Abstract:
A skateboard with sail assembly, comprising a skateboard having first and second ends and a through hole. The through hole is positioned in between the first and second ends. A removable post assembly projects from the through hole. A pedal clamp assembly is mounted onto the removable post assembly. A handle bar assembly is also mounted onto the removable post assembly. The skateboard with sail assembly may be utilized with its sail in a deployed configuration or a retracted configuration. In addition, the post assembly may be completely removed so that the skateboard may be utilized on its own.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to skateboards, and more particularly, to skateboards having a deployable sail. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Skateboards are moveable devices that basically comprise a board having free rotating wheels that are mounted onto axles that are positioned beneath the board. Generally, movements and forces produced by a skateboarder and surface characteristics propel the skateboard. In the past, there have been several designs related to skateboards, none however suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The instant invention is a skateboard with sail assembly, comprising a skateboard having first and second ends and a through hole. The through hole is positioned in between the first and second ends. A removable post assembly projects from the through hole. A pedal clamp assembly is mounted onto the removable post assembly. The instant invention also comprises a handle bar assembly that is also mounted onto the removable post assembly, and a sail assembly. 
         [0006]    The removable post assembly comprises third and fourth ends. The third end defines a partial sphere. The removable post assembly comprises an interior post, an exterior post, and a locking nut defining telescopic means to adjust height of the removable post assembly. The exterior post has exterior threading for the locking nut to tighten onto. The removable post assembly further comprises a semi-spherical housing to receive the partial sphere, and a locking mount that locks upon the semi-spherical housing to secure the partial sphere. The semi-spherical housing is self-lubricating. The partial sphere freely moves and swivels within the semi-spherical housing when in an unlocked configuration. The partial sphere and the locking mount each comprise a hole that receive a securing pin when aligned to place the partial sphere in a locked configuration to prevent it from freely moving and swiveling within the semi-spherical housing. 
         [0007]    The removable post assembly further comprises first and second through holes to receive a hinge pin and fixed pin respectively to mount the pedal clamp assembly. The pedal clamp assembly comprises a pedal and at least one C-clamp. The handle bar assembly comprises a sail housing that houses the sail assembly. The sail assembly comprises a sail having at least one through hole that engages with the at least one C-clamp when the sail is deployed. 
         [0008]    The handle bar assembly further comprises a locking assembly. The locking assembly comprises an elongated shaft having an elongated internally mounted spring therein that is fixed at one end. The spring and the elongated shaft are housed within the sail housing. The spring has a spring force to bias the sail to wrap around the elongated shaft and within the sail housing. The locking assembly further comprises a locking tab and spool that engage the elongated shaft. The sail has a proximal edge that extends from the elongated shaft. The sail has a distal edge having an elongated reinforcement. The sail housing comprises an elongated aperture to allow the sail to deploy therefrom. 
         [0009]    It is therefore one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a skateboard with sail assembly that may be propelled by wind force. 
         [0010]    It is another object of this invention to provide a skateboard with sail assembly that allows a user to direct and control its movements and direction. 
         [0011]    It is another object of this invention to provide a skateboard with sail assembly that can be used with its sail deployed or stored within a sail housing. 
         [0012]    It is another object of this invention to provide a skateboard with sail assembly that is volumetrically efficient for carrying, transporting, and storage. 
         [0013]    It is another object of this invention to provide a skateboard with sail assembly that can be readily assembled and disassembled without the need of any special tools. 
         [0014]    It is another object of this invention to provide a skateboard with sail assembly that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
         [0015]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide such an apparatus that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness. 
         [0016]    Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the present invention in use with its sail in a deployed configuration. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of a wheel and track assembly. The skateboard has been cross-sectioned to show how the partial sphere, semi-spherical housing, and locking mount secure onto the skateboard. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the post and handle bar assemblies. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded view, showing components of the handle bar and locking assemblies. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3B  is a cross-section view of the handle bar assembly, showing components of the locking assembly. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3C  is a partial cut view of the handle bar assembly, showing components of the locking assembly. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the present invention in use with its sail in a retracted configuration. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the present invention with the post assembly having been removed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0026]    Referring now to the drawings, the present invention is generally referred to with numeral  10 . It can be observed that it basically includes skateboard  20 , removable post assembly  80 , pedal clamp assembly  130 , handle bar assembly  150 , locking assembly  180 , and sail assembly  200 . 
         [0027]    As seen in  FIG. 1 , skateboard  20  has a substantially oblong shape and comprises top face  22 , deck  24 , lateral edges  26  and  28 , front end  30 , and rear end  32  having a shaped brake or braking device. Grip tape  34 , fixed on top face  22 , prevents a user from slipping. In a preferred embodiment, through hole  36  is equidistant from lateral edges  26  and  28  and at a first predetermined distance from front end  30 . 
         [0028]    As seen in  FIG. 2 , each track assembly  50  may comprise hanger  52 , hanger arms  54 , joint  56 , axles  58  and shock absorbers  60 . Axles  58 , mounted to hanger  52 , support wheel assemblies  70 . In one embodiment, a first joint  56  may be fixed to deck  24  at a second predetermined distance from front end  30  without reaching rear end  32 , and a second joint  56 , not seen, may be fixed to deck  24  at a third predetermined distance from first joint  56  without reaching rear end  32 . 
         [0029]    As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , removable post assembly  80  projects from through hole  36 , comprising interior post  86  having partial sphere  82 , and exterior post  92 . Interior post  86  comprises holes  88 , which in a preferred embodiment, are disposed at a parallel and spaced apart relationship from each other. Partial sphere  82  has hole  84 . Exterior post  92  has exterior threading  94 . Locking nut  90  has internal threading and cooperatively mounts and tightens onto exterior threading  94 , thus locking the position of telescopically adjusted interior post  86  and exterior post  92 . Thus, interior post  86 , exterior post  92 , and locking nut  90  define telescopic means to adjust height of removable post assembly  80 . Exterior post  92  also has mounting plate  96 , which mounts onto handle bar assembly  150 . In the preferred embodiment, mounting plate  96  is welded onto handle bar assembly  150 . 
         [0030]    As best seen in  FIG. 2 , semi spherical housing  98  is mounted within through hole  36  with upper and lower securing plates  102  and  104  respectively. Screws  106  pass through upper securing plate  102 , skateboard  20 , and lower securing plate  104 . Each nut  108  is mounted onto its respective screw  106 , thus securing semi spherical housing  98  to skateboard  20 . Semi-spherical housing is self-lubricating, meaning that it may contain a self-lubricating internal lining or coating such as one made of “TEFLON” as an example. Semi spherical housing  98  also comprises coupling section  100 . Semi spherical housing  98  is of a substantially semispherical shape, with cooperative dimensions to receive partial sphere  82  therein. 
         [0031]    Locking mount  110  has upper aperture  112 . In a preferred embodiment, upper aperture  112  is of a diameter larger than an outside diameter of interior post  86 , but is of a smaller diameter than that of partial sphere  82 . Locking mount  110  comprises coupling section  114  having a cooperative shape and dimension to mount and lock onto coupling section  100 . Therefore, locking mount  110  locks upon semi-spherical housing  98  to secure said partial sphere  82 . Locking mount  110  comprises hole  116 . Hole  116  may align with hole  84  of partial sphere  82 . Securing pin  118  passes through holes  116  and  84 , thus preventing any movement of partial sphere  82  within semi spherical housing  98  and locking mount  110  when desired. More specifically, partial sphere  82  freely moves and swivels within semi-spherical housing  98  when in an unlocked configuration. However, partial sphere  82  and locking mount  110  comprise holes  84  and  116  respectively that receive securing pin  118  when aligned to place partial sphere  82  in a locked configuration to prevent it from freely moving and swiveling within semi spherical housing  98  and locking mount  110 . 
         [0032]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , handle bar assembly  150  is mounted onto mounting plate  96 . Handle bar assembly  150  comprises handle bar  162 , and sail housing  152  that houses sail assembly  200 . Sail housing  152  has ends  154  and  156 , and elongated aperture  158  longitudinally extending at a front side of sail housing  152  without reaching ends  154  and  156 . Elongated aperture  158  allows sail  202  to deploy therefrom, as seen in  FIG. 1 . Channel  160  extends from end  154  at an upper side of sail housing  152 . In a preferred embodiment, handle bar  162  is positioned at a rear side of sail housing  152 . 
         [0033]    As seen in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C, handle bar assembly  150  comprises locking assembly  180  that is mounted within sail housing  152  having end caps  164 . Locking assembly  180  comprises elongated shaft  186  having elongated internally-mounted spring  188  therein that is fixed at one end, the end opposite spool  184 . Spring  188  and elongated shaft  186  are housed within sail housing  152 . Spring  188 , as a torsian spring, has a spring force to bias sail  202  to wrap around elongated shaft  186  and within sail housing  152 . Locking assembly  180  further comprises locking tab  182  and spool  184  that engage elongated shaft  186 . Specifically, elongated shaft  186  is locked when locking tab  186  is positioned over spool  184 . To unlock elongated shaft  186 , locking tab  182  is simply pushed away from spool  184  within channel  160 . 
         [0034]    Sail assembly  200  comprises sail  202  having a substantially rectangular shape, but slightly narrowing in size as it reaches distal edge  206 , whereby sail  202  has proximal edge  204  and distal edge  206 . Proximal edge  204  is fixed to elongated shaft  186 . Distal edge  206  has elongated reinforcement  208  extending therethrough. Sail  202  also comprises through holes  210  that are shaped to receive C-clamps  134  when opened. To deploy sail  202 , locking tab  182  is pushed away from spool  184  within channel  160 . The user then pulls sail  202 , preferably by elongated reinforcement  208 , thereby overcoming the spring force of spring  188 . It is noted that when desired the user may choose to deploy sufficient sail  202  material from sail housing  152  to receive wind forces, as seen in  FIG. 1 . The user then locks elongated shaft  186  by positioning locking tab  186  is positioned over spool  184 . Pedal clamp assembly  130  is then pressed so that C-clamps  134  secure sail  202  through holes  210 . Desirably, as seen in  FIG. 1 , the user positions instant invention  10  so that sail  202  catches the wind forces, causing the user, riding upon instant invention  10 , to be propelled forward or generally in the direction of the wind forces. 
         [0035]    As best seen in  FIG. 4 , pedal clamp assembly  130  is mounted onto removable post assembly  80 . Removable post assembly  80  comprises through holes  88  to receive hinge pin  136  and fixed pin  138  respectively to mount pedal clamp assembly  130 . Specifically, pedal clamp assembly  130  is secured onto interior post  86  with hinge pin  136  and fixed pin  138 . Hinge pin  136  also serves as a hinge for pedal  132 . The user may place a force upon pedal  132  to open C-clamps  134 , thus releasing sail  202  to use present invention  10  with sail  202  in a retracted configuration as seen in this illustration. Although not illustrated, it is noted that pedal clamp assembly  130  comprises an internal torsion spring to cause C-clamps  134  to remain in a closed position. 
         [0036]    As seen in  FIG. 5 , the user may use present invention  10  without sail assembly  200  and removable post assembly  80 . For this purpose, locking mount  110  is rotated to unlock coupling section  114  from coupling section  100 , thus releasing removable post assembly  80 . Then, the user may cover semi spherical housing  98  with cap  120 . 
         [0037]    The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.