In-line Skates, Skate Wheels and Wheel Hubs

Abstract

A skate wheel for an in-line skate includes a skate wheel hub having an inner hub, an outer rim, and, extending therebetween, a plurality of blade-form spokes. A skate tire is mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub. Opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel. Each blade-form spoke includes a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face, a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel, and a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces. Also described are in-line skates with skate wheels of the disclosure, and skate wheel hubs for such skates.

1 . A skate wheel for an in-line skate, comprising:
 a skate wheel hub comprising:
 an inner hub; 
 an outer rim; and 
 a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer nm, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel; and 
   a skate tire mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub;   wherein each blade-form spoke comprises:
 a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face; 
 a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel; and 
 a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces. 
   
     
     
         2 . The skate wheel of  claim 1  wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis. 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The skate wheel of  claim 1  wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes are exposed at opposite skate wheel faces. 
     
     
         6 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The skate wheel of  claim 1  wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the inner hub at an angle of between about 15° and about 85°, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a wheel axis. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The skate wheel of  claim 1  wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the outer rim at an angle of between about 15° and about 85°, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a skate wheel axis. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A skate wheel for an in-line skate, comprising:
 a skate wheel hub comprising:
 an inner hub; 
 an outer rim; and 
 a set of first blade-form spokes and a set of second blade-form spokes, each extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, each blade-form spoke comprises radially-aligned first and second spoke-edge surfaces and a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel; and 
   a skate tire mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub;   wherein first spoke-edge surfaces of the first blade-form spokes are exposed at a first face of the skate wheel and second spoke-edge surfaces of the first blade-form spokes are exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel; and   wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of the second blade-form spokes are exposed at a second face of the skate wheel and the second spoke-edge surfaces of the second blade-form spokes are exposed in a region of the center plane defined by the skate wheel.   
     
     
         16 . The skate wheel of  claim 15  wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis. 
     
     
         17 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The skate wheel of  claim 15  wherein the second blade-form spokes are offset from the first blade-form spokes in the direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis. 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The skate wheel of  claim 15 , wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of the second blade-form spokes are opposed to the second spoke-edge surfaces of the first blade-form spokes. 
     
     
         28 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A skate wheel hub for an in-line skate, comprising
 an inner hub;   an outer rim having an outer surface constructed and arranged for mounting of a skate tire thereupon; and   a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel hub; and   wherein each blade-form spoke comprises:
 a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face; 
 a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel hub; and 
 a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces. 
   
     
     
         36 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis. 
     
     
         37 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes are exposed at opposite skate wheel hub faces. 
     
     
         40 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the inner hub at an angle of between about 15° and about 85°, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a wheel hub axis. 
     
     
         46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein each blade-form spoke intersects the opposed surface of the outer rim at an angle of between about 15° and about 85°, measured from a plane of a face of the skate wheel hub generally perpendicular to a wheel axis. 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein the inner surface of the outer rim has a substantially constant diameter. 
     
     
         50 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein the outer surface of the outer rim is substantially convex in shape. 
     
     
         51 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 50  wherein the outer surface of the outer rim defines an upstanding, generally circumferential ridge. 
     
     
         52 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 51 , wherein the outer surface of the outer rim defines a generally circumferential flat ring in a region adjacent to the generally circumferential ridge. 
     
     
         53 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein the first spoke-edge surface is recessed from a plane of an associated first end of the inner hub. 
     
     
         54 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 35  wherein the first spoke-edge surface is recessed from a plane of an associated first end of the outer rim. 
     
     
         55 . An in-line skate comprising:
 a skate boot or shoe;   a skate wheel frame mounted to a sole surface of the skate boot or shoe; and   a plurality of skate wheels mounted to the skate wheel frame, each skate wheel comprising:
 a skate wheel hub comprising:
 an inner hub; 
 an outer rim; and 
 a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel; and 
 
 a skate tire mounted upon an outer surface of the outer rim of the skate wheel hub; 
 wherein each blade-form spoke comprises:
 a radially-aligned first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face; 
 a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel; and 
 a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces. 
 
   
     
     
         56 . The in-line skate of  claim 55  wherein the first and second spoke-edge surfaces are relatively offset in a direction of travel of the in-line skate by a predetermined arc of rotation about a skate wheel axis. 
     
     
         57 - 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The in-line skate of  claim 55  wherein the first spoke-edge surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes are exposed at opposite skate wheel faces. 
     
     
         60 - 68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A skate wheel hub for an in-line skate, comprising
 an inner hub;   an outer rim having an outer surface constructed and arranged for mounting of a skate tire thereupon; and   a plurality of blade-form spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, wherein opposed surfaces of adjacent blade-form spokes, in cooperation with opposed surfaces of the inner hub and the outer rim, define airflow passageways through the skate wheel hub; and   wherein each blade-form spoke comprises:
 a first spoke-edge surface exposed at a skate wheel face and disposed at an angle to an axis of skate wheel hub rotation; 
 a radially aligned opposite, second spoke-edge surface exposed in a region of a center plane defined by the skate wheel hub; and 
 a body extending smoothly between the first and second spoke-edge surfaces. 
   
     
     
         70 . The skate wheel hub of  claim 69  wherein the first spoke-edge surface extends from a skate wheel face to the region of the center plane defined by the skate wheel hub.