Description

SPRING SKATE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a spring skate, in which a spring is installed in each of a pair of skate shafts and absorbs impact and friction so as to protect a user's knee and allow a user to feel no pain, thus allowing the user to enjoy high-speed skating and causing the spring to be replaced with another spring having a proper strength according to the user's weight. Background Art

[2] The present invention relates to an ice skate (hereinafter, referred to as a "skate"), in which a skate shoe and a skate blade are connected by a pair of skate shafts and a spring is installed in each of the pair of skate shafts. Such a spring skate reduces friction and impact applied to a user and has a shock-absorbing function when the user skates, and allows the springs to be easily replaced with another proper one according to the user's weight, without remarkable change of a structure, thus being practically used. That is, the spring skate has the same structure and principle as those of a shock absorber of a vehicle.

[3] The skate has the shock-absorbing function by the above easy method. However, there has been no necessary for making a skate having the shock-absorbing function. Further, there are many shock absorbers for roller skates, but there are a few shock absorbers for ice skates. If any, a conventional shock absorber for ice skates has a complicate structure and poor shock-absorbing effect, compared to the present invention, and a skate having the shock absorber cannot has an original shape, thus causing a user to reluctant to use it. However, the spring skate of the present invention, in which a spring is installed in each of skate shafts, maximally maintains its original shape and allows the spring to be replaced with a new one having proper strength according to the user's weight, thus giving pleasure to a user.

[4] Particularly, when a figure skater performs a fine play or jumps, the figure skater may be hurt in his/her knee or other parts. Accordingly, a skate having springs installed therein absorbs impact, and allows the figure skater to smoothly and flexibly land so that the skater can use high-level skills. Further, the skate assists a speed skater to increase a speed using elasticity. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[5] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a spring skate, which has a pair of

skate shafts, each of which includes internal and external pipes (having a circular, oval, or polygonal sectional shape) and a spring inserted into the internal and external pipes, for absorbing shock so as to reduce impact and friction and increase speed, and allows the internal and external pipes of each of the pair of skate shafts, for connecting a skate shoe and a frame, to be connected in a state in which the spring is stretched so that the spring is constricted and expanded according to the pressure applied to the skate shoe, and to alternately move vertically for absorbing shock, and the spring to be frequently replaced with another spring having a proper strength according to the user's weight. Technical Solution

[6] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a spring skate, in which a skate shoe and a skate blade are integrally connected by a pair of skate shafts, each of which comprises an external pipe formed under a support plate formed on the lower surface of a skate shoe,having a hollow structure, and provided with a through hole formed through the upper portion thereof; an internal pipe formed on a frame formed on the upper surface of a skate blade, having a hollow structure, provided with a through hole formed through the lower portion thereof, and closely inserted into the external pipe; and a coil spring inserted into the internal pipe, wherein after the coil spring is inserted into the internal pipe and the internal pipe is closely inserted into the external pipe, both ends of the spring are respectively connected to the support plate and the frame so that the pair of skate shafts can serve to absorb shock.

Advantageous Effects

[7] A spring skate of the present invention has springs, each of which is installed in the corresponding one of a pair of skate shafts so as not to cause user's inconvenience and rejection, whiling maintaining its original shape, alleviates impact and noise supplied from the surface of an iced ground, increases speed due to resilience of the springs, and allows the springs to be replaced with another spring having a proper strength according to the user's weight, thus giving economical benefits and pleasure to a user. Brief Description of the Drawings

[8] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[9] FIG. 1 is a side view of a spring skate in accordance with the present invention;

[10] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a skate shaft of the spring skate of the present invention;

[11] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line A-A' of FIG. 1, illustrating a state in which the skate shaft is constricted;

[12] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line A-A'of FIG. 1, illustrating a state in which the skate shaft is expanded;

[13] FIG. 5 is a transversal sectional view taken along the line B-B' of FIG. 3; and

[14] FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the connection of a spring in the spring skate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[15] Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings.

[16] The present invention relates to a spring skate, in which a coil spring 6, serving as a shock absorber, is installed in each of skate shafts 2, thus reducing impact and noise, increasing speed due to resilience, and allowing the spring 6 to be replaced with another spring having a proper strength according to the user's weight.

[17] As shown in FIG. 1, the spring skate of the present invention includes a support plate 8 formed on the lower surface of a skate shoe 1, aframe 3 formed on the upper surface of a skate blade 10, and a pair of skate shafts 2 for connecting the support plate 8 and the frame 3. Each of the pair of skate shafts 2 includes an external pipe 4 and an internal pipe 5, and a coil spring 6 installed in the external pipe 4 and the internal pipe 5. Accordingly, when weight is applied to the skate, the coil springs 6 in the skate shafts 2 serve as shock absorbers.

[18] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 2, the configuration of each of the pair of skate shafts 2 will be described in detail.

[19] One end of the external pipe 4, which has a hollow structure and opened both ends, is formed integrally with the lower portion of the support plate 8, and one and of the internal pipe 5, which has a hollow structure and opened both ends and is closely inserted into the external pipe 4, is formed integrally with the upper portion of the frame 3. The internal pipe 5 is closely inserted into the external pipe 4, thus forming the skate shaft 2. Here, after the spring 6 is inserted into the internal pipe 5, the internal pipe 5 is closely inserted into the external pipe 4. Further, an upper connection part 11, which is connected to the support plate 8, and a lower connection part 12, which is connected to the frame 3, by a method, such as bolt joint or welding, are formed at both ends of the spring 6. Thereby, the skate shoe 1 and the skate blade 10 are connected.

[20] When weight is applied to the above skate shaft 2, the spring 6 is compressed, as shown in FIG. 3, and when the weight applied to the skate shaft 2 is decreased, the spring 6 is expanded, as shown in FIG. 4. That is, the spring skate of the present invention has a shock-absorbing effect using the springs 6, each of which is installed in the corresponding one of the pair of skate shafts 2.

[21] Through holes 7 are respectively formed through the upper portion of the external pipe 4 and the lower portionof the internal pipe 5. When the length of the skate shaft 2 is changed by the spring 6, air is sucked into the skate shaft 2 or is discharged to the outside of the skate shaft 2 via the through holes 7. Further, when the spring 6 is connected to the support plate 8 and the frame 3 by bolt joint, the through holes 7 serve as passages for the bolts and a driver. Rubber packings 9 are respectively formed along the inner circumferential surface of the upper portion of the external pipe 4 and the outer circumferential surface of the lower portion of the internal pipe 5. When the skate shaft 2 is constricted, the external pipe 4 contacts the rubber packing 9 formed along the outer circumferential surface of the lower portion of the internal pipe 5. Thereby, the rubber packings 9 alleviate impact due to the contact between the frame 3 and the external pipe 4, prevents the damage to the frame 3 and the external pipe 4, and improves the shock-absorbing effect.

[22] As shown in FIG. 4, when the spring 6 is expanded, a half to a third of the length of the internal pipe 5 of the skate shaft 2 contacts a half to a third of the length of theexternal pipe 4 of the skate shaft 2. Thus, the skate shaft 2 effectively serves to keep the balance of the skate.

[23] FIG. 5 is a transversal sectional view of the skate shaft 2, in which the external pipe

4, the internal pipe 5, and the spring 6 are connected.

[24] FIG. 6 illustrates the connection of the lower connection part 12 to the frame 3 by bolt joint in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the lower connection part 12 includes a pair of protruding connection supports 14, which are separated from each other by a designated distance. After the lower end of the spring 6 is interposed between the connection supports 14, a bolt 13 is inserted into the skate shafts 2 via the through hole 7, and is fixed to the pair of connection supports 14. Thereby, the lower end of the spring 6, between the connection supports 14, contacting the frame 3 is fixed to the frame 3 by the bolt 13. In the same manner, the upper connection part 11 is formed by fixing the upper end of the spring 6 to the support plate 8 by the bolt 13. The spring 6 can be easily replaced with a new one by connecting or disconnecting the bolts 13 to or from the spring 6 using a driver. Industrial Applicability

[25] As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a spring skate, which has springs, each of which is installed in the corresponding one of a pair of skate shafts so as not to cause user's inconvenience and rejection, while maintaining its original shape, alleviates impact and noise supplied from the surface of an iced ground, increases speed due to resilience of the springs, and allows the springs to be replaced with another spring having a proper strength according to the user's weight,

thus giving economical benefits and pleasure to a user.

[26] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims