of the main body30. Each of the fixing ribs37may include a plurality of holes38formed therein. The fixing ribs37are arranged between a midsole and an outsole of the shoe bottom5to prevent the linear type roller operating apparatus1from separating from the shoe bottom5.

On one shorter sidewall of the main body30is formed a cutaway portion35, provided for the exposure of a cam bar20which will be explained in detail below.

Meanwhile, the operating assemblies10,20may each include the guide plate10and the cam bar20.

The guide plate10may be configured to be a square plate which closes the upper open area of the main body30, and inserted in the recess31of the main body30and fixed therein. The thickness of the guide plate10may almost correspond to the depth of the recess31.

On a surface of the guide plate10that faces the inner side of the main body30, there is a cam bar receiving portion15recessed in a configuration corresponding to the cam bar20to receive the cam bar20therein. The cam bar receiving portion15may include an axle receiving area16longitudinally recessed along the middle portion of the guide plate10into a semi-cylindrical configuration, and a plate receiving area17also longitudinally extending on a side of the axle receiving area16in a rectangular configuration. One end of the axle receiving area16is open, to allow one end of the cam bar20to pass and be exposed to outside.

A plurality of fastening holes19are penetratingly formed in each of the corners of the guide plate10, through which shafts80are passed to fasten with the operating body40. On one end of each shaft80is formed a female screw.

The cam bar20is received in the cam bar receiving portion15of the guide plate10, and may be made from metal material such as aluminum or alloy.

The cam bar20may include an axle portion21operating as an axle for the cam bar20to rotate between retracting position and upright position, a pressing portion23protruding from the axle portion21to press the operating body40when the cam bar20is placed in the upright position, and a supporting segment25protruding from a side of the axle portion21to form a predetermined angle with the pressing portion23, and contact the guide plate10to keep the cam bar20in the upright position once the cam bar20is moved to the upright position.

The axle portion21of the cam bar20may have one and the other ends formed in cylindrical shapes, and an area having the pressing portion23which is formed in a straightened bar configuration to have a thickness corresponding to that of the pressing portion23. One end of the axle portion21protrudes out from the shoe bottom5, and on the terminating end of the exposed end of the axle portion21, there is an operating groove29formed to receive a tool to operate the rotation of the cam bar20. The operating groove29may be in a form of a line, or two lines crossing each other, and allows a wearer to rotate the cam bar20by inserting any adequate tool at hand, such as a driver, pin, or key, or a dedicated tool (not illustrated) provided by a shoe maker, and rotating the tool in a predetermined direction.

The axle portion21may include the position indicating hole27which is recessed to a hemispherical shape in an outer circumference of the axle portion21, near the operating hole29. When the cam bar20is arranged in the upright position, the ball54is received in the position indicating hole27, generating impulsive sound. Therefore, the wearer knows from the sound that the cam bar20is in the upright position.

The pressing portion23rotates between the upright position and retracting position in accordance with the rotating movement of the axle portion21of the cam bar20.

The supporting segment25rotates 90° or more to cause the cam bar20to rotate to the upright position and press the operating body40. The location of the supporting segment25is determined so that the supporting segment25maintains less than 90° with respect to the pressing portion23(FIG. 9). In other words, the supporting segment25is positioned so that the pressing portion23and the guide plate10are at an angle ranging from 95° to 125°, and preferably at 115°, when the cam bar20is in upright position. Since the pressing portion23is rotated 90° or more and thus presses the operating body40at an inclined state, it is impossible to return the pressing portion23to the initial position without operating the operating groove29. Accordingly, the roller7can not be retracted into the main body30due to external impacts to cause the wearer undesirable injuries while the wearer is skating with the shoe.

Referring toFIGS. 4,14, and15, on a side of the main body30is formed a cam bar supporting segment50to support one end of the axle portion21of the cam bar20. The cam bar supporting portion50may be formed in a configuration corresponding to that of the cutaway portion35of the main body30, that is, in the configuration of a square plate.

The cam bar supporting segment50may include a tubular support55through which the axle portion21of the cam bar20is passed.

On one side of the tubular support55is formed a ball receiving portion53extending from the interior of the tubular support55. The ball receiving portion53receives therein the ball54protruding partly toward the interior of the tubular support55, and a spring51to bias the ball54toward the tubular support55. As one end of the axle portion21of the cam bar20is received in the tubular support55, the ball54is brought into contact with the outer circumference of the axle portion21. If the cam bar20is moved to the upright position in accordance with the rotation of the cam bar20, referring toFIG. 14, the ball54is received in the position indicating hole27of the axle portion21, generating impulsive sound between the ball54and the position indicating hole27. Therefore, the wearer easily knows that the cam bar20is now in upright position.

The supporting plate55is exposed to a side area of the shoe bottom5, and the operating groove29of the axle portion21received in the tubular support55is exposed to the wearer through the tubular support55. Accordingly, the wearer is able to shift the roller7from non-operating position to operating position or vice versa, conveniently, by using the operating groove29exposed to outside.

The operating body40may be formed in hexahedron configuration and slidably received in the main body30. Along the outer circumference of the operating body40is formed a plurality of guide ribs44protruding longitudinally in the sliding direction of the operating body40. The guide ribs44have triangular cross-section and may be formed plurally on the shorter sidewalls of the operating body40. If the operating body40is received in the main body30, the guide ribs44are received in the guide grooves33of the main body30, allowing the operating body40to move smoothly within the main body30.

On a surface of the operating body40that faces the guide plate10, an inclined surface41is formed in a rotating direction of the pressing portion23to contact the end of the pressing portion23during the rotation of the cam bar20, while on the end of the inclined surface41in the rotating direction, there is a separation preventive protrusion42formed to impede rotating movement of the pressing portion23. Additionally, on a middle area of the operating body40where the inclined surface41is formed, there is a supporting segment receiving portion43recessed to receive the supporting segment25when the cam bar20is in retracting position.

On a surface of the operating body40that faces the ground, there is formed a roller receiving cavity45to receive the roller7therein. Although there is a pair of roller receiving cavities45in the exemplary embodiment explained herein, one will understand that the number of roller receiving cavities45may change according to the size, use or design of the shoe. Each of the roller receiving cavities45may include a roller receiving area46formed in a semi-cylindrical configuration, and an axle receiving area47to receive an axle of the roller7.

Meanwhile, the operating body40includes a plurality of shaft holes49formed in each corner, through which shafts80are passed to elastically engage with the guide plate10. Each of the shaft holes49may be formed as a hollow cylinder, in which one end that faces the guide plate10has a decreasing diameter to prevent the head of the shaft80from falling out. A spring85as an elastic member is disposed in each of the shaft holes49. Accordingly, the shaft80, with its head down, is passed through the spring85and the shaft hole49in sequence, and fixed in the fastening hole19of the guide plate10. The spring85may be a compression spring. In the retracting position where the cam bar20does not press the operating body40, the operating body40is brought into tight contact with the guide plate10due to elastic recovery force of the spring85, while in the upright position where the cam bar20presses the operating body40, the operating body40is distanced away from the guide plate10, causing the spring85further expanded. The operation of the linear type roller operating apparatus1will be explained below based on the construction explained above and with reference toFIGS. 8 and 9.

In the non-operating position where the roller7is not protruded out from the shoe bottom5(shown inFIG. 8), the cam bar20is in the cam bar receiving portion15which is the retracting position. If a wearer wants to skate, he or she inserts a separate tool in the operating groove29. The wearer then rotates the cam bar20by 90° or more, or for example, by 115°. Accordingly, the cam bar20moves to the upright position, and the pressing portion23presses the operating body40and causes the spring85to compress. Referring toFIG. 9, if the cam bar reaches the upright position, the supporting segment25is brought into contact with the guide plate10, and the pressing portion23presses the operating body40. At the same time, the ball is received in the position indicating hole27, generating impulsive sound. Accordingly, the wearer knows from the impulsive sound that the roller7protrudes out from the main body30to the maximum and thus is set at the operating position.

If the wearer wants to walk and thus wants to return the roller7back to non-operating position, referring toFIG. 8, the wearer inserts the tool in the operating groove29and rotates the cam bar20in the opposite direction. Accordingly, the cam bar20is received in the cam bar receiving portion15, thereby releasing the operating body40from the pressing portion23. Additionally, the operating body40is brought into tight contact with the guide plate10due to the elastic recovery force of the spring85, and the roller7is retracted into the main body30completely.

FIG. 6is an exploded perspective view illustrating from above a rotating type roller operating apparatus100according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 7is an exploded perspective view illustrating from below the apparatus ofFIG. 6.

The rotating type roller operating apparatus100basically has the same operating principle and structure as those of the liner type roller operating apparatus1explained above, except that the rotating type roller operating apparatus100has a different structure in that the roller107is designed to rotate with respect to the shoe bottom5. Therefore, only the difference of the rotating type roller operating apparatus100will be focused below. Meanwhile, since the structure that enables the roller107to rotate with respect to the shoe bottom5is not the core part of the present invention, detailed explanation thereof will be omitted here, and instead referred to Korean Patent Registration No. 0769822, granted on Oct. 17, 2007, to the present applicant.

The rotating type roller operating apparatus100may include an operating body140, a main body130, and operating assemblies110,120.

The main body130may be formed in a cylindrical configuration, and include a plurality of fastening grooves131protruding to half-cylinder configurations from the outer surface of the main body130. As in the linear type roller operating apparatus1, the main body130of the rotating type roller operating apparatus100may include a recess132to receive a guide plate110, a guide groove133to guide the movement of the operating body140, and a cutaway portion135through which a cam bar120is passed.

The operating assemblies110,120may each include the guide plate110and the cam bar120.

The guide plate110may be formed in a circular plate, and include a plurality of half-circular plate areas111formed therearound. On one surface of the guide plate110is formed, by recessing, a cam bar receiving hole115to receive the cam bar210therein. The half-circular plate areas111may each include a fastening hole112to engage with the operating body140.

The cam bar120is formed to a straightened bar shape, excluding one and the other ends, so that a pressing portion123and an axle portion121have the same thickness. On one end of the cam bar120is protruded a supporting segment120in a triangular configuration, while on the other end of the cam bar120, there is an operating groove129formed. A tubular support155to receive the axle121to the side where the operating groove129is formed, and a cam bar supporting portion150having a ball receiving portion153, are also provided.

The operating body140may be formed as a hollow cylinder of which one end that faces the guide plate110is closed. Along the outer wall of the operating body140, a plurality of shaft tubes141are arranged in a lengthwise direction of the operating body140at predetermined intervals. Each of the shaft tubes141may include a shaft180and a spring185to fasten with the operating body140and the guide plate110. On a closed end of the operating body140, an inclined surface148and a separation preventive protrusion149are formed on a surface that faces the guide plate110. On a middle area of a surface of the operating body140that faces the guide plate110, there is a screw hole147passing through the operating body140.

A plurality of guide ribs143, corresponding to the guide grooves133of the main body133, are formed on the outer circumference of the operating body140, in the height direction of the operating body140. Meanwhile, on the closed end of the operating body140is formed a plurality of magnet holes145in a circumferential direction, on a surface that faces the interior of the operating body140. N-pole magnets and S-pole magnets are mounted to the magnet holes145alternately.

The operating body140receives therein a rotating body160to rotate with respect to the operating body140. The rotating body160may be formed as a cylinder column, and include a pole165formed on a middle portion of a surface that faces the interior of the operating body140and protruding toward the screw hole147of the operating body147. The pole165includes a fitting hole166formed therein. The screw hole147of the operating body147has a larger diameter than that of the fitting hole166of the rotating body160, so that when a screw is passed through the screw hole147of the operating body140and the fitting hole166of the rotating body160, the rotating body160and the operating body140are engaged with each other in a manner in which the rotating body160rotates about the screw with respect to the operating body140.

A plurality of magnet receiving holes167is formed along a circumferential direction on a surface of the rotating body160that faces the operating body140, in the same number as that of the magnet holes145formed on the operating body140. The magnet receiving holes167also receive N-pole magnets and S-pole magnets alternately. The magnets are arranged so that the magnets in the magnet receiving holes167have opposite polarity to the magnets received in the magnet holes145in a situation that the rotating body160is not rotated. Accordingly, if N-pole magnets are arranged in the magnet receiving holes167when the rotating body160is not rotated, the S-pole magnets are then arranged in the magnet holes145to generate attraction force.

The rotating body160is capable of rotating 360° in the rotating direction of the wearer, if the wearer rotates his or her body using the roller107of the rotating type roller operating apparatus100. Furthermore, due to the magnets pulling on different polarities, the rotating body160is rotated back after rotating movement, in the same direction that the wearer advances.

The rotating structure between the rotating body160and the operating body140is explained in greater detail in Korean Patent Registration No. 0769822, granted on Oct. 17, 2007, to the present applicant.

Meanwhile, a plurality of roller receiving cavities161is formed on a surface of the rotating body160that faces the outside of the operating body140, to receive the roller107therein.

Referring toFIGS. 10 and 12, in the rotating type roller operating apparatus100, the cam bar120is received in the cam bar receiving portion115of the guide plate110while the roller107is in non-operating position.

Referring toFIGS. 11 and 13, while the roller107is in operating position, the pressing portion123of the cam bar120presses the operating body140so that the operating body140is moved toward the lower opening of the main body130. As a result, the roller107of the rotating body160protrudes out from the shoe bottom5.

With the apparatus for operating roller up and down according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a wearer of a shoe is capable of shifting the shoe between an operating position in which the roller protrudes out from the bottom of the shoe and a non-operating position in which the roller is retracted into the bottom of the shoe, by a simple operation. Accordingly, the shoe can be used as a roller shoe when the roller is in the operating position, and used as a general walking shoe for everyday use when the roller is in the non-operating position. As a result, the wearer can conveniently use a roller shoe as well as a walking shoe with one shoe.