Abstract:
In summary, the present invention provides a skateboard body, attachable to a plurality of wheel assemblies. The skateboard body in accordance with the present invention comprises a support platform for supporting a user, the platform being engagable to the wheel assemblies, wherein the platform includes at least one gripping aperture extending through the platform for receiving the user&#39;s hand, allowing the user to lift and transport the skateboard body. The present invention also provides a skateboard assembly having a hand engagable support platform for single handed lifting. The skateboard in accordance with the present invention comprises a support platform for supporting a user, a plurality of wheel assemblies engaged to the platform; and at least one gripping aperture extending through the platform for receiving the user&#39;s hand, allowing the user to lift and transport the skateboard assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Skateboarding is one of the most popular recreational sports among young adults. It is also an essential mode of transportation for many. A skateboard is relatively inexpensive to own, and that is usually all one needs to get started. A skateboard is made of a long, oval shaped support platform made of wood, fiberglass or other synthetic material. The support platform, or sometimes referred to as the deck, forms the body of the skateboard and provides footing for a skateboarder. There are generally two sets of wheel assemblies attached to the bottom of the support platform through two metal connection mechanism called trucks. The skateboarder moves the skateboard forward by having one foot on the support platform with another foot pressing against the ground to generate momentum. Once the skateboard starts moving, the skateboarder then lifts the foot on the ground onto the support platform and allows the skateboard to carry him or her forward. The rear end of the board usually comprises an upwardly curved portion so that the skateboarder can lift the front of the skateboard by applying weight to the upwardly curved portion. Lifting up the front of the skateboard allows the skateboarder to jump or perform a sharp turn. 
         [0004]    Often a skateboarder will need to pick up the skateboard to avoid an obstacle, to cross an uneven surface or to reposition himself or herself on a course. Conventional approaches of carrying the skateboard involve holding the skateboard vertically by an end with the skateboarder&#39;s fingers, or carrying the skateboard sideways against the waist with one or both arms. However, either approach poses problems for the skateboarder. Holding the skateboard by its end is convenient because the skateboarder does not need to bend down and pick up the skateboard. He or she can simply step on one end of the skateboard and bounce the other end into his or her hand. However, holding the skateboard in a vertical position is difficult when the skateboard is heavy, as the friction and pressure between the fingers of the skateboarder do not produce enough strength to securely hold the skateboard&#39;s weight. Such risk of slippage is especially great among young children, who make up a large percentage of the skateboarding population. In addition, the discomfort associated with the vertical hold also prevents the skateboarder from carrying the skateboard over an extended period of time. 
         [0005]    The skateboarder can also bend down, pick up the skateboard and carry the skateboard sideways with one or both arms against the his or her waist. However, carrying the skateboard sideways increases the risk of having an end of the skateboard running into an object or a person, causing damage or injury. Such risks are especially great when the weight of the skateboard is not balanced. The long length and heavy weight of the skateboard makes it difficult to firmly hold onto the skateboard even with two arms around it, especially for young children. Furthermore, picking up the skateboard sideways requires the skateboarder to bend down and pick up the skateboard, a burdensome task if being done repetitively. 
         [0006]    As such, there is a need in the art for a skateboard that can be single-handedly lifted up and carried around while having a firm and balanced grip on the skateboard, reducing the chance of the skateboard slipping through the fingers or running into an object or a person. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize other limitation that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention provides a skateboard body, attachable to a plurality of wheel assemblies. The skateboard body in accordance with the present invention comprises a support platform for supporting a user, the platform being engagable to the wheel assemblies, wherein the platform includes at least one gripping aperture extending through the platform for receiving the user&#39;s hand, allowing the user to lift and transport the skateboard body. 
         [0008]    According to various embodiments, the gripping aperture may define a rippled finger receiving aperture edge portion. The gripping aperture may define an oval shape. The support platform may further comprise an insert, removably disposed within the gripping aperture, the insert being configured to substantially occupy the gripping aperture. The insert may include a hollow core for providing storage space. The skateboard body may further comprise an electronic signal transmitter disposed within the insert. The electronic signal transmitter may communicate information representative of the location of the skateboard body. The electronic signal transmitter may communicate information representative of the identification of the skateboard body. The support platform may further comprise a handle. The support platform may be formed of a resilient material. 
         [0009]    The present invention also provides a skateboard assembly having a hand engagable support platform for single handed lifting. The skateboard in accordance with the present invention comprises a support platform for supporting a user, a plurality of wheel assemblies engaged to the platform; and at least one gripping aperture extending through the platform for receiving the user&#39;s hand, allowing the user to lift and transport the skateboard assembly. 
         [0010]    According to various embodiments, the gripping aperture may define a rippled finger receiving aperture edge portion. The gripping aperture may define an oval shape. The support platform may further comprise an insert, removably disposed within the aperture, the insert being configured to substantially occupy the gripping aperture. The insert may further include a hollow core for providing storage space. The skateboard assembly may further comprise an electronic signal transmitter disposed within the insert. The electronic signal transmitter may communicate information representative of a location of the skateboard assembly. The electronic signal transmitter may communicate information representative of an identification of the skateboard assembly. The support platform may further comprise a handle. The support platform may be formed of a resilient material. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  depicts a top view of a skateboard body of the present invention with four gripping apertures, with each defining a rippled finger receiving aperture edge portion; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  depicts a full view of a skateboard assembly of the present invention with four gripping apertures, each defining an oval shape; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  depicts a skateboarder carrying a skateboard assembly of the present invention in a vertical position, holding the skateboard assembly by one of its ends. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  depicts a hand carrying a skateboard assembly of the present invention, holding the skateboard assembly by one of its sides. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  depicts a bottom view of a skateboard assembly of the present invention with two wheel assemblies. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  depicts a partial view of a skateboard assembly of the present invention with three apertures, each substantially occupied with an insert. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  depicts a full view of an insert with a hollow core. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7A  depicts a cut-away view of an insert with a hollow core. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  depicts a view of an insert with an electronic signal transmitter. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  depicts a skateboard assembly with a handle removably engaged to the end of the skateboard body. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  depicts a skateboard with a handle removably attached to the side of the skateboard body. 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  depicts a cross-sectional view of the skateboard body showing a handle removably attached thereto. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is depicted a top view of a skateboard body  10  of the present invention (details of which are discussed below and shown in additional figures). The skateboard body  10  is shown with a support platform  12 , the support platform  12  being engagable to a plurality of wheel assemblies. The support platform  12  is also shown with four gripping apertures  14  located on the two sides and two ends of the support platform  12 , with each of the gripping aperture  14  defining a rippled finger receiving aperture edge portion  16 . 
         [0025]    The support platform  12 , or sometimes referred to as the deck, provides footing for a skateboarder. The support platform  12  is generally made out of wood, Kevlar or fiberglass, but can also be formed of any other resilient material. The support platform  12  is normally 7½ to 8 inches wide and 28 to 32½ inches long. The wider the support platform  12 , the more control and stability the skateboarder will have over with the movement of the skateboard body. The rippled finger receiving aperture edge portion  16  of the support platform  12  provide a firm and comfortable grip for carrying the support platform  12 . By allowing the fingers of the skateboarder to snuggly fit into one of the curvatures on the rippled finger receiving aperture edge portions  24 , the user can single-handedly carry the skateboard body  10  with ease. The grip also produces less fatigue when its user carries the skateboard body  10  over a long period of time. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is depicted a full view of a skateboard assembly  18  of the present invention (details of which are discussed below and shown in additional figures). The skateboard assembly  18  is shown with a support platform  12 , two wheel assemblies  20  engaged to the bottom of the skateboard assembly  18 , and four gripping apertures  14 . 
         [0027]    The gripping apertures  14  in this figure define oval shapes  22 . However, the shapes of the gripping apertures  14  may be made into any other shapes depending on the user&#39;s preference. The gripping apertures  14  may each have a different shape, and the gripping apertures  14  may have shapes that uniquely identify the skateboard assembly  18  for its user. 
         [0028]    The skateboard assembly  18  is also shown with the support platform  12  defining one upwardly curved end portion  24 . Serving as a leverage point, the upwardly curved end portion  24  allows a user to lift up the opposite end portion of the skateboard  18  by applying weight onto the upwardly curved end portion  24 . The user may also perform jumps and sharp turns when more force is being applied to the upwardly curved end portion  24 . 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is depicted a hand  28  carrying the skateboard assembly  18  in a vertical position. The skateboard assembly  18  in the figure has four gripping apertures  14 , with each gripping aperture  14  defines a rippled finger receiving aperture edge portion  16 . 
         [0030]    The gripping apertures  14  provide the single-handed carrying feature of the skateboard assembly  18 . Lifting and carrying the skateboard assembly  18  around is a necessary task for a skateboarder. The skateboarder may need to carry the skateboard assembly  18  to go up the stairs, to cross an uneven terrain, to avoid a pedestrian, or to reposition himself or herself on a course for a run. Conventional approaches of carrying the skateboard assembly  18  involve either holding the skateboard assembly  18  in a vertical position by one of its end with the skateboarder&#39;s fingers, or carrying the skateboard assembly  18  sideways against the waist with one or both arms. However, either approach poses problems for the skateboarder. Holding the skateboard assembly  18  in a vertical position is a popular approach because the skateboarder does not need to bend down and lift up the skateboard assembly  18 . The skateboarder may instead step on one end of the skateboard assembly  18  and bounce the other end into his hand, a neat and convenient move. However carrying the skateboard in a vertical position can be difficult when the skateboard assembly  18  is heavy, as the friction and pressure between the fingers of the skateboarder do not produce enough strength to securely hold onto the skateboard assembly  18 . Such risk of slippage is especially great among young children, who make up a large percentage of the skateboarding population. Furthermore, the discomfort associated with the vertical holding position prevents the skateboarder from carrying the skateboard over an extended period of time. 
         [0031]    The skateboarder can also bend down, pick up the skateboard assembly  18  and carry the skateboard assembly  18  sideways with one or both arms around it. However, carrying the skateboard assembly  18  sideways increases the risk of having one end of the skateboard assembly  18  running into an object or a person, causing damage or injury. The long length and heavy weight of the skateboard assembly  18  make it difficult for the skateboard to have a balanced hold onto the skateboard even with both arms, especially for young children. In addition, picking up the skateboard assembly  18  sideways requires the skateboarder to bend down, a burdensome task it has to be done over and over again. 
         [0032]    The gripping apertures  14  provides the skateboarder a firm and comfortable grip of the skateboard assembly  18  and avoids the problems in the prior art skateboards. The skateboard assembly  18  may be single handedly lifted up and transported through the gripping aperture  14  and reduces the chance of slippage. The gripping apertures  14  acts like a suitcase handle and provide a comfortable and less fatigue hold of the skateboard assembly  18 . The gripping apertures  14  may in addition be calculated to locate at a point of the skateboard assembly  18  for balancing the weight of the skateboard assembly  18 . 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is depicted a hand  28  carrying the skateboard assembly  18  in a horizontal position. The skateboarder can comfortably use his fingers to firmly hold onto the skateboard assembly  18  through the gripping aperture  14  at a side of the skateboard assembly  18 . 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is depicted a bottom view of the skateboard assembly  18  with two wheel assemblies  20  attached to the support platform  12 . Each wheel assembly  20  comprises a base plate  32 , a hangar  34  and a plurality of wheels  38 . The base plate  32  attaches the hanger  34  to the support platform  12 . The hangar  34  attaches the plurality of wheels  38  to the base plate  32 . The wheel assemblies  20  allow a user to steer the skateboard assembly  18  in the desired direction without lifting the front wheels of the skateboard assembly  18 . 
         [0035]    The wheels  38  are typically made of polyurethane, and ranges from 50-80 mm in diameter. Having larger wheels  38  increases the flexibility of the skateboard  10  to maneuver through uneven ground. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , there is depicted partial view of a skateboard assembly  18  with one wheel assembly  20  and three gripping apertures  14 , each occupied with an insert  40 . The insert  40  provides a filling for the gripping apertures  14  in case a user does not wish to leave the gripping apertures  14  exposed. Such circumstances may arise when the user wishes to increase the weight of the skateboard assembly  18 , or for pure aesthetic reasons. 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , there is depicted a cut-away view of an insert  40  with a hollow core  42 . The hollow core  42  opens up on the side of the rippled finger receiving aperture edge portion  16 . The hollow core  42  may serve as a storage space for keys  36 , ID cards, cash or other items that will fit inside. Leaving personal items in pockets during a run increases the chance of having them lost or stolen, especially if the skateboarder is performing flips and turns with a skateboard. Having a storage space on the support platform  12  allows the user to have a safe place to keep these items. 
         [0038]    The dark shaded area shows a material  46  of the insert  40 , and the material  46  may be different than a material of the support platform  12 . The material  46  may be rubber, plastic or other resilient material. 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIG. 7A , there is depicted a cross-sectional view of an insert  40  with a hollow core  42 , which is represented by the empty space between the dark shaded area. The cross section view is taken in between two points marked as  7 A on  FIG. 7 . 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , there is depicted an insert  40  with an electronic signal transmitter  44 , such as a RFID tag embedded inside. The electronic signal transmitter  44  may communicate identification and locational information of the skateboard assembly  18  to its owner or others, for example, parents. Such feature is useful in a store or warehouse setting where large number of skateboards is kept, to keep track of a particular skateboard, to locate a stolen skateboard, or to locate a user. The electronic signal transmitter  44  may also be replaced by simply changing the insert  40 , in case it is broken. 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , there is depicted a view of a skateboard assembly  18  with a handle  48  attached at a first end of the skateboard assembly.  FIG. 10  illustrates a skateboard assembly  18  with the handle  48  attached along a side of the skateboard assembly.  FIG. 11  depicts a cross-sectional view of a handle  48  engaged to the skateboard support platform  12 . In the presently preferred embodiment the handle  48  incorporates a locking lever  52  which engages strap  50 , to maintain the handle in engagement with the skateboard support platform  12 . The locking lever  52  operates to allow loosening or tightening of the strap  50  about the support platform  12 . 
         [0042]    In use, a user may engage a hand through aperture  54 , formed in handle  48 , to lift and carry the skateboard. The handle can be secured to different portions of the skateboard, as a user may desire. 
         [0043]    As will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, various alternate configurations of handle  48  can be implemented within the broader aspects of the invention. In some implementations, the handle may be permanently secured to the skateboard assembly at location that may be convenient for use, without interfering with the functionality of the skateboard. The handle assembly may be used as an alternate to the apertures illustrated and described in connection with  FIGS. 1-8 , or may be used in conjunction with such apertures as desired. 
         [0044]    The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.