Abstract:
A surfboard vehicle and a skateboard vehicle are each powered by a motor unit that is located in the rear of the vehicle and is located so the vehicle is balanced sufficiently to be used in competition and/or at high speeds.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to the general art of powered vehicles, and to the particular field of surfboards and skateboards. 
   2. Discussion of the Related Art 
   Surfboarding and skateboarding require common skills of balance and agility. The surfboard is powered by movement of water supporting the surfboard and the skateboard is powered by the rider. In both cases, the rider cannot fully concentrate on balance and agility because he or she has to direct a significant amount of concentration on the powering of the vehicle. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a surfboard/skateboard vehicle that does not require a rider to divert a significant amount of attention to powering the vehicle. 
   While the art does contain several examples of powered surfboards, the power units associated with these surfboards are not positioned to enhance the balance of the vehicle. Such powered vehicles are not amenable to racing or competition because they are not properly balanced. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a surfboard/skateboard vehicle that is balanced so it can be used in competition and/or at high speeds. 
   PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a main object of the present invention to provide a surfboard/skateboard vehicle that does not require a rider to divert a significant amount of attention to powering the vehicle. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a surfboard/skateboard vehicle that is balanced so it can be used in competition and/or at high speeds. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   These, and other, objects are achieved by a vehicle that is powered by a motor that is located on a body member of the vehicle in a position that balances the vehicle. The vehicle can be either a surfboard or a skateboard. The body member of the vehicle is also shaped so the motor unit of the vehicle adds to the balance and control of the vehicle when the vehicle is operated at high speeds or under competition conditions. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a powered surfboard embodying the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a powered skateboard embodying the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it can be seen that the present invention is embodied in a water vehicle  10 , such as a surfboard, shown in  FIG. 1  or a land vehicle  10 ′, such as a skateboard, shown in FIG.  2 . Both of the vehicles,  10  and  10 ′, have certain components which are identical to each other. Therefore, the initial description will be presented for these common components and reference can be made to either  FIG. 1  or FIG.  2 . The components that are different for the water vehicle  10  from the components associated with the land vehicle  10 ′ will then be discussed. Therefore, it will be understood that, while the following discussion initially focuses on  FIG. 1 , the common components will be found in  FIG. 2  as well. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , vehicle  10 , like vehicle  10 ′, comprises a body member  12  which has a front end  14 , a rear end  16 ′ and a longitudinal centerline  18  which extends between the front end  14  and the rear end  16  of the body member  12 . The body member  12  also includes a first side  22 , a second side  24 , and a transverse centerline  26  which extends between the first side  22  and the second side  24 . 
   A first surface  30  forms a top surface  30  when the body member  12  is in use and a second surface  32  forms a bottom surface  32  when the body member  12  is in use. 
   The body member  12  is oblong in shape and the longitudinal centerline  18  is longer than the transverse centerline  26  whereby the longitudinal centerline  18  forms the major axis and the transverse centerline  26  forms the minor axis of the oblong shaped body member  12 . The body member  12  can be formed of any material that is suitable for such vehicles, including plastics-type materials, composite-type materials or the like. Since the vehicle  10 ,  10 ′ may be used at high speeds, the materials are selected accordingly. 
   A longitudinal center portion  40  is located on the longitudinal centerline  18  midway between the front end  14  of the body member  12  and the rear end  16  of the body member  12 , and a transverse center portion  42  is located on the transverse centerline  26  midway between the first side  22  of the body member  12  and the second side  24  of the body member  12 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the longitudinal center portion  40  is coincident with the transverse center portion  42 . 
   The body member  12  is curved between the front end  14  and the rear end  16  to be concave when viewed from the top surface  30  and to have a radius of curvature R (see FIG.  2 ). 
   A motor unit  50  has a housing  52  mounted on the top surface  30  of the body member  12  immediately adjacent to the rear end  16  of the body member  12 . A motor  54  is located in the housing  52  of the motor unit  50 . The motor  54  can be any form suitable to the land vehicle  10 ′ or the water vehicle  10 . The motor  54  can be an internal combustion engine, or, in the form shown in  FIG. 1 , an electric motor. The location of the motor unit  50  on the rear end  16  of the body member  12  co-operates with the curvature of the body member  12  to provide proper weighting to the body member as the body member  12  changes its position, especially a surfboard in the water, when the body member  12  is operated at high speeds. The location of the motor unit  50  provides stability to the body member  12  to permit the rider to have great control of the body member  12  when the body member  12  is executing complicated maneuvers, especially at high speeds, as will occur during competitions. 
   An on/off switch  56  is located on the housing  52  of the motor unit  50 , and a key lock  58  is connected to the on/off switch  56  to disable the on/off switch  56  when the key lock  58  is in an “off” position. A “motor on” indicator light  59  is located on the housing  52  of the motor unit  50 . 
   A power source  60 , such as a battery pack, is located in the housing  52  of the motor unit  50  and is connected to the motor  54  via the on/off switch  56  when the on/off switch  56  is in an “on” condition. 
   A hand-held control unit  70  is associated with the motor unit  50  and has an electrical connection  72  to the motor  54  and a plurality of control buttons, such as on/off button  73  thereon. Other control buttons can control the speed of the motor  54 , the direction of the vehicle  10 ,  10 , and the like. 
   A motor barrier  76  is positioned on the top surface  30  of the body member  12  between the housing  52  and the motor unit  50  and the transverse center portion  42  of the body member  12 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the land vehicle version  10 ′ of the vehicle embodying the present invention includes a chassis unit  80  located on the bottom surface  32  of the body member  12 . The chassis unit  80  has a wheel mount frame  82  which includes two rails  84  and  86  which are mounted on the bottom surface  32  of the body member  12 . The two rails  84 ,  86  are identical and are co-extensive. Thus, while only one rail is visible in  FIG. 2 , it will be understood that the other rail is identical to the rail visible in FIG.  2 . Each rail of the two rails  84 ,  86  has a forward end  87  located near the front end  14  of the body member  12  and a rear end  88  located near the rear end  16  of the body member  12 . The rails  84 ,  86  extend in the direction of the longitudinal centerline  18 , and the longitudinal centerline  18  of the body member  12  is located midway between the two rails  84 ,  86 . 
   A front axle  90  extends between the two rails  84 ,  86  in the direction of the transverse centerline  26  of the body member  12 . The front axle  90  is located near the forward end  87  of each rail of the two rails  84 ,  86 . 
   A rear axle  92  extends between the two rails  84 ,  86  in the direction of the transverse centerline  26  of the body member  12 . The rear axle  92  is located near the rear end  88  of each rail of the two rails  84 ,  86 . 
   Two front wheels, such as front wheel  94 , are mounted on the front axle  90 , and two rear wheels, such as rear wheel  96 , are mounted on the rear axle  92 . 
   A power connection  98 , such as a universal joint or like element familiar to those skilled in the art of vehicles, is located between the motor  54  and the rear wheels  96  to drive the rear wheels  96  when the motor  54  is activated. 
   Vehicle  10 ′ is used in the manner of a skateboard. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  it can be seen that the present invention is also embodied in water vehicle  10 . Water vehicle  10  has elements which are identical to the elements just described. 
   Vehicle  10  includes a propeller unit  100  located on the bottom surface  32  of the body member  12 . Propeller unit  100  includes a housing  102  on the bottom surface  32  of the body member  12  immediately adjacent to the rear end  16  of the body member  12 . The location of the housing for the propeller unit  110 , like the location of the housing  52  for the chassis of the land vehicle  10 ′, co-operates with the location and weight of the motor housing of the vehicle to is add balance to the vehicle, especially during high speed and/or complicated maneuvers. 
   Two propellers  106  and  108  are located on the housing  102  of the propeller unit  100 . Each propeller  106 ,  108  is located outside of the housing  102  of the propeller unit  100  and each propeller  106 ,  108  includes a drive shaft, such as drive shaft  110 , which extends through the housing  102  of the propeller unit  100 . The longitudinal centerline  18  of the body member  12  is positioned between the two propellers  106 ,  108  of the propeller unit  100 . 
   A power connection  112  is located in the housing  102  of the propeller unit  100  and connects the shaft  110  of each propeller  106 ,  108  to the motor of the motor unit to rotate the shafts of the propellers-when the motor is activated. The power connection  112  is familiar to those skilled in the art. Since the particular form of power connection  112  does riot form part of the invention and any suitable power connection can be used in either vehicle  10  or vehicle  10 ′, the details of such power connections will not be presented. 
   Both vehicles can include safety straps and the like if desired. 
   It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.