Suspension system for an in-line roller skate

A suspension system used with an in-line roller skate, said suspension system being attached to the roller skate, said in-line skate including a frame structure secured to a bottom area of a boot of the skate, said frame structure supporting a plurality of wheels, said suspension system being separated into sub-suspension systems for each wheel, said sub-suspension systems comprising:

• a swing arm pivotally attached to the frame structure, said swing arm including a base portion, and opposing first and second leg portions, said swing arm including a first stand-off being secured to the first leg portion and a second stand-off being secured to the second leg portion, wherein a wheel is rotatably secured on a rotating axle between the opposing leg portions;
• a first spring stay extending through the first stand-off and a second spring stay extending through the second stand-off, said first and second spring stays being elongated curvilinear members, wherein a first end and a second end of the first spring stay are secured to the frame structure in relation to a first side rail connected to and running along the length of one side of the frame structure and a first end and a second end of the second spring stay are secured to the frame structure in relation to a second side rail connected to and running along the length of an opposite side of the frame structure;
• and
• a first spring member positioned on the first spring stay such that the first spring stay travels through the first spring member and a second spring member positioned on the second spring stay such that the second spring stay travels through the second spring member, said first spring member being forced into compression between the first stand-off and the frame structure and said second spring member being forced into compression between the second stand-off and the frame structure when the wheel pivots up towards the frame structure on the swing arm under the influence of a driving force applied to the wheel, wherein each wheel of the skate independently responds to the driving forces.

A suspension system used with an in-line roller skate, said suspension system being attached to the roller skate, said in-line roller skate including a frame structure secured to a bottom area of a boot of the skate, said frame structure including a base portion attached to the boot and a first side rail and a second side rail extending down from the base portion and being substantially parallel to each other to form a channel therebetween, said frame structure supporting a plurality of wheels of the skate, said suspension system being separated into subsuspension systems for each wheel, each of the subsuspension systems comprising:

• a pivot axle rigidly secured to the first and second side rails and extending across the channel;
• a swing arm pivotally attached to the pivot axle, said swing arm including a base portion having a bore through which the pivot axle extends, and opposing first and second leg portions, said swing arm further including a first stand-off secured to the first leg portion and a second stand-off secured to the second leg portion, wherein a wheel is rotatably secured on a rotation axle between the first and second opposing leg portions;
• a first spring stay and a second spring stay, said first and second spring stays being curvilinear members, wherein a first end of the first spring stay is secured to the pivot axle proximate to the first side rail of the frame structure and a second end of the first spring stay is secured to the base portion of the frame structure, and a first end of the second spring stay is secured to the pivot axle adjacent to the second side rail of the frame structure and a second end of the second spring stay is secured to the base portion of the frame structure;
• a rebound stop secured to the first and second side rails within the channel in front of and below the pivot axle;
• a first jounce stop positioned on the first side rail and a second jounce stop positioned on the second side rail;
• and
• a first spring member positioned on the first spring stay between the first stand-off and the frame structure and a second spring member positioned on the second spring stay between the second stand-off and the frame structure, said first spring member being forced into compression between the first stand-off and the frame structure and the second spring member being forced into compression between the second stand-off and the frame structure where the wheel pivots up towards the frame structure on the swing arm under the influence of a driving force applied to the wheel, said first and second jounce stops preventing the swing arm from pivoting beyond a predetermined position when the swing arm contracts the first and second jounce stops, wherein each wheel of the skate independently responds to driving forces.