Patent ID: 8016304
Filing Date: 2011-09-13
Classification: A63C,B62B

Abstract:
1. A sliding device for sliding on the ground down a hill or inclined surface, comprising: an upper deck thereon extending a given length in a longitudinal direction and a given width in a transverse direction thereof for supporting a rider thereon, a slide mechanism which is mounted below and in parallel with the upper deck, having a slide base extending in the longitudinal direction substantially the length of the upper deck and being formed by a planar member elongated in the longitudinal direction having top and bottom surfaces and provided with opposite radiused longitudinal ends, and an endless anti-friction belt entrained to slide longitudinally around the top surface, radiused ends, and bottom surface of the planar member so as to enable the sliding device to slide down a hill or inclined surface, and a pair of side rails mounted on opposite transverse sides of the slide base extending in the longitudinal direction substantially the length of the upper deck and spaced apart in the transverse direction by substantially the width of the upper deck, wherein each side rail has a plurality of mounting cutouts arranged in a row spaced along the length of the upper deck for mounting a plurality of outboard wheels spaced in a row and extending substantially along the length of the upper deck on the outboard side of each side rail, wherein components for mounting each outboard wheel include a wheel shaft having a mounted end, which is secured to a shaft mount within the corresponding mounting cutout in the row of cutouts along the length of the upper deck, and a free end, which is inserted through an elastically deformable mounting insert used to mount the free end of the wheel shaft with a slight freedom of movement in a cutout hole of the mounting cutout in the side rail, and a wheel mounted for rotation on the free end; whereby the rows of outboard wheels mounted on respective outboard sides of the side rails enable a rider of the sliding device to execute turns by shifting weight to the respective outboard side so that contact of the sliding device with the ground shifts from the endless belt on the planar base to the row of wheels on the outboard side for the turn and the row of wheels deflect with a slight freedom of movement to conform the tracking of the row of wheels to the shift of contact from the endless belt to the outboard wheels.