WHEEL TRUCK ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A wheel truck assembly having two wheel trucks spaced apart on a base plate for supporting the skater's foot, wherein one wheel truck can be selectively removed from the base plate, and wherein each wheel truck has a two wheels that can be selectively and separately attached to and detached from the wheel truck.

Claims

1. A wheel truck assembly, comprising: a base plate; a first wheel truck fixed to the base plate; and a second wheel truck removably attachable to the base plate.

2. The wheel truck assembly of claim 1, wherein the second wheel truck has a connection assembly comprising a sliding plate pin that engages the base plate in a locked engagement.

3. The wheel truck assembly of claim 2, wherein the connection assembly further comprises a release pin operatively associated with the sliding plate pin to move the second wheel truck between the locked engagement.

4. The wheel truck assembly of claim 3, further comprising a core pin slot through which slides the release pin for moving between the locked engagement and an unlocked engagement with the sliding plate pin to move.

5. The wheel truck assembly of claim 4, further comprising an anchor plate along an underside of the base plate, wherein the anchor plate provides a receiving cavity for slidably receiving the sliding plate pin in the locked and unlocked engagements.

6. The wheel truck assembly of claim 5, wherein the second wheel truck provides a sliding plate dimensioned to abut the anchor plate when the sliding plate pin is received in the receiving cavity.

7. The wheel truck assembly of claim 1, wherein each wheel truck provides two wheels having independent axles.

8. The wheel truck assembly of claim 7, wherein each axle is a quick release pin removably rotatably connectable to the wheel truck.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a detailed exploded bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with boot 52 not shown for clarity.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Note, even though the Figures show the head or distal end of the pins 22, 24, 32, and 34 protruding significantly beyond the respective wheel hub, it should be understood that the heads of such pins could terminate at or even inward of the wheel hub as long as the invention functions as herein described.

[0019] FIG. 4 is an exploded bottom plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating motion of the sliding plate 12 when being removed from the base plate 10.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a section view of FIG. 5 showing pressing of ball 38 to create clearance at the pin pass-through groove 42 for pine 14 to be removed.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a section view of FIG. 7 illustrating sliding plate pin 14 and sliding plate 12 being removed from base plate 10.

[0024] FIG. 9 is an exploded bottom plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating releasable connection of the second front wheel 20 and the second front pin 24 as well as the second rear wheel 28 its second rear pin 34.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

[0026] Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a wheel truck assembly having two wheel trucks spaced apart on a base plate for supporting the skater's foot, wherein one wheel truck can be selectively removed from the base plate, and wherein each wheel truck has a two wheels that can be selectively and separately attached to and detached from the wheel truck

[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 9, the present invention may include a wheel truck assembly 100. The wheel truck assembly 100 has a base plate 10 for supporting one or more feet of a skater. In the context for a quad roller skate, the base plate 10 supports a boot 52. In another embodiment, the base plate may support and be connected to the underside of a skateboard.

[0028] The base plate 10 may have a front wheel truck 16 connected to its underside along a toe portion of the base plate 10. A channel 25 may be provided along a heel portion of the base plate 10, wherein the channel 25 is centrally disposed along the longitudinal axis of the base plate 10, and wherein the channel 25 may communicate with the rear most end of the base plate 10, as illustrated in FIG. 4. A slidable wheel truck 26 may provide a connection assembly 13 dimensioned and adapted to slidably engage the channel 25 so that the slidable wheel truck 26 may move between an engaged condition, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and a disengaged condition illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0029] The connection assembly 13 is configured to connect the sliding plate 12 to the base plate 10. The sliding plate 12 has a sliding plate pin 14 with a pin groove 15 adjacent its distal end. The connection assembly 13 may provide an anchor plate 11 (attached along the underside of the base plate 10. A distal face of the sliding plate 12 may abut a similarly shaped anchor plate 11 when the sliding plate 12 and base plate 10 are connected. The sliding plate pin 14 may extend from said distal face.

[0030] The sliding plate pin 14 may be received in a receiving cavity 50 of the anchor plate 11. A release pin 40 may be operatively associated with the receiving cavity 50 so as to form a locked engagement with the sliding plate pin 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The release pin 40 may be disengaged with the receiving cavity 50 so as to form an unlocked engagement with the sliding plate pin 14, whereby the sliding plate 14 may be moved away from the anchor plate 11, as illustrated in FIG. 4. As a result, the release pin 40 allows the slidable wheel truck 26 to move between the locked engagement with the anchor plate 11 and the unlocked engagement whereby the slidable wheel truck 26 may be slidably removed from the base plate 10 along the channel 25.

[0031] The connection assembly 13 includes core pin slot 36 into which the release pin 40 of the connection assembly 13 slides between an engaged position (FIG. 7) and a disengaged position (FIG. 5). The release pine 40 may have pin pass-through groove 42 that, in the engaged position, engages the sliding plate pin groove 15 in the locked engagement. The release pin 40 may also have a spring 44 along its shaft as well as a first retaining ring 46 and a second retaining ring 48 for biasing the release pin 40 in the engaged position. The release pin 40 may end in a ball handle 38 to facilitate moving the release pin to the disengaged position.

[0032] The core pin slot 36 may be disposed just forward of the anchor plate 11. The spring 44 and the first retaining ring 46 may be disposed in a first chamber 61, while the second retaining ring 48 is disposed in a second chamber 62, wherein the first and second chambers 61 and 62 are spec apart by a stop 63 approximately the length of the pin pass-through groove 42.

[0033] Each wheel truck, 16 and 26, may have two wheels 18 and 20 and 28 and 30, respectively, wherein each wheel is rotatably connected to the respective wheel truck by way of a quick release pin 22 and 24 and, respectively, 32 and 34.

[0034] Each quick release pin 22, 24, 32, and 34 extends from a distal (head) end and a proximal end that removably attaches to the respective wheel truck. As a result, instead of two wheels sharing an axle, the wheels of the wheel truck assembly 100 has independent, quick release axles.

[0035] The present invention allows a user to quickly interchange different types of wheels. Furthermore, advanced skater-users can roll on the front two wheels elevating the user to a higher skill set of skating. There are professional extreme skaters who ride on one pair of wheels or can skate on the one wheel of each wheel truck. Additionally, the present invention can have upgrades such as placing a fit bit device within to keep track of steps taken, monitor heart rate, track weight loss, download music and the like, wherein the fit bit provides wireless communication capabilities. Also, the present invention can also be used for skateboarding and other hobbies, like quad skating and skateboarding, using a platform that rides on underlying quad wheel assemblies.

[0036] As used in this application, the term about or approximately refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number. And the term substantially refers to up to 80% or more of an entirety. Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to any and all values falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated, and each separate value within such a range is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.

[0037] For purposes of this disclosure, the term aligned means parallel, substantially parallel, or forming an angle of less than 50.0 degrees. For purposes of this disclosure, the term transverse means perpendicular, substantially perpendicular, or forming an angle between 55.0 and 125.0 degrees. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term length means the longest dimension of an object. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term width means the dimension of an object from side to side. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term above generally means superjacent, substantially superjacent, or higher than another object although not directly overlying the object. Further, for purposes of this disclosure, the term mechanical communication generally refers to components being in direct physical contact with each other or being in indirect physical contact with each other where movement of one component affect the position of the other.

[0038] The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., such as, or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the embodiments or the claims. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosed embodiments.

[0039] In the following description, it is understood that terms such as first, second, top, bottom, up, down, and the like, are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms unless specifically stated to the contrary.

[0040] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.