Quick-release axle assembly for in-line skate
OwnerKeith B. Kellyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axle assembly for an in-line skate for retaining a wheel and a pair of bearings in a chassis of the in-line skate. The axle assembly has an elongated spacer hub, for supporting a bearing at each end portion thereof; an elongated male coupler, for bearing on a first side wall of the in-line skate chassis; and an elongated female coupler, for bearing on an opposing second side wall of the in-line skate chassis. The male and female couplers are insertable inwardly through axle bores of the chassis then through opposite ends of the spacer hub to obtain an assembled condition in which the wheel and pair of bearings are retained in the chassis. The male and female couplers are provided with means for interlocking with each other when in the assembled condition, to prevent outwardly movement of the couplers.
Claims8
An axle assembly for an in-line skate for retaining a wheel and a pair of bearings in a chassis of the in-line skate, comprising
- an elongated spacer hub, for supporting a bearing at each end portion thereof;
- an elongated male coupler, for bearing on a first side wall of the in-line skate chassis;
- and
- an elongated female coupler, for bearing on an opposing second side wall of the in-line skate chassis;
- wherein
- said male and female couplers are insertable inwardly through axle bores of the chassis then through opposite ends of said spacer hub to obtain an assembled condition in which the wheel and pair of bearings are retained in said chassis;
- said male and female couplers are provided with means for interlocking with each other when in said assembled condition, to prevent outwardly movement of the couplers;
- and
- said elongated spacer hub is provided with
- support surfaces at each end for supporting said bearings,
- spacing shoulders for limiting insertion of said spacer hub ends into said bearings,
- a locking chamber, in which said coupler interlocking means are located when said axle assembly is assembled,
- coupler shaft receiving cylinders extending from each spacer hub end and communicating with said locking chamber, and
- locking arm entry grooves, extending lengthwise along sidewalls of each coupler shaft receiving cylinder, for aligning said male and female couplers during assembly.
An axle assembly for an in-line skate for retaining a wheel and a pair of bearings in a chassis of the in-line skate, comprising
- an elongated spacer hub, for supporting a bearing at each end portion thereof,
- an elongated male coupler, for bearing on a first side wall of the in-line skate chassis, and
- an elongated female coupler, for bearing on an opposing second side wall of the in-line skate chassis, wherein
- said elongated male and female couplers are insertable inwardly through axle bores of the chassis then through opposite ends of said spacer hub to obtain an assembled condition in which the wheel and pair of bearings are retained in said chassis by coupler interlocking means;
- said spacer hub is provided with
- support surfaces at each end for supporting said bearings,
- spacing shoulders for limiting insertion of said spacer hub ends into said bearings,
- a locking chamber, in which said coupler interlocking means are located when said axle assembly is assembled,
- coupler shaft receiving cylinders extending from each spacer hub end and communicating with said locking chamber, and
- locking arm entry grooves, extending lengthwise along sidewalls of each coupler shaft receiving cylinder, for aligning said male and female couplers during assembly;
- said elongated male and female couplers are provided with opposing locking arms for interacting with said locking arm entry grooves for aligning said couplers with said spacer hub;
- and
- said elongated female coupler is provided with interlocking grooves and interlocking groove extensions for interlocking with said opposing locking arms of said elongated male coupler when in said assembled condition, to prevent outwardly movement of the couplers.
An in-line skate having a skate boot, a skate chassis, and a plurality of bearings and wheels attached to said chassis by means of a plurality of axle assemblies, each axle assembly comprising,
- an elongated spacer hub, for supporting a bearing at each end portion thereof;
- an elongated male coupler, for bearing on a first side wall of the in-line skate chassis;
- and
- an elongated female coupler, for bearing on an opposing second side wall of the in-line skate chassis;
- wherein
- said male and female couplers are insertable inwardly through axle bores of the chassis then through opposite ends of said spacer hub to obtain an assembled condition in which the wheel and pair of bearings are retained in said chassis;
- said male and female couplers are provided with means for interlocking with each other when in said assembled condition, to prevent outwardly movement of the couplers;
- said spacer hub is provided with
- support surfaces at each end for supporting said bearings,
- spacing shoulders for limiting insertion of said spacer hub ends into said bearings,
- a locking chamber, in which said coupler interlocking means are located when said axle assembly is assembled,
- coupler shaft receiving cylinders extending from each spacer hub end and communicating with said locking chamber, and
- locking arm entry grooves, extending lengthwise along sidewalls of each coupler shaft receiving cylinder, for aligning said male and female couplers during assembly;
- said elongated male and female couplers are provided with opposing locking arms for interacting with said locking arm entry grooves for aligning said couplers with said spacer hub;
- and
- said elongated female coupler is provided with interlocking grooves and interlocking groove extensions for interlocking with said opposing locking arms of said elongated male coupler when in said assembled condition, to prevent outwardly movement of the couplers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.