1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a roller skate shoe, and more particularly to a wheel lock releaser arrangement for roller skate shoe, wherein the wheel lock releaser arrangement normally locks up a wheel frame of the roller skate shoe in a rotatably manner so as to prevent the wheel frame from being slid unintentionally and accidentally.
2. Description of Related Arts
Nowadays, roller skates are well known and have been considered as a formed of transportation, recreation, and exercise. Conventional roller skates each comprises a roller device permanently installed thereunder such that a player must carry an extra pair of shoe for interchange purpose, which is a hassle for the player.
As shown in FIG. 1, an improved pair of roller skate shoes is adapted for solving the above problem. Each roller skate shoe comprises a base 1A having two chambers 10A provided thereon and two roller devices 2A foldably received in the chambers 10A respectively in such a manner that the roller device 2A is folded into the chamber 10A for storage and unfolded out of the chamber 10A for usage. So, the player does not have to carry an extra pair of shoes everywhere. Each roller device 2A comprises an U-shaped supporting frame 21A under the base 1A of the roller skate shoe within the chamber 10A comprising a shaft 211A transversely mounted on the supporting frame 21A, and an U-shaped wheel frame 22A rotatably mounted on the shaft 211A comprising a wheel axle 221A transversely mounted on the wheel frame 22A wherein a wheel 222A is rotatably supported on the wheel axle 221A in such a manner that the wheel frame 22A is adapted for rotatably folding in the chamber 10A for storage purpose and rotatably folding out of the chamber 10A for use.
Such roller skate shoe further comprises locking means 23A mounted on the shaft 211A of the supporting frame 21A for locking the wheel frame 22A in position. The locking means 23A comprises a locker arm 231A slidably mounted on the shaft 211A of the supporting frame 21A wherein the locker arm 231A has a locking tip 2311A for blocking a rotational movement of the wheel frame 22A by the supporting frame 21A, and a compression spring 24A, which is coaxially mounted on the shaft 211A, having two ends biasing against the locker arm 231A and the wheel frame 22A for urging and retain the locker arm 231A in a locking position. In order to use the roller skate shoe, the player must use his or hand to pull the wheel frame 22A out of the chamber 10A in a rotatably movable manner until the locking tip 2311A of the locker arm 231A slid out of the supporting frame 21A so as to lock up the wheel frame 22A in position. For unlocking the wheel frame 22A, the player must use his or her hand again to push the locker arm 231A aside until the locking tip 2311A is moved away from the supporting frame 21A and then push the wheel frame 22A back into the chamber 10A.
While the foregoing disclosure of the conventional roller skate shoes, the shoes have several drawbacks. Each roller device 2A must have a relative larger size in order to rigidly support a downward force which is the weight of the player. In other words, the roller device 2A requires a bigger chamber 10A, especially the depth thereof, to fittedly store the roller device 2A therein such that the shoe must be increase its size and weight, which is an unreasonable afford for the player especially for a young child.
Thus, since the contacting area of the shoe is between the wheel 222A and the ground, the size of the wheel 222A is a main factor for stable manner. However, the wheel frame 22A can only carry one wheel 222A such that when a bigger wheel 222A is used, the size of the wheel frame 22A must be bigger than the size of the wheel 222A, which will create the storage drawback as mentioned above. When a smaller wheel 222A is used, the young player may easily lose his or her balance so as to cause an unwanted injury to the young player. In fact, the U-shaped wheel frame 22A cannot provide a rigid structure for the wheel 222A supporting thereon so that the wheel frame 22A may be easily broken when an external force, such as a collusion force, exerted on the wheel frame 22A and cause major injury to the young player.
Moreover, the locking means 23A cannot securely hold the wheel frame 22A in order to prevent an unwanted rotational movement thereof. Since a coil spring 25A is used for retaining the wheel frame 22A rotatably sliding out of the chamber 10A, the locker arm 231A is also forced to push of the supporting frame 21A to lock up the wheel frame 22A as well. So, the wheel frame 22A may only be blocked to slide back to the chamber 10A until the locker arm 231A hits the supporting frame 21A such that an unwanted rotational movement of the wheel frame 22A will cause an unbalance of the roller skate shoe. Also, in the locked position, the locker arm 231A must be strong enough to bias against the rotating force of the wheel frame 22A. It is worth to mention that the rotating force will proportionally increase when the radially distance from the center is increased. In other words, the longer length of the locker arm 231A is, the greater rotational force of the locker arm 231A must be afforded. So, the locker arm 231A must be rigid enough to lock up the rotation of the wheel frame 22A.
Furthermore, the player must use his or her hand to pull out the wheel frame 22A and unlock the wheel frame 22A every time for use and storage respectively. It is a hassle for the player because the player must touch the wheel 222A even though the wheel 222A is dirty. Also, some players may have difficulties to bend down their body to fold and unfold the roller device 2A due to their physical abilities. They may merely take off their shoes to operate the folding and unfolding process. It is unreasonable that they have to take off their shoes every time, which is the same as the conventional roller skates.
A main object of the present invention is to provide a wheel lock releaser arrangement for roller skate shoe for normally locking up a wheel frame of the roller skate shoe so as to prevent the wheel frame from being slid unintentionally and accidentally.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wheel lock releaser arrangement for roller skate shoe which comprises a locking means for locking up a wheel frame in position wherein an operation button is provided on an outer surface of the shoe for unlocking the wheel frame. In other words, the player does not require his or her hands to touch the wheels in order to unlock the wheel frame.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wheel lock releaser arrangement for roller skate shoe wherein the locking means locks up the wheel axle by means of engagement so as to minimize the rotational force exerted on the locking means. In other words, the locking means can securely lock up the roller device in position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wheel lock releaser arrangement for roller skate shoe wherein each roller arrangement of the roller skate shoes comprises a pair of wheels rigidly supported on a wheel axle for increasing a contacting area between the wheels and the ground so as to provide a stable manner for a player.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wheel lock releaser arrangement for roller skate shoe wherein each roller arrangement has relative small size and shape so as to reduce the size and weight of the shoe, which can also minimize the cost of the shoe as well.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a wheel lock releaser arrangement for roller skate shoe, which comprises:
a shoe base having two receiving cavities provided thereunder at a front portion and a rear portion of the shoe base respectively wherein the shoe base has at least an operation through slot provided on a sidewall of each receiving cavity to communicate to an exterior of the shoe base;
a roller arrangement fittedly received in each receiving cavity comprising a supporting frame securely mounted on a ceiling of the receiving cavity, a wheel frame rotatably mounted on the supporting frame by a shaft, and a resilient element for applying an urging pressure against the wheel frame so as to normally retain the wheel frame slid out of the receiving cavity; and
a wheel lock releaser arrangement for securely locking the wheel frame in a rotatably movable manner selectively between a folded position and an unfolded position wherein in the folded position, the wheel frame is rotatably slid into the receiving cavity and in the unfolded position, the wheel frame is rotatably slid out of the receiving cavity wherein the wheel releaser arrangement comprises:
a locking member movably attached to one end of the shaft for locking up the wheel frame from being slid rotatably with respect to the supporting frame wherein the locking member comprises an operation button extended to the exterior of the shoe base through the operation through slot for operating the locking member to move from a normally locking position to an unlocking position; and
a resilient member which is disposed in the receiving cavity for applying an urging pressure against the locking member so as to normally retain the locking member in the locking position, wherein at the locking position, the locking member is engaged with the wheel frame in such a manner that the wheel frame is locked for rotational movement, and that in the unlocking position, the locking member is moved to disengage with the wheel frame so that the wheel frame is capably of being slid rotationally to fold and unfold the wheel frame.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds