Skate frame with cap construction

Abstract

A skate frame ( 20 ) for an in-line skate ( 18 ) having a shoe portion ( 22 ) and a plurality of wheels ( 24 ) capable of traversing a surface. The skate frame includes an elongate structural member comprised of a structural material having a first average density. The structural member having first and second sidewalls ( 62, 68 ). The structural member also includes a shoe mounting portion ( 50 ) spanning between at least a portion of the upper ends of the sidewalls. The skate frame also includes core material ( 64 ) disposed within at least one of the first and second sidewalls or within the shoe mounting portion. In an embodiment of the invention a threaded insert ( 602 ) is embedded in the core material of one sidewall, and an aligned tubular insert is installed in the opposite sidewall, such that the wheel axle ( 612 ) can be inserted through the tubular insert to engage the embedded threaded insert. In another embodiment, a protective cap ( 770 ) protects and/or enhances the appearance of the skate frame.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A frame for a skate, the frame comprising: 
 (a) an elongate structural member comprising first and second oppositely-disposed spaced-apart sidewalls joined by a transverse structure spanning therebetween, wherein each sidewall has an outwardly facing surface, an inwardly facing surface and a peripheral edge therebetween, the first and second sidewalls and transverse structure cooperatively forming a wheel channel;    (b) a protective cap affixed to the outwardly facing surface of each sidewall, wherein the protective cap wraps around at least a portion of the peripheral edge.    
     
     
         2 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the protective cap is made from an abrasion resistant polymer.  
     
     
         3 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the protective cap comprises nylon.  
     
     
         4 . The frame of  claim 1 , wherein the protective cap comprises urethane.  
     
     
         5 . The frame of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second sidewalls comprise an inner core material and an outer layer.  
     
     
         6 . The frame of  claim 5 , wherein the outer layer comprises a graphite fiber reinforced composite material.  
     
     
         7 . The frame of  claim 6 , wherein the core material comprises a polymeric foam.  
     
     
         8 . The frame of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second sidewalls further comprise a plurality of oppositely disposed axle mount apertures, wherein the protective cap extends substantially to the edges of the axle mount apertures.  
     
     
         9 . An inline skate comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of wheels, each wheel having an axial aperture therethrough;    (b) a frame comprising first and second spaced-apart sidewalls joined by a transverse structure spanning therebetween and cooperatively forming a channel dimensioned to receive the plurality of wheels, wherein the first and second sidewalls each include a structural portion and a protective cap, the structural portion having an inward surface, an outward surface and a peripheral edge therebetween, and the protective cap disposed on the outward surface and wrapping around the peripheral edge of the sidewalls;    (c) a plurality of axles adapted to rotatably attaching the plurality of wheels to the frame; and    (d) an upper shoe attached to an upper surface of the frame for receiving a skater's foot.    
     
     
         10 . The inline skate of  claim 9 , wherein the cap comprises an abrasion-resistant polymer.  
     
     
         11 . The inline skate of  claim 10 , wherein the abrasion-resistant polymer comprises urethane.  
     
     
         12 . The inline skate of  claim 10 , wherein the structural portion of the first and second sidewalls comprise a polymeric foam core material and a composite outer layer encapsulating the core material.  
     
     
         13 . The inline skate of  claim 12 , wherein the first sidewall protective cap is formed integrally with the second sidewall protective cap, the protective cap further comprising a portion that extends over the transverse structure.  
     
     
         14 . The inline skate of  claim 9 , wherein the protective cap further comprises a decorative design.  
     
     
         15 . An inline skate comprising: 
 (a) a shoe portion;    (b) a plurality of wheels having an axial aperture therethrough;    (c) an elongate frame attached to the shoe portion, the frame comprising: 
 (i) first and second sidewalls interconnected with a transverse member, the sidewalls defining a channel that is sized to accommodate the plurality of wheels, wherein the sidewalls each include a foam core portion, an outer layer encapsulating the foam core portion, and a protective cap portion covering at least part of the outer layer;  
 (ii) a plurality of threaded inserts, each threaded insert having a head and a tubular post, the tubular post having internal threads, wherein the head is embedded in the foam core portion of the first sidewall and the tubular post extends through the outer layer into the channel;  
 (iii) a plurality of tubular inserts, each tubular insert having a circumferential ridge, the tubular insert axially aligned with one of the plurality of threaded insert and extending through the outer layer and the foam core portion of the second sidewall wherein the tubular insert defines an aperture through the second sidewall and the circumferential ridge is embedded in the foam core portion of the second sidewall; and  
   (d) a plurality of axles having a proximal head portion and a threaded distal portion, wherein the threaded distal portion is slidably insertable into at least one of the plurality of tubular inserts and through at least one of the plurality of wheel axial apertures and engages the aligned threaded insert.    
     
     
         16 . The inline skate of  claim 15  wherein the frame has a lateral side and a medial side and wherein the first sidewall is disposed on the lateral side of the frame and the second sidewall is disposed on the medial side of the frame.  
     
     
         17 . The inline skate of  claim 15 , wherein the outer layer comprises fiberglass.  
     
     
         18 . The inline skate of  claim 15 , wherein the outer layer comprises a graphite fiber reinforced composite material.  
     
     
         19 . The inline skate of  claim 15 , wherein the proximal head portion of the plurality of threaded inserts are non-axisymmetric.  
     
     
         20 . A method of constructing a skate frame sidewall for an in-line skate comprising: 
 (a) placing a polymeric cap film sheet over the depressed portion of a frame mold wherein the cap film sheet is large enough to substantially cover the depressed portion of the frame mold;    (b) laying up a composite layer in the frame mold, on top of the polymer cap film such that the composite layer and the cap film sheet substantially fill the depressed portion of the frame mold;    (c) placing a frame cover over the composite layer;    (d) heating the frame mold to cure the composite layer whereby the polymer cap film adheres to the composite layer;    (e) removing the sidewall from the frame mold.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the cap film sheet comprises urethane.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the cap film sheet further comprises a decorative design extending substantially through the thickness of the cap film sheet.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the composite layer comprises at least in part reinforced fiberglass.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the composite layer comprises at least in part a graphite epoxy composite.  
     
     
         25 . A method of constructing a skate frame sidewall for an in-line skate comprising: 
 (a) placing a polymeric cap film sheet over the depressed portion of a frame first mold piece wherein the cap film sheet is large enough to substantially cover the depressed portion of the frame first mold piece;    (b) laying up a first composite layer in the frame first mold piece, on top of the polymer cap film;    (c) placing a polymeric foam core over a portion of the first composite layer;    (d) laying up a second composite layer over the polymeric foam core such that the polymeric foam core is substantially encapsulated by the first and second composite layers and further such that the composite layer and the cap film sheet substantially fill the depressed portion of the frame first mold piece;    (e) placing a frame second mold piece over the composite layer;    (f) heating the frame sidewall to cure the composite layer whereby the polymer cap film adheres to the first composite layer;    (g) removing the sidewall from the frame first and second mold pieces.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the cap film sheet comprises an acrylic and urethane blend.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the cap film sheet further comprises a decorative design affixed to an inner surface of the cap film sheet.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the composite layer comprises a reinforced fiberglass.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the composite layer comprises a graphite epoxy composite.  
     
     
         30 . A method of constructing a skate frame for an in-line skate comprising: 
 (a) placing a polymeric cap film sheet into the depressed portion of a frame first mold piece wherein the cap film sheet is large enough to substantially cover the depressed portion of the frame first mold piece;    (b) laying up a first composite layer in the frame first mold piece, on top of the polymer cap film;    (c) placing a polymeric foam core over a portion of the first composite layer;    (d) laying up a second composite layer over the polymeric foam core such that the polymeric foam core is substantially encapsulated by the first and second composite layers and further such that the composite layer and the cap film sheet substantially fill the depressed portion of the frame first mold piece;    (e) placing a frame second mold piece over the composite layer;    (f) heating the skate frame to cure the composite layer whereby the polymer cap film adheres to the first composite layer;    (g) removing the skate frame from the frame first and second mold pieces.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the cap film sheet comprises an acrylic and urethane blend.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the cap film sheet further comprises a decorative design applied to the inner surface of the cap film sheet.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the composite layer comprises a reinforced fiberglass.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the composite layer comprises a graphite epoxy composite.