Abstract:
A skateboard provides a snowboard like ride. A truck support structure is attached to the top of the deck and the trucks are mounted to the support structure spaced away from the deck to provide clearance for turning. The truck support structure is adjustable to allow individual riders to adjust the skateboard to their preference. In one embodiment, the trucks are mounted above a longboard deck.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to skateboards and in particular to a longboard skateboard providing a snowboard like ride. 
     Skateboards are commonly used in recreational activities such as cruising, down hill events, and the like. Known longboard skateboards are very similar to shortboards, the main difference being the length of the deck. While the longboard skateboards provide an enjoyable alternative to shortboards, known designs do not take full advantage of the longer deck length. Many skateboard riders enjoy snowboarding during the winter, but unfortunately, known longboard skateboards provide a riding experience unlike riding a snowboard. Therefore, a need exists for a longboard skateboard design taking full advantage of the deck length to provide a snowboard like ride. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a skateboard which provides a snowboard like ride. A truck support structure is attached to the top of the deck and the trucks are mounted to the support structure spaced away from the deck to provide clearance for turning. The truck support structure is adjustable to allow individual riders to adjust the skateboard to their preference. In one embodiment, the trucks are mounted above a longboard deck. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a longboard skateboard. The longboard skateboard includes a longboard deck having a top surface and narrow front and rear portions, truck assemblies attached to the longboard deck, the truck assemblies comprising, and reliefs on the top surface of the deck aligned with the truck axles, the reliefs reaching to outside edges. The truck assemblies include truck plate portions spaced apart from top surface of the deck and trucks residing between the truck plate portions and the top surface of the deck, the truck assemblies adjustable to vary the clearance of the trucks with respect to the top surface of the deck. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a prior art skateboard. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the prior art skateboard. 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view of a skateboard according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of the skateboard according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3C  is a side view of the skateboard according to the present invention with wheels removed. 
         FIG. 3D  is a front view of the skateboard according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4A  is a front view of a truck according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4B  is a rearview of the truck according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4C  is a bottom view of the truck according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4D  is a side view of the truck according to the present invention 
         FIG. 5A  is a top view of a longboard deck according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5B  is a side view of the longboard deck according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the longboard deck according to the present invention taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 7A  is a side view of a first truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7B  is a side view of a second truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of a truck plate of the first and second truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9A  is a side view of a third truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9B  is a rear view of a third truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a first fastener assembly of the first truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a long bolt of the fastener assembly of the first truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a hardware set of the fastener assembly of the first truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a second fastener assembly of the second truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a long bolt of the fastener assembly of the second truck assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a hardware set of the fastener assembly of the second truck assembly according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
     A top perspective view of a prior art skateboard  10  is shown in  FIG. 1  and a bottom perspective view of the prior art skateboard  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The skateboard  10  includes a deck  12 , trucks  16  mounted to the forward and rear ends of the deck, and wheels  14  mounted to the trucks  16 . 
     A top view of a skateboard  10   a  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 3A , a side view of the skateboard  10   a  is shown in  FIG. 3B , a forward (or front) view of the skateboard  10   a  is shown in  FIG. 3C , and a rear view of the skateboard  10   a  is shown in  FIG. 3D . The skateboard  10   a  includes a passage  13  (see  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) having a forward opening  13   a  at a forward end  12   a  of the deck  12  and a rear opening  13   b  at a rear end  12   b  of the deck  12 . 
     A front view of a truck  16  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 4A , a rearview of the truck  16  is shown in  FIG. 4B , a bottom view of the truck  16  is shown in  FIG. 4C , and is a side view of the truck  16  is shown in  FIG. 4D . The truck  16  includes a base plate  18  which attaches to the deck  12  of known skateboards  10 , a hanger  22  pivotally engaging the base plate  18  at a pivot end  22   a , axles  24  reaching laterally from the hanger  22  for mounting the wheels  14 , and a kingpin  26  holding the hanger  22  in place. Two bushings  20  reside on the kingpin  26  and sandwich a ring portion  22   b  of the hanger  22 . The kingpin  26  may be tightened or loosened (or harder or softer bushings may be selected) to adjust the turning responsiveness of the skateboard. 
     A top view of a deck  12  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 5A , a side view of the deck  12  is shown in  FIG. 5B , and a cross-sectional view of the deck  12  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5A  is shown in  FIG. 6 . In one embodiment the deck  12  is a longboard deck having a length L 1  of preferably approximately 40 inches and a width W 1  of preferably approximately 10 inches. The length and width are only examples and the length and width of a longboard deck may vary according to the preferences of the designer and rider, and a shorter or longer, or wider or narrower longboard deck having truck assemblies according to the present invention is intended to come within the scope of the present invention. In another embodiment the deck is a shortboard deck have correspondingly smaller length and width. 
     The longboard deck  12  has narrowed front and rear portions  12   a  and  12   b . The front and rear portions  12   a  and  12   b  have a width W 2  slightly narrower than the separation of the wheels  14  and extend behind the front wheels and ahead of the rear wheels to allow clearance for turning. 
     The top surface  12 ′ includes reliefs  13  in the front and rear portions  12   a  and  12   b  to provide clearance for the hanger  22  when the longboard skateboard  10   a  is turning. The reliefs  13  have a length L 2  of preferably at least two inches and more preferably at least 2.5 inches and a width W 3  of at least 1.5 inches. The reliefs have a depth D of preferably approximately ⅜ inches at the outside edge of the longboard deck  12  and taper shallower inward and reach inward between 1.5 inches and to the center of the longboard deck  12 . 
     A side view of a first truck assembly  17   a  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 7A . The first truck assembly  17   a  comprises the truck  16 , a truck plate  31 , and truck plate supports. The truck plate supports comprise four first fastener assemblies  32   a  at the corners of the truck plate  31  attaching the truck plate  31  to the deck  12 . The first fastener assemblies  32   a  are described in detail in  FIGS. 1-12 . The truck  16  is attached to the truck plate  31  by four fasteners  30 , generally comprising a machine screw and nut. 
     The truck  16  resides between the deck  12  and the truck plate  31 . The truck  16  is designed to couple a rotation of the truck  16  about a longitudinal axis into a rotation of the axle  24  about a vertical axis. A rider turns the longboard skateboard  10   a  by leaning the deck  12  to the right or left to turn right or left. Because the rider leans the deck  12  to turn, sufficient height H 2  between the truck  16  and the deck  12  must be provided. Additionally, a heavier rider may require greater ground clearance height H 1 . If the height H 1  is increased, the height H 2  is reduced. Generally, each rider will adjust the heights H 1  and H 2  to their preference. The fastener assemblies  32   a  allows such height adjustment as described in  FIGS. 10-12 . 
     A side view of a second truck assembly  17   b  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 7B . The second truck assembly  17   b  allows adjustment of the heights H 1  and H 2  using the second fastener assemblies  32   b  as described in  FIGS. 13-15 . 
     A top view of a truck plate  31  of the first and second truck assemblies according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 8 . The truck plate  31  preferably has a length L 4  of approximately five inches and preferably has a width W 4  of approximately 2.5 inches. A set of holes for attachment to the fastener assemblies  32   a  and  32   b  are preferably spaced apart by a length L 5  of approximately 4.5 inches and are preferably spaced apart by a width W 5  of approximately 1.625 inches. A second set of holes for attaching the truck  16  match the holes present in the truck and are preferably spaced apart by a length L 6  of approximately 2.5 inches and are preferably spaced apart by a width W 6  of approximately 1.625 inches and preferably match the spacing of holes present in the base plate  18 . 
     A side view of a third truck assembly  17   c  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 9A  a rear view of a third truck assembly  17   c  is shown in  FIG. 9B . The truck assembly  17   c  includes a bent (or otherwise formed) bridge plate  34  which is attached directly to the deck  12  ahead of and behind the truck  16 , and reached up and over the truck  16 . The truck  16  is attached to a truck plate  31  portion of the bridge plate  34  by fasteners  30 , and the bridge plate  34  provides the truck plate support. A spacer  36  resides between the truck plate  31  and the base plate  18 . Spacers  36  having different thickness, or multiple spacers  36 , may be used to adjust the heights H 1  and H 2 . 
     The fastener assembly  32   a  of the first truck assembly is shown assembled in  FIG. 10 , a long bolt  40  of the fastener assembly  32   a  is shown in  FIG. 11 , and a hardware set of the fastener assembly  23   a  is shown in  FIG. 12 . The long bolt  40  is preferably a four inch long ¼ inch bolt, but may be a larger size bolt for added strength. Spacers  46  are sandwiched between lock nuts (for example nylon lock nuts)  42  and the deck  12 . The truck plate  31  and truck base plate  18  and is sandwiched between a lock nut  42  on top of the truck plate  31 , and a pair of nuts  44 . The lock nut  42  and pair of nuts  44  may be loosened and adjusted to adjusted the heights H 1  and H 2 . 
     A second fastener assembly  32   b  of the second truck assembly  17   b  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 13 , bolt segments  48   a  and  48   b  of the fastener assembly  32   b  are shown in  FIG. 14 , and a hardware set of the second fastener assembly  32   b  is shown in  FIG. 15 . The fastener assembly  32   b  includes a turnbuckle nut  52  having left and right hand threads at opposite ends, and the corresponding bolt segments  48   a  and  48   b  are right and left hand threaded. The nut  54  and T-nut  56  have the same thread as the segment  48   b . A lock nut  42  and nut  44  have the same thread as the segment  48   a . The heights H 1  and H 2  are adjusted by loosening the nut  44  and turning the turnbuckle nut  52 . 
     Washers may be included between any of the nuts  42 ,  44 ,  52 , and  54  and any surfaces they are in contact with. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.