Training wheel for skateboarding

The present disclosure provides a detachable training wheel apparatus for mounting to the underside of a skateboard tail or nose to assist with balancing a user during manoeuvres which require tipping of the skateboard onto two wheels, while allowing the board to continue rolling along the ground with minimal friction. The apparatus comprises a single wheel mounted to a mounting board by a pair of supports and a central bushing, with the opposing side of the mounting board having a flat surface provided with attachment means for detachably coupling to the skateboard underside, such as a hook and loop surface.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to skateboarding accessories, more specifically the invention relates to a detachable training wheel device for improving a rider's balance while skateboarding on two wheels.

BACKGROUND

In skateboarding it is common to train to perform various tricks, however in the beginning and especially for inexperienced riders balance is often lost, causing the rider to fall from the skateboard and potentially damage it, or get hurt.

One such trick which is notoriously difficult is called a “wheelie/manual”, where a rider puts their weight on the very front or back edge of the board, causing the opposing end to lift into the air and allowing the rider to skate on two wheels only for a period of time. This maneuver requires exceptional balance, and even top skateboarders are known to have difficulty with it and are uncomfortable attempting it at times.

Furthermore, when this trick is attempted and fails, usually due to tipping the board too far, the bottom edge of the board inevitably scrapes along the ground, damaging it. Most people lose balance and fall while scraping the board in the process. It is then necessary to start all over again, and many lose confidence and give up on the exercise entirely. Others keep practicing but become too tentative in how they shift their weight and are not able to keep their manual going for extended periods.

While some balancing solutions have been proposed for aiding skateboarders, none are able to solve the aforementioned problems.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,817 discloses a device for a wheelie skateboard and consists of a more or less conventional skateboard to which is added a rearward upwardly inclined kicktail. Conventional skateboard wheels are mounted on the bottom of the conventional skateboard section. In this device, a third pair of wheels are mounted on the bottom of the inclined kicktail section. Having an additional pair of wheels limits the possibility of pivoting and changing direction while performing tricks.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,330 discloses a skateboard which has a chassis, an axle and wheel assembly, and a board, with the board extending beyond one of the axles to provide an overhanging portion. A stop pad is mounted to the underside of the skateboard in the vicinity of the overhanging portion, said stop pad generally facing the ground when the skateboard is in operational position. Therefore, by shifting weight to the overhanging portion, the rider can tilt the board, causing the stop pad to contact the ground, thereby stopping or at least slowing the skateboard. The board may be rotatably mounted to the chassis, thus allowing the rider to spin in a circle while the skateboard is following a linear course. Stopping the board would however prevent the rider from performing the aforementioned trick.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,165 discloses a skid accessory for skateboards adapted to be mounted at the end of the board between the wheel supporting trucks and the end of the board to protect the board from engagement with the ground and to act as a braking device by frictional engagement with the ground. Similarly to the above, the skid accessory would prevent the rider from performing the aforementioned trick.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,710 discloses a skateboard device which includes a board of extended surface area adapted to support a skateboard rider, a pair of spaced front and rear wheels connected to the underside of the board, a relatively massive rotor disposed for rotation in a housing connected to the underside of the board adjacent either the rear or front wheels, preferably the rear wheels, and a gear assembly in the housing interconnecting the rotor and wheels which are adjacent thereto. This complicated arrangement needs to be integrated with the skateboard form the beginning and is not detachable.

U.S. Pat. D481,433 discloses a design for a skateboard training device. It does not assist with balancing while performing tricks.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,784 B1 discloses an apparatus for a skateboard deck connected to a skateboard carriage by means of a rotative mechanism positioned between the deck and carriage. The carriage is comprised of a platform having the trucks and wheels mounted thereunder with fasteners fixedly positioning a bearing insert and carriage retaining ring to the top side of the platform. This in no way assists the balance of a rider performing tilting tricks.

It is within this context that the present invention is provided.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a detachable training wheel apparatus for mounting to the underside of a skateboard tail or nose to assist with balancing a user during manoeuvres which require tipping of the skateboard onto two wheels, while allowing the board to continue rolling along the ground with minimal friction. The apparatus comprises a single wheel mounted to a mounting board by a pair of supports and a central bushing, with the opposing side of the mounting board having a flat surface provided with attachment means for detachably coupling to the skateboard underside, such as a hook and loop surface.

The apparatus allows for the practice of new skateboard tricks that involve riding on two wheels with minimal risk of the rider falling or of damage to the board, and can be easily removed when no longer needed. It is also simple in its construction and thus easy and cheap to manufacture.

Thus, according to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a detachable training wheel apparatus for a skateboard, the apparatus comprising: a mounting board having a first flat surface provided with attachment means for detachably coupling the apparatus to a tail or nose of a skateboard; a pair of wheel supports extending a first length orthogonally from a second opposing surface of the mounting board, each wheel mount having an opening for receiving a screw or pin; a bushing spanning the width between the pair of wheel supports; a single wheel mounted on the bushing; and a pair of screws or pins configured to protrude through the openings in the wheel supports and secure the bushing and mounted wheel to the apparatus.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a pair of bearing disposed between the pair of wheel supports and the mounted wheel for reducing friction during skating.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a pair of washers for securing the connection between the pair of screws and the openings of the wheel supports.

In some embodiments, the attachment means comprises a hook and loop surface such as Velcro configured to mate with a corresponding hook and loop surface of an adhesive strip mounted on the underside of a skateboard.

In some embodiments, the openings of the pair of wheel supports are in the from of elongated slots to facilitate adjustment of the distance between the underside of the skateboard and the mounted wheel.

Common reference numerals are used throughout the figures and the detailed description to indicate like elements. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the above figures are examples and that other architectures, modes of operation, orders of operation, and elements/functions can be provided and implemented without departing from the characteristics and features of the invention, as set forth in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS.1and2, first and second views are shown from either side of an example configuration of a training wheel apparatus100according to the present disclosure.

As can be seen, the apparatus100comprises a flat mounting board102from which a pair of wheel supports104extend orthogonally. The wheel supports104have openings through which a pair of screws106secure a central bushing108on which a single wheel110is mounted. Pins may be used instead of screws106in some cases, but screws are preferred as they allow for a more secure coupling with the central bushing108.

In the present example the wheel110is placed between a pair of bearings112that prevent friction between the rotating wheel and the wheel supports104.

The bottom side of the mounting board102is provided with attachment means for detachably coupling with the underside of a skateboard tail or nose. In this example the attachment means comprise a layer of hook and loop material such as Velcro, however any suitable attachment means known in the art may be used in place of that.

Referring toFIG.3, an exploded components view of the example apparatus100is shown to give a better picture of the construction.

The openings114of the wheel supports are visible in this illustration, and in the present example they are circular in shape and of a similar width to the width of the screws106. In some alternative embodiments, the openings114may be elongated slots and a locking mechanism may be incorporated to allow for the height of the bushing108and thus the height of the wheel relative to the skateboard underside to be adjusted.

The central bushing108may also have threaded openings either side for coupling ore securely to the screws106. Washers116are placed between the ends of the screws and the outer sides of the wheel supports104in the present example configuration to prevent the connections from loosening.

Referring toFIGS.4A,4B, and4C, a series of steps in an example method of mounting the disclosed apparatus100to the underside of a skateboard tail or nose200is shown, using the above-mentioned hook and loop coupling as the attachment means.

In the first step, shown inFIG.4A, a first Velcro strip300having an adhesive on its rear surface is placed on the tail or nose of the skateboard200. This Velcro strip acts as a mounting point for the apparatus, which has its own corresponding Velcro strip on the underside of the mounting board102.

In the second step, shown inFIG.4B, the apparatus is placed with the mounting board102covering the first Velcro strip300and such that the mounted training wheel110is aligned with the wheels202of the skateboard to which it is being mounted. This is important for manoeuvres such as the above described manual trick where a rider will wish to continue rolling along on the two wheels202, as if they lose balance during that manoeuvre and need to place the training wheel110on the ground for balance, the desired effective is that the training wheel110will spin in tandem with the wheels202of the skateboard, allowing them to keep riding and regain their balance.

Of course, it is also possible to mount the apparatus100with a different alignment if desired, and this may be desirable for certain tricks such as aligning the training wheel110orthogonally to the skateboard wheels202where the rider intends to use the training wheel110as support during a rotational pivot of the board.

In the third step, shown inFIG.4C, the apparatus100is pressed firmly against the first Velcro strip300, coupling the opposing Velcro strip on the underside of the mounting board102to it. In order to remove the apparatus, a user simply needs to pull it off.

Referring toFIGS.5A,5B, and5C, a series of positions are shown of a rider on a skateboard attempting a two-wheeled ride while the disclosed apparatus100is mounted to the underside of their skateboard200.

The training wheel110is mounted in alignment with the wheels202of the skateboard for this exercise.

In the first position, shown inFIG.5A, the rider is moving forwards with their weight centred and both pairs of skateboard wheels202firmly on the ground. The training wheel apparatus100is mounted on the underside of the rear tail or nose of the board200.

In the second position, shown inFIG.5B, the rider shifts their weight to the back of the board, causing the front end to rise into the air while they attempt to balance and continue riding on the two rear wheels202alone. This stage, often called the “sweet spot”, is where it is easy to shift one's weight too far and where a rider would thus often scrape the rear tail or nose of the board along the ground and lose their balance, falling off the board.

In the third position, shown inFIG.5B, the rider has shifted their weight too far, but this has simply caused the training wheel110to come into contact with the ground, preventing the board200from tipping further back. The training wheel110rolls smoothly along in tandem with the two rear skateboard wheels202, allowing a rider to continue forwards and find their balance again without falling off. Optionally, they can attempt to shift their weight slightly forwards again and find the sweet spot now that they have gotten a feeling for the balance of it.

Being able to practice without the fear of falling and damaging the board allows a person to progress much faster in the process of learning balancing while riding on two wheels. This device allows skateboarders to learn balance while in both forward and backward motion, and if the wheel is aligned orthogonally to the skateboard wheels, also while spinning in circles. The apparatus has a wide range of use cases for anyone looking to take their skills to the next level in a safe manner, regardless of age and riding abilities.

The disclosed embodiments are illustrative, not restrictive. While specific configurations of the training wheel apparatus have been described in a specific manner referring to the illustrated embodiments, it is understood that the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of solutions which fit within the scope and spirit of the claims. There are many alternative ways of implementing the invention.