Abstract:
A device for disabling or otherwise allowing the wearer of an in-line skate to walk on the in-line skate without activating the wheels may include a clamping member to clamp the wheels. A switch may be activated which in turn activates or deactivates the clamping member. A walking member may also be provided, the walking member being coupled to the skate and moveable between first and second positions. In the first position the walking member may be secured such that the wearer may walk on the walking member. In the second position, the walking member is positioned such that it will not interfere when skating.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to previously filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/480,011, filed Jun. 7, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,220, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/106,979, filed Jun. 29, 1998. The prior applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an in-line skate conversion apparatus. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus that enables the wearer of the in-line skate to disable the wheels in order to be able walk in the skate while preventing the wheels of the skate from rolling. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Over the last two decades, in-line skating has exploded in popularity. Indeed, in-line skates have replaced roller skates in popularity. One of the reasons for the surge in popularity of in-line skating may be due to the wide variety of equipment available and the lack of a requirement that in-line skating be performed in any particular place. That is, unlike ice skating which requires an individual to go to an ice rink, or roller skating which has traditionally been enjoyed in roller skating rinks, inline skates are specifically manufactured for use on city streets, or virtually anywhere there is a suitable hard surface to skate on. Furthermore, due to the relatively low cost of beginning participation in the sport (which typically requires the purchase of the skates and optional padding for elbows, knees and wrists), in-line skating is economically feasible for most people. As in-line skating has gained in popularity, several problems have arisen. 
     In particular, novice in-line skaters often have difficulty maintaining their balance while wearing their skates due to the tendency of the skates to roll out from under their bodies. This can create problems for the novice skater since the wearer is still required to maneuver on the in-line skates after stopping. In order to move in any direction, the wearer of the skates must roll to the next location. One example of the problem this poses for novice skaters is the simple act of stopping for lunch at one of the many snack bars along the beach between Venice and Santa Monica in California. After ordering refreshments from a self-service window, the skater must carry the refreshments from the window to a nearby table. This can represent a terrifying journey for a novice in-line skater. A simple visit to any popular in-line skating location will reveal a number of novice in-line skaters attempting to stabilize themselves and/or seeking to prevent themselves from failing while stopped. 
     In addition, the boom in popularity of in-line skating has resulted in a number of people using their skates to commute or otherwise travel about on a daily basis. However, a number of establishments (e.g. grocery stores, department stores, etc.) expressly prohibit people from skating in their stores. The inventor has found a need for an apparatus to enable the wearer of in-line skates to walk while wearing the in-line skates without activating the wheels. Furthermore, such a device would have to be cost effective, rugged and simple to use while not requiring the wearer to take the skates off their feet. Furthermore, such a device must be usable with a wide variety of in-line skates, including in-line skates having 3, 4 or more wheels. The device must be aerodynamically acceptable to advanced in-line skaters as well as practical for novices to utilize. 
     Mechanisms for assisting with braking in in-line skates have been known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,367 to Landis which issued on Jun. 14, 1994, disclosed a braking apparatus which utilizes a hand-held brake control for causing the application of rubber brake pads to the wheels of the in-line skate to slow the wearer down. In addition, major in-line skate manufacturers have proposed alternative braking mechanisms to assist the wearer in the braking operation. 
     In addition to the above-described &#39;367 patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,345 to Ben-Dor et al. provides a friction plate for the wearer of the skate to drag along the ground to stop the movement of the skate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,353 to D. M. Weitzner discloses a pair of retractable roller and ice skates for shoes. As seen in FIGS. 10 and 13 of the &#39;353 patent, the shoe can be taken apart so that a plate 50 is removed from its channel, inverted, and then reinserted into the channel  40  above the roller assemblies. The plate is thus stored out of the way in the channel and at the same time serves as a spacer and bearing member holding the roller assembly  70  in a stable position in the sole of the shoe, thus enabling the shoe to serve as a roller skate. While the device enables a shoe to be worn as a roller skate, it requires the shoe to be disassembled and reassembled prior to wearing the roller portion of the shoe. 
     Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,842 to Texidor discloses an athletic shoe exerciser that retains rollers when they are not being used in a lower portion of the exerciser. Specifically, as seen in FIG. 2, the roller skates are folded up into the base 14 of the shoe when not in use. Other modifications are sports shoes are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,295 to Schaefer discloses a convertible sports shoe that may be converted from a roller skate to an ice skate. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,852 discloses roller skates that can be removed from the bottom of the shoe 20. U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,718 to Gertler discloses a foot transport device that can be fastened to a standard walking shoe. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,122 discloses a combination roller skate and ice skate that includes a boot which can have a roller portion or an ice skate portion attached thereto. 
     None of the prior art braking mechanisms address the concerns of the inventor. Namely, to provide a device that allows the wearer of an in-line skate to walk in the skate without activating the wheels and without the need for removing the skate. Such a device is preferably formed as part of the skate such that the wearer is not required to carry any additional equipment or perform any lengthy procedures to convert the skate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an apparatus for converting a standard in-line skate to a walking shoe without sacrificing the performance characteristics of the in-line skate. It does so in an efficient manner while providing a easy, simple to use mechanism for both the novice as well as advanced in-line skater. 
     More particularly, in one embodiment of the present invention, the skater operates a disabling switch to cause friction pads to embrace the wheels, thus preventing the wheels from turning. This allows the skater to walk on the wheels. Since the wheels are prevented from turning, the wheels provide a stable platform for the skater to use while walking. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the upper of the skate supports a pair of arc shaped walking members. In one position, the walking members are elevated so as to allow the skate to function normally. In another position, each walking member is slid along a pair of channels to a position where the lower edge of each walking member engages the wheels of the skate. In addition, each walking member locks in place, to provide a stable platform in conjunction with the wheels for the skater to walk on. 
     In a further embodiment of the present invention, a pair of walking members is pivotally mounted to the base of the upper portion of the skate. When skating, the walking members are pivoted upward, and rest adjacent the upper portion of the skate. When walking, the walking members are pivoted downward and form a platform for the skater to walk on. The walking members are locked in place and the wheels are essentially disabled when the walking members are in the downward position. 
     The above and other embodiments and features of the present invention will be better understood through a reading of the detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that the following description and drawings are in no way intended to limit the present invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of an in-line skate incorporating one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial detailed perspective view of the in-line skate seen in FIG.  1  . 
     FIG. 3 detailed perspective view of a feature of the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention showing walking members in a raised position. 
     FIG. 4A is a cutaway side view of the walking member of the embodiment of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 5 is a further perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4 showing walking members in a lowered position. 
     FIG. 6 is a partial rear cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention showing walking members in a raised position. 
     FIG. 8 is a further perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 showing walking members in a lowered position. 
     FIG. 9 is a partial rear cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of a further embodiment of the present invention showing a walking member in a first position. 
     FIG. 11 is a further side view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 showing the walking member in a second position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1-11 illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the following discussion of the presently preferred embodiments, like reference numerals refer to like elements. Further, the following discussion is not to be considered in a limiting sense. Rather, while the following discussion taken in conjunction with the drawings illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described below and shown in the drawings. It is to be understood that numerous modifications, additions and/or substitutions can be made to the preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     FlGS.  1 - 3  illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention. As seen therein, an in-line skate  10  can include an upper  12 , an outer sole  14  and a wheel attachment member  16 . The wheels  20  are supported by a wheel support member  18  that may be attached to the wheel attachment member  16 . As seen in FIG. 4, the wheel support member typically is positioned on both sides of the wheels  20 , however it is seen on a single side of the wheels  20  in FIG. 1 for purposes of illustrating the wheel disabling mechanism of the present invention. 
     The wheel disabling mechanism  22  includes a switch support member  21  mounted rearward of the heel of the skate. A switch member  23  is pivotally attached to the switch support member  21  through a hinge mechanism  230 . Any suitable hinge mechanism may be utilized with the present invention. Of course, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that it may be possible to utilize other forms of switches with the present invention. For example, a sliding switch member, a turning switch member, or a pulling switch member may also be utilized with out departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     The switch member  23  is attached to a cable  24 . The cable  24  is preferably formed of steel, although any sufficiently strong material may be utilized. The cable  24  is connected to a series of clamping members  26  which preferably extend downward from the wheel attachment member along both sides of the wheels  20 . The clamping members  26 , which are essentially braking mechanisms utilized on bicycles and adapted for use on the in-line skate seen in FIG. 1, preferably include a pair of arms for each wheel. Each of the clamping members  26  has frictional pads  28  positioned at the ends thereof to make frictional contact with the wheels  20 . The wheels  20 , which may be supported on hubs  34  through which pass the axles  32 , are typically made of plastic, rubber, polyurethane, or some other suitable material. The length of the clamping members is such that the frictional pads  28  clamp the sides of the wheels  20  at a point that provides a secure frictional contact between the pads  28  and wheels  20 . As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact position between the pads  28  and the wheels  20  may be midway between the hub  34  and the outer diameter edge of the wheel. However, any suitable position on the wheel surface that enables a frictional force sufficient to secure the wheel and preclude the wheel from rotating may be utilized. 
     As seen in detail in FIG. 2, the pad  28  may be formed of two parts,  280  and  282 . The two parts include a resilient frictional pad  280  that contacts the wheel surface and a pad support  282  which may be metal, plastic, nylon, or some other sufficiently strong material to support the pad  280 . The two parts,  280  and  282  may be glued together or held together using the bolt  284  used to support the pad  28  at the end of the clamping arm  26 . Alternatively, the pad support  282  may be formed internal to the pad  280 , or may be eliminated altogether depending the material of the pad  280 . The frictional pad  280  may be made of the same material as the wheel  20  or some other material capable of producing a sufficient frictional force when pressed against the wheel  20  to prevent the wheel from rotating. 
     The clamping members  26  are preferable supported in place above the wheels by a flange  36 , through which a bolt  38  passes through the surface  40 . A nut  39  may be provided to secure the bolt  38 . The flange  36  is sufficiently strong to support the clamping members  26  securely when the clamping members are being used to clamp the wheels  20 . The flange  36  may be secured to the wheel attachment member  16  or alternatively may be secured to the upper portion of the wheel support member  18 . 
     As those skilled in the art will appreciate, by utilizing a mechanism substantially identical to a bicycle braking mechanism, the clamping members  26  are spring biased away from the sides of the wheels  20  in normal skating conditions, in the same manner that bicycle brakes are biased away from the wheel of a bicycle when the rider is riding. The cable  24  may be used to overcome the spring bias and force the clamping members  26  in toward the wheels  20 , thus causing the wheels  20  to be securely held. As seen in FIG. 2, a roller bearing  42  may be provided on an axle  44  to assist in controlling the position of the cable  24  as it approaches the clamping members  26 . 
     As seen in FIG. 3, the cable  24  passes through the switch support member  21  (as seen by dashed line  240 ) and connects to the switch member  23  at position  244 . In operation, the switch  23  may be rotated on hinge  230  in the direction of arrow  25  during normal skating. This releases tension on cable  24 , thus allowing the frictional pads  28  to be spaced from the surface of the wheels  20 . To secure the wheels  20 , thus enabling the wearer to walk in the skate without the wheels turning, the switch  23  is pivoted in the direction opposite to arrow  25 . This introduces tension on the cable  24 , causing it to move in the direction of arrow  27 . This, in turn, causes the clamping members  26  to move inward, causing contact to be made by between the wheel  20  and the frictional pads  28 . The operation is substantially similar to the operation of brakes on a bicycle, however the switch member  23  is held securely in the switch support member  21  to keep tension on the cable  24  and thus keep the frictional pads in contact with the wheels  20 . A relief  210  is provided in the switch support member to assist the wearing in removing the switch  23  from the support member  21 , thus allowing the frictional pads to be released from contact with the wheels  20 . 
     The position  244  at which the cable  24  connects to switch  23  may be adjusted in order to adjust the amount of tension placed on the cable  24 . In addition, while a single cable may be utilized between the switch  23  and the clamping members  26 , it is also possible to utilize multiple cables. 
     FIGS. 4-6 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated herein, the in-line skate  10  is provided with a pair of arc shaped walking members  50 , preferably having a resilient portion  52  formed at the lower surface thereof to provide proper friction for walking on the ground as well as for securing the lower edge of the walking members  50  against the side of the wheels  20 . In this embodiment, a pair of walking members  50  is provided. It should be understood that both walking members include the features described here. 
     The walking members  50  are slidably secured to the upper  12  through a pair of channels  56 . As seen in FIG. 4A, a pair of T-shaped retaining members  51  protrudes from the inner wall surface of the walking member  50  and is used to prevent the walking members from disengaging from the channels  56 . Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that any suitable retaining member may be utilized, including, but not limited to, screws, bolts, plastic molded plugs or any other suitable member. 
     A locking member  54  is also provided to secure the walking member in the upper position (seen in FIG. 4) and the lower position seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The locking member  54  includes a locking arm  540  having a hook-shaped distal end  542 . The locking member  54  is biased via spring  544  toward the upper  12  of the in-line skate  10 . The button  545  is used to overcome the spring force and remove the distal end  542  of the locking  540  from one of two recesses  53  formed in the upper  12 . The recesses  53  include additional space  546  therein to allow the locking member  54  to move upward to disengage the hook-shaped distal end  542  from the recess  53 . The locking member is then pulled outward from the recess  53 , and a relief  548  is provided to partially accommodate the hook-shaped member. 
     In operation, when the wearer of the in-line skate  10  wishes to disable the wheels  20 , the locking member  54  is pushed slightly upward and then pulled outward to release the locking arm  540  from the recess  53 . Once the locking arm is pulled from the recess  53 , the walking member  20  is then slid in a downward direction as seen by directional arrow  55 . When the walking member reaches the lower position, the locking arm  540  engages the lower recess  53 , and the walking member locks in place. The lower recess is positioned such that the resilient portion  58  on the lower edges of the walking member  50  presses against the sides of the wheels  20  so as to prevent the wheels  20  from rotating. Thus, the wheels of the skate are essentially disabled, thus allowing the wearer of the in-line skate to safely walk without fear of the wheels slipping out from under them. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is seen in FIGS. 7-9. In this embodiment, a pair of walking members  60  are secured by a pair of hinges  66  to the upper surface  180  of the wheel support member  18 . The walking members include a flared portion  62  for improved stability when the wearer is walking. A resilient layer  64  is also provided along the edge of the flared portion  62  to provide improved stability when the wearer is walking. The resilient layer may be rubber, polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or any other suitable material. A pair of resilient locking tabs  68  is cantilevered from the wheel support member  18  on each side of the in-line skate. The locking tabs are made from a resilient material such as plastic, that affords some spring-like tendencies such that the locking tabs  68  may be movable in direction of directional arrows  71 ,  73  but tend to spring back to their original position. Each locking tab includes a notch  70  for retaining the walking member  60  therein. In addition, the distal ends  69  of the locking tabs are tapered. 
     In operation, when the in-line skater wishes to disable or otherwise prevent the wearer simply rotates the walking members about the hinge  66 . As the walking members engage the locking tabs  68 , the tapered ends  69  cause the locking tabs to spread in the direction of arrows  71 ,  73 . Once the walking members align with the notches  70 , the resilient nature of the locking tabs causes the tabs spring back to securely hold the walking members in the notches  70 . In this manner, the wearer may then walk on the skate without the wheels touching the ground. Of course, the walking members may be any suitable length, and can be longer or short than that illustrated in FIGS. 7-9. If longer, is possible to form an opening in the walking member to accommodate the locking tabs  68  such that the tabs pass through the opening but then operate in the identical manner to that discussed above. 
     To return the walking member to the raised position, the wearer simply spreads the tabs  68  with their fingers, thus disengaging the walking members  60  from the notches  70 , and rotates the walking members  60  back to the upper position. As seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, a pair of cantilevered fixing blocks  72  extends outward from the walking member  60 . The blocks  72  each include a pair of rounded protrusions  76  formed thereon. The blocks  72  are received by receptacles  74  having detents  78  formed therein for receiving the protrusions  76  therein. In this manner, when the walking members  60  reach the raised position, the protrusions secure the walking members in the upright position in the detents  78 , thus keeping the walking members  60  in the raised position until lowered by the wearer. Of course, any suitable fixing device may be utilized to secure the walking members in the upright position. For example, it may be possible to utilize bungee cords or some other hook mechanism fixed to the skate hasps  79  or the upper  12  which in turn connect to loops secured to the side of the walking members. Any suitable device that prevents the walking members from falling while the wearer is skating may be utilized. 
     For example, a modification to the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9 is seen in FIGS. 10-11. As seen therein, the walking members  60  are provided with a spring hinge member  80  which is biased in the upward direction to hold the walking members  60  up when the wearer is skating. Instead of the locking tabs  68 , this embodiment includes a sliding, spring loaded release mechanism  82  that, when operated, releases catch  84  from receptacle  86 . The spring loaded, sliding release mechanism  82 , together with the catch  84  and receptacle  86  is identical to locking mechanisms commonly found on luggage, brief cases, and other such items. 
     In operation, the user simply slides the release mechanism  82  in the direction of arrow  89 . The spring hinge member  80  then rotates the walking member  60  using the bias force of the spring in the direction of arrow  87 . The user simply rotates the walking member  60  back down when seeking to avoid using the wheels  20 . The spring loaded release mechanism will cause the catch  84  to be secured in the receptacle  86  until the release mechanism  82  is again operated. 
     In this embodiment, the flared portions of the walking members  60  can be shaped to press against the sides of the wheels  20 . In addition, it may be possible to include more than one release mechanism  82 . Further, the spring hinge  80  may be any suitable spring mechanism, or may be replaced with the blocks  72  and receptacles  74  from the previous embodiment. 
     Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, while presently preferred by the inventor should be considered as illustrative of the numerous advantages of the present invention. The skilled artisan will readily realize that numerous modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made to the described embodiments. For example, it is clear that while the embodiments of FIGS. 4-11 show a pair of walking members for each skate, the present invention is not limited to a pair of walking members. It is possible that a single walking member could be provided for each skate or that more than two walking members could be provided for each skate. E.g., it is possible that a pair of walking members could be provided for each wheel or for the forward or back wheels. It is intended that all such modifications, substitutions and additions fall within the scope of the present invention that is best defined by the claims appended hereto.