Reinforced skate

Abstract: A reinforced skate including a frame (2) for supporting wheels (4) or an ice-skating blade, and associated with a shoe. The reinforcement includes a first rigid element (18) and a second rigid element (16), which are articulated to each other and surround the quarter (12) and the shell (11) so as to laterally assume the shape of the Greek letter lambda. The first rigid element (18) is connected, at its end, to the frame (2) so as to form a structure which allows optimum transmission of forces to the frame.

Description: The present invention relates to a reinforced skate, particularly an in-line roller skate or an ice skate; conventional skates are usually constituted by a supporting frame for wheels or for an ice-skating blade, above which a shoe is associated; said shoe is for example composed of a shell to which a quarter is articulated, or of a soft shoe which is optionally inserted in a rigid containment shell. A problem which is felt in conventional skates is a difficulty in transmitting in an optimum manner the efforts of the foot and of the leg to the frame and therefore to the wheels or to the ice-skating blade. For this purpose, FR-A-2722422 corresponding to the preamble of claim 1, relates to a skate with in-line wheels in which the shell is laterally connected to the wheel supporting frame by means of V-shaped brackets the free ends whereof are articulated at the pivots of the front and rear wheels. A discontinuity exists between the frame and the shell, whereby the frame is constituted by a pair of lateral bars interconnected by a plurality of transverse elements, and the frame is arranged distally below the bottom sole of the shell and connected to the shell by the interposed V-shaped brackets protruding below the sole of the shell. Transmission of applied forces is not optimum owing to the discontinuity between the frame and the shell, which are connected by interposed elements such as the brackets. Moreover, the brackets require preliminary assembly to the shell in a plurality of points and this increases the time required as well as production costs and possibly generates localized pressure regions which limit user comfort. US-A-5380020 discloses an in-line skate including a boot lower 16 and a frame 14 intricately formed through monocoque construction to form a rigid shell 18 including both the boot lower 16 and the frame 14. The boot lower 16 includes a sole 20, sidewalls 22,24, a toe portion 26, and a heel portion 28. The sidewalls 22,24 slope upwardly from the toe 26 to the heel 28, and holes 23,25 are formed in sidewalls 22,24 at about the location of the arch of the user. The frame 14 is spaced distally from the sole 20, and includes parallel and spaced sidewalls 30,32 braced by cross-bracings 34 forming wheel receiving pockets 36. An aim of the present invention is to solve the described problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a skate which allows to achieve optimum transmission of forces both from the leg and from the foot to the supporting frame of the wheels or of the ice-skating blade, so as to improve the technical steering and maneuverability characteristics of the implement. A further object of the present invention is to provide a skate which allows to achieve greater containment and lateral strength and optimum reduction of vibrations on the frame, also eliminating lateral movements between the frame and the shell. A further object of the present invention is to provide a device which has optimum comfort characteristics. A further object of the present invention is to provide a skate which has low manufacturing costs, is structurally simple and can be manufactured with ordinary and conventional machines and equipment. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a reinforced skate as defined in the appended claims. The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of some particular but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view of the reinforced skate; Fig. 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of the frame disconnected from the remainder of the structure; Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken along the plane III-III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken along the plane IV-IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a second embodiment; Fig. 6 is a side view of a reinforced skate according to a further aspect of the invention. With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 designates a skate, constituted by a frame 2, which has two mutually parallel lateral shoulders 3 between which suitable wheels 4 are pivoted or with which a suitable ice-skating blade (not shown) is associated. The lateral shoulders 3 of the frame 2 are connected by at least one supporting base for the sole of a shoe 5; in the illustrated figure, the frame 2 has a first base 6 and a second base 7 for supporting, in the toe region 9 and in the heel region 10, the sole 8 of a shell 11 which constitutes said shoe. The shoe comprises a quarter 12 which is articulated by means of suitable lateral studs 13 to the shell 11 in the malleolar region 14; a soft innerboot 15 is placed inside the shoe. As an alternative, the shoe 5 can be constituted by a soft upper which surrounds the foot and the lower part of the leg. The reinforcement for the skate 1 comprises a first rigid element 18, 118 which is constituted by a pair of brackets which are substantially L-shaped and are arranged laterally to the shell 11. The reinforcement for the skate 1 also comprises a second rigid element 16, which surrounds the quarter 12 laterally and to the rear; said second element has second free ends 17 which affect the malleolar region 14. Connection between the first rigid element 18, 118 and the second rigid element 16 allows rotation at the second free ends 17 of the second rigid element 16, in the region where the wings 19a, 119a and 19b, 119b of the pair of brackets join, preferably by means of the studs 13 for the mutual articulation of the shell and the quarter. Connection between the first and second rigid elements provides, for said elements, a general structure which is shaped like the Greek letter lambda: the first free ends 20a, 20b of the first rigid element 18 extend beyond the sole 8 of the shell 11 and are connected to the frame 2. Said lambda-shaped configuration of the first and second rigid elements substantially follows the directions along which the highest stresses are applied by the leg and by the foot by means of the quarter and the shell; said first and second rigid elements can be provided by mechanical connection, overmolding or similar technologies, or can be obtained by increasing the thicknesses of the quarter and of the shell in the respective regions so as to form in any case the same configuration. Connection between the first free ends 20a, 20b and for example the first base and the second base 7 of the frame 2 can be obtained by means of conventional methods. For this purpose, as shown in the accompanying figures, it is possible to provide, in the regions located laterally to said first and second bases, suitable pairs of first seats 21 and second seats 22 for interlock coupling, the first free ends 20a, 20b being of course shaped complementarily thereto. As an alternative, in skate 100, shown in Fig. 5, the first free ends 120a, 120b can be associated at the lateral shoulders 3 and at the frame 2 by means of fixing screws or at the pivots of the wheels 4. An opening 24 is also formed at the shell 11, in the malleolar region 14, in a portion located above the articulation axis 23 of the studs 13; said opening is slotted and curved, with its concavity directed toward the underlying wheels 4, and this shape of the opening 24 allows the movement of the quarter 12, possibly inserted therein or located outside the shell, with respect to said shell 11; the second free ends 17 of the second rigid element 16 can be inserted at said opening. The opening allows to produce tensions in the materials which increase the strength of the skate, particularly as regards lateral flexings produced during sports practice. It is thus evident that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a reinforcement for a skate having been obtained which allows optimum transmission to the frame of forces applied by the leg through the ankle and foot region, thanks to the particular configuration of the first and second rigid elements. All the technical properties related to steering and maneuverability are thus improved, since the lambda-shaped configuration of the first and second rigid elements affects the directions along which the most intense forces are applied. The reinforcement also allows better containment and lateral strength and a considerable reduction in frame vibrations and also eliminates any lateral movement of the frame with respect to the shell by means of the extension of the first free ends 20a, 20b and of the connection thereof to the frame. Finally, improved comfort has been achieved since it is possible to use more comfortable material in contact with the foot, entrusting the rigidity of the components only to the first and second rigid elements. Advantageously, a third rigid element can be interposed, transversely to said shell at the toe region, between the first ends 20a and 20b of the first rigid element 18. Fig. 6 shows a reinforced skate 200 according to a further aspect of the invention. In this example the reinforced structure 218 is integral with frame 3 and is associated to the second rigid element 16 at the malleolar region 14 as in the above examples. The frame and reinforced structure unit is provided with support members 206 and 207 for supporting the shoe shell 11. The materials and the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the reinforcement may of course be the most pertinent 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 interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: A reinforced skate, comprising a wheel or blade supporting frame (2) comprising lateral shoulders (3), a shoe having a shell (11), at least one rigid element (18,118,218) which is rigidly connected with the shell (11) and has two first ends (20a,120a,220a,20b,120b,220b) which extend laterally from the malleolar region (14), respectively toward the tip and the heel of said shell (11), and are connected to said frame (2), characterized in that said lateral shoulders (3) are connected to at least one supporting base for the sole of said shoe. A reinforced skate according to claim 1, characterized in that said first rigid element (18) is constituted by two brackets which are substantially L- shaped and are arranged laterally to said shoe. A reinforced skate according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a second rigid element (16) which surrounds, to the side and to the rear, said shoe, said second element (16) having second free ends (17) which affect the malleolar region. A reinforced skate according to claim 3, characterized in that the connection between said first rigid element (18,118,218) and said second rigid element (16) allows rotation at the second free ends of said second rigid element, in the region where the wings of said pair of brackets join. A reinforced skate according to claim 3, characterized in that the connection between said first and second rigid elements forms, for said elements, an overall structure which is shaped like the Greek letter lambda, the first ends (20a,20b) of said first rigid element (18) extending beyond the sole of said shell (11) and being connected to said frame (2). A reinforced skate according to claim 4, characterized in that said first element (18,118,218) is connected to said second element (16) by means of studs (13), said studs also connecting said shell (11) to a quarter (12) of said shoe. A reinforced skate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first and second rigid elements are obtained by increasing the thicknesses of said shoe and said shell in the respective regions. A reinforced skate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that suitable pairs of first (21) and second (22) seats are formed on said frame (2) in the lateral regions for the interlock coupling of said first ends (20a,20b) of said first rigid element (18). A reinforced skate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first ends (120a,120b) of said first rigid element (18) are associated at the lateral shoulders of said frame (2) by means of fixing screws or at the pivots (104) of said wheels (4). A reinforced skate according to claim 3, characterized in that a seat or opening (24) is formed in said shell (11) in the malleolar region for the insertion of the second free ends (17) of said second rigid element (16). A reinforced skate according to claim 10, characterized in that said opening (24) is provided at said shell (11), in the malleolar region and in a portion located above the mutual articulation axis of a quarter (12) of said shoe and said shell (11), said opening (24) having a slotted and curved shape in which the concavity is directed toward the underlying wheels (4), said shape of said opening allowing the movement of said quarter with respect to said shell, said second free ends of said second rigid element being insertable at said opening. A reinforced skate according to claim 1, characterized in that a third rigid element is arranged transversely to said shell and at the toe region between said first ends of said first rigid element.

Inventors: MORANDIN ALESSANDRO, PELLEGRINI ALFRED JR, TACCHETTO MAURIZIO, TONEL VALERIO, VEDOATO LUCA, MORANDIN, ALESSANDRO, PELLEGRINI, ALFRED, JR., TACCHETTO, MAURIZIO, TONEL, VALERIO, VEDOATO, LUCA
Applicants: BENETTON SPA, BENETTON GROUP S.P.A.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A63C17
IPC codes: A43B5, A63C17