The dream of wheeled shoes has been in the collective unconscious of civilized people since the inventions of wheels and shoes. Many attempts have been made to perfect this type of fantastical shoe and have each met with varying results.

The Roller Skate, the Roller Blade, and the Roller Shoe are the successful attempts at making shoes roll in various ways through application of wheel knowledge. All of these, however, are unpowered and simply make use of the kinetic energy of the moving body and the pull of gravity to facilitate movement.

Wheel Feet are wheeled shoes that each have a single wheel just greater in diameter than the length of a foot (anatomical). The wheel axle inserts into the shoe at the arch of the foot at the center of the user's standing mass.

Wheel feet utilize the motion of plantarflexion (down: think planting) and dorsiflexion (up: think dorsal fin) to turn the wheel in a somewhat regular running or gliding motion when using these wheeled shoes.

When the foot plantarflexes, that is the power stroke which turns the wheel. When the foot dorsiflexes it returns back freely as it is fixed to a hub gear. Thus, with every stride the wheel is powered by plantarflexion driving it forward.

Stopping is done by a lever and cable hand held device.
-- rcarty, Dec 17 2009

Pedal Skates http://www.old-pict...0s/Skates-Pedal.htm
[theircompetitor, Dec 17 2009]

Single wheel skate patent http://www.freepate...ine.com/2931012.pdf
pdf illustration [tatterdemalion, Dec 17 2009]

LandRoller Skates http://www.phragmun.../inv_landroller.jpg
Each skate has two big wheels on the outstep, angled so the bottom of each wheel is centered below the skate [goldbb, Dec 17 2009]

http://www.heelys.c.../Pages/default.aspx [leinypoo13, Dec 18 2009]

so not this then ? http://pictureisunr...t-explain-anything/
[FlyingToaster, Dec 20 2009]

Chariot Skates http://www.chariotskates.com/example.html
like this? [afinehowdoyoudo, Dec 29 2009]

I like it.
Two questions though. Are the wheels located on the instep or outstep? And what prevents the ankle from twisting inwards or outwards depending on the answer to the first question?
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2009


The strength of one's ankle.
-- rcarty, Dec 17 2009


I think then that there's a good chance that you would break your ankle if you wiped out. The design boils down to an offest stilt. Unless it is braced against the leg somehow the ankle will be under an awful lot of strain.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2009


Two really narrow wheels on each foot then.
-- rcarty, Dec 17 2009


Sold!
Now about faceplanting...
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2009


[2 fries shy of a happy meal], an outstep mounted angled wheel, such as in linked patent, would take much strain off the ankle.
-- tatterdemalion, Dec 17 2009


Ah, the angle re-centers the ballance.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 18 2009


Maybe it's personal unconscious... I can't decide between two different types of bunk.
-- rcarty, Dec 18 2009


I was going to bone this on 'gear ratio' considerations i.e. the rotational speed of plantarflexion times the radius of the wheel is not very fast. But the motion would be more like cross-country skiing - a kick-push involving, and adding momentum to, the entire body.
-- afinehowdoyoudo, Dec 19 2009



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