Ventilated boot and in-line roller skate with the same
AssigneeRollerblade, Inc.
InventorsBrennan J. Olson, John F. Swigart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an improved in-line roller skate that cools and drys a skater's foot, provides increased performance, and increased comfort. The skate of the present invention includes a boot having a plurality of venting apertures selectively located therein so as to achieve an interchange of air between the inside of the boot and the external environment thereby providing a cooling and drying circulation of air with in the boot of the in-line roller skate. A skate according to the present invention further includes a cuff pivoting on a pair of guide rails attached to the boot.
Claims15
An in-line roller skate comprising:
- a boot having an integrally molded outer shell and a sole formed from a semi-rigid material, the outer shell and sole defining a cavity sized for receiving a skater's foot;
- roller means comprising a frame and a plurality of in-line wheels, the frame adapted for attachment to the sole and for rotationally supporting the plurality of wheels;
- a free-floating liner received within the boot and surrounding the foot of a skater, the liner at least partially moveable with respect to the boot;
- wherein the boot includes a plurality of substantially unobstructed apertures, the apertures being sized to permit air to freely circulate into and out of the boot cavity, the apertures further being sized and adapted to permit heat and moisture to be more easily expelled from the boot cavity;
- said apertures spaced and positioned for air to be drawn into and forced out of said cavity through said apertures during a skating motion to enable and facilitate dispersed air circulation within said cavity;
- wherein during said skating motion, said semi-rigid outer shell, said free floating liner, said foot and said apertures cooperate to create an air-pumping action, such that said skating motion results in relative movement between said liner and said outer shell thus defining a continuous cycle of said air-pumping action which draws air into and forces air out of said boot's cavity through said apertures.
An in-line roller skate useable on the foot and lower leg of a skate and providing improved performance and comfort for the skater skating on a skating surface, said skate comprising:
- a boot formed from a stiff, resilient synthetic material and including a sole and a boot upper section and said boot having an inner surface, said boot upper section including:
- a foot insertion aperture;
- a cuff pivotally attached to said boot upper section, said cuff comprising a stiff material, said cuff being swingable through a predetermined arc between a first upright position and a second position forwardly inclined from said first position, said cuff including a means for tightening said cuff around the lower leg of a skater;
- and
- a pair of low friction guide rails disposed on said boot upper section underlying and contacting said cuff, said guide rails providing low friction contact with said cuff as said cuff swings through said predetermined arc between said first upright position and said second position, each of said guide rails comprising a member extending from said inner surface of said boot, each said member having an elongate configuration and having a thickness less than the thickness of the boot in the area from which it extends;
- and
- said skate further comprising roller means attached to said sole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.