Single-wall inline skate frame with box beam wall

Abstract

A one-sided inline skate frame for an inline skate includes a wheel mounting portion that rotatably mounts a plurality of inline skate wheels on one side of the wheel mounting portion. A box beam sidewall extends up from the wheel mounting portion. The box beam sidewall includes an outer wall section, an inner wall section, an upper wall section, and a lower wall section. The wall sections define a channel through the box beam sidewall. A forward base attachment member extends from an upper, forward portion of the box beam sidewall, and a rearward base attachment member extends from a rearward portion of the box beam wall. The forward and rearward based attachment members are configured for mounting a skate base to the frame.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A one-sided inline skate frame for an inline skate having a base and a plurality of wheels, the frame comprising:
 a wheel mounting portion configured to rotatably mount the plurality of wheels in an inline configuration such that the plurality of wheels are disposed on one side of the wheel mounting portion;   a box beam sidewall extending upwardly from the wheel mounting portion, the box beam sidewall comprising an outer portion, an inner portion, an upper portion, and a lower portion, wherein the outer, inner, upper, and lower portions define a channel through the box beam sidewall; and   a forward base attachment member extending from an upper end of the box beam sidewall, and a rearward base attachment member extending from the upper end of the box beam sidewall, wherein the forward and rearward base attachment members configured to attach to the base.   
     
     
         2 . The one-sided inline skate frame of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel mounting portion comprises a plurality of separate nodes, each node configured to mount at least one of the plurality of wheels. 
     
     
         3 . The one-sided inline skate frame of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel mounting portion comprises three nodes, each of the plurality of nodes configured to rotatably mount at least a corresponding one of the plurality of wheel. 
     
     
         4 . The one-sided inline skate frame of  claim 1 , wherein the forward and the rearward base attachment members extend at a right angle from the box beam sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The one-sided inline skate frame of  claim 4 , wherein the rearward base attachment member comprises an upper portion extending from the box beam sidewall and an L-shaped portion having a first leg extending from the box beam sidewall parallel to the upper portion and a second leg joining the first leg to the upper portion. 
     
     
         6 . The one-sided inline skate frame of  claim 1 , wherein the box beam sidewall further comprises at least one transverse aperture through the outer portion and the inner portion of the box beam sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The one-sided inline skate frame of  claim 1 , wherein the box beam sidewall further comprises at least two transverse apertures through the outer portion and the inner portion of the box beam sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The one-sided skate frame of  claim 1 , wherein the box beam sidewall further comprises at least one edge cutout. 
     
     
         9 . The one-sided skate frame of  claim 1 , wherein the box beam sidewall comprises extruded aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . The one-sided skate frame of  claim 2 , wherein the wheel mounting portion comprises three mounting nodes, and wherein the forward base attachment member is disposed longitudinally between a forward node and a center node, and the rearward base attachment member is disposed longitudinally between the center node and a rearward node. 
     
     
         11 . A one-sided inline skate comprising:
 a frame;   a foot securing portion comprising a foot-supporting base attached to the frame, and an ankle collar attached to the base;   the frame comprising:   a wheel mounting portion configured to rotatably mount the plurality of wheels in an inline configuration such that the plurality of wheels are disposed on one side of the wheel mounting portion;   a box beam sidewall extending upwardly from the wheel mounting portion, the box beam sidewall comprising an outer portion, an inner portion, an upper portion, and a lower portion, wherein the outer, inner, upper, and lower portions define a channel through the box beam sidewall; and   a forward base attachment member extending from an upper end of the box beam sidewall, and a rearward base attachment member extending from the upper end of the box beam sidewall, wherein the forward and rearward base attachment members configured to attach to the base.   
     
     
         12 . The one-sided inline skate of  claim 11 , wherein the wheel mounting portion comprises a plurality of separate nodes, each node configured to mount at least one of the plurality of wheels. 
     
     
         13 . The one-sided inline skate of  claim 11 , wherein the forward and the rearward base attachment members extend at a right angle from the box beam sidewall. 
     
     
         14 . The one-sided inline skate of  claim 11 , wherein the box beam sidewall further comprises at least one transverse aperture through the outer portion and the inner portion of the box beam sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . The one-sided inline skate of  claim 11 , wherein the box beam sidewall further comprises at least one edge cutout. 
     
     
         16 . The one-sided skate of  claim 11 , wherein the box beam sidewall comprises extruded aluminum. 
     
     
         17 . A method for constructing a frame for a one-sided inline skate, the method comprising:
 extruding a skate blank comprising, the blank comprising: i) a box beam sidewall section defining a through channel, ii) a wheel mounting section extending from a bottom side of the sidewall section, and iii) a base mounting section defining a through channel and extending from a top side of the sidewall section;   machining the wheel mounting section to produce wheel mounting nodes with through apertures configured to receive wheel axles;   machining the sidewall section to shape a front end and a rear end of the sidewall section, and to define at least one transverse aperture through the sidewall section; and   machining the base mounting section to define a forward base attachment portion with a mounting aperture and a rearward base attachment portion with a mounting aperture.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising machining the sidewall section to produce an edge cutout in the sidewall section. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the skate blank comprises an aluminum extrusion.