Roller skate brake assembly having toe actuator within the boot

Claim 2

A roller skate with a boot having an integrated braking structure comprising: a toe actuator in said skate boot having a means to allow movement of said toe actuator, and a brake assembly and at least one brake pad, attached to said toe actuator and said roller skate for coupling braking energy to a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to said roller skate and means interconnected with the brake assembly for normally holding said brake assembly forward of said wheels in a nonbraking position, and means for controllably coupling a toe movement of a user with said toe actuator through said brake assembly to said at least one brake pad, whereby more safely braking said roller skate wheels.

Claim 3

The roller skate of claim 1 wherein the position of the toe actuator is tucked into the metacarpal arch of the foot behind the toes.

Claim 4

The roller skate of claim 1 wherein the brake assembly comprises a slide bar extending externally under said boot sliding freely lengthwise and supported by a set of slide bar guides with at least on brake pad attached to said slide bar and extending downward in sliding relation adjacent to said wheel.

Claim 5

The roller skate of claim 1 wherein the means holding said brake assembly forward of said wheels in nonbraking position is a resilient compressible means.

Claim 6

The roller skate of claim 1 wherein the toe actuator has adjustable means for positioning both vertically and horizontally.

Claim 7

A roller skate having a plurality of wheels arranged along the length of a foot support platform comprising in combination: a set of spaced wheel holding frames projecting downwardly substantially at right angles from said platform and attached thereto to form rigid structure therewith; a wheel and axle projecting through an aperture in said wheel holding frames; means to secure each axle between said wheel holding frames with each wheel free running therebetween; a boot attached to said foot support platform having a heel and toe; a slide bar extending externally under said foot support platform sliding freely lengthwise and supported by a set of slide bar guides coupled to said foot support platform; at least one brake pad attached to said slide bar and extending downward in sliding relation adjacent to said wheel; a toe actuator secured to the front of said slide bar and extending upward through an elongated aperture in said foot platform, positioned near the toes of a user, engaged by a toe curling movement to force said slide bar and said brake pads towards the heel, thereby engaging with the surface of said wheels in a braking function; and an interconnected compressible means for normally holding said slide bar and said brake pads forward of said wheels in a nonbraking position.

Claim 8

A roller skate having a plurality of wheels arranged along the length of a foot support platform comprising in combination: a set of spaced wheel holding frames projecting downwardly substantially at right angles from said platform and attached thereto to form rigid structure therewith; a wheel and axle projecting through an aperture in said wheel holding frames; means to secure each axle between said wheel holding frames with each wheel free running therebetween; a boot attached to said foot support platform having a heel and toe; a slide bar extending externally under said foot support platform sliding freely lengthwise and supported by a set of slide bar guides coupled to said foot support platform; at least one brake pad attached to said slide bar and extending downward in sliding relation adjacent to said wheel; a toe actuator secured to the front of said slide bar and extending upward through an elongated aperture in said foot platform, positioned near the toes of a user, engaged by a toe curling movement to force said slide bar and said brake pads towards the heel, thereby engaging with the surface of said wheels in a braking function; and an interconnected compressible means for normally holding said slide bar and said brake pads forward of said wheels in a nonbraking position.

Claim 9

The roller skate of claim 6 wherein the brake pads are made of a synthetic urethane material.

Claim 10

The roller skate of claim 6 wherein the resilient compressible means is a coiled spring.

Claim 11

The roller skate of claim 6 wherein the slide bar contains multiple position holes for the toe actuator and the brake pads to provide for adjustability.

Claim 12

The roller skate of claim 6 wherein the brake pad shape substantially contacts only sides of the wheel that are not directly interfacing with a skating surface.

Claim 13

The roller skate of claim 6 wherein the position of the toe actuator is tucked into the metacarpal arch of the foot of a user and has adjustable means for positioning both horizontally and vertically.