Abstract:
The present invention relates to a transportation device comprising one riding wheel, a U-shaped frame, and a stepping assembly. The riding wheel is mounted between the two ends of the U-shaped frame and the stepping assembly is mounted on the axle of the riding wheel. The stepping assembly contains a foot pedal and one or two supporting legs with an optional stepping wheel beneath the foot pedal. This device can convert conveniently between a riding mode and a walking mode to allow rider skate, walk, and stand in various ground surfaces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention describes a recreational and sporting device. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of a wheeled skate for the use on roads, sidewalks, parks, stages, and the like. 
         [0002]    Various designs of roller skates have been developed over years. Most of roller skates have a plurality of small diameter wheels beneath the sole of the skater&#39;s foot. The small diameter of the wheels have difficulties in rugged surfaces and are not suitable for high speed movement. 
         [0003]    Skates with larger diameter wheels have been invented over a century. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 92,936 describes a pedicycle that suspends the weight of the rider or load on the top of the wheel. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 256,765 describes a pedicycle with a wheel attached on the outside. The foot boards with have curved front platforms that provide support to the feet and allows for forward moving action when struck against ground. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 573,096 describes a skating cycle with a large wheel mounted in a frame with a foot plate, leg-clasp and a handle-bar. By mounting a cycle on each foot, one walks by alternatively advancing and withdraw or swing back and forth one&#39;s feet. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 889,580 describes a roller skate with a wheel mounted on vertical metal strips adapted for foot. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,023,882 describes a monocycle skate with a large wheel and a frame to be attached to the leg and a sole plate to secure the foot. It has a brake block to engage the rim of the wheel when the heel is lowered. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,243 describes a mono-wheel roller skate using spring to keep the wheel on the ground to improve the smoothness of riding. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,436 describes a single wheel skate that allows the skating wheel to be adjusted between operational and nonoperational positions through permanent magnets. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,493 describes a uniwheel skate which has a rim arranged to rotate about a frame. A foot support is pivotally carried by the frame and receives the rider&#39;s foot for transmission of the rider&#39;s body load to and through the frame to the wheel. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pa. No. 7,661,682 B2 describes a sporting device with a skating wheel mounted on each foot. It uses a hand control to brake its movement. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,758,054 describes a roller skate that has outer, larger rollers on the side with smaller inline rollers arranged below the boot. 
         [0013]    US patent 2010/0109266 describes a sporting device which contains a wheel, a foot support mounted on the wheel, and a biased member attached between the foot support and an upper end of the leg support. 
         [0014]    Many patents including above mentioned explored various ways to utilize large side mount wheels for skating. However, several problems make side mount wheels difficult to use. First, the center of mass of the rider is not coincident with the supporting point when wheel is side mounted, which requires a design to maintain balance when standing and in motion. Second, the large diameter of the skating wheel makes rider difficult to control, requiring a mechanism to relay rider&#39;s force to surface. Third, to access all road conditions, it requires a convenient mechanism to convert between skating and walking mode. 
         [0015]    The object of the invention is the provision of a transportation device that allows skating on flat surface and walking on none flat surface. 
         [0016]    Another object of this invention is to achieve a balanced position when riding, walking, and standing. 
         [0017]    Another object of this invention is to provide rider reliable and convenient control of the movement. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The present invention is a stepping cycle comprising a riding wheel, a U-shaped frame, and a stepping assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the riding wheel is mounted between the two ends of the U-shaped frame. A leg attachment is mounted on the U-frame. The stepping assembly is mounted on the axle of the riding wheel and can rotate around the axle to change its angle in related to the U-shaped frame. The stepping assembly contains one or two supporting legs and a foot pedal. One end of the supporting legs is mounted on the axle of the wheel. There are stepping shoes to provide supporting points for braking and propelling. Foot pedals are mounted on the supporting legs to support rider&#39;s feet. On the foot pedal there are foot restraints to attach the device to a foot. In alternative embodiments, a shoe is permanently mounted on the foot pedal. In another alternative embodiment, a supporting wheel is mounted beneath the foot pedal to provide extra stability for riding, walking, and standing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention attached to the right foot and to the left foot in a riding mode. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention, with and without the right foot, viewed from the stepping side. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention, with and without attached to the left foot, viewed from the non-stepping side; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the embodiment of the present invention attached to the right foot and to the left foot in a riding position; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of the embodiment of the present invention in a braking position for the left foot and in a propelling position for the right foot. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention in a walking mode attached to the right foot and to the left foot. The angle between the two supporting legs is reduced to lift the wheel from ground. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  shows the stepping assembly in the riding mode when the two supporting legs form a wide angle and in the walking mode when the two supporting legs reduce their angle. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention with one supporting leg in its stepping assembly. The foot pedal is mounted on the supporting leg and can rotate around the mounting axle. The foot pedal has two shoes at its two ends. In a riding mode, the two shoes take a flat position as shown. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention with one supporting leg in its stepping assembly. The foot pedal is mounted on the supporting leg and can rotate around the mounting axle. The foot pedal has two shoes at its two ends. In a walking mode, the two shoes take a vertical position to lift the wheel from ground as shown. 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention with two supporting legs and a stepping wheel beneath the foot pedal. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention with one supporting leg and a stepping wheel beneath the foot pedal. 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  is a rear view of the embodiment of the present invention with a stepping wheel beneath the foot pedal at its upright position. 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  is a rear view of the embodiment of the present invention with a stepping wheel beneath the foot pedal at its tilt position. 
           [0032]      FIG. 14  is a rear view of the embodiment of the present invention that uses rim brake fingers for braking and propelling. The rim brake fingers are mounted on the foot pedal as shown. 
           [0033]      FIG. 15  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention that uses a chain connecting the two ends of the foot pedal to drive the riding wheel through a sprocket at the axle of the riding wheel. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]    In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known methods and devices are omitted so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail. 
         [0035]    Referring now to the invention in more detail, in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 15 , there is shown a device, called stepping cycle, which is used as a vehicle for a rider for the purpose of transportation or entertainment. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  shows the invention attached to each foot of a skater in a riding mode. On a hard surface  10 , such as road, street, play ground, or stage, a rider wears one device on the left leg  12  and one device on the right leg  14 . The left foot  16  and right foot  18  are restrained to each device. In  FIG. 1 , the right leg is in a propelling position and the left leg is in a gliding position. After the right foot propelling, the rider glides on the left device and, during the meantimne, lifts the right device and carries it forward and steps on ground for next gliding motion. Then, the left foot does the propelling and so on. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the stepping side on which the stepping assembly mounts. The embodiment has a riding wheel, which contains tire  20 , rim  22 , rods  24 , and axle  26 . The riding wheel&#39;s axle  26  is mounted between the two ends of a U-shaped frame  30 . On the wheel axle  26  a stepping assembly is mounted, which contains two supporting legs  32  and  36 , and a foot pedal  40 . The supporting leg  32  has a stepping shoe  34  and the supporting leg  36  has a stepping shoe  38 . The U-shaped frame  30  is attached to rider&#39;s leg with a leg coupling  42 . On the foot pedal  40 , there are foot restraints  44  and  46 , which hold skater&#39;s foot  18  on the foot pedal  40 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the non-stepping side and attached to the left foot  16 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the embodiment attached to the right foot  18  and the left foot  16  in a riding mode. The wheels tilt outward to balance the rider&#39;s center of mass. the leg coupling  42  keeps a distance between the U-shaped frame  30  and the leg to force the riding wheel tilt outward. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  shows the rear views of the embodiment for the left foot in a braking position and the embodiment for the right foot in a propelling position. The stepping assembly tilts forward when the rider shifts the center of mass to the heel, which causes the back stepping shoe  38  to press against ground surface and brake the forward motion. The stepping assembly tilts backward when the rider shifts the center of mass to the toe, which causes the front stepping shoe  34  to press against ground surface and propel the rider move forward. The rider can stand in either the propelling position or the braking position. The front stepping shoe  34  is mounted on the front supporting leg  32  with a bolt  54  and the back stepping shoe  38  is mounted on the back supporting leg  36  with a bolt  52 . The foot pedal  40  is mounted on the front supporting leg  32  with a bolt  58  and on the back supporting leg  36  with a bolt  56 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the embodiment in a walking mode where the two supporting legs  32  and  36  reduce their angle to lift the riding wheel from ground. 
         [0042]      FIG. 7  shows a foot pedal design that allows convenient converting of the stepping assembly from a riding mode to a walking mode. On the foot pedal  40 , there are adjustable mounting slots  72  and  74  for the mounting bolts  56  and  58 . The angle between the supporting legs  32  and  36  can be changed by tapping the front leg  32  forward and/or tapping the back leg  36  backward to allow them take specific positions. A tension spring  48  can be used to produce an angular tension between the supporting legs. 
         [0043]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an alternative embodiment with one center supporting leg  60 . The foot pedal  40  is mounted on the center leg  60 . The foot pedal  40  can be mounted on the center leg  60  at different heights to allow different stepping angular ranges. The front toe  62  and the back toe  66  are mounted on the foot pedal  40  with an adjustable angle for conversion between riding ( FIG. 8 ) and walking ( FIG. 9 ) modes. In the riding mode shown in  FIG. 8 , the stepping toes take a flat position. Rider can propel by pressing down the front of the foot pedal and can brake by pressing down the rear of the foot pedal. 
         [0044]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of an alternative embodiment with one center leg  60  in the walking mode where the stepping toes  62  and  66  take a vertical position to lift the wheel from ground. 
         [0045]      FIG. 10  is a side view of an alternative embodiment with a stepping wheel  70  mounted beneath the foot pedal  40  in the stepping assembly with two supporting legs. 
         [0046]      FIG. 11  is a side view of an alternative embodiment with one center leg  60  and a stepping wheel  70  beneath the foot pedal  40 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 12  shows the invention with a stepping wheel  70  in a walking mode or straight riding mode. When walking or riding in a straight-up position, the stepping wheel supports the skater and both the stepping wheel and the riding wheel roll on the ground surface  10 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 13  shows the invention with a stepping wheel  70  in a tilted riding position. When riding fast, a rider can tilt to outer side and the stepping wheel is lifted from the ground surface  10  to allow the center of mass falls on the riding wheel. 
         [0049]      FIG. 14  shows an alternative embodiment that uses rim brake fingers  82  and  84  to brake the riding wheel. The rim brake fingers are mounted to the side of the foot pedal toward the riding wheel. 
         [0050]    When the foot pedal is pressed forward or backward, the rim brake finger will press against the rim of the riding wheel to brake its movement. 
         [0051]      FIG. 15  show an alternative embodiment that the movement of the riding wheel is powered by swing motion of the foot pedal  40  through a chain  92  connected to the foot pedal  40  and going through a sprocket  94  at the axle of the riding wheel. 
         [0052]    In further detail, still referring to the invention of  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 15 , the size of the riding wheel can vary for comfort and vary purposes, such as a diameter between 5 and 30 inches. The stepping arms should be long enough to make the stepping shoes reach out of the wheel. 
         [0053]    The construction details of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 15  are that the U-shaped frame  30  may be made of aluminum alloy or any other sufficient rigid and strong material such as high-strength plastic, metal, and the like. The stepping assembly can be made of strong materials such as aluminum alloy or high-strength plastic, metal, and the like. 
         [0054]    The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, that it can be used in any road conditions for both walking and riding, including climbing. It allows a rider to stand comfortably and provides a natural walking way to propel forward and a natural way to brake. Its large riding wheel allows fast gliding when road condition is good. The U-shaped frame provides stable support for the riding wheel and allows firm control of the tilt angle of the riding wheel. The stepping assembly provides support for propelling force and braking force. It provides convenient way to adjust heights and angle ranges. It allows a rider&#39;s center of mass to align easily with the riding wheel to achieve a balanced riding and walking. 
         [0055]    In broad embodiment, the present invention is a stepping cycle with a riding wheel for each foot. 
         [0056]    While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.