An in-line roller skate

Abstract

 An in-line roller skate comprises a brake pad (9) on which a braking surface (9a) is defined, and a load-bearing structure (10) on which the pad (9) is mounted with the braking surface (9a) exposed in order to be urged against the ground during braking; the pad (9) is guided for sliding in the load-bearing structure (10) along an axis (x) generally perpendicular to the braking surface (9a).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-line roller skate comprising a pad brake according to the preamble to the main claim.

[0002] In skates formed in accordance with the prior art there are pad brakes both of the type with a load-bearing structure fixed to the wheel carrier and of the type with a structure pivoting on the carrier. These known skates have some disadvantages, notable amongst which is the uneven wear of the braking surface of the pad, which is urged against the ground during braking and is gradually worn with use.

[0003] The technical problem upon which the present invention is based is that of providing an in-line roller skate the brake of which satisfies the requirements of structural simplicity for which pad brakes are valued and, at the same time, preventing all of the problems complained of with reference to the prior art mentioned.

[0004] This problem is solved according to the invention by providing a skate formed in accordance with the following claims.

[0005] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a skate formed in accordance with the present invention and equipped with a pad brake,
• Figure 2 is a partially-sectioned, exploded, perspective view of a detail of the skate of Figure 1,
• Figures 3 and 4 are side elevational views showing, in section, the skate of the preceding drawings with the brake in two different adjustment positions.

[0006] In Figure 1, an in-line roller skate, generally indicated 1, has an elongate wheel carrier 2; the carrier 2 includes two parallel sides 3, 4 between which four aligned wheels, 5a-d respectively, with parallel axes, are supported for rotating.

[0007] A shell 6 is fixed to the carrier 2 on the opposite side to the wheels 5a-d. A cuff 7 is articulated to the shell 6 by means of pins 6a.

[0008] The skate 1 is equipped with a brake 8 which has a pad 9 and comprises a box-like load-bearing structure 10 on which projections 11 alternating with recesses 12 are defined and together constitute guide means for a slide 13 which in turn has alternating recesses 14 and projections 15 in corresponding positions.

[0009] The slide 13 is guided by this shaped coupling for sliding in the load-bearing structure 10 along an axis indicated X in the drawings.

[0010] The load-bearing structure 10 is mounted in a fixed position on the carrier 2 by means of a three-point attachment; it has two arms 16, 17 by which it is articulated about the axis of the wheel 5d, and an appendage 18 with a hole, by which it is fixed to the carrier 2 in the region of respective holes 19 formed in the sides 3, 4.

[0011] A hole 20 formed in the load-bearing structure 10 constitutes a seat for housing a ring nut 21 partially accessible from outside the structure.

[0012] The ring nut 21 has a central hole in which a first, polygonal cross-sectioned portion 22 and a second, narrower, circular cross-sectioned portion 23, connected to one another by a shoulder 24, can be identified. The portion 22 of the hole houses, with a positive fit, the head 25 of a screw 26 which is in abutment with the shoulder 24. The screw 26 is fixed by this positive fit for rotation with the ring nut 32.

[0013] The screw 26 is engaged by screwing in the female thread of a nut 27 housed and restrained in a pair of grooves 28, 29 defined by respective C-shaped surfaces 30, 31 of the slide 13.

[0014] On the opposite side to the surfaces 30, 31 the slide 13 has two lips 32, 33 which are engaged removably by interlocking coupling in respective grooves 34, 35 of a T-shaped attachment element 36 of the pad 9.

[0015] An anti-vibration element 40 which is U-shaped in plan is interposed inside the grooves 34, 35 between the lips 32, 33 and the pad 9. The element 40 is made of resiliently yielding material and serves as an element for damping vibrations which are induced in the pad during braking and would otherwise be transmitted through the shell 6 to the skater's leg.

[0016] A surface 9a arranged perpendicular to the axis X is defined on the opposite side of the pad 9 to the attachment element 36 and is intended to be urged against the ground in order to brake the skate. The surface 9a will consequently be referred to below as the braking surface.

[0017] As a result of the screwing of the screw 26 in the nut 27 by means of the ring nut 21, the slide 13, and with it the pad 9, slides axially relative to the structure 10 along the axis X perpendicular to the braking surface 9a. The position of the pad relative to the ground, which is identified by a reference plane P, can be adjusted according to the skater's specific requirements, for example, to compensate for progressive wear of the pad.

[0018] It should be noted that the male-and-female screw coupling selected between the screw 26 and the nut 27 is irreversible, that is, the relative rotation between the screw and the nut takes place solely by rotation of the screw 26. In contrast, a translational movement of the nut 27, for example, due to the load exerted on the slide as a result of the pressure of the pad on the ground, locks the screw 26 and the nut 27, preventing rotation of the screw.

[0019] Figure 3 shows the brake 8 in a first adjustment position in which the pad 9 is moved as far as possible from the plane P, relative to the load-bearing structure 10.

[0020] Starting from the position of Figure 3, rotation of the ring nut 21 in the sense in which the screw 26 is unscrewed from the nut 27 causes the slide 13 to slide parallel to itself along the axis X and the distance of the pad 9 from the plane P is consequently reduced until the minimum distance from the plane P is reached (Figure 4). It should be noted that the inclination of the braking surface 9a to the plane P is constant throughout the expected adjustment travel of the pad. This results in even wear of the pad which advantageously leads to improved braking efficiency with progressive wear of the pad.

[0021] Moreover, the adjustment of the pad enables the same distance and the same angle of inclination of the braking surface relative to the ground to be maintained as the wear of the pad progresses. The skater is thus required, during braking, to lift the toe of the skate with the same and desired inclination which is selected by him and is equal, for example, to that provided for in the non-worn condition of the pad.

Claims

1. An in-line roller skate, comprising a brake pad (9) on which a braking surface (9a) is defined, and a load-bearing structure (10) on which the pad (9) is mounted with the braking surface (9a) exposed in order to be urged against the ground during braking, characterized in that the pad (9) is guided for sliding on the load-bearing structure (10) along an axis (x) generally perpendicular to the braking surface (9a).

2. A skate according to Claim 1, in which the pad (9) is mounted on a slide (13) and in which guide means and counter-guide means (11,12) are provided on the slide (13) and on the load-bearing structure (10), respectively and are mutually engaged in order to guide the slide (13) for sliding in the structure (10) along the axis (x).

3. A skate according to Claim 2, in which adjustment means are provided and act between the load-bearing structure (10) and the slide (13) in order to move the pad (9) relative to the structure (10) in an adjustable manner.

4. A skate according to Claim 3, in which the adjustment means comprise a screw (26) having one end restrained on one of the structure (10) and the slide (13) and a female-threaded member (27) in engagement with the screw (26) and abutting the other of the structure (10) and the slide (13).

5. A skate according to Claim 4, in which the male-and-female screw coupling (26,27) is irreversible.

6. A skate according to Claim 4, in which a ring nut (21) is provided, housed in a seat (20) in the load-bearing structure, (10) the ring nut (21) being fixed for rotation with the screw (26) and at least partially accessible from outside the structure (10).

7. A skate according to one or more of the preceding claims, which comprises a wheel carrier (2) and in which the load-bearing structure (10) is fixed removably to the carrier (2).

8. A skate according to Claim 7, in which the load-bearing structure (10) is pivotable about the axis of one of the wheels and comprises at least one appendage (18) for attachment to the carrier (2).

9. A skate according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the pad (9) is mounted removably on the slide (13).

10. A skate according to Claim 9, in which interlocking coupling means (32-35) and counter-coupling means are provided, respectively, on the slide (13) and on the pad (9) which are mutually engaged.

11. A skate according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising anti-vibration means (40) acting between the pad (9) and the slide (13).

Drawing