Motor vehicles – Ski- or skate-type vehicle for imparting movement to a... – With power means or a portion thereof affixed to or built...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-03
2002-10-22
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Motor vehicles
Ski- or skate-type vehicle for imparting movement to a...
With power means or a portion thereof affixed to or built...
C180S237000, C180S240000, C280S087042
Reexamination Certificate
active
06467560
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a propelled vehicle capable of adaptation for off-road use, which use can be recreational. More particularly, the invention is directed to a transmission means enabling the construction and use of such a propelled vehicle. Preferred embodiments of the vehicle resemble a motorised skateboard adapted for off-road use.
The present invention is perhaps best described as a powered recreational vehicle. However, it should not be confused with conventional off-road vehicles based on cars, trucks or vans. If any analogy is to be made then it is perhaps best made in comparison with other forms of boarding, with skate boards and snow-boards perhaps being the closest of the known boarding techniques.
In the specification, the term ‘vehicle’ is used in the sense of a single person conveyance for use on land. The term ‘on-road’ is used to refer to a vehicle that requires a minimum standard of engine and accoutrements, generally recognised by the issue of a licence by a regulatory authority. The vehicle is then legally authorised to be used on public roads.
‘Off-road’ is used as the term referring to vehicles or use of vehicles in places that are not public roads and where operation of the vehicle requires no regulatory licence for minimum standards. Vehicles that can travel anywhere, on any land surface are vehicles that can cover ‘all-terrains’.
Whilst the term ‘board’ is used to refer to a four wheeled platform capable of manual propulsion and of carrying one or more persons, generally for recreational use, the term is not limited to this definition in the specification. The term is also used to refer to a four wheeled, shaped motorised platform capable of travelling over all terrains, on- or off-road; and for uses which are not purely recreational. It is in this encompassing respect that the term ‘vehicle’ is used.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While the propelled vehicle of the present invention has been developed primarily for recreational use, it is envisaged that it may also find other uses, which include commercial or semi-commercial uses. However, for simplicity, the description herein is written primarily with the recreational aspects in mind.
A major difference between the present invention and the other known types of boarding is the means of propulsion. Snow boarding requires a slope, allowing gravity to propel the snow board and user forward. Surf boarding relies upon a wave while skate boarding relies on the user or an incline to propel the device forward. However, off-road or rugged terrain presents a different set of problems. Regardless of the design or shape of the tyres, attempting to push any form of wheeled board or vehicle across sandy or rugged terrain in the same manner as a skate board is impractical as well as difficult.
Accordingly, the present invention incorporates a form of motive means (non-manual) for propelling the vehicle across the ground. Various types of propelled boards have been popular for quite some time. Surf boarding is an extremely popular pastime and is considered to have given rise to skate boarding affording enjoyment to those for which surf boarding was not accessible or practical. However, skate boarding has evolved into a sport of its own.
Another off-shoot is snow boarding which has become as popular, if not more popular, than the more traditional types of skiing.
These demonstrate an enthusiasm by the public for sport and recreational pastimes based on board-riding. However, there are limitations associated with each of the known types of boarding described above. For instance, surf boarding relies on water as its medium, while snow boarding relies on snow. Skate boarding overcomes some of these restrictions by including wheels for travel though is generally restricted to hard or paved surfaces. However, there is nothing currently available, to the best of the applicant's knowledge, which allows motorised board-riding in off-road conditions. Given that escaping to the country is very popular for many city dwellers, as well as a significant non-urban resident population, there is a significant demand on sport and recreational activities which take place in remote or off-road areas. With this need at least partially in mind, the present invention was developed to enable popular board-riding type activities to take place in off-road conditions.
Propelled vehicles, generally described as motorised skateboards, are known. Examples of such can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,356 (Schlicht), U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,372 (Notter), U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,647 (Drake Jr), U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,621 (Martin) and U.S. Pat . No. 5,381,870 (Kaufman).
Schlicht discloses a motorised skateboard where the drive means is through a fifth wheel which is positioned centrally with respect to the other four wheels. The motor is connected to the fifth wheel. However, the vehicle is not capable of all terrain travel, does not incorporate suspension means, and has primitive steering.
In Notter, the motorised skateboard has only two wheels which are capable of being driven via a chain drive. There is no suspension.
Drake Jr discloses an articulated, manually steerable skateboard. However, the articulation is required to be between the wheels. This requires that the user manually turn the front portion, via handles which are rigidly secured to the front portion, to steer the board. Such a skateboard does not have any suspension, and could not be capable of use in all terrains. The board disclosed does not include steering by inclination of the user platform of the vehicle.
Martin discloses an electrically driven brake for a skateboard in which the motor is connected to two wheels by a belt. Slippage of the belt acts as a clutch means to transfer power to the drive wheels. However, there is no ability for the skateboard to be an all terrain vehicle: there is no suspension nor transmission means.
In the patent to Kaufman the motorised skateboard has belt driven rear wheels The front wheels include a shock absorbing suspension. However, the skateboard is not adapted for all terrain travel.
However, in all the known motorised boards and the variations. as described above, there is no example of a vehicle that can reliably drive or be driven at the same time as the vehicle turns, as well as do each operation independently on all terrains. Further, in all prior art, the suspension, if present, is a separate mechanism from the drive means and the steering means and is not adequate for all-terrain use.
Further, none of the patents discussed disclose provision for free-wheeling assemblies, in connection with the vehicle, when the engine is idling or stopped, or to prevent engine braking during deceleration. Thus no prior art discloses a transmission unit for a vehicle which adequately incorporates transmission, steering, braking, free-wheeling and suspension for use in a vehicle as defined above, where the vehicle is capable of all terrain use.
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems by the provision of a mechanical unit that combines the features of steering, drive, suspension and braking; the unit operating optimally in a motorised vehicle (as defined above). it is a further object of the present invention to provide such a unit that also permits free-wheeling of each wheel and does so without a differential. It is a still further object of the present invention to at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a transmission unit for a motorised vehicle which includes motive means, said unit including:
steering means for guiding the vehicle, whereby said steering means includes steering the vehicle by movement of the weight of the user relative to the centre of the vehicle;
means connectable to the motive means for dr
DirtThingz (NZ) Ltd.
Hovey & Williams, LLP
Johnson Brian L.
Restifo Jeffrey
LandOfFree
Recreational devices does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Recreational devices, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Recreational devices will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2933094