In-line roller skate with anti-lock brake

Abstract

An in-line roller skate incorporating at least one counter-rotatable braking device and at least one raised braking wheel in the front of the skating wheels. The braking wheel has upward freedom of movement toward the braking device so that the braking wheel is in contact with the braking device when the skate is tilted forward onto the braking wheel. The counter-rotatable braking device resists rotation of the braking wheel in the backward skating direction to provide skid free braking effect against the skating surface in proportion to the weight applied to the braking wheel and allows free rotation of the braking wheel along the skating surface in the forward direction in the event the braking wheel unintentionally contacts the skating surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An in-line roller skate for skating on a skating surface comprising: 
 a boot for supporting the foot of a user,    a frame secured to the boot,    a plurality of skating wheels rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation in a common plane,    at least one counter-rotatable braking device rotatably attached to the frame comprising means to allow rotation of the device in one direction and to resist rotation in the other direction, and    at least one braking wheel rotatably attached to the frame forward of the skating wheels by means for mounting the braking wheel in contact with the braking device at least when the skate is tilted forward.    
     
     
         2 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 1  wherein the braking wheel is mounted on an axle and the mounting means comprises a mechanism for slidably attaching the axle to the frame.  
     
     
         3 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 2  wherein the mounting means allows displacement of the axle of the braking wheel in an upward direction inclined approximately ten degrees rearward from vertical.  
     
     
         4 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 3  wherein the braking device is mounted on an axle fixedly attached to the frame.  
     
     
         5 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 1  wherein the braking wheel mounting means comprises at least one arm attached to the frame.  
     
     
         6 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 5  wherein the arm is pivotally attached to the frame.  
     
     
         7 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 6  wherein the braking device is mounted on an axle fixedly attached to the frame.  
     
     
         8 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 1  wherein the contact point between the braking wheel and the braking device is approximately vertically above the contact point between the braking wheel and the skating surface when both the front skating wheel and the braking wheel are in contact with the skating surface.  
     
     
         9 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 1  wherein the braking device is oriented to allow rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the forward skating direction and to resist rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the reverse direction.  
     
     
         10 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 1  having one counter-rotatable braking device and one braking wheel.  
     
     
         11 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 10  wherein the counter-rotatable braking device, the braking wheel and the skating wheels are in a common plane of rotation.  
     
     
         12 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 1  having two counter-rotatable braking devices on a first common axis of rotation and two braking wheels on a second common axis of rotation.  
     
     
         13 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 12  wherein each braking device is oriented to allow rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the forward skating direction and to resist rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the reverse direction.  
     
     
         14 . The in-line roller skate of  claim 12  wherein the first common axis of rotation has a first midpoint between the braking devices, wherein the second common axis of rotation has a midpoint between the braking wheels, and wherein the first and second midpoints lie approximately in the plane of rotation of the skating wheels.  
     
     
         15 . A method of allowing an in-line roller skate to roll on a skating surface in one direction and to resist rolling in the other direction, the skate comprising a boot for supporting the foot of a user, a frame secured to the boot and a plurality of skating wheels on the frame for rotation in a common plane, the method comprising: 
 attaching at least one counter-rotatable braking device to the frame, the device comprising means to allow rotation of the device in one direction and to resist rotation in the other direction, and mounting at least one braking wheel to the frame forward of the skating wheels so that the braking wheel is in contact with the braking device at least when the skate is tilted forward.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the braking wheel is mounted on an axle slidably attached to the frame.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the axle is slidably attached to the frame to allow displacement of the rotational axis of the braking wheel in an upward direction inclined approximately ten degrees rearward from vertical.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the braking device is mounted on an axle that is fixedly attached to the frame.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the braking wheel is mounted to the frame by at least one arm attached to the frame.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the arm is pivotally attached to the frame.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the braking device is mounted on an axle that is fixedly attached to the frame.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the contact point between the braking wheel and the braking device is approximately vertically above the contact point between the braking wheel and the skating surface when the front skating wheel and the braking wheel are both in contact with the skating surface.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the braking device is oriented to allow rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the forward skating direction and to resist rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the reverse direction.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15  having one counter-rotatable braking device and one braking wheel.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the counter-rotatable braking device, the braking wheel and the skating wheels are in a common plane of rotation.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15  having two counter-rotatable braking devices on a first common axis of rotation and two braking wheels on a second common axis of rotation.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein each braking device is oriented to allow rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the forward skating direction and to resist rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the reverse direction.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the first common axis of rotation has a first midpoint between the braking devices, wherein the second common axis of rotation has a midpoint between the braking wheels, and wherein the first and second midpoints lie approximately in the plane of rotation of the skating wheels.  
     
     
         29 . An in-line roller skate for skating on a skating surface comprising: 
 a boot for supporting the foot of a user,    a frame secured to the boot having a pair of parallel elongated slots in the forward portion of the frame, the long axes of the slots inclined rearward approximately ten degrees from vertical,    a plurality of skating wheels rotatably mounted on the frame rearward of the slot for rotation in a common plane,    at least one counter-rotatable braking device rotatably attached to the frame approximately in line with the axes of the slots, the braking device comprising means to allow rotation of the device in one direction and to resist rotation in the other direction,    an axle slidably mounted in the slots,    and at least one braking wheel mounted on the axle, such that the counter-rotatable braking device, the braking wheel, and the skating wheels are in a common plane of rotation and the braking wheel contacts the braking device at a point approximately vertically above the contact point between the braking wheel and the skating surface when both the front skating wheel and the braking wheel are in contact with the skating surface,    wherein the braking device is oriented to allow rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the forward skating direction and to resist rotation of the braking wheel against the skating surface in the reverse direction.