Wheel supporting frame for skates

A frame particularly for skates, including at least one pair of lateral wings between which pivots are transversely associated, wheels being rotatably associated with the pivots. In the frame, the base and/or the pair of lateral shoulders are constituted by a plurality of first substantially rigid elements which are interconnected, in preset regions, by second elements adapted to cushion stresses and/or vibrations transmitted by the wheels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a wheel supporting frame for skates, 
particularly for in-line roller skates. 
A problem currently felt in the manufacture of skates is that the wheels 
transmit directly to the frame, and the frame transmits directly to the 
shoe, all the stresses and/or vibrations due to uneven ground. 
As a partial solution to this drawback, Italian Patent application 
TV91A000129 has been filed Dec. 20, 1991, disclosing a skate with in-line 
wheels, which comprises a wheel supporting frame between two shoulders and 
interacting with means for adjusting its position with respect to the 
support, with flexible and/or vibration-damping elements interposed. 
A frame is thus described which is composed of a shoe support from which 
two shoulders protrude; a first seat is formed between said shoulders and 
accommodates a frame movable at right angles to the ground within said 
first seat in contrast with flexible and/or vibration-damping elements; a 
means for adjusting the position of the frame with respect to the support 
is also provided, constituted by a suitably arranged screw. 
This skate has the drawback of being complicated from the constructive 
point of view, because the presence of several elements, which slide with 
respect to each other, requires the guides to be precise and 
non-deformable over time, this last feature being necessary owing to the 
various uses of the skate. 
Accordingly, precise machining is required and expensive materials must be 
used. 
The skate has also a considerable overall weight, owing to the presence of 
the frame which can slide with respect to the support, of the adjustment 
means and of the flexible and/or vibration-damping elements. 
Said elements are also exclusively subjected to compressive stress and 
therefore they are unable for example to cushion multidirectional 
stresses, which can occur for example during skate thrusting or during 
curves or jumps or other maneuvers. 
Moreover, the cross-section of the flexible and/or vibration-damping 
elements, adapted to cushion the stresses, is the smallest, since it 
corresponds to the thickness of said elements. Accordingly, it is 
necessary to provide thicknesses which are adequate to ensure effective 
cushioning and this entails considerable bulk and therefore difficulties 
in accommodation inside the frame. 
This structural complexity can also be subject to changes and therefore to 
less-than-optimum operation following a plurality of impacts affecting the 
skate during use. 
Furthermore, Italian Utility Model application TV92U000038 has been filed 
Jul. 9, 1992, disclosing a shock-absorber for in-line skates which 
comprise a frame provided with two shoulders between which said wheels are 
arranged, characterized in that at said pair of shoulders, along an axis 
which is approximately perpendicular to the ground, at least one pair of 
slots is provided with which at least one flexible element is associable, 
said flexible element having at least one engagement seat for a pivot for 
the rotation of said wheels. 
In this shock-absorber, the flexible elements cushion only part of the 
stresses from the ground owing to their specific technical 
characteristics; substantially, it has been observed that the elastic 
elements are capable of cushioning only the forces that have a vertical 
direction with respect to the ground but are unable to cushion for example 
the horizontal components of frontal impacts of the wheels and do not 
allow, like the previous solution, to cushion multidirectional stresses. 
In this case too, the need to provide the seats for the flexible elements 
weakens, as in the previous case, the overall structure of the frame, and 
the seats also require additional processing steps. 
These additional steps, together with the particular dimensions, shape and 
quality of the flexible elements, which must ensure good operation over 
time and must not deteriorate due to variable weather conditions, increase 
the overall costs of the skate. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, 
eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art, by providing a skate 
which allows to cushion stresses, impacts and vibrations caused by uneven 
regions of the ground and transmitted to the frame by the wheels, said 
frame maintaining a single and continuous structure which is not 
interrupted or modified by seats or fixing points for external 
shock-absorbing and/or adjustment elements, so as to have improved 
stability characteristics. 
An important object of the present invention is to provide a skate in which 
the frame allows to cushion the stresses also if they are not essentially 
due to a component which is vertical to the ground but are also 
multidirectional and as such occur along the three Cartesian axes. 
A further important object of the present invention is to provide a skate 
in which the stresses applied by each individual wheel can be cushioned 
locally so that the behavior of each individual wheel can be considered to 
be approximately independent of the behavior of the other wheels. 
A further important object of the present invention is to provide a skate 
in which the frame is constituted by a limited number of components which 
increase its durability. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a skate which 
comprises a frame having a modest overall weight and can be manufactured 
at low cost. 
This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter 
are achieved by a wheel supporting frame for skates, comprising a base and 
lateral shoulders, a plurality of wheels being rotatably associated with 
said shoulders, characterized in that said at least one base and/or 
lateral shoulders are constituted by a plurality of first substantially 
rigid elements which are interconnected, in at least one preset region, by 
second elements whose characteristics are suitable to cushion stresses 
and/or vibrations transmitted by said wheels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 designates a 
skate constituted by a shoe 2 which is associated at a pair of bases 3a 
and 3b which constitute a frame, generally designated by the reference 
numeral 4. 
Lateral shoulders, designated by the reference numerals 5a and 5b, protrude 
from bases 3a and 3b; the shoulders are mutually parallel, and pivots 6 
are transversely associated between them. Wheels 7 are rotatably 
associated with the pivots and are thus arranged in-line. 
The frame comprises first substantially rigid elements 8 which are 
conveniently contoured and sized and interconnected, in regions 9, by 
second elements 10 whose characteristics are suitable to cushion stresses 
and/or vibrations and/or impacts transmitted to the wheels by uneven 
ground. 
Advantageously, the regions 9 can be formed by a latticed structure and 
thus be constituted for example by a plurality of longitudinal portions 11 
and of portions 12 which are perpendicular thereto and are staggered as 
shown in FIG. 1. 
The connection between the first and second elements is of the fixed and 
stable type, so as to form a monolithic body for the frame 4. 
The technology used is a known technology, suitable to provide stable 
couplings between two or more elements, such as gluing, overmolding, 
welding, etcetera. 
The second elements can also have characteristics, such as high elasticity 
and/or low rigidity and/or low brittleness and/or high impact-absorbing 
ability and/or high fatigue strength and others which are in any case 
suitable to cushion stresses, impacts and vibrations applied to the wheels 
by uneven regions of the ground. 
The second elements thus have both stress-absorbing characteristics and 
characteristics for connection to the first elements, allowing, because of 
their particular lattice or generally mosaic composition, to cushion 
stresses regardless of their direction of origin. 
It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim 
and objects, a frame having been provided which cooperates as a whole to 
the cushioning of stresses although being constituted by a single and 
continuous element without seats or fixing points for external 
shock-absorbing elements. 
The frame, owing to the particular composition and arrangement of the first 
and second elements, also allows to cushion stresses regardless of their 
direction of origin, each wheel being also capable of cushioning the 
stresses applied thereto without said stresses being fully transmitted not 
only to the shoe but also to the remaining wheels associated with the 
lateral shoulders 5a and 5b. 
Furthermore, the frame is constituted by a single element which as such has 
low production costs and weight. 
The frame according to the invention is of course susceptible of numerous 
modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the 
same inventive concept. 
Thus, for example, FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment, in which the 
second elements 110 are associated at the lateral shoulders 105a and 105b 
and are embedded between a double cladding constituted by first elements 
108a, 108b and 108c, 108d. 
This embodiment improves the rigidity and lateral flexural strength 
characteristics of the frame; this is particularly useful in view of the 
highly differentiated skating techniques currently developed. 
FIGS. 2 and 5 illustrate another embodiment, in which the first elements 
208, formed at the lateral shoulders 205a and 205b, are embedded in a 
double cladding of second elements 210a, 210b, 210c and 210d which are 
mutually connected by a plurality of bridges 213. 
This double cladding decreases the external wear of the frame 204 or, if a 
more rigid material is used, it improves the technical and structural 
characteristics of the invention. 
FIGS. 6 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of a frame 304, which is 
constituted by at least one base 303 for supporting a shoe 302, from which 
two lateral shoulders 305a and 305b protrude. A layer of second elements 
310 for connection to a pair of wings 314a, 314b is associated at the 
facing surfaces of said shoulders, and said wings protrude beyond the end 
of the lateral shoulders; the wheels 307 are transversely pivoted, by 
means of suitable pivots 306, between said wings. 
The wheels thus transmit the stresses caused by uneven regions of the 
ground to the wings 314a and 314b, which do not transfer said stresses to 
the lateral shoulders 305a and 305b by virtue of the interposition of the 
second elements 310, said wings and said pairs of lateral shoulders 
constituting said first elements. 
According to a further embodiment, shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the wings 414a 
and 414b of a truck 415 are advantageously arranged, with a layer of 
second elements 410 interposed, at the facing lateral surfaces of the pair 
of lateral shoulders 405a and 405b; said truck 415 also has a horizontal 
portion 416 for connecting said wings which is arranged approximately 
parallel to the base 403 of the frame 404. 
Wheels 407 are rotatably freely associated, by means of the pivots 406, 
proximate to the free ends of the wings 414a and 414b. 
Advantageously, as shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to apply two separate 
trucks 415 between the shoulders 405a and 405b. 
FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate another embodiment of a frame 504 in which, 
differently from the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the second elements 510 
have bridges 513 which affect the thickness of the lateral shoulders 505a 
and 505b and of the wings 514a and 514b, through holes being formed 
therein. 
FIG. 12 illustrates a different embodiment with respect to FIG. 9; namely, 
the second elements 610 have bridges 613 which connect, along their 
thickness, the wings 614a and 614b of a truck 615 and the lateral 
shoulders 605a and 605b of the frame 604. 
These embodiments, shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, also allow to increase the 
reliability of the coupling of the second elements to the frame and 
therefore the fatigue resistance thereof. 
FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment in which, with respect to the 
previous embodiments, the second elements have bridges 613 which do not 
affect holes but instead affect slots formed at the lateral shoulders 605 
of the frame 604. 
The surface for grip between the first and second elements is thus further 
increased. 
FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment in which the frame is composed of a first 
frame half 704a and of a second frame half 704b; two lateral shoulders 705 
protrude from the base of each one of said frame halves, said base 
supporting a shoe 702; the facing surfaces of said lateral shoulders 705, 
like the embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 or 9, are connected by means of 
second elements 710 to pairs of wings 714 between which the wheels 707 are 
pivoted by means of pivots 706. 
In this case too, the second elements 710 have suitable bridges 713 which 
affect the thickness of the wings and the lateral shoulders to improve 
grip with the first elements the constitute said shoulders and the wings. 
The embodiments of FIGS. 6 to 14 all have second elements which cushion the 
stresses edgeways. In this manner the active cross-section of the second 
elements is the maximum cross-section (width and length), thus allowing to 
considerably reduce the bulk of said second elements, particularly 
limiting their thickness. 
FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment which, with respect to what is shown in 
FIG. 9, has, between the horizontal portion 816 of the truck 815 and the 
base 803 of the frame 804, a third element 817 made of soft material, 
which cooperates with the second elements 810 in cushioning the stresses 
caused by uneven regions of the ground and the associated vibrations. 
The third element 817 can also be similar to the second elements 810, 
optionally with a greater thickness since it must work by compression. 
FIGS. 16, 17 and 20 illustrate further embodiments in which, in relation to 
the structural solutions of FIGS. 13 and 14, the second elements 910 are 
interposed between the lateral shoulders 905a and 905b of the frame 904 
and the wings 914a and 914b, between which the wheels 907 are transversely 
rotatably pivoted by means of suitable pivots 906. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 17, as shown in FIG. 7, said wheels 907 are 
articulated at suitable and separate trucks 915. 
The particularity of the embodiments of FIGS. 16, 17 and 20 is the fact 
that the ends of said wings and lateral shoulders connected to the second 
elements are inclined with respect to the axis which is perpendicular to 
the base or bases 903 for supporting the shoe 902, as shown in FIG. 20. 
This particular arrangement allows the frame 904 to cooperate in 
cushioning stresses and in turn to apply a stress to the second elements 
910 which is a mix of shear and compressive stress and is not merely 
unidirectional and compressive, as in the case of the prior art. 
The predominant shear stress of the second elements 910 cushions the 
stresses that arrive from the wheels, while compressive stress, in 
addition to cooperating in the cushioning action, ensures a stronger 
stable coupling between the first and second elements. 
FIGS. 18, 19 and 21 illustrate another embodiment which, with respect to 
FIGS. 16, 17 and 20, differs in that the frame 1004, optionally 
constituted by trucks 1015, has one or more bases 1003 which are 
essentially V-shaped in transverse cross-section, with the vertex directed 
towards the wheel 1007. At least one second likewise-shaped element 1010 
is interposed between said base and the complementarily shaped lower 
surface of the overlying shoe 1002. 
The vertex of the V-shape can of course be directed towards the shoe and 
maintain the same functionality. 
FIGS. 22 and 23 illustrate another embodiment, in which the frame 1104 
again has at least one base 1103 from which two lateral shoulders 1105a 
and 1105b protrude. The shoulders have the characteristics of the first 
elements. 
Proximate to the ends, said lateral shoulders are transversely perforated 
so as to allow to position pivots 1106 for the rotation of the wheels 
1107. 
Preferably at the facing surfaces, the lateral shoulders 1105a and 1105b 
have, at the holes for the pivots, an annular ridge 1118 which is arranged 
at the bearings for the rotation of said wheels. 
Advantageously, pivots 1106 lie at suitable slots 1119 whose axis is 
preferably perpendicular to the ground. 
A plate 1121 is arranged coaxially to the pivots 1106, adjacent to each 
head 1120 of each pivot. The plate is advantageously disk-shaped and made 
of the material that constitutes the first elements. Each of said plates 
is connected to the facing surface of the lateral shoulders 1105a and 
1105b by means of a layer of second elements 1110. 
As an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 22, in FIG. 23 the inner facing 
lateral surfaces of the lateral shoulders 1205a and 1205b of the frame 
1204 are connected, proximate to their ends for the pivoting of the pivots 
1206, by means of a layer of second elements 1210, to plates 1221 which 
preferably have, towards the wheel 1207, an annular ridge 1218 adapted to 
rest at the bearings of said wheel. 
FIGS. 24 and 25 illustrate further embodiments of a frame 1304, which is 
again constituted by one or more bases 1303 for supporting a shoe 1302 
from which two lateral shoulders 1305a and 1305b protrude; slots 1319 are 
provided proximate to the ends of said shoulders for the passage of pivots 
1306 for the rotation of wheels 1307. 
An insert 1322 can be inserted in said slots 1319 and is constituted by a 
first body 1323 which is shaped complementarily and can be inserted at 
said slot 1319; said first body is in turn provided with slots so as to 
allow said pivot 1306 to perform a vertical movement. 
The insert 1322 is constituted by a second body 1324, which is 
substantially constituted by a disk-like element having the same axis as 
said first body. The two bodies are interconnected by a second element 
1310 which has a slotted shape like said first body. 
Advantageously, said pair of lateral shoulders, said first body and said 
second body are provided structurally like said first elements. 
The embodiment shown in FIG. 25 illustrates a frame 1404 which is again 
constituted by one or more bases 1403 for supporting a shoe 1402, from 
which two lateral shoulders 1405a and 1405b protrude. Slots for the 
passage of suitable pivots 1406 for the rotation of wheels 1407 are formed 
proximate to the ends of said shoulders. 
An insert 1422 can be inserted in the slots and, differently from the 
previous embodiment, must be inserted from the inside of the lateral 
shoulders after removing the wheel. 
For this purpose, each of said inserts is constituted by a first body 1423 
having an annular ridge 1418 adapted to rest at the bearings of the wheel. 
Said first body has an axial hole for said pivot. 
The insert 1422 is constituted by a second body 1424 which is substantially 
constituted by a disk-like element which is axially provided with a 
slotted shape which allows the vertical sliding of said pivots. 
The first body and the second body are interconnected by a second element 
1410 having a slotted shape like said second body. 
In this embodiment it is possible to differentiate the manner of cushioning 
impacts, stresses or vibrations simply by replacing the second element 
1410. 
The materials and the dimensions that constitute the individual components 
of the invention may of course also be the most pertinent according to 
specific requirements.