Roller skate provided with means to absorb shock

[0002] Not applicable.

[0003] Not applicable.

[0004] Not applicable.

[0005] The present invention relates generally to a roller skate, and more particularly to a roller skate which is provided with a shock-absorbing device to mitigate the transmission of shock wave from the roller skate to the head of a person who glides on a hardwood floor, sidewalk, and the like.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional roller skate comprises a boot 10, a sole plate 11, and a plurality of wheels 12 which are pivotally fastened to the sole plate 11. The sole plate 11 is fastened to the outsole of the boot 10. When a person wears the conventional roller skates to glide on a hard surface, the shock wave is easily transmitted to the boot 10 from the wheels 12. This is due to the fact that the conventional roller skate is devoid of a shock-absorbing device. The shock wave is often transmitted to the head of a wearer of the conventional roller skate. In other words, the wearer of the conventional roller skate can feel the mechanical friction between the wheels 12 and the surface on which the wheels 12 glide. As a result, it is rather uncomfortable for a person to wear the conventional roller skate to glide on a hard surface.

[0007] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a roller skate with a shock-absorbing device, so as to make the roller skating a comfortable and pleasant sport.

[0008] In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a roller skate comprising a boot, a wheel frame, a connection frame located between the boot and the wheel frame, an expandable frame fitted around the connection frame, and an elastic member disposed in the connection frame to serve as a shock-absorbing device to prevent the transmission of shock wave from the wheels to the boot.

[0009] The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a roller skate of the prior art.

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a sectional schematic view of an elastic member of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 5 shows a sectional schematic view of an elastic member of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 6 shows a side schematic view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 7 shows a sectional schematic view of an elastic member of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 8 shows a side schematic view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIGS. 9-13 are schematic views of various connection frames of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 14 shows various forms of wheel arrangement of the present invention.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a roller skate of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a boot 20, a wheel frame 30, a connection frame 40, an expandable frame 50, and an elastic member 61.

[0021] The connection frame 30 is fastened to the outsole of the boot 20 by means of a plurality of fastening bolts 41.

[0022] The wheel frame 30 is fastened to the connection frame 30 and is provided with a plurality of wheels 31 and a brake shoe 32.

[0023] The expandable frame 50 is fitted around the periphery of the connection frame 40 to provide the connection frame 40 with a recovery force.

[0024] The elastic member 61 is mounted in the connection frame 40 such that the top end and the bottom end of the elastic member 61 may be in contact with the connection frame 40, or may be separated from the connection frame 40 by an interval. The elastic member 61 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is a rubber block 61 having a main body 610 which is provided in the center with a through slot 611. The expandable frame 50 is provided with a locating piece 501 which is inserted into the through slot 611 to locate the rubber block 61 such that a top end 612 and a bottom end 613 of the rubber block 61 come in contact with the connection frame 40 or separate from the connection frame 40 by a distance.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a roller skate of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is basically similar in construction to that of the first preferred embodiment described above, except that the former comprises an elastic member which is a rubber wheel 62. The rubber wheel 62 is provided with a locating hole 621. The expandable frame 50 is provided with a locating pillar 51, which is inserted into the locating hole 621 of the rubber wheel 62 so as to locate the rubber wheel 62 in the connection frame 40 in such a manner that the rim of the rubber wheel 62 may or may not be in contact with the connection frame 40.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a roller skate of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention is basically similar in construction to that of the first preferred embodiment, except that the former comprises an elastic member, which is a coil spring 63. The coil spring 63 is located in the connection frame 40 by the expandable frame 50 such that both ends of the coil spring 63 come in contact with the connection frame 40, and that the coil spring 63 is confined in a through hole 53 of a locating plate 52 of the expandable frame 50.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 8, a roller skate of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is basically similar in construction to that of the first preferred embodiment, with the difference being that the former comprises an elastic member, which is a tension spring 64 with two hooked ends 641 and 642. The tension spring 64 is horizontally located in the connection frame 40 by two expandable frames 54 and 55 such that the first hooked end 641 of the tension spring 64 is engaged with a first fastening rod 56 of the first expandable frame 54, and that the second hooked end 642 of the tension spring 64 is engaged with a second fastening rod 57 of the second expandable frame 55. The first fastening rod 56 of the first expandable frame 54 is provided with an adjustment portion 561 which is used to adjust the tightness of the tension spring 64.

[0028] The elastic member 61, 62, 63, and 64 of the present invention serve as a shock absorber to alleviate the shock wave transmission to the boot 20 from the wheels 31 in motion on a surface.

[0029] The embodiments of the present invention described above are to be regarded in all respects as being illustrative and nonrestrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.