Bearing spacer for in-line skate

Abstract

A bearing spacer device for axially separating ball bearings in a skate wheel hub includes a generally cylindrical center portion that abuts and axially spaces the individual ball bearings within the skate wheel hub. A central bore extends coaxially through the center portion to receive an axle pin for mounting the skate wheel to a skate. A discontinuity formed in the outer surface of the center portion to reduce weight and improve airflow. The discontinuity may include a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves that extend along the length of the center portion. The discontinuity may alternatively include at least one radial hole that extends completely through the center portion. Reduced diameter cylindrical end portions may integrally extend axially outward from either end of the center portion for mounting the ball bearings.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.