Land vehicles – Wheeled – Coasters
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-31
2001-07-31
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Coasters
C280S011190, C301S005700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267394
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates primarily to skateboards and roller skates and more particularly, to an improved skate wheel truck and wheels incorporating novel wheel designs for use therewith.
2. Background Information
Skateboards are well known devices having numerous references in the art. It is also well known that they can be extremely dangerous to someone unskilled in their use. Early attempts to alleviate this problem resulted in such solutions are the eight-wheel skateboard having four wheels per truck as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,557 and an improvement thereto found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,961 wherein an endless belt is positioned around paired wheels with each truck having two pair. An alternative, U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,379, addressed a similar but slightly different problem for unskilled skaters. When passing over uneven terrain or a curb, having an upward projection which may come in contact with the truck axle housing, causing an abrupt halt to the skateboards forward progress with potential danger to the use. The '379 patent utilizes a small roller positioned axially between the wheel pairs and has a radius smaller than the truck wheels so that the roller would normally clear objects when a person is skating on a flat, level terrain, but the roller would engage an upward extending object and roll over rather than impacting upon the object.
However, as a skateboard rider becomes more skilled and begins to attempt acrobatic maneuvers and narrow radium turns as well as increasing travel speeds, the above-described devices tend to inhibit such use by increasing the turning radius when attempting acrobatics and turns and limiting the speed achievable by the rider.
For the more skilled rider, attention has been toward improving the design of the wheel, such as that found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,070,065 and 4,128,254 which are directed to increasing traction and resistance to sideways slip of the wheel during turn and to reduce loss of speed during sharp turns due to greatly increased rolling friction as a result of lip deformation of the wheel.
Thus, there is a need for skateboards having wheel truck configurations and wheel designs that provide a relatively stable and safe platform for the beginning use and, at the same time, can be reconfigured as the user gains experience with use of the board in order to perform acrobatics and turns such as can be found in exhibitions and contests of skateboarding.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a newly designed skateboard truck assembly configurable to incorporate three, four, five or more wheels per truck and arranged to provide the stability and control required by the skill of the use. Further, the wheels incorporate novel designs configurable toward enhancing the stability and smoothness of the ride whether in use by a beginner or by an expert.
Additionally, the truck is designed to be compatible with existing boards can be easily retrofit with the novel truck configuration of the present invention.
In one configuration, each truck assembly has three wheels placed in axial alignment. A large wide wheel is mounted in the center of the truck assembly with two smaller width wheels mounted axially on either side of the large center wheel. The center wheel has a small bevel at each edge and the small side wheels are beveled with the bevel forming the same angle as the center wheel edge bevels.
In another configuration, the center wheel is narrower than the previously described configuration and includes a pair of wheels mounted axially on either side of the center wheel for a total of five wheels per truck. The surface along the circumference of the wheel is flat, with the side wheel pairs having beveled surfaces.
It is envisioned the skateboard utilizes two of either of the above described truck assemblies and during use, while riding in a straight line, the two large center wheels ride flat on the surface. As the rider shifts weight to begin a turn, the two center wheels roll off their center surface an onto the beveled edges of the side wheels and, during the turn, the harder the rider leans, the sharper the radius of the turn as the side wheels come into play, helping the user's control in keeping the board from tipping over. Further, the board is more stable at high speeds as two wheels run truer in form, enabling the user to exercise better control of the higher speed.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide the skateboard having a ride with the more natural feeling of skimming across the surface of water or snow such as when using an actual surfboard or snowboard. A further object of the present invention is to provide a skateboard that is more stable at higher speeds and capable of greater range of motion including sharper radius turning than that of present skateboards.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a skateboard or roller skate wheel truck configurable in either of two, three, four, five or more wheels per truck configurations, permitting the board to be readily adapted to the uses and skills of the rider.
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Dykas Frank J.
Jasmin Lynda
Mai Lanna
Shaver Robert L.
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