Patent ID: 8579306
Filing Date: 2013-11-12
Classification: A63C

Abstract:
1. An in-line, off-road skateboard comprising: a substantially planar frame having opposite forward and aft ends, said frame having a longitudinally extending centroidal axis, a front wheel supported on said forward end, and a rear wheel supported on said aft end, said front and rear wheels lying in a common plane when said front wheel is in a straight-ahead alignment, said common plane intersecting said centroidal axis and orthogonal to said frame so as to be vertical when said frame is horizontal, said front wheel including a front rim mounted within a front tire wherein said front rim defines a front rim cavity therein, and wherein said front and rear wheels have corresponding laterally aligned front and rear axes of rotation respectively, said front and rear axes of rotation parallel when said front wheel is in said straight-ahead alignment, said front rim cavity having an opening corresponding to said front axis of rotation, said frame including a rigid platform between said front and rear wheels, a front arm mounted on said forward end of said frame, said front arm having opposite front and rear ends, said rear end of front arm said mounted to said forward end of said frame, and wherein said front end of said front arm is positioned adjacent said opening into said front rim cavity of said front wheel, a steering assembly mounted substantially within said front rim cavity, said steering assembly including a steering column aligned along a steering axis of rotation of said front wheel, a rocker link pivotally mounted at a first end thereof to said steering column for pivoting of said rocker link about a rocker link pivot axis parallel to said front axis of rotation and perpendicular to said steering axis of rotation, a front wheel axle and hub mounted to a second end of said rocker link opposite to said first end of said rocker link, said front wheel axle and hub aligned along said front axis of rotation, said front rim mounted to said front wheel axle and hub for rotation of said front wheel about said front axis of rotation, wherein said first end of said rocker link and said rocker link pivot axis are below said second end of said rocker link, a trail adjusting linkage assembly mounted at a first end thereof to said rocker link and mounted at a second end thereof to said steering column, wherein said steering axis of rotation and said steering column are inclined, and wherein a trail distance of said steering assembly, wherein a first intersection of a vertical axis through said front axis of rotation with a ground plane under and contacting said front and rear wheels is aft of a second intersection of said steering axis with said ground plane, is the distance in said ground plane between said first and second intersections, and wherein, as said front wheel rotates about said steering axis and out of said straight-ahead alignment with said centroidal axis of said frame, a trail adjusting linkage of said trail adjusting linkage assembly progressively pivots said second end of said rocker link towards said steering axis of rotation so as to progressively increase said trail distance and progressively elevate said frame away from said ground plane as said front wheel correspondingly progressively rotates further out of said straight-ahead alignment with said centroidal axis of said frame, and so as to progressively decrease said trail distance and progressively lower said frame closer to said ground plane as said front wheel correspondingly progressively returns to said straight-ahead alignment with said centroidal axis of said frame, wherein during forward translation of said skateboard as a rider standing on said skateboard leans into a turn and thereby tilts said frame about said centroidal axis so as to tilt said frame into the turn, said front wheel precesses into the turn about said steering axis of rotation thereby increasing said trail distance whereby the greater the tilt the greater the progressive turning of said front wheel about said steering axis of rotation within a range of motion of said front wheel, and conversely as the rider leans out of a turn and thereby tilts said frame about said centroidal axis so as to tilt said frame out of the turn, said front wheel precesses out of the turn about said steering axis of rotation thereby decreasing said trail distance and gravitational force assists said front wheel to return to straight-ahead wheel alignment as gravity urges said frame and the rider to settle into a position which corresponds to said straight ahead wheel alignment.