Abstract:
A folding skateboard may include a first board piece, a second board piece and a third board piece. The first board piece and third board piece may be secured to the second board piece with first and second sets of spring hinges. The folding skateboard may convert from an unfolded configuration into a folded three-layered configuration for storage. The trucks of the folding skateboard may be easily secured to and removed from the first and third board pieces.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/317,518, filed Mar. 25, 2010, and of U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 13/053,948, filed Mar. 22, 2011, which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally related to a skateboard that can be folded onto itself for easy storage and transportation when not in use. 
     Generally, skateboards that are between about 36″ to 60″ 15 long are called longboards. Longboards are intended for travel and recreational cruising, and not for rough tricks performed on standard skateboards that are 32″ and under. Due to their size and length, longboards may be difficult to store or secure and many schools may not allow longboards on campus for this reason. 
     As can be seen there is a need for a longboard skateboard that can be folded and/or collapsed to allow for easier storage and transportation when not in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a skateboard comprises a board deck comprising a first board piece, a second board piece, and a third board piece; a first spring hinge connecting the first board piece to the second board piece; and a second spring hinge connecting the second board piece to the third board piece, wherein, when in a folded position, the first board piece, the second board piece and the third board piece, are configured to form a hinged three-layered configuration with the second board piece disposed between the first board piece and the third board piece. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a skateboard comprises a board deck comprising a first board piece, a second board piece, and a third board piece; a first spring hinge connecting the first board piece to the second board piece; a second spring hinge connecting the second board piece to the third board piece, a key slot on the first board piece; and a truck, wherein the truck is mountable to the first board piece via a fastener configured to slide into the key slot and lock the truck onto the first board piece, and, wherein, when in a folded position, the first board piece, the second board piece and the third board piece, are configured to form a hinged three-layered configuration with the second board piece disposed between the first board piece and the third board piece. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of an assembled folding skateboard according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the skateboard of  FIG. 1  being folded; 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed exploded perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a board and truck assembly; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the skateboard of  FIG. 1  illustrating a starting position of outer rails; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of an assembled skateboard illustrating the rails in an assembled and locked position; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the skateboard taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the skateboard taken along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the skateboard of  FIG. 4  illustrating the disassembly of the truck and board; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of the skateboard of  FIG. 4  illustrating the disassembled truck and board; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates one embodiment of a locking system for the skateboard; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates use of the locking system illustrated in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a front bumper for a skateboard; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of the front bumper shown in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates an alternate embodiment of a deck shoe; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an alternate embodiment of a truck shoe; 
         FIG. 16  is a detailed exploded perspective view illustrating another embodiment of a board and truck assembly using the truck and deck shoes of  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective side view of a folding skateboard being folded according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 18  is a bottom view of a skateboard deck of the folding skateboard of  FIG. 17  without wheel assemblies; 
         FIG. 19  is a top exploded view of a wheel assembly of the folding skateboard of  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 19A  is a bottom assembled view of the wheel assembly of  FIG. 19 ; 
         FIG. 19B  is a side assembled view of an exemplary fastener assembly used in the wheel assembly of  FIG. 19 ; 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective side view of the wheel assembly of  FIG. 19  mounted onto the skateboard deck of  FIG. 18 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a bottom view of the folding skateboard of  FIG. 17 ; and 
         FIG. 22  is a side view of an exemplary fastener used to anchor a support in the skateboard shown in  FIG. 21 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
     Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a folding skateboard. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a folding skateboard  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in an assembled state. One embodiment of the folding skateboard may be about ½″ thick, about 9″ wide, and about 45″ long when unfolded and assembled. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the folding skateboard can fold in a hinged Z-shaped manner to form a three-layered configuration, for example, with dimensions of about 1¾″ thick, about 9″ wide and about 15″ long. 
     One embodiment of the folding skateboard  10  may include a front board piece  12 , a middle board piece  14  and a rear board piece  16 . The front board piece  12  and rear board piece  16  may be secured to the middle board piece  14  using hinges  22  that allow the board pieces  12 ,  14 , and  16  to sit flush against each other in an unfolded position. For example, Soss™ brand invisible hinges  22  can be used, as they are tamper-proof and cannot be seen when the longboard is unfolded flat at 9″×45″. When in a folded position, the hinges  22  allow the skateboard  10  to fold into a stacked three-layer configuration. Each of the board pieces  12 ,  14  and  16  may be made from a sturdy material that can be about ½″ thick and suitable for skateboards and/or longboards such as plywood, for example. 
     One embodiment of the folding skateboard  10  may include wheels and bases, called trucks  44 , that can be quickly unlocked and removed without the use of any tools. This may be achieved by using a truck shoe that can slide into a deck shoe and lock in place.  FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a truck shoe assembly  30  that may be premounted onto trucks  44 . This embodiment of the truck shoe assembly  30  may be screwed to the trucks  44  using e.g., ⅛″ aluminum plates, e.g., a 2½″ by 3¼″ truck shoe upper plate  32 , 1″ by 2½″ middle plate  34 , and 1¼″ by 3¼″ lower plate. Any brand of skateboard truck  44  can be bolted to the truck shoe&#39;s four hole upper plate  30 , with counter sink screws  40  and nuts  46 . 
     The truck shoes  30  can be male-type truck shoes that can slide and lock into female-type deck shoes  24 , e.g., a 2½″ by 3¼″ horse-shoe shaped upper plate  26  and two ½″ by 3¼″ deck shoe lower plates  26  and  28 , which can fasten to the board pieces  12  and  16  with, e.g., T-nut type nuts  38  and countersink screws  40 . 
     Other embodiments of the truck shoes and deck shoes may be machined using a solid piece of aluminum that may be about ⅜″ thick.  FIG. 14  illustrates such a deck shoe  60  having a machined relief  62  to forma female-type deck shoe  60 .  FIG. 15  illustrates a solid male-type truck shoe  64 . As illustrated in  FIG. 16 , both the deck shoes  60  and truck shoes  64  may be secured to the board pieces  12  and  16  and trucks  44 , respectively, using counter sink screws  40  and nuts  46  and/or T-nut type nuts  38 . 
     To lock a truck shoe to a deck shoe, some embodiments may use a spring-loaded bullet catch  42  that may be disposed in the deck. For example, the truck shoe  30  can push down on the spring-loaded bullet catch located in front of the deck shoe assembly  24 . After compressing the bullet catch  42  down, the deck shoe assembly  24  can be set flat against the deck and can slide backwards, e.g. 3¼″, into the deck shoe assembly  24 . The spring loaded bullet catch  42  can pop up into place locking the truck shoe  30  securely into the deck shoe assembly  24  once in place. The truck and wheel assembly  44  can be removed from the deck in the opposite  15  fashion as illustrated in  FIG. 7-FIG .  9 . 
     The hinged Z-shaped deck can lock into a secure and rigid state in the following manner. As illustrated in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , inner-rails  18  may be placed along the outside edges of the board pieces  12 ,  14 , and  16  that may measure about ⅝″ wide and ⅜″ thick. The inner-rails  18  may be made from aluminum in some embodiments. A shallow channel, e.g., 1/16″ deep and ⅛″ wide may be formed along these inner-rails  18 , which can be screwed in place. Two pairs of outer-rails  20  can be mounted onto the inner-rails  18  of the middle  14  and rear  16  board pieces. These outer-rails  20  can be made from 112″ steel square tubing with an inside 25 diameter of ⅜″, for example. Along one side of the entire length of the outer-rail  20 , a ¼″ wide slot may be cut to create a C-shaped cross section that can enable the outer-rails  20  to slide smoothly over the inner-rails  18 . 
     With one hand holding the front board piece  12  and the other hand gripping the outer-rail  20  of the rear board piece  16 , the Z-shaped folded deck can be quickly unfolded to a flat 45″ deck. The hand gripping the rear outer-rail  20  can now slide forward which can simultaneously push the outer-rail  20  of the middle board piece  14  towards the front board piece  12  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The outer-rails  20  can travel about 7½″ over the board pieces. The rear board piece&#39;s  16  outer-rail  20  can slide about  5  half-way over the inner-rail  18  of the middle board piece  14 , and the outer-rail of the middle board piece  14  can slide about half-way over the inner-rail  18  of the front board piece  12 . The moment the outer-rails  20  complete their travel, a spring-loaded bullet catch may pop out of the inner-rail  18 , locking the two outer-rails  20  in place and forming a rigid flat longboard. 
     The flat longboard can be folded back to the Z-shaped tri-fold unit by reversing the folding operation. When the outer-rails  20  are in position to allow the board  10  to fold, a set of four bullet catches (not illustrated) may be used to hold the outer-rails  20  in place so they do not fall off when the board is in a folded configuration. For example, small dimples may be formed inside the outer rail that may be drilled deep enough for the heads of spring-loaded bullet catches to be secure, but shallow enough to allow the outer-rails  20  to be pushed forward with a firm grip of the outer-rail  20 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10-FIG .  11 , some embodiments of the folding skateboard  10  may also include a key slot  50  in the rear board piece  16  to enable securing the skateboard to a post  55 , for example. The key slot  50  may be used with a locking key  48  and a padlock  52  and lock cable  54  to lock the board to a post  55 . Moreover, as illustrated in  FIG. 12  some embodiments of the folding skateboard  10  may also include a bumper slot  58  in the front board piece  12  that may accommodate a bumper  56  to protect the nose of the folding skateboard  10 . A cross sectional view of an installed bumper  56  is illustrated in  FIG. 13 . 
     Some embodiments of the folding skateboard  10  of the present invention may be made with a table saw, a drill press, and a router. Aluminum can be easily cut with metal cutting blades, drills, and router bits. 
     The wheel-truck plates can be made with an aluminum cutting router blade, following a wooden jig pattern made to the proper specification. A computer numerical control (CNC) cutting machine can be used to cut the ¼″ grooves in the stainless steel outer-rails. The board can initially be made in one solid 9″×45″ piece, shaped to a familiar skateboard outline, and then cut on table saw into 3 equal 15″ lengths. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 17 , a folding skateboard  100  is shown in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The folding skateboard  100  is similar to the folding skateboard  10  except that instead of using invisible hinges  22 , the folding skateboard  100  may include spring  110  configured as a type of hinged mechanism. The springs  110  may connect the front board piece  12  to the middle board piece  14  and the middle board piece  14  to the rear board piece  16 . The springs  110  may be inserted into dowel holes (not shown) aligned between respective board pieces  12 ,  14 , and  16 . By including springs  110  as a hinge mechanism, the board pieces  12 ,  14 , and  16  may folded into the compact Z-shape when desired for stowing. In addition, the springs  110  may add less weight to the folding skateboard  100  when compared to invisible hinges and may be easier to disassemble if necessary. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 18 ,  19 ,  19 A,  19 B, and  20 , an exemplary embodiment of the folding skateboard  100  may provide readily removable truck and wheel assemblies  44  ( FIG. 19 ). Referring to  FIG. 18 , the front and rear board pieces  12  and  16  may include key slots  130 . The key slots  130  may be configured to receive fasteners, for example Chicago screws (male component  38  and female component  40 ) ( FIGS. 19 ,  19 A,  19 B, and  20 ) that may plug into and slide into the key slots  130  and lock the truck and wheel assemblies  44  onto respective front and rear board pieces  12  and  16 . The key slots  130  may allow the user to quickly slide the truck and wheel assemblies  44  off of the front and rear board pieces  12  and  16  when folding the folding skateboard  100  into the compacted Z-shape. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 17 ,  18 , and  20 , the front and rear board pieces  12  and  16  may include respectively an anchor hole  135 . The anchor holes  135  may be aligned along a lengthwise medial axis of the folding skateboard  100 . The anchor holes  135  may be positioned between the truck and wheel assemblies  44 . 
     Referring concurrently now to  FIGS. 18 ,  21 , and  22 , a support  140  may be mounted into the anchor holes  135  via fasteners  145 . The fastener  145  may be for example, a knurled thumb screw. The support  140  may be for example a braided wire that may easily be coiled up when the folding skateboard  100  is folded and stowed. The support  140  may extend along the bottom side of the folding skateboard  100  between the truck and wheel assemblies  44 . The support  140  provides an axial tension along the length of the deck pulling the front board piece  12  and the rear board piece  16  to the middle board piece  14 . Thus, the support  140  may provide a counter force to the springs  110  ( FIG. 17 ) tightly holding the front, middle and rear board pieces  12 ,  14 , and  16  together. The support  140  may bear opposing weight against the front, middle and rear board pieces  12 ,  14 , and  16  when the folding skateboard is in an extended position. Thus, as a user rides the folding skateboard  100 , the support  140  may prevent the weight of the user from splitting apart the front, middle and rear board pieces  12 ,  14 , and  16  at the spring hinges  110  ( FIG. 17 ). In some embodiments, the fastener  145  may serve as a locking mechanism securely holding the truck and wheel assemblies  44  into place. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 17 , the folding skateboard  100  may also include a bumper  120 . The bumper  120  may be a flexible projection protruding, for example, from a front or rear of the folding skateboard  100 . The bumper  120  may be removable so that it can be stored when the folding skateboard  100  is folded and stowed. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.