Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to an in-line skate and, more particularly, to a removable metal wheel adapted for use with an in-line skate.

Background of the Invention During their initial development, in-line skates were designed to simulate and re-create the look and feel of an ice hockey skate . The underlying goal behind in-line skates was to provide a means for hockey players to train during the off-season when the ice at outdoor rinks has melted. Before the advent of in-line roller skates, hockey players relied on methods of off¬ season training which did not efficiently target the specialized muscle groups important for skating. With the advent of in-line roller skates, hockey players could train in the off-season and isolate the muscles needed for skating.

Some of the earliest in-line skates removed the single metal skate blade and its mounting structure from an existing hockey boot and replaced each blade with a plastic bracket which received a series of rubber rollers mounted in a single line. By positioning the rollers in a single line, the modified ice hockey skate could be used during the summer months to train outdoors on paved bike paths, sidewalks, or roads. . During the winter months, the wheel bracket and rubber rollers could be removed from the hockey boot and the metal blade be reattached for used on ice. During the past five to ten years, the popularity of in-line roller skating has greatly increased. In-line roller skates are currently constructed to include a specifically designed boot integrally molded to a wheel bracket which supports the series of rubber rollers in a single line. These in-line roller skates are designed specifically to be used with a series of rubber rollers on pavement. The rubber wheels designed for use on pavement have a convex outer surface

which contacts the pavement during use . The convex outer surface allows the rubber wheel to maintain contact with the pavement when the user of the skate makes a turn. The rubber wheels would be ineffective if used on ice, since the convex outer surface is too soft and would not adequately grip the slick ice skating surface. If the skater wishes to skate on an ice covered surface either indoors or outdoors, he or she must purchase a pair of ice skates in addition to the relatively expensive in- line roller skates.

Currently skates exist in which the entire wheel bracket and rubber wheels can be removed and replaced by a conventional metal ice skating blade and mounting structure. However, interchanging these separate skating components usually involves special tools and a great deal of time.

Therefore, it can be appreciated that a remov¬ able wheel that allows a conventional in-line skate to be used on an ice surface without having to remove the entire wheel bracket from the in-line skate would be desirable .

It is an object of the present invention to provide a replaceable wheel which can be used with a standard in-line skate to allow the in-line skate to be used on an ice skating surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal wheel which has a concave contact surface that creates a pair of skating edges which securely grip the ice surface to make skating thereupon possible. A still further object of the present invention is to provide an in-line skate having a series of metal wheels mounted in a single line within a wheel bracket below the skating boot.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the present invention a wheel is provided for use with an in-line skate having a wheel bracket securely fixed to the sole of a skating

boot. The wheel of the present invention includes a circular body having an axial center and an outer circumference. The body of the wheel has a pair of flat face surfaces which extend from the axial center and terminate at the outer circumference. A concave contact surface is positioned along the outer circumference between the pair of face surfaces.

The wheel of the present invention further includes a pair of skating edges which contact the skat- ing surface. The pair of skating edges are created by the point of intersection between the concave contact surface and the pair of flat face surfaces of each wheel.

During usage of an in-line skate having a series of wheels in accordance with the present invention, the pair of skating edges of each wheel contact the skating surface to provide an effective method for engaging the skating surface. The wheels of the present invention are particularly useful when the in-line skate is used on an ice surface. Each wheel of the present invention further includes a central mounting portion which extends out¬ wardly from both of the face surfaces of the wheel. The central mounting portion is centered about the axial center of each wheel and is sized to receive a pair of rotatable bearings. The rotatable bearings are prefer¬ ably press fit into the central mounting portion and contain a central aperture which allows a wheel axle to pass therethrough. The wheel axle is used to securely connect the wheel to the wheel bracket of the in-line skate. The bearing allows the metal wheel to freely rotate about the wheel axle within the wheel bracket of the in-line skate.

A series of removed areas are positioned be¬ tween the central mounting portion and the outer circum- ference of the wheel body. The removed areas are each separated by a spoke, such that the combination of the spoke and the removed areas reduce the overall weight of

the wheel, while still providing adequate strength to support the skater.

There are other features, objects and advan¬ tages of the invention which will be made apparent are used from the following description taken together with the drawings.

Brief Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The drawings furnished herewith illustrate a preferred construction of the present invention in which the above advantages and feature are clearly disclosed as well as others which will be readily understood from the following description of the illustrated embodiment. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an in-line skate incorporating four wheels in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a wheel in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a portion of the wheel of Fig. 3.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring to the drawings, a wheel in accord- ance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. Wheel 10 is adapted for mounting on a conventional in-line skate 12. The conventional in-line skate 12 typically consists of a boot 14, a wheel bracket 16 and a plurality of wheel axles 18. As can best be seen in Fig. 1, the wheel bracket 16 is integrally formed with the sole 17 of the boot 14. Wheel bracket 16 extends along a longitudinal axis such that the plurality of wheels 10 are rotatably mounted to thereto in a single line. As can best be seen in Fig. 3, the wheel bracket 16 inclines a pair of parallel side supports 20 and 22 which depend from sole 17. Each side support 20

and 22 contains a plurality of axle holes 24. The axle holes 24 contained on the side support 20 are in generally axial alignment with corresponding axle holes 24 contained in side support 22. The plurality of axially aligned axle holes 24 permit the mounting of a corresponding number of the wheels 10 between the side supports 20 and 22 through the use of the wheel axles 18, as will be described in detailed below.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the wheel 10 of the invention is comprised of a metallic circular body 26. The circular body 26 is defined by an outer circumferential edge 30 and a pair of parallel, generally flat metallic face surfaces 32 and 34. The face surfaces 32 and 34 are spaced by the thickness 36 of the circular body 26, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 3.

A plurality of equally sized removed areas 38 are contained in the circular body 26. The removed areas 38 are removed portions of the circular body 26 which create an opening extending between the pair of face surfaces 32 and 34. The removed areas 38 reduce the overall weight of the circular body 26, which in turn reduces the overall weight of the in-line skate 12. Each of the removed areas 38 is separated from the adjacent removed area by a spoke 40. The spokes 40 maintain the strength of the circular body 26 such that the series of wheels 10 shown in Fig. 1 are adequate to support the weight of a user during operation of the in-line skate 12. The series of spokes 40 extend between a solid interior ring 54 and a solid exterior ring 56. The wheel 10 further includes a metallic central mounting portion 58 that is centered about the axis of rotation of the wheel 10. The central mounting portion 58 is comprised of a pair of outer annular walls 60 and 62 which extend laterally from the corresponding face surfaces 32 and 34 in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of wheel 10 and transverse to the longitudinal axis along which wheel bracket 16 extends.

The central mounting portion 58 includes a generally cylindrical interior wall 64 which defines a central bearing receipt passageway 68 therethrough.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the internal wall 64 includes a pair of spaced, recessed inner wall portions 66 . Each of the recessed portions 66 extend from a distinct end 67 and 69 of central mounting portion 58 toward the interior of passageway 68. A distinct face ring 70 is positioned over each distinct end 67 and 69 of central mounting portion 58.

Each recessed inner wall portions 66, of central mounting portion 58 defines a bearing receipt channel 71. Each of the recessed inner wall portions 66 are spaced by spaced surface 73 and intersect spaced surface 73 so as to form a bearing seat 74, Fig. 2.

Referring again to Fig. 3, a bearing 76 is inserted into each of the bearing receipt channel 71. Each bearing 76 is generally comprised of a cylindrical head 78 which contains an outer face 80 and an inner face 82. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the inner face 82 of each bearing 76 contacts its corresponding annular bearing seat 74 to securely position the bearing 76. ithin the central mounting portion 58. The width of each bearing receipt channel 71 corresponds to the width of the cylindrical head 78 of each bearing 76 such that the outer face 80 of each bearing head 78 lies flush with a corresponding end 67 and 69 of central mounting portion 58.

The pair of bearings 76 are common elements of an in-line skate and their internal workings are well known. The bearings 76 allow the wheel 10 to rotate when mounted within the wheel bracket 16, as shown in Fig. 1.

A wheel axle 18 passes through each pair of aligned axle holes 24 contained in the side supports 20 and 22 of the wheel brackets 16 as well as the bearings 76. An attachment head 84 is contained on each end of the wheel axle 18 to securely position the wheel axle 18

between the pair of side supports 20 and 22. The wheel axle 18 securely supports the wheel 10 within the wheel brackets 16, while allowing the wheel 10 to rotate about the bearings 76, as is well known in the in-line skate art.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the circular body 26 is formed from a metallic material, such as stainless steel or any equivalent thereto.

Positioned between the pair of face surfaces 32 and 34 around the outer circumferential edge 30 of the circular wheel body 26 is an outer contact surface 86. As can best be seen in Fig. 4, in the preferred embodi¬ ment of the invention, the outer contact surface 86 is concave. The concave outer contact surface 86 intersects each of the planar face surfaces 32 and 34 and creates a pair of skating edges 88.

Since the circular wheel body 26 is constructed of a metal material in the preferred embodiment, each of the skating edges 88 are relatively sharp and resist wear when used. An in-line skate which contains a plurality of the wheels 10 as previously described, as shown in Fig. 1, is particularly effective when used on an ice skating surface. When used as such, the pair of skating edges 88 of each wheel 10 contact the ice surface. When the user of the in-line roller skate 10 makes a turn, one of the skating edges 88 remains in contact with the ice surface, such that the user can maintain a cutting edge with the ice surface and maintain his or her balance.

It is within the scope of the present invention that a series of conventional rubber in-line skate wheels (not shown) may be substituted for the wheels 10 of the present invention when the in-line skate 12 is used indoors or outdoors on a paved surface. When the user wishes to use the in-line skate 12 on an ice surface, the user can remove the conventional rubber wheels and replace them with the metal wheels 10 as described pre¬ viously. The metal wheels 10 contain a pair of durable

skating edges 88 which are useful in gripping and contacting the ice skating surface, unlike the normally convex contact surface contained on a conventional rubber in-line skate wheel. In this manner, the owner of the in-line skate 12 can quickly and easily replace the series of wheels depending upon which type of surface he or she wishes to skate upon.

The present invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form heretobefore described being merely a preferred or exem- plary embodiment thereof.