In-line skate

Abstract

An improved in-line skate with novel foot holding, brake, shock-absorption and wheel assemblies. In one aspect of the invention, the brake assembly includes a plurality of brake pads for engaging all of the skate wheels when activated. The brake pads are movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position when the foot holding assembly is tilted rearwardly by the user. In another aspect of the invention, the rearmost brake pad may be pivoted into engagement with both the ground and the rearmost wheel by lifting a forward portion of one of the skates in a conventional braking motion. Clutch mechanisms are provided for selectively restraining rearward rolling motion of the skate wheels for hill climbing or racing purposes. A shock absorber couples the foot holding assembly to the wheel assembly for improved comfort and performance. The invention also includes an adjustable locking mechanism for releasably locking some or all of the wheels in a fixed position to enable a user to safely walk up stairs, enter stores, or ride on public transit etc. Preferably, a front portion of the skate frame is pivotally or flexibly attached to a rear portion thereof so that a skater can walk with a normal gait when the wheels are locked. The size of the foot holding assembly is readily adjustable to accommodate different users or footwear of different sizes, including conventional street shoes or running shoes. When not in use, the skate is foldable to a compact size for ease of portability or storage. The skate is also designed for optional attachment of ice skate, roller skate or similar accessories.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An in-line skate having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending between said front and rear ends, said skate comprising: 
 (a) an upper for holding a user's foot;    (b) a ground-contacting wheel assembly comprising a plurality of wheels arranged along said longitudinal axis; and,    (c) a brake assembly operatively coupled to said upper, wherein said upper is pivotable by said user to adjust said brake assembly between an engaged position frictionally engaging at least one of said wheels to restrain rolling movement of said wheels and a disengaged position permitting rolling movement of said wheels.    
     
     
         2 . The skate as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said brake assembly engages all of said wheels in said engaged position.  
     
     
         3 . The skate as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said brake assembly is releasably lockable in said engaged position.  
     
     
         4 . The skate as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said brake assembly reciprocates along said longitudinal axis between said engaged and disengaged positions.  
     
     
         5 . The skate as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said skate further comprises at least one lever arm extending between said upper and said brake assembly, wherein pivoting motion of said upper causes displacement of said brake assembly between said engaged and disengaged positions.  
     
     
         6 . The skate as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said brake assembly comprises: 
 (a) an elongated brake rod extending along said longitudinal axis above said wheels; and    (b) a plurality of brake pads extending downwardly from said rod, wherein each of said brake pads engages a separate one of said wheels in said engaged position.    
     
     
         7 . The skate as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said wheel assembly comprises a frame supporting said wheels in spaced relation, wherein said frame further supports said braking assembly for movement between said engaged and disengaged positions.  
     
     
         8 . The skate as defined in  claim 7 , wherein a rear one of said brake pads is pivotably coupled to said frame, whereby contact of a lower portion of said rear one of said brake pads with the ground causes pivoting motion of an upper portion of said rear one of said brake pads to a braking position frictionally engaging one of said wheels closest said rear end.  
     
     
         9 . The skate as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said frame comprises opposed first and second side sections and wherein said wheel assembly further comprises a plurality of axles extending transversely between said first and second side sections for supporting said plurality of wheels.  
     
     
         10 . The skate as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said brake rod further comprises an elongated slot formed therein proximate said rear end, and wherein said rear one of said brake pads comprises a pivot pin extending through said slot between said first and second side sections of said frame, said pin being movable relative to said slot during said pivoting motion.  
     
     
         11 . The skate as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said pivot pin extends through a central portion of said rear one of said brake pads.  
     
     
         12 . Th skate as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said pivot pin extends through a central lower portion of said rear one of said brake pads.  
     
     
         13 . The skate as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said frame comprises a front section and a rear section pivotably coupled to said front section.  
     
     
         14 . The skate as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said brake rod comprises a plurality of segments which are pivotably coupled together.  
     
     
         15 . The skate as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said upper comprises: 
 (a) a footbed for supporting the sole of the user's foot;    (b) a heel restraint extending upwardly from said footbed proximate said rear end for restraining movement of the user's heel; and    (c) a toe restraint extending upwardly from said footbed proximate said front end for restraining movement of a forward portion of the user's foot,    wherein at least one of said heel restraint and said toe restraint is adjustable in position relative to said footbed for accommodating footwear of different sizes.    
     
     
         16 . The skate as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said upper comprises: 
 (a) a footbed for supporting the sole of the user's foot;    (b) a heel restraint extending upwardly from said footbed proximate said rear end for restraining movement of the user's heel; and    (c) a toe restraint extending upwardly from said footbed proximate said front end for restraining movement of a forward portion of the user's foot, and    (d) an ankle support coupled to said heel restraint for supporting the user's ankle,    wherein an upper portion of said lever arm is coupled to said ankle support and is adjustable between a locked position rigidly coupling said ankle support and said lever arm together and an unlocked position permitting pivoting motion of said ankle support relative to said lever arm.    
     
     
         17 . The skate as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said braking assembly comprises a pair of said lever arms disposed on opposite sides of said ankle support.  
     
     
         18 . The skate as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising a shock absorber extending between said upper and said frame in a rear portion of said skate.  
     
     
         19 . The skate as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said shock absorber comprises a spring having a lower end captured within a recess formed in said frame and an upper end coupled to an undersurface of said upper.  
     
     
         20 . The skate as defined in  claim 19 , further comprising a roller element located in a forward portion of said upper for pivotably coupling said upper and said frame together, said roller element being movable relative to a pivot axis intersecting said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         21 . The skate as defined in  claim 7 , further comprises an adjustable clutch assembly coupled to said frame, said clutch assembly being adjustable between a first position permitting free rolling motion of said wheels and a second position restraining rearward rotation of said wheels.  
     
     
         22 . The skate as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said clutch assembly comprises: 
 (a) a clutch bar extending parallel to said longitudinal axis; and    (b) a plurality of wheel assembly engagement elements positioned on said clutch bar for restraining rearward rotation of said wheels in said second position.    
     
     
         23 . The skate as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said clutch bar is manually displaceable in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis to adjust said clutch assembly between said first and second positions.  
     
     
         24 . The skate as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said clutch bar is lockable in said first position.  
     
     
         25 . The skate as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said wheel assembly engagement elements comprise slots formed at spaced intervals in said clutch bar, wherein each of said slots is configured to permit free rotation of a corresponding one of said axles in said first position and to restrain rotation of said one of said axles in said second position.  
     
     
         26 . The skate as defined in  claim 25 , wherein said clutch assembly further comprises a clutch housed within each one of said wheels coupled to a corresponding one of said axles, said clutch permitting uni-directional rotation of said one of said wheels relative to said one of said axles in said second position.  
     
     
         27 . The skate as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said wheel assembly engagement elements comprise a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly from said clutch bar and wherein said wheels comprise a plurality of recesses shaped for receiving said protrusions, wherein engagement between said protrusions and said recesses restrains rearward rotation of said wheels in said second position.  
     
     
         28 . The skate as defined in  claim 27 , wherein said clutch assembly further comprises a biasing element for biasing said clutch bar into engagement with said wheels in said second position.  
     
     
         29 . The skate as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said frame comprises a front section and a rear section pivotably coupled to said front section, and wherein said clutch bar comprises a plurality of segments which are pivotably coupled together.  
     
     
         30 . The skate as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising an ice skating blade attachment releasably connectable to said frame.  
     
     
         31 . The skate as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising a roller skate attachment releasably connectable to said frame.  
     
     
         32 . An in-line skate for rolling movement over a ground surface comprising: 
 (a) an upper for holding a user's foot;    (b) a wheel assembly comprising a plurality of wheels supported by a frame; and    (c) a brake assembly coupled to said frame, wherein said brake assembly comprises a rear brake pad pivotably coupled to said frame and having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein frictional engagement of said lower portion with said ground surface causes said upper portion to pivot into frictional engagement with a rearmost one of said wheels.    
     
     
         33 . The skate as defined in  claim 32 , wherein said braking assembly further comprises a brake rod supported by said frame, wherein said brake rod comprises an elongated slot located proximate a rear end thereof, and wherein said skate further comprises a pivot pin coupling said rear brake pad to said frame which is displaceable in said slot.  
     
     
         34 . The skate as defined in  claim 33 , further comprises a plurality of forward brake pads extending from said brake rod at spaced locations forwardly of said rear brake pad, wherein said brake rod is displaceable between an engaged position wherein said rear brake pad engages said rearmost wheel and each of said forward brake pads frictionally engages one of said wheels other than said rearmost one of said wheels; and a disengaged position wherein said rearmost brake pad is disengaged from said rearmost wheel when said rearmost brake pad is spaced above the ground surface and said forward brake pads are disengaged from said wheels other said rearmost one of said wheels.  
     
     
         35 . The skate as defined in  claim 34 , wherein said brake rod is operatively coupled to said upper, said upper being moveable by said user to adjust said brake rod between said engaged and disengaged positions.  
     
     
         36 . The skate as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said upper comprises: 
 (a) a footbed for supporting the user's foot;    (b) an ankle brace pivotably coupled to a rear end of said footbed and adjustable between a deployed and a folded position; and    (c) a lever arm having an upper end coupled to said ankle brace and a lower end engaging said brake assembly,    wherein rearward pivoting movement of said ankle brace by said user causes said lever arm to displace said brake assembly between said engaged and disengaged positions.    
     
     
         37 . The skate as defined in  claim 36 , wherein said skate further comprises a toe restraint for receiving a forward portion of the user's foot, wherein said toe restraint is adjustably connectable to a forward portion of said wheel assembly.  
     
     
         38 . The skate as defined in  claim 37 , wherein said footbed and said toe restraint are spaced-apart and said user's foot is unsupported at locations between said footbed and said toe restraint.