Convertible wheel apparatus for a skating device

Abstract

A convertible wheel apparatus for a skating device including a pair of wheels, a pair of wheel supports, and a connector. Each pair of wheels has an axle and defines a coplanar virtual center and rotational plane, which are perpendicular to the axle. Each wheel support engages a respective wheel and includes a pivotal member defining a pivotal axis with at least one pivotal axis of the pivotal members located at a measurable non-zero distance from a respective virtual axis. The connector is attached to one of the pivotal members of each wheel support and concurrently positions the pivotal members. Control of the orientation of the rotational planes of the wheels is achieved by positioning features attached to a base element or by a biasing mechanism. Various skate configurations can be obtained by a choice selection and combination of connectors and axis constraints that characterize the convertible wheel apparatus.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A convertible wheel apparatus for a skating device comprising: 
 a first rotatable wheel and a second rotatable wheel, each of said first and second rotatable wheels having an axle and defining a virtual center plane and a rotational plane, said rotational plane and said virtual center plane being generally coplanar and generally perpendicular to said axle;    a first wheel support and a second wheel support, each of said first and second wheel supports with a corresponding one of said rotatable wheels and defining a virtual axis, each said wheel support including at least one pivotal member defining a pivotal axis, each said pivotal member attached to said wheel support for controlling rotation of said wheel support relative to said pivotal member, at least one pivotal axis of said pivotal members being offset from a respective virtual axis;    a connector connecting one of said pivotal members from each of said first and second wheel supports, said connector and said first and second wheel supports being structured and arranged to allow the rotational planes of said first and second wheels to remain coplanar when the reaction moment acting on the first wheel support from a skating surface with respect to one of said pivotal axes of said pivotal members of the first wheel support are subtractive to the reaction moment acting on the second wheel support from a skating surface with respect to one of said pivotal axes of said pivotal members of the second wheel support, and to allow the rotational planes of said first and second wheels to rotate when the reaction moment acting on the first wheel support from a skating surface with respect to one of said pivotal axes of said pivotal members of the first wheel support are additive to the reaction moment acting on the second wheel support from a skating surface with respect to one of said pivotal axes of said pivotal members of the second wheel support.    
     
     
         2 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said virtual axes is located at least 5 mm away from the virtual center of a respective wheel.  
     
     
         3 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 1  wherein one of said pivotal axes is located at least 5 mm away from the virtual axis of a respective wheel.  
     
     
         4 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each said wheel support includes a pair of pivotal members having pivotal axes generally parallel to a respective virtual axis.  
     
     
         5 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said pair of pivotal members is located approximately the opposite sides across said virtual axis.  
     
     
         6 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 1  further including means for controlling the orientation of the rotational planes of said pair of wheels with a biasing mechanism.  
     
     
         7 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said biasing mechanism is attached to one of said connector and a base element associated with said wheel support.  
     
     
         8 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 1  wherein one of said pivotal members further includes a pivot for rotatably attaching said pivotal member to a base of a skating device.  
     
     
         9 . A convertible wheel apparatus for a skating device comprising: 
 a pair of wheels, each said wheel having an axle and defining a virtual center and a rotational plane, said virtual center being located in a plane coplanar with said rotational plane, said rotational plane and virtual center being generally perpendicular to said axle;    a pair of wheel supports, each said wheel support engaging a said wheel and defining a virtual axis, each said wheel support including at least one pivotal member defining a pivotal axis parallel to said virtual axis, said pivotal member controlling rotation of said wheel support with respect to said virtual axis at least one pivotal axis being offset from a respective virtual axis; and    a connector attached to one of said pivotal members of each said wheel support, said connector capable of concurrently positioning said pivotal members.    
     
     
         10 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the concurrent positioning of said pivotal members involves rotation of said pair of wheel supports with respect to said virtual axis of each said wheel supports and results in rotation of the rotational planes of said pair of wheels with respect to each said respective virtual axis.  
     
     
         11 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 9  wherein each said wheel support includes at least a pair of pivotal members having pivotal axes generally parallel to a respective virtual axis.  
     
     
         12 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said pair of pivotal members is located approximately opposite each other across said virtual axis.  
     
     
         13 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 12  wherein one of said pair of pivotal members has a pivotal axis which coincides with a line parallel to one said virtual axis and proximate to one said virtual center.  
     
     
         14 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 9  further including means for controlling the orientation of said rotational planes of said pair of wheels with a friction surface that makes contact with said pair of wheels.  
     
     
         15 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 9  further including means for controlling the orientation of said rotational planes of said a pair of wheels with an element having discrete number of positioning features.  
     
     
         16 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 9  further including means for controlling the orientation of said rotational planes of said a pair of wheels with a biasing mechanism.  
     
     
         17 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said biasing mechanism is attachable to one of said connector and a base element associated with said wheel support.  
     
     
         18 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said concurrent positioning of said a pair of pivotal members involves rotation of said pair of wheel supports with respect to said connector while said rotational planes of said pair of wheels remain parallel to a predetermined orientation.  
     
     
         19 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said connector further includes a rotational pivot for rotating said connector about an axis located between its two ends and proximate to a line defined between its two ends.  
     
     
         20 . The convertible wheel apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said connector further includes a pivot for attaching said connector to a base of a skating device.