SKATE WITH ALIGNED WHEELS

Abstract: A skate with aligned wheels, comprising a support (2) for an item of footgear (3) from which a frame (5) protrudes downward. The ends of respective wheel supporting trucks (7a, 7b) are pivoted to the frame. The peculiarity of the invention resides in the fact that two movable sliders are interposed between the trucks and the respective supports. Advantageously, at least one rubber pad (18a, 18b) is interposed between each truck and support. The skate allows the user to preset the degree of shock-absorption during skating by varying the position of the slider.

Description: SKATE WITH ALIGNED WHEELS Technical field The present invention relates to a skate with aligne wheels. Background Art A first conventional type of skate with aligned wheel has a support for an item of footgear from which a pair o longitudinal shoulders protrudes. A plurality of aligne wheels is freely pivoted transversely between th longitudinal shoulders. This first known type of skate has some problems: th fact that the aligned wheels are pivoted in a fixed manne to the pair of wings entails direct transmission to the ite of footgear of all the stresses due to the bumps which occu on the ground and encountered during sports practice, wit consequent discomfort for the user. The structural rigidity of this known solution als entails the transmission of vibrations to the item o footgear, and thus to the legs of the user, which penaliz his sports performance. A sports implement predominantly used by skiers fo summer practice on roads is also known; it is constituted b a support for an item of footgear from which a fram protrudes downward and centrally. The ends of two pairs o wheel supporting trucks are independently pivoted to th frame, and the head of a screw with a threaded stem i connected to the support in the interspace between tw adjacent wheels. A complementarily threaded nut i associated with the stem and abuts on the ground-facin surface of a connecting element which is arrange transversely to each pair of trucks. A cylindrical helical compression spring is arranged coaxially to the stem. This known type, illustrated in the Italian patent application No. 21821 B/85, allows, by adjusting the spring compression, to vary the angle formed between each pair of wheel supporting trucks and the ground. In this type, the adjustment of the degree of compression of the spring allows only to vary the condition of use of the implement while practicing slalom: in fact, when the spring is at its minimum setting, i.e. when the spring is not compressed, it is possible to achieve easy use for the practice of slalom, but while pushing forward and while covering straight stretches the implement yields causing a considerable deterioration of the athletic performance. When the spring is gradually compressed, the outermost wheels of the truck pairs rise and thus separate from the ground by a more or less significant distance. This condition can improve the use of the implement while practicing slalom, but this again entails a non-optimum and thus unstable condition during straight stretches and therefore in the practice of speed skating, and in any case all the vibrations due to impacts against bumps which protrude from the ground or due to uneven parts thereof are transmitted to the item of footgear and thus to the legs of the user. Disclosure of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above described problems in known types by providing a skate which allows to attenuate the stresses transmitted to the legs of the user in relation to travel over uneven or roug ground, keeping constant the arrangement of the wheels wit respect to the ground. Within the scope of the above aim, an important objec is to provide a skate which allows the user to preset th degree of attenuation of said stresses. Another object is to provide a skate which can b easily activated by the user. Another object is to provide a skate wherein the use can immediately be aware of the degree of attenuation whic has been set. A further object is to provide a skate which is simple easy to industrialize, reliable and safe in use and has lo manufacturing costs. This aim, these objects and others which will becom apparent hereinafter are achieved by a skate with aligne wheels, comprising a support for an item of footgear fro which a frame protrudes downward, the end of at least on wheel supporting truck being pivoted to said frame characterized in that at least one movable slider i interposed between said at least one truck and said support Preferably, a further resilient member is provide between said at least one slider and said at least on truck. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the inventio will become apparent from the detailed description of som particular but not exclusive embodiments, illustrated onl by way of non-limitative example in the accompanyin drawings, wherei : figure 1 is a partially sectional side view of the skate; figure 2 is a sectional view, taken along the plane II- II of figure 1. Ways of carrying out the Invention With reference to the above figures, the skate, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a support 2 for an item of footgear 3 from which a frame 5 protrudes downward. The frame is composed of two mutually parallel shoulders 6a and 6b. The end of at least one wheel supporting truck, shaped like a fork in plan view, is pivoted to the frame. In the embodiment of figure 1, the terminal ends of two trucks 7a and 7b are independently pivoted. The two trucks are arranged mutually opposite, with their free ends directed toward the tip 8 and the heel 9 of the item of footgear 3. Each of said two trucks has a substantially L-shaped lateral profile with the longer arm 10a, 10b arranged approximately parallel to the ground. A plurality of wheels 11 are pivoted between the arms of the trucks, and are thus arranged in a line. In the illustrated embodiment, two wheels pivoted at the longer arm of each truck have been considered by way of example. A first plate and a second plate, designated by the reference numerals 12a and 12b, protrude below and longitudinally with respect to the support 2, approximately at the respective longer arm 10a and 10b. Each one of said plates is laterally provided with a pair of longitudinal seats 13a and 13b, each of which guid a pair of complementarily shaped tabs 14 formed at the ba 15 of a slider, designated by the reference numerals 16a a 16b, which is substantially C-shaped. Each one of said sliders 16a and 16b therefore has pair of wings, designated by the reference numerals 17a a 17b, with the free ground-facing ends of which a fir resilient member, such as a rubber pad, designated by t reference numerals 18a and 18b, is preferably associated. The pads face and interact with abutment flap designated by the reference numerals 19a and 19b, whi protrude laterally and externally to each one of the truc 7a and 7b at a region underlying said first and seco plates 12a and 12b. The abutment flaps have a substantial L-shaped transverse cross-section. At least one second resilient member, preferabl constituted by two pairs of springs, designated by t reference numerals 20a and 20b, is advantageously interpos between the free end of the trucks 7a and 7b and the suppo 2. The use of the skate is as follows: prior to t beginning of sports activity, the user arranges the slide 17a and 17b in the required position with respect to t first plate 12a and the second plate 12b. In this manner can adjust the degree of maximum oscillation to which t two trucks can be subjected. The pairs of springs 20a a 20b, arranged at the free end of the trucks, ensure that t trucks 7a and 7b stay close to the support 2 and that th are shock-absorbed. The pads 18a and 18b allow to further contain a sudden stresses due to the presence of bumps on the ground. The length of the wings 17a and 17b may be the most appropriate according to the specific requirements of the user. It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the above described aim and objects, a skate with aligned wheels having been obtained wherein it is possible for the user to rapidly and easily adjust the degree of shock-absorption of at least one truck to which the aligned wheels are pivoted, without varying their arrangement in any way. The use of the sliders also allows the user to be immediately aware of the set degree of attenuation. The skate thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. The materials and the dimensions of the individual elements which constitute the skate structure may naturally be the most appropriate according to the specific requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Skate with aligned wheels, comprising a support (2) for an item of footgear (3) from which a frame (5) protrude downward, the end of at least one wheel supporting truc (7a,7b) being pivoted to said frame, characterized in tha at least one movable slider (16a,16b) is interposed betwee said at least one truck and said support. 2. Skate according to claim l, characterized in that first resilient member (18a,18b) is provided between said a least one slider and said at least one truck. 3. Skate according to claim 1, characterized in tha said trucks are arranged mutually opposite with their free ends directed toward the tip (8) and the heel (9) of sai item of footgear, the end of each truck being pivoted to said frame. 4. Skate according to claim 3, characterized in tha said trucks are substantially L-shaped, having the longer arm (10a,10b) arranged approximately parallel to the ground, a first plate (12a) and a second plate (12b) protrudin below and longitudinally to said support approximately a the respective longer arm. 5. Skate according to claim 4, characterized in tha each one of said plates is laterally provided with a pair of longitudinal seats (13a,13b), each seat guiding a pair of complementarily shaped tabs (14) formed at the base of sai slider. 6. Skate according to claim 5, characterized in tha each one of said sliders is substantially C-shaped and has pair of wings (17a,17b), said first resilient member bein associated with the end of said slider facing the ground. 7. Skate according to claim 6, characterized in that said resilient members are constituted by rubber pads, said pads interacting with abutment flaps (19a,19b) which protrude laterally and externally to each one of said trucks at a region underlying said first and second plates (12a,12b), said abutment flaps being substantially L-shaped in transverse cross-section. 8. Skate according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one second resilient member (20a,20b) is constituted by at least a pair of springs and is interposed between the free end of said trucks and said support.

Inventors: GONELLA MARIO, GONELLA, MARIO
Applicants: NORDICA SPA, NORDICA S.P.A.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A63C17
IPC codes: A63C17