Patent ID: 12246244

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, examples (i.e., preferred forms) of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.

Example 1

InFIGS.1A and1B, an inline skate1of the present example includes a shoe2, an integrated wheel frame5that is attached to the bottom of the shoe2, running wheels3and curving turn wheels4that are mounted on the wheel frame5.

The wheel frame5is integrally molded having a portion for mounting the shoe2and portions for attaching the running wheels3and the curving turn wheels4. The wheel frame5has at least two running wheels3, one attached to the tip of the shoe and the other attached to the back of the heel, and functions as a series single row type inline skate in which the running wheels3are arranged in one row in series. Assuming that the running direction is an X axis direction, a wheel shaft of the running wheel3is an axis of rotation whose axial direction is a Y axis direction that is parallel to the ground and orthogonal to the X axis when the inline skate1is in an upright state. There are no limitations on the diameter, number, and position of the running wheel3, but for stable straight-line running, it is desirable that the running wheels3should be attached at least on the tip of the shoe and the back of the heel, respectively. As for a running wheel3, a wheel of the same diameter, about 72 to 80 mm in diameter, is appropriate for adult size. On a surface perpendicular to the running direction, the wheel shafts of the running wheels3and the wheel shafts of the curving turn wheels4form a predetermined angle. In this example, it is 90 degrees.

Two curving turn wheels4are attached between the running wheels3. A wheel shaft of a curving turn wheel4has a rotational axis whose axial direction is a Z axis direction orthogonal to the X axis direction and the Y axis direction. Therefore, the wheel shafts of the running wheel3and the curving turn wheel4are orthogonal. The wheel shaft of the curving turn wheel4is in a range of diameter of the running wheel3. In front view, the curving turn wheels4and the running wheels3overlap in the Z axis direction. When the inline skate1is upright, the ground surfaces of the curving turn wheels4are on both sides of the inline skate1higher than the sliding surface. When the inline skate1is in the upright state, the curving turn wheels4do not rotate on the ground. There are no limitations to the diameter, number, and position of the curving turn wheel4, but at least a plurality of curving turn wheels4are required in order to perform a stable curving turn. Further, in this example, since the curving turn wheels are arranged in a straight line in the X axis direction, wheels having a diameter slightly larger than the maximum width of the shoe are used so that the ground surfaces protrude on both sides of the shoe. For adult size, wheels having a diameter of about 110 to 125 mm are suitable.

InFIGS.2A to2G, the wheel frame5has a simplified shape having an integral structure that can be formed by injection molding with resin or a so-called three-dimensional printer. The wheel frame5includes an upper plate51and a lower plate52that are longer in the X axis direction and narrower than the shoe width and facing each other in the vertical direction (Z axis direction), and connecting portions53and54that connect the front and back of the upper plate51and lower plate52in the X axis direction respectively, which constitute a frame having a wheel space55open in the Y axis direction. The wheel space55has a sufficient space to attach two curving turn wheels4back and forth in the X axis direction parallel to the ground.

Through holes56a,56b,56c, and56dthat communicate in the Z axis direction on the center line c of the upper plate51and the lower plate52(center line in plan vision, hereinafter the same) back and forth in the X axis direction are provided. One wheel shaft of the curving turn wheel4is attached so as to communicate the through hole56awith the through hole56band the other wheel shaft is attached so as to communicate the through hole56cwith the through hole56d. The through holes56a,56b,56c, and56dare provided with boss portions64ato64dso as to protrude into the wheel space55. Flange portions57aand57bparallel to each other and flange portions57cand57dparallel to each other protrude respectively back and forth from the front connecting portion53in the X axis direction and from the rear connecting portion54. In order to attach the wheel shaft of the running wheel3, through holes58ato58dare provided in the flange portions57aand57band the flange portions57cand57d. The through holes58ato58dare provided with boss portions59ato59d. Further, the upper plate51is provided with bolt holes60aand60cfor attaching a shoe to the front and rear of the through holes56aand56cin the X axis direction. On the other hand, the lower plate52is provided with insertion ports60band60dfor jigs (for example, hexagonal wrenches) to operate bolts63aand63binserted into the bolt holes60aand60cat positions corresponding to the bolt holes60aand60c.

The shoe2is mounted on the upper surface of the upper plate51. The upper surface of the upper plate51includes an area61on which the toe portion of the shoe2is placed and an area62on which the heel of the shoe2is placed. In the example, as is common to most shoes2, the area62on which the heel is attached is slightly higher. On the other hand, the shape of the upper surface of the upper plate51can be determined individually according to the shape of the sole of the shoe to which it is attached. The area61and the area62are flat against the sole corresponding to the toe and heel of the shoe2, respectively to be fixed by bolts63a,63bafter the shoe2is put on.

The action of the inline skate1will be described with reference toFIGS.3A to3C. In the upright state inFIG.3A, the curving turn wheel4is not in contact with the ground. The weighting G acts perpendicularly on a sliding surface SS via the running wheel3.

InFIG.3B, when the shoe2is laid down, both the running wheel3and the curving turn wheel4are grounded on the sliding surface SS at a certain inclination angle α. InFIG.3B, the weighting G acts on the running wheel3and the curving turn wheel4in a distributed manner. Assuming that a virtual plane including the rotation surface of the running wheel3is defined as VS1, that a virtual plane including the rotation surface of the curving turn wheel4is defined as VS2, that positions where the virtual planes VS1and VS2intersect with the sliding surface SS are defined as positions P and Q, respectively, and that a position where the virtual planes VS1and VS2intersect is defined by position R, a triangle can be formed with the positions P, Q, and R as vertices. And in this triangle, the length between positions P and Q is longer than the length of other sides of the triangle (between position Q and position R or between position P and position R). This indicates that the weighting G is stably supported by the running wheels3and the curving turn wheels4. In this state, the curving turn wheel4serves as an edge for ice hockey, figure skating, skis, etc. At the start of running, the shoe2can be inclined to ground the curving turn wheels4on the sliding surface SS for kicking off. In addition, the curving turn wheels4prevent the shoe2from skidding during running, and enable stable curving turns to be performed while maintaining the speed of straight-line running.

InFIG.3C, when the shoe2is laid down further, the curving turn wheels4alone are used. In the state ofFIG.3C, the more the shoe is inclined, the closer the curving turn wheels are to the upright state, which prevents skidding and enables high-speed stable curving turns.

Besides, when the posture is shifted from the state shown inFIG.3Bto the state shown inFIG.3C, a movement must be made to lift position R as shown by arrow T with using position Q as a fulcrum, which requires an operation to intentionally lay down the shoe2. Conversely, if the shoe2is not intentionally laid down, it can be said that stable running is possible while maintaining the state shown inFIG.3B.

According to the inline skates1of the present example, the curving turn wheel4can serve as an edge for ice hockey, figure skating, skis, etc., so that it is useful for land training for curving turns in off-season for skiing, ice hockey and figure skating.

In the present example, diameter, number, and position of curving turn wheel4in each row in the X axis direction are not limited. Similarly, there are no limitations on diameter, number, and position of running wheel3.

Example 2

In the example shown inFIGS.4A and4B, two rows of curving turn wheels4are provided in parallel in the X axis direction. Here, in the previous example, the inline skates are constructed so that two curving turn wheels4are attached between the running wheels3which one running wheel3is attached to the tip of the shoe2and one to the back of the heel. Besides, the shoe2is not shown by omission. In the same figure, a configuration having the same function as the previous example is denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, a portion of the wheel frame5is shown cut away.

FIG.4Ashows an example in which the curving turn wheels are arranged in series in two rows in the running direction (X axis direction), with two in each row. The wheel space55of the wheel frame5is provided with a reinforcement wall65connecting the upper plate51and the lower plate52in the Y axis direction to separate the front and rear curving turn wheels4.

FIG.4Bis similar toFIG.4Ain that the two running wheels are arranged in series in two rows in the X axis direction, but differs in that a middle running wheel3ais provided between the running wheels3provided to the tip and back of the heel of the shoe2one by one. In the examples shown inFIGS.4A and4B, a small diameter curving turn wheel is used instead of a large diameter curving turn wheel as in Example 1. In Example 1, the distance that the curving turn wheels4ground away from the center line c on both sides of the inline skate1has been limited by the existing wheel diameter, whereas in the present example, there is an effect that the distance from the center line c to the ground without being limited by the existing wheel diameter can be freely set on both sides of the inline skate1by creating a wheel frame5with modified spacing between two rows of curving turn wheels.

In the present example, there are no limitations on diameter, number, and position of curving turn wheel4in each row in the X axis direction. Similarly, there are no limitations on diameter, number, and position of running wheels3and3a.

Example 3

FIGS.5A to5Ceach show an example in which the wheel shaft of the curving turn wheel4is positioned higher than the diameter of the running wheel3in the Z axis direction, and the running wheel3and the curving turn wheel4are arranged at a height where they do not overlap each other. Here, in the previous examples of inline skate1, the running wheels3and the curving turn wheels4are arranged at a height where they overlap each other in the Z axis direction. When the inline skate1is upright, the ground surface of the curving turn wheel4is higher than the sliding surface SS. In the same figure, configurations having the same functions as in the previous examples are denoted by the same reference numerals. InFIGS.5A and5B, the shoe2is not shown by omission. InFIG.5B, a portion of the wheel frame5is shown cut away.

FIG.5Ashows a configuration in which four running wheels3are attached between the tip and the back of the heel of the shoe2, and two curving turn wheels4are attached at different heights in the Z axis direction.FIG.5Bshows an example in which four curving turn wheels4are arranged in two rows in the X axis direction.

According to the present example, ground positions of the running wheels3and the curving turn wheels4in the X axis direction can be set at the same position or close to the same position, regardless of the wheel diameter. Further, in the case of the same wheel diameter, unless the shoe2is laid down more than in the previous examples, the angle which the curving turn wheels4are grounded cannot be reached as shown inFIG.5C. Therefore, there is a risk that skidding occurs until then, and the distance between the position P and the position Q increases, making it easier to change to the posture shown inFIG.3C.

In the present example, there are no limitations on diameter, number, and position of curving turn wheels4in each row in the X axis direction. Similarly, there are no limitations on diameter, number, and position of running wheels3.

An example shown inFIG.6is an example in which a running wheel3ais inserted between the curving turn wheels4in addition to the structure of the inline skate1of Example 1 in which one running wheel3is attached to each of the tip and heel of the shoe2, and two curving turn wheels4are attached between the running wheels3.

In the present example, there are no limitations on diameter, number, and position of curving turn wheel4in each row in the X axis direction. Similarly, there are no limitations on diameter, number, and position of running wheels3and3a.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERAL

1inline skate2shoe3,3arunning wheel4curving turn wheel5wheel frame51upper plate52lower plate53,54connecting portion55wheel space56ato56dthrough hole57ato57dflange portion58ato58dthrough hole59ato59dboss portion60a,60cbolt hole60b,60dinsertion port61,62area64ato64dboss portion65reinforcement wall