In-line roller skate

Abstract: An in-line roller skate of the type which includes a shell with a support for the wheels and a quarter which is slidingly associated with the shell. A means for the selective axial movement of the quarter is associated with the shell of the skate.

Description: The present invention relates to an in-line roller skate. In-line roller skates are generally constituted by a support, which is usually shaped as an inverted U and is associated with a boot. These conventional skates have drawbacks: first of all there is the problem of providing boots having different sizes according to the different foot sizes, both at the production stage and in stock. On the one hand, this leads to the production of a limited number of sizes, and this usually forces the user to purchase a size which is not suitable for the specific dimensions of his foot, resorting to contrived remedies, such as the use of a thick sock, to increase comfort whilst trying to occupy the excess space, so as to be able to transmit the efforts of the foot to the skate in an optimum manner. Italian Patent No. 1.257.603, in the name of this same Applicant, discloses an in-line roller skate comprising a shell which is monolithic with a support for the wheels and is open in an upward region and to the rear; a quarter and a tongue are slidingly and selectively associated with the shell, to the rear and in an upward region respectively, and the quarter has, to the rear, a grip means for the user. The skate includes a brake which is associated by snap action with a frame which is associated with the support. The above skate has an engagement means which is constituted by two first seats formed longitudinally at the lower surface of the quarter. The selective connection between the quarter and the shell occurs by virtue of first holes which are formed at the lateral surface of the shell and with which second holes, formed laterally to the lateral surface of the shell, can be made to interact so that the first and second holes have, depending on the longitudinal movement applied to the quarter toward the shell, the same axis, so as to allow mutual coupling by virtue of studs. This skate too has drawbacks, since size adjustment is not easy because it is necessary to act manually on the various components in order to achieve an intended mutual positioning, which in any case is not always optimum, since it is necessary to make the holes overlap and it is therefore possible to choose among various positions which, however, are discrete and not continuous. An aim of the present invention is to solve the mentioned technical problems, eliminating the drawbacks in the cited prior art by providing an in-line roller skate in which it is possible to continuously and precisely vary the size of the roller skate in order to adapt it to the specific anatomical requirements of the individual user. An object is to provide an in-line roller skate in which the adjustment can be achieved quickly and easily by the skater. This aim, this object and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an in-line roller skate as claimed in the appended claims. Other objects will become apparent during the following description, which must be considered together with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a particular embodiment by way of nonlimitative example and in which: FIG. 1 is a partial exploded side perspective view of the components of the roller skate; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the roller skate, taken along a longitudinal median plane; FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section view of the roller skate, taken along a transverse plane which passes through the means for the selective axial movement of the quarter. With reference to the above figures, and bearing in mind that they are examples of a particular embodiment and are in variable scale and that individual reference numerals designate identical or equivalent parts in the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the roller skate, which includes a shell 2 which is formed monolithically with an underlying support 3. Support 3 is shaped as an inverted U and has wings 4a and 4b supporting a plurality of mutually in-line wheels, not shown. The shell 2 has two first tabs 5a and 5b, to the rear and at the malleolar region. Each tab 5a 5b has a first hole 6a and 6b, which has the same sliding connection axis for a quarter 7. Pivots or rivets are arranged at the first holes and lie at two slots 8 which are formed laterally to the quarter and are arranged along an axis which is longitudinal with respect to the support 3. A means for the selective axial movement of the quarter 7 is associated at the shell and is constituted by a first seat 9 which is formed axially at the base 10, shared with the shell 2, of the support 3 at which the lower surface 11 of the quarter 7 is slidingly rested. The means for the selective axial movement of the quarter 7 also comprises a second tab 12 which protrudes below the lower surface 11 of the quarter 7 and can be slidingly arranged at the first seat 9 formed in the base 10 of the support 3. The second tab 12 is approximately as wide as the first seat 9 and shorter than the seat, so as to allow the axial movement of the quarter 7. In a longitudinal cross-section, the second tab 12 has an oval shape, and a second seat 13 is formed transversely thereto. A set of teeth 14, arranged transversely to the second tab 12, is formed on at least one surface at the second seat. An additional component of the means for the selective axial movement of the quarter can be arranged within the second seat 13. The component is constituted by a wheel 15 which has a stem 16 which is toothed complementarily to the set of teeth 14 and can be arranged transversely to the support 3. The wheel 15 is pivoted at its ends, so as to be able to rotate freely, at a second hole 17 and third hole 18 which are formed respectively in the wing 4a and in the wing 4b of the support 3, the second and third holes having the same axis. The wheel 15 is moved by virtue of a lever 19 which is constituted for example by a third tab 20 which can be keyed at the shaft of the stem 16 and the wheel 15 by means of a screw 21. The clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the third tab 20 is also facilitated by a fourth tab 22 which is stably or rotatably connected to the third tab 20 so as to optionally close onto it. In order to maintain the intended position, there is also a retention means, such as for example teeth 23 which protrude from the fourth tab 22, which can selectively engage for example at fourth holes 24 formed in the wing 4a of the support 3 in a region which is adjacent to the second hole 17. The use of the invention is therefore as follows: once the quarter has been fitted to the support 3, the user can disengage the teeth 23 from the fourth holes 24 and then grip the fourth tab 22, so as to force a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the wheel 15. In this manner, the stem 16 forces the axial movement of the second tab 12 and therefore of the quarter 7 with respect to the shell or support. The user can thus achieve a fine variation of the position of the quarter with respect to the shell according to the specific requirements. It has thus been found that the illustrated solution achieves the intended aim and object, since a skate has been provided in which it is possible to continuously and precisely vary the size of the skate, adapting it to the specific anatomical requirements of the individual user. Furthermore, adjustment of the position by virtue of the wheel 15 can be achieved quickly and easily by the skater without requiring particular tools or having to disassemble any part that constitutes the skate. The skate according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims. The materials and the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the skate, such as for example the number of first or second holes, may of course vary according to the specific requirements.

Claims: An in-line roller skate (1), comprising a shell (2), a support (3) for a plurality of wheels, and a quarter (7) which is slidingly associated with said shell, comprising a sliding means (9) for the selective axial movement of said quarter with respect to said shell, said means for the selective axial movement of said quarter (7) comprises a tab (12) which protrudes below a lower surface (11) of said quarter (7) and is slidingly arranged at a first seat (9) formed in said base of said support (3), and characterized in that in a longitudinal cross-section, said tab has an oval shape, a second seat (13) being formed transversely to said tab (12), a set of teeth (14) arranged transversely to said tab (12) being formed at said second seat (13) at least one surface. The skate according to claim 1, wherein said shell is formed monolithically with an underlying support which is shaped as an inverted U and is adapted to support a plurality of wheels, said shell having in a rear part, at the malleolar region, two further tabs (5a, 5b) provided with two first holes which have the same axis, characterized in that pivot members are arranged at said first holes (6a, 6b) and lie at two slots (8) which are formed laterally to said quarter (7) and lie along an axis which is longitudinal with respect to said support (3). The skate according to claim 2, characterized in that said means for the selective axial movement of said quarter is constituted by said first seat ( 9) which is formed axially at the common base of said shell and support, at which the lower flat surface of said quarter is slidingly rested. The skate according to claim 3, characterized in that said tab (12) which protrudes below said lower surface of said quarter (7) and is slidingly arranged at said first seat (9) formed in said base of said support (3), is approximately as wide as said first seat and shorter than said seat, so as to allow the axial movement of said quarter (7). The skate according to claim 1, characterized in that an additional component of said means for the selective axial movement of said quarter is arranged within said second seat (13), said component being constituted by at least one wheel (15) which has a stem (16) which is toothed complementarily to said set of teeth (14) and can be arranged transversely to said support (3). The skate according to claim 5, characterized in that said wheel (15)is, at its ends, pivoted so that it can rotate freely at second and third holes (17, 18) formed respectively in said wings (4a, 4b) of said support (3), said second and third holes having the same axis. The skate according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a lever (19) which can be gripped by the user in order to apply movement to said wheel (15). The skate according to claim 7, characterized in that said lever (19) is constituted by a third tab (20) which is keyed at an end of said stem (16) by means of a screw (21). The skate according to claim 8, characterized in that the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of said third tab (20) is assisted by a fourth tab (22) which is connected to said third tab (20) stably or rotatably, so as to optionally close onto said third tab (20). The skate according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a retention means, such as teeth (23) which protrude from said fourth tab (22) and which can be selectively engaged at fourth holes (24) formed in one (4a) of said wings (4a, 4b) of said support in a region which is adjacent to said second hole (17).

Inventors: CONTE GINO, CONTE, GINO
Applicants: ROCES SRL, ROCES S.R.L.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A63C17
IPC codes: A63C17, A43B5, A43B3