Jump skate

Abstract

A jump skate comprises a boot with a base attachment, a surface engager, and a link/spring mechanism, which uses large spring deformation to boost a skater in jumping. The link/spring mechanism comprises at least two links and at least one spring (coil or wound). The links and the spring(s) are made of metallic, synthetic, or composite materials. The link/spring mechanism is connected to the boot and the surface engager with pin joints in such a way that allows large relative displacement with zero rotation between the boot and the surface engager, which offers improved control of the surface engager for skate jump/landing. The spring(s) is installed in such a way that it deforms with relative displacements between the boot and the surface engager. Thus a skater can first store energy into the spring(s) by forcing the boot down towards the surface engager and then jump to release the energy for further height.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A jump skate for permitting a skater to perform jumping maneuvers, comprising: 
 a boot;    a surface engager having a ground traversing lower portion;    a plurality of links including a forward link and a rearward link, the forward link having an upper end portion pivotally connected at a forward portion of the bottom of the boot at a first pivot connection, and a lower end portion pivotally connected at a forward portion of the surface engager at a second pivot connection,and    the rearward link having an upper end portion pivotally connected at a rearward portion of the bottom of the boot at a third pivot connection, and a lower end portion pivotally connected at a rearward portion of the surface engager at a fourth connection; and    at least a wound spring means having a first end attached to the boot and a second end attached to the surface engager so as to bias the boot in a direction away from the surface engager, by virtue of a torque-wise deformation/recovery, the wound spring means having a characteristic of quick storage/release of energy to assist a jump.    
     
     
         2 . The jump skate of  claim 1 , wherein the ground traversing lower portion of the surface engager includes a plurality of wheels rotatably supported in an in-line configuration.  
     
     
         3 . The jump skate of  claim 1 , wherein the ground traversing lower portion of the surface engager includes a first pair of roller skate wheels rotatably supported by a first axle transverse to the longitudinal axis of the skate, and a second pair of roller skate wheels rotatably supported by a second axle transverse to the longitudinal axis of the skate and disposed rearwardly of the first pair of roller skate wheels.  
     
     
         4 . The jump skate of  claim 1 , wherein the ground traversing lower portion of the surface engager includes an ice skating blade that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the skate.  
     
     
         5 . The jump skate of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third, and-fourth pivot connections constitute the four apices of a parallelogram.  
     
     
         6 . The jump skate of  claim 1 , further comprising a stopper element arranged to permit the jump skate boot to only move forward when forced downward against the spring force of the spring.  
     
     
         7 . A jump skate for permitting a skater to perform jumping maneuvers, comprising: 
 a boot;    a surface engager having a ground traversing lower portion;    a forward spring link having an upper end portion connected at a forward portion of the bottom of the boot at a first pivot connection, and a lower end portion connected at a forward portion of the surface engager at a second pivot connection so as to bias the boot in a direction away from the surface engager;    a rearward spring link having an upper end portion connected at a rearward portion of the bottom of the boot at a third pivot connection, and a lower end portion connected at a rearward portion of the surface engager at a fourth pivot connection so as to bias the boot in a direction away from the surface engager;    wherein each spring link comprises wound spring means, by virtue of a torque-wise deformation/recovery, the wound spring means having a characteristic of quick storage/release of energy to assist a jump.    
     
     
         8 . The jump skate of  claim 7 , wherein the ground traversing lower portion of the surface engager includes a plurality of wheels rotatably supported in an in-line configuration.  
     
     
         9 . The jump skate of  claim 7 , wherein the ground traversing lower portion of the surface engager includes a first pair of roller skate wheels rotatably supported by a first axle transverse to the longitudinal axis of the skate, and a second pair of roller skate wheels rotatably supported by a second axle transverse to the longitudinal axis of the skate and disposed rearwardly of the first pair of roller skate wheels.  
     
     
         10 . The jump skate of  claim 7 , wherein the ground traversing lower portion of the surface engager includes an ice skating blade that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the skate.  
     
     
         11 . The jump skate of  claim 7 , further comprising a stopper element arranged to permit the jump skate boot to only move forward when forced downward against the spring force of the spring.