Adjustable roller skate

An adjustable roller skate is provided with a lower frame including a toe stop; a wheel assembly secured to the lower frame; an upper frame including a groove, a trough disposed rearward of the groove, a channel at a rear end, and a seat disposed in the trough and having a recess communicating with the channel; an adjustment mechanism including an externally threaded shaft disposed in both the channel and the recess, and a handle pivotably secured to a rear end of the externally threaded shaft and disposed externally of the upper frame; a sole including a toe cap, an internally threaded member on an underside of a rear end and threadedly secured to the externally threaded shaft, and a stem on the underside and slidably disposed in the groove; and a shoe disposed around an edge of the sole with the toe cap concealed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to roller skates and more particularly to such a roller skate having a thread based length adjustment mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

Adjustable roller skates are well known. For example, a conventional adjustable roller skate comprises a length adjustable two-section type shoe. Its adjustment mechanism is prone to malfunction.

Another conventional adjustable roller skate comprises a heel platform longitudinally rearward of a toe platform, one platform formed with a longitudinal extension telescoping in the other platform; respective front and rear axles carried on the platforms; a respective angled outer arm on each platform having a lower end carrying the respective axle, the arms being limitedly flexible for limited vertical movement of the respective axles; a respective angled inner arm on each platform lying within and above the respective outer arm and having a lower end spaced vertically above the lower end of the respective outer arm; respective abutments on the platforms spaced above the lower ends of the respective inner arms and each adapted to engage with the lower end of the respective inner arm on upward deflection of same; respective front and rear wheels carried on the axles; respective toe and heel retainers on the platforms shaped to engage around the toe and heel of a foot on the skate; at least one strap engaged with the retainers and adapted to engage over the foot in the retainers to secure same in place therein; a longitudinal row of teeth formed on the extension; an elastic tongue longitudinally secured onto the other platform and formed with teeth, the tongue being displaceable between a locked position with its teeth engaged in the teeth of the extension and thereby securing the two platforms against relative longitudinal displacement and a free position with its teeth disengagement from the teeth of the extension and the two platforms relatively longitudinally displaceable; and a latch on the other platform for displacing the tongue between its positions and for releasably holding it in the locked position.

While the device enjoys its success in the market, continuing improvements in the exploitation of adjustable roller skate of this type are constantly being sought.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a roller skate comprising a lower frame including a toe stop; a wheel assembly secured to the lower frame and including two axles and four wheels rotatably disposed on the axles; an upper frame including a groove, a trough disposed rearward of the groove, a channel at a rear end, and a seat disposed in the trough and having a recess communicating with the channel; an adjustment mechanism including an externally threaded shaft disposed in both the channel and the recess, and a handle pivotably secured to a rear end of the externally threaded shaft and disposed externally of the upper frame; a sole including a toe cap, an internally threaded member on an underside of a rear end and threadedly secured to the externally threaded shaft, and a stem on an intermediate portion of the underside and slidably disposed in the groove; and a shoe disposed around an edge of the sole with the toe cap concealed; wherein a clockwise rotation of the handle moves both the internally threaded member and the stem.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4, a roller skate1according to the invention comprises a lower frame10including a toe stop11and two holes13; and a wheel assembly20including two axles22and four wheels21rotatably disposed on the axles22. Two fasteners12are driven through the holes13, two spacers23, and two fastening members24to fasten the lower frame10and the wheel assembly20together.

The roller skate1further comprises an upper frame30including a groove32, a trough33rearward of the groove32, a channel34at a rear end, and a seat31disposed in the trough33and having a recess311communicating with the channel34; and an adjustment mechanism including an externally threaded shaft41having a transverse hole411at a rear end, a handle42pivotably secured to the externally threaded shaft41by mounting a pin43through the handle42and the transverse hole411, and a rear flange44disposed on the mouth of the channel34when the externally threaded shaft41is disposed in both the channel34and the recess311.

The roller skate1further comprises a sole50including a toe cap51, an internally threaded member52on an underside of a rear end, and a stem53on an intermediate portion of the underside and slidably disposed in the groove32. A shoe60is disposed around an edge of the sole50with the toe cap51concealed. A foot70of a wearer can be covered by the shoe60.

In an assembled state, the externally threaded shaft41is threadedly secured to the internally threaded member52and the distance from the toe cap51to the handle42is a maximum, i.e., maximum size of the roller skate (seeFIG. 3).

In an adjustment operation, an individual may clockwise rotate the handle42to move the internally threaded member52(i.e., sole50) rearward and move the stem53rearward along the groove32until being stopped. At this position, the distance from the toe cap51to the handle42is a minimum, i.e., minimum size of the roller skate (seeFIG. 4). It is understood that the size of the roller skate can be adjusted to a size between the maximum size and the minimum size. Thus, the adjustment is made easy. Further, the adjustment mechanism of the invention is reliable.