Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INLINE WHEELED SKATE WITH ADJUSTABLE BOOT
Background of the Invention
The invention relates to inline wheeled skates.
Inline skating is a sport enjoyed by adults and
children alike. A typical inline skate consists of a
chassis to which are mounted a plurality of wheels,
arranged in tandem, and a boot, usually having a hard,
molded plastic shell of fixed size volume and a
cushioning liner. As a result, the skates and boots must
be fitted to each individual, as the size of wearers'
feet will vary, e.g. according to age and/or individuals'
characteristics. Also, as a child grows, replacement
inline skates and boots are required to compensate for
growth of the child's feet. Additionally, as foot size
varies from individual to individual, it is often not
possible to exchange or borrow another individual's
skates.
Sales and rental outlets for inline wheeled skates
are also required to maintain an inventory of skates in
each of a wide range of boot sizes in order to be in a
position to accommodate their customers.
Summary of the Invention
According to one aspect of the invention, an
inline wheeled skate comprises a chassis and a boot. The
chassis has a front portion and a rear portion, and
defining an axis, a plurality of wheels linearly mounted
for rotation under the chassis. The boot comprises a
fore part fixedly attached at the front portion of the
chassis and defining a toe box, and a heel counter
mounted at the rear portion of the chassis for slidable
adjustment along the axis of the chassis between a first
position in which the toe box and the heel counter define
a first size volume for receiving a foot of a wearer and
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a second position in which the toe box and the heel
counter define a second size volume for receiving a foot
of a wearer, the first size volume being relatively
greater than the second size volume. At least one
fastener is disposed for release and securement of the
heel counter relative to the chassis with a wearer's foot
in the boot.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the
invention may have one or more of the following
additional features. The boot further comprises an upper
boot portion pivotally mounted to the heel counter for
slidable adjustment along the axis of the chassis with
the heel counter. Preferably, the upper. boot portion
comprises a cuff disposed for releasable securement about
a lower leg portion of a wearer. The rear portion of the
chassis has a first side defining a first, elongated
axial groove and a second, opposite side defining a
second, elongated axial groove, and the heel counter has
a pair of opposed tabs adapted for sliding engagement
within the first and second elongated grooves. The rear
portion of the chassis defines at least one chassis
fastener hole, the heel counter defines at least one heel
counter fastener hole positionable in registration with
the at least one chassis fastener hole, and the at least
one fastener is adapted for releasable engagement in the
at least one chassis fastener hole and the at least one
heel counter fastener hole, thereby to secure and release
the heel counter relative to the chassis. Preferably,
the heel counter has a plurality of heel counter fastener
holes and the fastener is engaged in one of the plurality
of heel counter holes. The heel counter further
comprises a base having opposed flanges for slidable
engagement with the rear portion of the chassis in manner
to permit axial movement of the heel counter along the
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axis of the chassis. The heel counter axially overlaps
the fore portion of the boot.
The invention thus provides an inline skate with a
chassis and an adjustable boot. The chassis has a front
portion, a rear portion with one or more grooves recessed
in the chassis, and a plurality of wheels which are
linearly and rotatably mounted under the chassis. The
boot has a toe box fixedly attached to the front portion
of the chassis, and a heel counter slidably engaged with
and adjustably attached to the rear portion of the
chassis. The heel counter includes a base section with
one or more flanges which slidably engage the grooves)
of the rear portion of the chassis to axially move the
heel counter along the chassis. In this manner, the heel
counter is selectively adjustable between an initial
position where the toe box and the heel counter define a
first volume for receiving a foot of a wearer, and a
plurality of different positions where the toe box and
the heel counter combine to define different volumes for
receiving a foot. The heel counter includes a plurality
of fastener holes formed therein, each of which is
capable of receiving a removable fastener to fix the heel
counter of the boot to the chassis at each of the various
positions. Different lengths and sizes of boots are
therefore obtained to accommodate for different size
feet.
The invention also features an adjustable boot for
a skate which includes a toe box fixedly attached to a
skate chassis and a heel counter slidably engagable with
and adjustably attached to the skate chassis. The heel
counter has a first position where the toe box and the
heel counter define a first volume for receiving a foot
of a wearer, and a second position where the toe box and
the heel counter define a second volume for receiving a
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foot. The adjustable boot also includes an upper boot
portion connected to the heel counter.
In one embodiment, the heel counter of the
adjustable boot has a base section with at least one
flange which slidably engages the chassis to axially move
the heel counter along the chassis.
According to another aspect of the invention, a
method for adjusting the size volume of the inline
wheeled skate described above to accommodate an
individual user comprises the steps of: disengaging the
fastener to release the heel counter for movement
relative to the chassis and toe box, moving the heel
counter relative to the chassis and toe box towards a
larger size volume position, placing an individual user's
foot within the volume of the skate, moving the heel
counter axial relative to the chassis and toe box toward
a smaller size volume position until the boot has a size
volume appropriate to the wearer's foot, and with the
wearer's foot within the boot, reengaging the fastener to
releasably secure the heel counter relative to the
chassis and toe box.
In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises
the further step of releasably securing the upper portion
of the boot to the leg of the wearer.
The sliding and adjustable boot allows for the
inline skate to comfortably fit individuals of all ages.
As a child grows, the boot can be adjusted to the
changing size of his or her feet without the need of
purchasing a new set of inline skates.
Other features and advantages of the invention
will be apparent from the following description of a
presently preferred embodiment, and from the claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a side view of a skate with the heel of
the boot in a first position.
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Fig. 2 is a side view of a skate with the heel of
the boot adjusted to a second position.
Fig. 3 is an illustration showing the elements in
construction of the skate.
Fig. 4 is a top view of the skate.
Fig. 5 is an end view of a skate.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to Fig. 1, an inline skate 10 of the
present invention has a chassis 12 and an adjustable boot
14. The chassis 12 has a front portion 24 and a rear
portion 26. A plurality of wheels 28 are linearly
mounted for rotation under the chassis 12. The boot 14
has a fore portion 15, defining a toe box 16 therewithin
(Fig. 3), fixedly attached at the front portion 24 of the
chassis 12, and a heel counter 18 in slidable engagement
along the axis, X, of the chassis at the rear portion 26
for adjustment along the axis. The heel counter 18
overlaps the toe box 16 and defines a volume for
receiving a foot of an individual user. An upper member
19 is placed over the heel counter 18 and serves as a
tendon guard. In comparing Figs. 1 and 2, it is seen
that by sliding the heel counter 18 axially along the
chassis 12, the length and size volume defined by the
fixed toe box 16 and heel counter 18 are changed to
accommodate the size of an individual's foot.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, side and
perspective views, respectively, of the skate 10 are
shown. The chassis 12 is formed from molded plastic or
other suitable material and is similar to inline skate
chassis known in the art. Mounted to the chassis are a
plurality of wheels 28 and a braking device 27. The front
portion 24 of the chassis 12 includes a mounting area 36
which receives the toe box 16 in fixed attachment. The
rear portion 26 of the chassis 12 defines grooves 30 at
opposite sides to define a rail 31 (Fig. 5) which
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slidably receive the heel counter 18 of the boot 14.
Fastener opening 44 is provided in the chassis 12 to
receive a fastener 22 once the heel counter 18 has been
adjusted into a comfortable position.
The toe box 16, formed from plastic or other
suitable material, is contoured to the shape of the front
portion of a foot and it has a bottom surface 66, a pair
of upwardly extending side walls 70a, 70b, an arcuate toe
shield 62 at the front of the toe box 16, and rear flaps
40a, 40b at the back edge of the side walls 70a, 70b.
Rear flaps 40a, 40b are separated from each other by a
distance of E. Fastening devices known in the art, e.g.
straps 64, are used to adjust and secure the toe box 16
across the top of the user's foot.
Referring again to Figs. 1 and 3, and the top view
shown in Fig. 4, the heel counter 18 is contoured to the
shape of a heel of a foot and formed from plastic or
other suitable material. The U-shaped heel counter has a
pair of front edges 29a, 29b, a heel pivot opening 46 for
mounting of an upper boot 19, and a base section 20. The
front edges 29a, 29b are separated from each other by a
distance of F, which is preferably more than the distance
E between rear flaps 40a, 40b. In this manner, the front
edges 29a, 29b overlap the rear flaps 40a, 40b to create
an enclosed foot receiving area 39 at all adjustment
positions of the heel counter, while permitting that
adjustment.
As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, in the preferred
embodiment, the base section 20 of the heel counter 18
defines a plurality of fastener openings 42a-42c and
flanges 34 extending inward from sidewalls of the base 20
to engage the grooves 30 which define rail 31 and allow
the heel counter 18 to slide axially along the chassis
12. The fastener openings 42a-42c receive a removable
fastener 22 to fix the heel counter 18 on the chassis 12
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into a desired position which is comfortable for the
user.
Referring to Fig. 5, there is shown an end view of
the inline wheeled skate 10 of the present invention. In
this view, the heel counter 18 and base 20 are seen
slidably engaging grooves 30. Base section 20 has a pair
of inwardly extending flanges 34a, 34b which are received
in sliding engagement by grooves 30 on respective sides
32a, 32b of chassis 12, the base section 20 and flanges
34a, 34b, sliding over the rear portion 26 of the chassis
12. Removable fastener 22 is illustrated in phantom
extending through the chassis 12 to secure the base 20 at
a selected position along the axis of the chassis 12.
When the fastener 22 is removed, the heel counter 18,
with flanges 34a, 34b can be moved along grooves 30 to
adjust the heel counter 18 to a comfortable position and
size for the user's foot. Once the position of the heel
counter 18 is selected, with the user's foot still in the
boot, the fastener 22 can be reinserted through the base
portion 20 and chassis 12 to secure the heel counter 18
in place.
Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown an
illustration of the construction of the inline skate 10
of the present invention. The one piece molded chassis
12 receives the toe box l6 of the boot 14 at mounting
area 36 of the chassis 12 (indicated by arrow C). The
toe box 16 is fixedly mounted at area 36 by methods known
in the art, e.g. rivets or other suitable fasteners.
Heel counter 18 is positioned on chassis 12 at
area 38 (indicated by arrow D). Chassis 12 has a
fastener opening 44 positioned for alignment with the
fastener openings 42a-42c located on base portion 20 of
heel counter 18. Grooves 30 receive the base 20 and
removable fastener 22 is inserted through one of the
fastener openings 42a-42c and opening 44 to secure the
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heel counter 18 to the chassis 12. When assembling the
skate 10, the base counter 18 is positioned on chassis 12
so that edges 29a, 29b overlap edges 40a, 40b of the toe
box 16. Upper boot portion 19 is pivotally mounted to
heel counter 18 at holes 46, 48 to create a pivot axis
for flexibility of the upper boot 19. A lever ratchet
68, e.g. as known in the art, is mounted on the upper
boot portion 19 for tightening the upper boot 19 about
the wearer's leg, according to individual preference.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the skate boot 14
is illustrated in first (larger size volume) and second
(smaller size volume) positions, respectively. Other
intervening sizes are, of course, permitted, depending on
the number of fastener positions. In Fig. 1, the heel
counter 18 is fastened to the chassis 12 by fastener 22
along line A-A. By disengaging fastener 22, the heel
counter 18 is free to slide axially fore and aft
(indicated as the X and the -X directions) along the
chassis 12. The wearer can then position his or her foot
inside the boot 14 while the heel counter 18 is loose and
adjust the position of the heel counter 18 accordingly.
The front edges 29a, 29b of heel counter 18
overlap the outer surface of toe box 16 to define the
internal volume and hence, size of the boot 14. Upon
sliding the heel counter 18 forward, as depicted in Fig.
2, the overall length and volume of the boot 14 becomes
smaller. In this illustration, heel counter 18 has been
moved a distance of B along the axis, X of the chassis
12. Fastening element 22 is then reinserted into the
fastening opening to secure the heel counter 18 to the
chassis 12 at line A-A.
The boot 14 of Fig. 2 can be readjusted for a
person with larger feet by disengaging fastener 22 and
sliding the heel counter 18 with base 20 along groove 30
in the -X axis of chassis 12. By having a plurality of
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fastener locations, several adjustable sizes are obtained
for a single boot 14.
To further illustrate the sliding adjustment
feature of the heel counter 18, reference is made to Fig.
4 which illustrates a top view of the boot 14 with upper
section 19 removed. In this view, foot receiving area 39
is defined by the heel counter 18 and front edges 29a,
29b overlapping the toe box 16 at rear edges 40a, 40b,
respectively. The heel counter 18 and toe box 16 define
an initial length, L1, and an initial volume, V1, for the
foot receiving area 39. By sliding the heel counter 18
forward, the length and volume of the foot receiving area
39 changes to a second length, L2, and a second volume, VZ
which is defined by the fixed toe box 16 and the second
position (shown in phantom) of the heel portion 18. The
boot 14, therefore is adjustable in size and volume for
comfortably fitting the feet of an individual wearer.
Other embodiments are within the following claims.
For example, those skilled in the art will note that a
foot receiving area is also created by a reverse
situation to that described above, i.e., when the rear
flaps 40a, 40b overlap the edges 29a, 29b. The fasteners
may also be mounted for disengagement without removal,
e.g. the fasteners may be spring-biased to engage. The
chassis may also define a plurality of fastener holes
with the heel counter defining a single of multiple
fastener holes.
What is claimed is:
