In-line Skates, Skate Wheels and Wheel Hubs
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.