U.S. patent application number 15/535094 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-21 for deck for ride-on devices.
The applicant listed for this patent is EDGE BRANDS LTD.. Invention is credited to Thomas J. O'Rourke.
Application Number | 20170361203 15/535094 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56108262 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170361203 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Rourke; Thomas J. |
December 21, 2017 |
DECK FOR RIDE-ON DEVICES
Abstract
Ride-on devices are disclosed. The ride-on device may include a
deck having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least two
wheels attached to the bottom surface of the deck. The deck
includes a bulk flexible material having a first stiffness and at
least two resilient members extending in a fore-aft direction and
having a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness.
The bulk flexible material may be a polymer, such as a
thermoplastic, and the resilient members may be formed of a fiber
composite, such as a fiberglass or carbon composite. The resilient
members may be formed integral with the base or may be attached in
a separate process. One resilient member may extend along an outer
edge on a port side of the deck and another resilient member may
extend along an outer edge on a starboard side of the deck.
Inventors: |
O'Rourke; Thomas J.;
(Harlingen, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EDGE BRANDS LTD. |
Rehoboth |
MA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56108262 |
Appl. No.: |
15/535094 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
December 11, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2015/065264 |
371 Date: |
June 12, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62090757 |
Dec 11, 2014 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63C 17/12 20130101;
A63C 17/015 20130101; A63C 17/0033 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63C 17/00 20060101
A63C017/00; A63C 17/01 20060101 A63C017/01 |
Claims
1. A ride-on device comprising: a deck having a top surface and a
bottom surface and at least two wheels attached to the bottom
surface of the deck, the deck including: a bulk flexible material
having a first stiffness; and at least two fiber composite
resilient members extending in a fore-aft direction and having a
second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness.
2. The ride-on device of claim 1, wherein the bulk flexible
material includes a thermoplastic polymer.
3. The ride-on device of claim 1, wherein the first stiffness is
from 0.5 to 5 GPa and the second stiffness is at least 10 GPa.
4. The ride-on device of claim 1, wherein the at least two
resilient members are formed integrally with the bulk flexible
material.
5. The ride-on device of claim 1, wherein the at least two
resilient members are attached to the bulk flexible material at
least at the fore and aft of the deck.
6. The ride-on device of claim 1, wherein a resilient member
extends along an outer edge on a port side of the deck and a
resilient member extends along an outer edge on a starboard side of
the deck.
7. The ride-on device of claim 1, wherein the at least two fiber
composite resilient members are formed of fiberglass.
8. A deck for a ride-on device, the deck comprising: a base
including a top surface for supporting a rider and a bottom surface
configured to attach to at least two wheel assemblies, the deck
including: a bulk flexible material having a first stiffness from
0.5 to 5 GPa; and at least two resilient members integrally molded
with the bulk flexible material and extending in a fore-aft
direction and having a second stiffness from 10 to 150 GPa.
9. The deck of claim 8, wherein the bulk flexible material includes
a thermoplastic polymer and the at least two resilient members are
formed from a fiber composite.
10. The deck of claim 9, wherein the at least two resilient members
are formed of fiberglass.
11. The deck of claim 8, wherein the second stiffness is from 10 to
75 GPa.
12. The deck of claim 8, wherein the at least two resilient members
have a rectangular cross-section.
13. The deck of claim 8, wherein a resilient member extends along
an outer edge on a port side of the deck and a resilient member
extends along an outer edge on a starboard side of the deck.
14. The deck of claim 8, further comprising at least one swivel
caster attached to the bottom surface, the at least one swivel
caster having two wheels mounted equidistantly off-set from an axis
of rotation of the caster's swivel.
15. A ride-on device comprising: a deck having a top surface and a
bottom surface, the deck including: a bulk flexible material having
a first stiffness; and at least two resilient members extending in
a fore-aft direction, the at least two resilient members having a
second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness and a
density of at most 6 g/cm.sup.3.
16. The ride-on device of claim 15, wherein the density of the at
least two resilient members is at most 4 g/cm.sup.3.
17. The deck of claim 15, wherein the at least two resilient
members are attached to the bulk flexible material at least at the
fore and aft of the deck.
18. The deck of claim 15, wherein the at least two resilient
members are formed integrally with the bulk flexible material.
19. The deck of claim 18, wherein the at least two resilient
members form at least a portion of an outer surface of the
deck.
20. The deck of claim 15, wherein the first stiffness is from 0.5
to 5 GPa, the second stiffness is from 10 to 75 GPa, the bulk
flexible material includes a thermoplastic polymer, and the at
least two resilient members are formed of fiberglass.
21. A ride-on device comprising: a deck having a top surface and a
bottom surface; and at least one swivel caster attached to the
bottom surface, the at least one swivel caster having two wheels
mounted equidistantly off-set from an axis of rotation of the
caster's swivel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
application Ser. No. 62/090,757 filed Dec. 11, 2014, the disclosure
of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference
herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to decks for ride-on devices,
for example, skateboards.
BACKGROUND
[0003] There are numerous ride-on devices in the marketplace.
Ride-on devices take many forms and may be used for exercise,
entertainment or both. They may have a non-descript, mostly
functional aesthetic form, like a skateboard or scooter, or they
may be made to look like a vehicle, an animal or, a fictional
character as with many preschool toys.
[0004] Conventional skateboards are generally supported by
two-wheeled truck assemblies attached to the undersides of the
boards. Such skateboards have long been popular, but are limited in
the sense that the rider could realistically accelerate on a level
or uphill surface only by removing one of his or her feet from the
board and pushing off the ground. Typically, such skateboards were
also limited in the degree of steering that was possible, as where
the turning radius reached a certain angle, the wheels would touch
the board.
[0005] There is a desire and need in the marketplace for ride-on
products that can be propelled in a way that is more novel than
simply pushing off, and that may provide sharper turns if desired.
Caster boards were subsequently developed to address the
limitations of skate boards. U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,259, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by
reference herein, provides certain examples of caster boards.
Caster boards typically have comprised one or two boards, with at
least one swivel caster wheel assembly in front and at least one in
the rear of the caster board. The rider twists his or her body to
the left and to the right to accelerate the caster board or to turn
it within a relatively small turning radius. This is accomplished
by having the wheels rotate around the wheel axis when the board is
twisted in either direction, where the wheel axis is mounted at an
acute angle with respect to the bottom, front and back of the
caster board.
SUMMARY
[0006] In at least one embodiment, a ride-on device is provided.
The ride-on device comprises a deck having a top surface and a
bottom surface and at least two wheels attached to the bottom
surface of the deck. The deck includes a bulk flexible material
having a first stiffness and at least two resilient members
extending in a fore-aft direction and having a second stiffness
that is greater than the first stiffness.
[0007] In one embodiment, the bulk flexible material includes a
thermoplastic polymer and the at least two resilient members are
formed from a fiber composite. In another embodiment, the first
stiffness is from 75 to 700 ksi and the second stiffness is at
least 10 GPa. In another embodiment, the at least two resilient
members are formed integrally with the bulk flexible material. In
another embodiment, the at least two resilient members are attached
to the bulk flexible material. In another embodiment, a resilient
member extends along an outer edge on a port side of the deck and a
resilient member extends along an outer edge on a starboard side of
the deck.
[0008] In at least one embodiment, a deck for a ride-on device is
provided. The deck comprises a base including a top surface for
supporting a rider and a bottom surface for attaching at least two
wheel assemblies. The deck includes a bulk flexible material having
a first stiffness and at least two resilient members extending in a
fore-aft direction and having a second stiffness that is greater
than the first stiffness.
[0009] In one embodiment, the bulk flexible material includes a
thermoplastic polymer and the at least two resilient members are
formed from a fiber composite. In another embodiment, the first
stiffness is from 75 to 700 ksi and the second stiffness is at
least 10 GPa. In another embodiment, the at least two resilient
members are formed integrally with the bulk flexible material. In
another embodiment, the at least two resilient members are attached
to the bulk flexible material. In another embodiment, a resilient
member extends along an outer edge on a port side of the deck and a
resilient member extends along an outer edge on a starboard side of
the deck. The at least two resilient members may be formed of
fiberglass. In one embodiment, the second stiffness is from 10 to
75 GPa. In another embodiment, the at least two resilient members
have a rectangular cross-section. The deck may also include at
least one swivel caster attached to the bottom surface, the at
least one swivel caster having two wheels mounted equidistantly
off-set from an axis of rotation of the caster's swivel.
[0010] In at least one embodiment, a ride-on device is provided
comprising a deck having a top surface and a bottom surface. The
deck may include a bulk flexible material having a first stiffness
and at least two resilient members extending in a fore-aft
direction. The at least two fiber composite resilient members
having a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness
and a density of at most 6 g/cm.sup.3.
[0011] In one embodiment, the density of the at least two resilient
members is at most 4 g/cm.sup.3. The at least two resilient members
may be attached to the bulk flexible material at least at the fore
and aft of the deck. In another embodiment, the at least two
resilient members are formed integrally with the bulk flexible
material. The at least two resilient members may form at least a
portion of an outer surface of the deck. In one embodiment, the
first stiffness is from 0.5 to 5 GPa, the second stiffness is from
10 to 75 GPa, the bulk flexible material includes a thermoplastic
polymer, and the at least two resilient members are formed of
fiberglass.
[0012] In at least one embodiment, a ride-on device is provided.
The ride-on device may include a deck having a top surface and a
bottom surface and at least one swivel caster attached to the
bottom surface. The at least one swivel caster may have two wheels
mounted equidistantly off-set from an axis of rotation of the
caster's swivel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a ride-on device having two
caster assemblies, according to an embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a ride-on device having
three caster assemblies, according to an embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the ride-on device of
FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the ride-on device of
FIG. 2;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the ride-on device of
FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the ride-on device of
FIG. 2;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-section of a deck having two
resilient members, according to an embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-section of a deck having four
resilient members, according to an embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-section of a deck having two
resilient members, according to another embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-section of a deck having two
integral resilient members, according to an embodiment; and
[0023] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-section of a deck having two
integral resilient members, according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that
may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are
not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or
minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore,
specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not
to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis
for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present
disclosure.
[0025] The present disclosure relates to sporting goods, including
board sports. Boards made to ride on for sport, hereafter called
"board(s)" or "deck(s)," may be used to ride on snow, water, and
land. The structure of these boards or decks have evolved somewhat
over time, however, it has always been important to those skilled
in the art to have a board that has the right tensile strength for
support and elastic properties for performance. Thermoplastics have
been used in some low performance boards due to their relatively
low cost. They may be very economical to mold and can be formed
into a variety of shapes. However, thermoplastics generally lack
the rebound flexibility that is inherent in "higher quality"
boards, such as wood or resin-reinforced fiber. To those skilled in
the art, thermoplastic boards are said to have no "pop," and are
therefore undesirable. Accordingly, boards or decks are generally
made of a single composite or a substrate with high rigidity and a
slight but highly elastic flexibility. It may be layered (e.g.,
wood laminates) and/or thicker in some places, but generally it is
made of one construction that is mostly consistent throughout it's
make up.
[0026] On most boards, pushing an edge down will cause a turn. For
example, if you push down on one side of a skateboard or longboard
you cause the trucks to position the wheels so that the direction
of their overall bias is a curve. One skilled in the art of riding
skateboards and longboards can actually gain momentum by
alternating edges and shifting their weight from one side to the
other. This may be referred to as carving, and can be used to gain
or slow momentum without the need to place one's foot on the
ground. However, even to one skilled in the art, carving cannot be
counted on as a main means of propulsion with a common one piece
land board. Skateboards and longboards were designed to be pushed
or ridden downhill with a rider on top. Therefore, they are made of
generally rigid material so they can support a rider. The board
material needs to be strong enough to support the weight of the
rider across the long wheel base between the front and rear trucks
(or casters). To make the board strong enough to support the rider
over this expanse, fore to aft, the stiffness must be high enough
that the board is virtually not flexible from port to
starboard.
[0027] This issue has been addressed in the art through the use of
a torsion bar and separating the board or deck into two pieces.
Examples of ride-on devices including torsion bars and casters
include U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,259 (described above) and U.S. Pat. No.
8,297,630, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its
entirety by reference herein. However, splitting the board or deck
into two pieces may create an uneven riding platform, which those
skilled in the art may find restrictive. Another approach has been
a caster board that uses a one-piece thermoplastic deck. However,
since only one substrate is used in its construction, the material
must become very narrow (port to starboard) in its middle (fore to
aft) to allow for twisting. This makes the board essentially
equivalent with those having two separate decks, when one considers
foot placement or when doing board slides on a rail, for example.
Also, a twistable-midsection or torsion bar creates a weak point in
the construction of these boards.
[0028] It would be beneficial if the standard board shape(s), such
as the "popsicle stick" shape or other popular shapes (e.g., oval,
ellipse, rounded rectangle, etc.), could have the rigidity to
support a rider, fore to aft, and the flexibility to twist, port to
starboard. Standard board shapes are generally consistently wide,
such that they do not narrow near the middle (fore to aft) like
boards with torsion bars or casters. Flexibility to twist (port to
starboard) may increase maneuverability and the propulsion when
carving. It also may be beneficial when carving a hill for purposes
of slowing or controlling speed.
[0029] In addition, if the board were flexible, port to starboard,
the ride may be able to control a single truck or caster
independently (e.g., front or back) and may even be able catch
opposite edges, which would create much more turning control.
Moreover, when carving, the transition between one edge and another
can be twisted into, which may give a smoother transition between
one edge and the other. To facilitate this, the deck must be rigid
enough to support a rider standing on top, yet be flexible enough
(port to starboard) that it can catch opposite edges fore and aft.
A smoother transition may result in less loss of inertial momentum
and the ability of one set of wheels to bias itself against the
other. This may allow the rider to work one set of wheels against
the other, much like is done with inline or even quad skates.
[0030] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, a ride-on device 10 is
provided including a board or deck 12 having sufficient stiffness
and/or rigidity in the fore-aft direction and increased flexibility
in the port-starboard direction. While the Figures show the ride-on
device deck as a skateboard deck, it may be used as a board or deck
for any ride-on device, such as a scooter, surfboard, snowboard, or
others. As used herein, the term "skateboard" may include any type
of skateboard, such as traditional skateboards, longboards, caster
boards, or others.
[0031] The deck 12 may include a base 14 having a top side 16 and a
bottom side 18. The top side 16 may support the feet of a rider and
the bottom side 18 may attach to a wheel assembly. As described
above, skateboards may be supported in a plurality of ways,
including using caster assemblies, truck assemblies, or a
combination thereof. In one embodiment, the deck 12 may be
supported by one or more caster assemblies 20. Caster assemblies
are known to those of the art, and will not be described in detail.
In general, caster assemblies include one or more wheels supported
by a wheel bracket. The wheel(s) may attach so as to rotate freely
along its entire circumference. The wheel(s) may further rotate
freely about a wheel axis, or they may be fixed such that they are
aligned in a single direction (e.g. in the fore-aft direction). The
wheel bracket may be rotatably connected to a caster shaft having a
caster shaft axis, which may be angularly offset from the wheel
axis. Additional description of caster assemblies is included in
U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,259 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,297,630 (described
above). As shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 5, the deck may
include at least one swivel caster having two wheels mounted
equidistantly off-set from an axis of rotation of the caster's
swivel.
[0032] The caster assemblies 20 may include a single wheel (e.g.,
FIGS. 1, 3, and 5) or a double wheel (e.g., FIGS. 2, 4, and 6). In
addition, the caster assemblies 20 may be rotatable or may be
fixed. The deck 12 may have one or more caster assemblies 20
attached thereto, which may have any combination of one or
two-wheeled caster assemblies. The caster assemblies 20 may be
described as either fore (forward) or aft (rear) caster assemblies,
depending on whether they are more near the fore (front) 22 or the
aft (back) 24 of the deck 12. There may be one or more fore caster
assemblies 20 and one or more aft caster assemblies 20, depending
on the device design. In one embodiment, the deck 12 may have two
caster assemblies 20, one fore and one aft. These caster assemblies
20 may have two wheels (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5) and
may be fixed or rotatable (or a mixture thereof). In another
embodiment, the deck 12 may have three caster assemblies 20. In
this embodiment, there may be two caster assemblies 20 on the aft
24 of the deck 12 and one caster assembly on the fore 22 of the
deck 12. However, this arrangement may be reversed (one assembly in
the aft, two in the fore). These caster assemblies 20 may be single
wheel assemblies and may be rotatable (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 2,
4, and 6).
[0033] If the deck 12 has a single caster assembly 20 at one end,
the caster assembly may be located along a center line or
longitudinal axis 38 of the deck 12. If the deck 12 has multiple
caster assemblies 20 (e.g., two) at one end, the assemblies may be
offset from the center line 38 (e.g., one on each side).
Embodiments having two caster assemblies 20, one fore assembly and
one aft assembly, may be referred to as double edge decks, while
embodiments having three caster assemblies, one fore and two aft
(or vice versa), may be referred to as triple edge decks. While the
ride-on devices 10 shown in the Figures include caster assemblies
20, truck assemblies may also be used to attach wheels to the deck
12. Truck assemblies are known in the art and will not be
described. In addition, a combination of caster assemblies and
truck assemblies may also be used, such as a truck assembly in the
aft and a caster assembly in the fore, or vice versa. As described
above, the caster assembly may have various configurations, such as
single or double-wheel, fixed or rotatable, or others.
[0034] In at least one embodiment, the deck 12 has sufficient
stiffness and/or rigidity in the fore-aft direction to support the
weight of a ride, while also having increased flexibility in the
port-starboard direction (e.g., to increase maneuverability and the
propulsion). As described above, skateboard design generally must
pick between a traditional deck shape ("popsicle stick," oval,
rounded rectangle, etc.), having high stiffness and very low
flexibility, and a split-deck or narrow-neck design, having greater
flexibility but lower stability and balance and a potentially
weakened structure.
[0035] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, a deck 12 is provided that
allows for a standard deck design (e.g., little or no narrowing at
the middle), while increasing the flexibility in the port-starboard
direction. In one embodiment, these improved properties are
provided via a combination of a flexible bulk material 30 and a
plurality of stiffening or resilient members 32. The bulk material
30 may form or comprise a majority of the base 14 of the deck 12
(e.g., over 50, 75, or 90 wt %), providing it with flexibility in
the port-starboard direction. The deck 12 may be formed of the bulk
material 30 in certain areas or regions in order to provide the
port-starboard flexibility. In one embodiment, a region 34
including the center line or longitudinal axis 38 of the deck 12
may be formed of the bulk material 30. The region 34 may extend in
the port and starboard directions from the center line 38 to form a
strip along the length of the deck 12 that is formed from the bulk
material 30. By forming a central portion (port-starboard) of the
deck 12 from the flexible bulk material 30, the deck 12 may have
increased flexibility in the port-starboard direction when, for
example, a rider shifts their weight between their heel and
forefoot. In another embodiment, substantially all of the base 14
is formed of the bulk material 30 (e.g., substantially the whole
deck except the resilient members 32).
[0036] While the bulk material 30 provides flexibility, it may not
have sufficient stiffness or resiliency to support the weight of a
rider in the fore-aft direction. Accordingly, in at least one
embodiment, a plurality of stiffening or resilient members 32 are
provided to increase the fore-aft stiffness of the deck 12. The
stiffening members 32 may extend in the fore-aft direction and may
be formed of a material having a higher stiffness than the bulk
material 30. In one embodiment, two stiffening members 32 are
provided, one on each side of the center line 38 of the deck 12.
The stiffening members 32 may extend parallel to the center line 38
and may be equally spaced from the center line 38. In one
embodiment, the stiffening members 32 may extend along an outer
edge 36 of each side (port/starboard) of the deck 12. Locating the
stiffening members 32 farther from the center line 38 may increase
the flexibility of the deck 12 in the port-starboard direction.
[0037] The deck 12 may have an upward or concave portion at the
fore and/or aft end, as is known to those of ordinary skill in the
art. In one embodiment, the resilient members 32 may extend
substantially the entire distance from the fore to the aft end of
the deck 12 between the concave portions (if present). The
resilient members 32 may extend into the concave portions in some
embodiments, however, that is not required. The resilient members
32 may have any suitable transverse cross-sectional shape, such as
rectangular, square, circular, or others. The resilient members 32
may also be hollow to reduce weight. While FIGS. 1 to 6 show a deck
12 having two resilient members 32, there may be more (e.g., 2, 4,
6, etc). In one embodiment, there are an even number of resilient
members 32, with an equal number of resilient members 32 on each
side of the center line 38. The resilient members 32 may be in
pairs that are equally spaced from the center line 38. As shown in,
for example, FIGS. 5 and 6, the resilient members 32 may be exposed
(e.g., able to be seen without removing or altering any portion of
the deck 12. Stated another way, the resilient members 32 may form
at least a portion of an outer surface of the deck 12.
[0038] In at least one embodiment, the resilient members 32 may be
formed from a different material than the flexible bulk material
30. The bulk material 30 may be a polymer, such as a thermoplastic
or a thermoset polymer. Non-limiting examples of thermoplastics
that may be suitable for the bulk material 30 include polyolefins
(e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene), poly(methyl methacrylate)
(PMMA), polyesters, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, acrylonitrile
butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamides (e.g., nylon), polystyrene
(PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fluoropolymers (e.g.,
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)), or others. The resilient members
32 may be formed of a stiff, elastic, and/or resilient material. In
one embodiment, the resilient members 32 may be formed from a fiber
composite (e.g., fibers in a matrix, usually a resin). Any suitable
fiber composite having high stiffness and resiliency may be used.
Non-limiting examples of types of fiber composites may include
fiberglass, carbon fiber, aramid fiber (e.g., Kevlar), boron fiber,
ceramic fiber, or other fiber composites. The fibers may be short
fibers, long fibers, or continuous fibers. In addition to, or
instead of, fiber composites, other stiff materials may be used in
the resilient members 32, such as metals (e.g., steel, aluminum,
titanium, etc.) or high-stiffness polymers.
[0039] The flexible bulk material 30 and the resilient members 32
may be formed of relatively light materials in order to keep the
weight of the deck 12 low. In one embodiment, the bulk material 30
may be formed of a material having a specific gravity or density of
at most 5 g/cm.sup.3. For example, the bulk material 30 may be
formed of a material having a density of at most 2, 3, or 4
g/cm.sup.3. In one embodiment, the resilient members 32 may be
formed of a material having a specific gravity or density of at
most 6 g/cm.sup.3. For example, the resilient members 32 may be
formed of a material having a density of at most 3, 4, or 5
g/cm.sup.3. In another embodiment, the bulk material 30 and the
resilient members 32 may both be formed of materials having a
density of at most 3, 4, or 5 g/cm.sup.3.
[0040] In embodiments where the bulk material 30 is different than
the material used in the resilient members 32, the resilient
members 32 may be attached, connected, or incorporated into the
deck 12 in numerous ways. In one embodiment, the resilient members
32 may be incorporated into the deck 12 during the molding process
of the deck 12, such that it is integrally formed with the deck 12
and the bulk material 30. The deck 12 may be formed using any
suitable process, such as injection molding, compression molding,
or others. Accordingly, if the deck 12 is formed my injection
molding, for example, then the resilient members 32 may also be
formed during the injection molding process. Injection molding
techniques for forming multiple-material components are known in
the art and will not be discussed in detail. Examples of
multiple-material injection techniques may include insert or
over-molding, co-injection molding, sandwich molding, bi-injection
molding, or interval molding.
[0041] In other embodiments, the resilient members 32 may be formed
separately from the rest of the deck 12 and attached in an
additional process. For example, the resilient members 32 may be
formed using any suitable process, such as injection molding,
compression molding, extrusion, casting, machining, etc., and then
attached the bottom side 18 of the deck 12. The attachment may be
performed using any suitable method. Non-limiting examples of
attachment method may include fasteners (e.g., nails, screws,
bolts, rivets), adhesives (e.g., glue), welding (e.g., using heat
or ultrasound), or others. The resilient members 32 may be attached
or connected to the deck 12 along their entire length or in certain
discrete regions. For example, the resilient members 32 may be
connected to the deck 12 (e.g., the bulk flexible material 30) at
least at the fore and aft ends of the deck. The resilient members
32 may also be connected to the deck 12 at other regions, such as
the middle of the deck 12.
[0042] In another embodiment, the resilient members 32 may be
formed of the same material as the bulk material 30. In this
embodiment, rigidity in the fore-aft direction may be provided by
the shape of the resilient members 32, rather than a more stiff
material. The shape of the resilient members 32 may be similar to
those described above, such as rectangular, square, etc., or it may
have a cross-section designed to maximize the moment of inertia,
such an I-beam or a T-beam. If the bulk material 30 and the
resilient members 32 are formed from the same material, then a
material having an intermediate stiffness may be chosen such that
there is sufficient stiffness in the fore-aft direction and
flexibility in the port-starboard direction.
[0043] With reference to FIGS. 7 to 11, several exemplary
embodiments of deck 12 with resilient members 32 are shown. These
Figures may be cross-sections along line X-X in FIG. 6 (or a
similar line in FIG. 5). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, there
are two resilient members 32, one on each side of the center line
38 (shown as a plane extending out of the page in FIGS. 7-11) and
each located at an outer edge 36 of each side (port/starboard) of
the deck 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, there are four
resilient members 32, two on each side of the center line 38. One
of the resilient members 32 on each side is located on an outer
edge 36 and the other is spaced inward towards the center line 38.
The resilient members 32 may be evenly/symmetrically spaced from
the center line 38. Since there are more resilient members 32 in
this embodiment, each member may be smaller (e.g., shorter,
thinner, or both). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, there are two
resilient members 32, one on each side of the center line 38 and
each spaced inward from the outer edge 36 of each side
(port/starboard) of the deck 12. While placing the resilient
members 32 on the outermost edge may provide the highest
port-starboard flexibility, the resilient members 32 may be spaced
inward from the edge 36 if less flexibility is desired or for other
design considerations. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 and
described above show a deck 12 with resilient members 32 attached
thereto (e.g., formed separately). However, the same resilient
member configurations may also be generated using a
multiple-material molding process (such as those described
above).
[0044] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, there are two resilient
members 32, one on each side of the center line 38 and each located
at an outer edge 36 of each side (port/starboard) of the deck 12,
similar to FIG. 7. However, the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 shows
resilient members 32 that are integrally formed with the bulk
material 30 of the deck 12. As described above, other
configurations of the resilient members 32 may be generated using a
multiple-material molding process (e.g., more than two resilient
members, spaced from the edge, etc.). Similarly, in the embodiment
shown in FIG. 11, there are also two resilient members 32, one on
each side of the center line 38 and each located at an outer edge
36 of each side (port/starboard) of the deck 12. However, the
embodiment shown in FIG. 11 shows resilient members 32 that are
formed from the same material as the bulk material 30. The
resilient members 32 are therefore integrally formed with the deck
12. Other configurations of the resilient members 32 may also be
formed in the same manner. As described above, the shape of the
resilient members may have a high moment of inertia (e.g., I-beam
or T-beam) if they are formed from the bulk material 30. The
embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 to 11 and their corresponding
descriptions are merely examples. The attachment methods, shapes,
and configurations described in this disclosure can be mixed and
matched or combined in any combination.
[0045] As described above, in at least one embodiment, the
resilient members 32 may be formed of a material that is different
from and less flexible than the flexible bulk material 30. Modulus
of elasticity, or Young's Modulus, may be one measure of the
relative stiffness or flexibility of a material. The flexible bulk
material 30 may have a Young's Modulus (E) of 75 to 700 ksi (about
0.5 to 5 GPa), or any sub-range therein. For example, the flexible
bulk material may have a Young's Modulus of 85 to 500 ksi, 90 to
400 ksi, 100 to 400 ksi, 200 to 400 ksi, 200 to 500 ksi, 100 to 300
ksi, or others. The resilient members 32 may be formed of a
material having a higher Young's Modulus, such as over 5 GPa (about
725 ksi). For example, the resilient members 32 may be formed of a
material having a Young's Modulus of at least 10, 15, 25, 50, 75,
100, 150, or 200 GPa. Stated another way, the resilient members 32
may be formed of a material having a Young's Modulus of 5 to 300
GPa, or any sub-range therein, such as 10 to 250 GPa, 10 to 200
GPa, 10 to 175 GPa, 10 to 150 GPa, 10 to 100 GPa, 10 to 75 GPa, 10
to 50 GPa, 50 to 200 GPa, 50 to 150 GPa, 75 to 200 GPa, 75 to 175
GPa, 100 to 200 GPa, 125 to 175 GPa, or others.
[0046] Separate from the longitudinal resilient members 32,
additional ribs 40 may be included on the bottom side 18 of the
deck 12. The ribs 40, which are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may add
additional stiffness or rigidity in local areas, such as near or
around the caster assemblies and/or truck assemblies, at the nose
(fore) and/or tail (aft) end of the deck (e.g., upwardly curved
portions), or near the middle (fore to aft) of the board.
Stiffening ribs 40 near or around the caster assemblies (or truck
assemblies) may increase the stiffness and facilitate a more solid
connection between the assemblies and the deck 12. Similarly,
stiffening ribs 40 as the nose or tail may increase the stiffness
of those portions that require more stiffness during use (e.g.,
stepping on nose or tail to "pop" the board up into the hand). Ribs
40 located near the fore-aft middle of the deck 12 may assist in
creating a pivot or flex point around which the port-starboard
rotation or flexing takes place. For example, if a rider presses
down on the forefoot with one foot and the hell with the other
foot, the ribs 40 may localize the flexing of the board to each
half of the deck.
[0047] As described above, the disclosed deck 12 having a flexible
bulk material 30 and stiffening members 32 may provide a ride-on
device with increased port-starboard flexibility, while maintaining
fore-aft stiffness and support for the rider. The disclosed deck 12
may allow a rider to twist his or her body to the left and to the
right to accelerate the ride-on device or to turn it within a
relatively small turning radius. Therefore, the functionality of a
caster board may be incorporated into a ride-on device with the
appearance and stability of a skateboard or longboard. In addition,
the deck 12 may allow a rider to catch two edges at the same
time.
[0048] Decks having dual wheel casters and single wheel casters, or
combinations thereof, are disclosed. In addition, caster assemblies
may be combined with truck assemblies. The caster assemblies may be
rotatable or fixed, and a deck may include all rotatable, all
fixed, or a mixture of rotatable and fixed caster assemblies. Decks
having two caster assemblies (one fore and one aft) may include
dual wheels, which may make the ride-on device lean less than
single-wheel casters. This may make the device ride similar to a
standard flat skateboard, but with improved turning radius and
ability to propel without pushing-off that comes with casters.
Decks with three caster assemblies (two aft and one fore, or vice
versa) may include single-wheel casters. This may provide greater
lean compared to dual-wheel casters and ride more similar to a
caster board, but with improved stability and a more standard
look.
[0049] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not
intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the
invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of
description rather than limitation, and it is understood that
various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various
implementing embodiments may be combined to form further
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *