Patent ID: 7147235
Filing Date: 2006-12-12
Classification: A63C,B62K

Abstract:
1. A wheeled footboard sport conveyance with an elongated and substantially horizontal frame structure that includes a singular inline front wheel, a singular inline rear wheel, a set of opposing side wheels and a corresponding set of side wheel strut elements disposed traversely along the elongated frame structure at a point between the singular front wheel and the singular rear wheel, a set of opposing control line elements linking the side wheel strut elements with said singular front wheel, wherein vertical displacement of the opposing side wheels relative to the orientation of said elongated frame structure provide steering forces for said singular front wheel, comprising: (a) said elongated frame structure having at least one planar surface area for supporting a standing rider, a plurality of opposing and substantially horizontal elongated frame elements disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wheeled footboard, a plurality of crossmember supports interposed traversely between the opposing elongated frame elements underlying and supporting said planar surface area, said opposing elongated frame elements being further disposed in equidistant manner from the longitudinal center line axis of said elongated frame structure; (b) said singular front wheel being rotatably mounted on a center portion of a front axle that extends traversely between said opposing elongated frame elements substantially near respective forward end portions, said singular rear wheel being rotatably mounted on the center portion of a rear axle interposed traversely between the opposing frame elements substantially near respective rearward end portions; (c) opposing left and right end portions of said front axle being movably attached to the forward end portions of said opposing frame elements by means for independent forward and rearward movement of the left and right end portions of said front axle within predetermined ranges; (d) a means for biasing being disposed longitudinally within forward segments of said opposing frame elements and bearing against said left and right end portions of said front axial extrusion, whereby constant outward pressures uniformly hold said front axial extrusion substantially to forward ends of said predetermined ranges; (e) said opposing side wheels being rotatably mounted to said elongated frame structure by the opposing side wheel strut elements in a manner that simultaneously provides a first action of independent vertical displacements of said opposing side wheels relative to said planar surface area of said elongated frame structure, and a second action of maintaining substantial angular coherence between said opposing side wheels and the singular end wheels, whereby all wheels of the footboard conveyance stay substantially perpendicular to said planar surface area and substantially parallel to each other throughout the full tilting range of said wheeled footboard; (f) said set of opposing control line elements link respective opposing end portions of said front axial extrusion to said side wheel strut elements in a substantially continuous and consistent manner, wherein vertical displacement of said side wheel strut elements relative to said planar surface area directly results in measured horizontal displacement of said left and right end portions of said front axial extrusion; (g) whereby said rider, while standing upright upon and tilting said planar surface area of said wheeled footboard, actuates said vertical displacement of said opposing side wheels and said corresponding struts elements; which further actuates said linear horizontal displacement of said left and right end portions of said front axial extrusion, thereby turning said singular front wheel and vectoring said wheeled footboard in the tilted direction, and conversely, by releasing tilting pressures, said means for biasing impels both the left end portion and the right end portion of said front axial extrusion substantially towards said forward ends of said predetermined ranges, to actuate the horizontal and vertical displacements in a reverse manner, thus permitting said wheeled footboard to revert to a substantially static straight ahead vector.