Abstract:
An assembly is disclosed for mounting a truck having multiple mounting holes passing therethrough. The assembly includes a pair of removable fasteners and a body having a pair of spaced apart holes. Each of the holes passes through the body, corresponds to a different one of the mounting holes of the truck, and is adapted to receive one of the removable fasteners. A described method for making the assembly includes providing a solid block of a hard substance. A pair of spaced apart holes are formed in the block, wherein each of the holes passes through the block and corresponds to a different one of the mounting holes of the truck. Each of the holes in the block is adapted to receive a removable fastener. A method for attaching a truck to a mating surface via the assembly is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application for a utility patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/471,784, filed May 20, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to skateboards, and more particularly to a mounting assembly for use with swiveling axle frames (i.e., “trucks”) mounted to an underside of a skateboard. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A typical skateboard includes a pair of swiveling axle frames called trucks attached to an underside of a wooden deck. Each truck includes a baseplate and an axle assembly attached to the baseplate via a pair of resilient bushings and a substantially vertical bolt called a king pin. The baseplate is attached to the underside of the deck. Bearings and wheels are attached to opposite ends of the axle assemblies. The axle assembly may be rotated within a limited range of motion about a substantially vertical axis passing through the baseplate, allowing the skateboard to turn. When the axle assembly is rotated, the resilient bushings are compressed, providing stability and maneuverability. 
     In the typical skateboard, multiple sets of nuts and screws are used to attach the baseplate of each of the two trucks to the underside of the deck. In general, a screw is a fastener with a head and threaded shaft. It is noted that a fastener with a head and a threaded, non-tapered shaft is often called a bolt. As used herein the term “screw” refers to a fastener with a head and threaded shaft, wherein the shaft may or may not be tapered. 
     In attaching the baseplate of one of the trucks to the underside of the deck, each of multiple screws is passed through a hole in the deck and a hole in the baseplate, and nuts are threaded onto the threaded shafts of the screws. A wrench or socket is typically used to hold each of the nuts in place while the corresponding screw is tightened using a screwdriver or an Allen wrench. 
     During use of the skateboard, the screws attaching the baseplates of the trucks to the underside of the deck often tend to work loose. In this situation a wrench or socket is typically needed again to hold one or more of the nuts in place while the corresponding screws are tightened. 
     It would be advantageous to have an assembly for mounting a truck to an underside of a deck (e.g., a deck of a skateboard) that does not require a wrench or socket to hold each of multiple nuts in place while corresponding screws are tightened. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An assembly is disclosed for mounting a truck having multiple mounting holes passing therethrough. The assembly includes a pair of removable fasteners and a body having a pair of spaced apart holes. Each of the holes passes through the body, corresponds to a different one of the mounting holes of the truck, and is adapted to receive one of the removable fasteners. A described method for making the assembly includes providing a solid block of a hard substance. A pair of spaced apart holes are formed in the block, wherein each of the holes passes through the block and corresponds to a different one of the mounting holes of the truck. Each of the holes in the block is adapted to receive a removable fastener. A method for attaching a truck to a mating surface via the assembly is also disclosed. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a skateboard including two trucks attached to an underside surface of a deck via four truck mounting assemblies; 
         FIG. 2A  is a side elevation view of the skateboard of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a view of a first portion of  FIG. 2A  including one of the trucks and a corresponding one of the truck mounting assemblies; 
         FIG. 2C  is a view of a second portion of  FIG. 2A  including the other truck and a corresponding one of the truck mounting assemblies; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the truck mounting assembly of  FIG. 2B ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the truck mounting assembly of  FIG. 2B . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a skateboard  10  including two trucks  12 A and  12 B attached to an underside surface  14  of a deck  16  via four truck mounting assemblies  18 A– 18 D. The truck  12 A is mounted near one end of the deck  16 , and the truck  12 B is mounted near an opposite end of the deck  16 . The truck  12 A is attached to the underside surface  14  of the deck  16  via the truck mounting assemblies  18 A and  18 B, and the truck  12 B is attached to the underside surface  14  of the deck  16  via the truck mounting assemblies  18 C and  18 D. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the deck  16  has four spaced apart holes  20  near one end for mounting the truck  12 A, and another four spaced apart holes  22  near the opposite end for mounting the truck  12 B. The holes  20  and  22  extend between an upper surface  24  of the deck  16  and the underside surface  14 . As indicated in  FIG. 1 , the holes  20  and  22  are spaced by a distance “D 1 ” along a width dimension “W” of the skateboard  10 , and by a distance “D 2 ” along a length dimension “BL” of the skateboard  10 . The truck  12 A has four spaced apart mounting holes corresponding to the holes  20 , and the truck  12 B has four spaced apart mounting holes corresponding to the holes  22 . 
     In general, and as described in more detail below, each of the truck mounting assemblies  18 A– 18 D includes two removable fasteners and a body having a pair of holes adapted to receive the fasteners. The two holes in the body correspond to two of the mounting holes in the deck  16  and the trucks  12 A and  12 B. Portions of the removable fasteners pass through the corresponding mounting holes of the deck  16  and the trucks  12 A and  12 B and are received by the holes in the bodies of the truck mounting assemblies  18 A– 18 D. 
       FIG. 2A  is a side elevation view of the skateboard  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2B  is a view of a first portion of  FIG. 2A  including the truck  12 A and the truck mounting assembly  18 A of  FIG. 1 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2B , the truck mounting assembly  18 A includes two flat head machine screws  30 A and  30 B and a body  32 A having a pair of threaded holes for receiving the screws  30 A and  30 B. The threaded holes in the body  32 A correspond to two of the four mounting holes  20  in the deck  16  and in the truck  12 A. 
     Each of the flat head machine screws  30 A and  30 B has a head and a threaded shaft. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the threaded shafts of the screws  30 A and  30 B pass through the corresponding two of the four mounting holes  20  of the deck  16  and the truck  12 A, and are received by the threaded holes in the body  32 A of the truck mounting assembly  18 A. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 2B , the truck mounting assembly  18 B of  FIG. 1  also includes two flat head machine screws and a body having a pair of threaded holes for receiving the screws. The threaded holes in the body correspond to the other two of the four mounting holes  20  in the deck  16  and in the truck  12 A. The threaded shafts of the screws pass through the corresponding two of the four mounting holes  20  of the deck  16  and the truck  12 A, and are received by the threaded holes in the body. 
       FIG. 2C  is a view of a second portion of  FIG. 2A  including the truck  12 B and the truck mounting assembly  18 C of  FIG. 1 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2C , the truck mounting assembly  18 C includes two flat head machine screws  30 C and  30 D and a body  32 B having a pair of threaded holes for receiving the screws  30 C and  30 D. The threaded holes in the body  32 B correspond to two of the four mounting holes  22  in the deck  16  and in the truck  12 B. 
     Each of the flat head machine screws  30 C and  30 D has a head and a threaded shaft. As shown in  FIG. 2C , the threaded shafts of the screws  30 C and  30 D pass through the corresponding two of the four mounting holes  22  of the deck  16  and the truck  12 B, and are received by the threaded holes in the body  32 B of the truck mounting assembly  18 C. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 2C , the truck mounting assembly  18 D of  FIG. 1  also includes two flat head machine screws and a body having a pair of threaded holes for receiving the screws. The threaded holes in the body correspond to the other two of the four mounting holes  22  in the deck  16  and in the truck  12 B. The threaded shafts of the screws pass through the corresponding two of the four mounting holes  22  of the deck  16  and the truck  12 B, and are received by the threaded holes in the body. 
     The threaded shafts of the screws  30 A– 30 D may or may not be tapered. As noted above, fasteners with heads and threaded, non-tapered shafts are often called bolts. Thus in general the removable fasteners of the truck mounting assemblies  18 A– 18 D of  FIG. 1  may be screws or bolts. It is noted that other types of removable fasteners may also be used. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the truck mounting assembly  18 A of  FIG. 2B , and  FIG. 4  is a side elevational view thereof. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 3–4 , the truck mounting assembly  18 A includes the two flat head machine screws  30 A and  30 B and the body  32 A. The heads of the screws  30 A and  30 B are labeled  40 A and  40 B, respectively, the threaded shafts of the screws  30 A and  30 B are labeled  42 A and  42 B, respectively, and the threaded holes of the body  32 A are labeled  44 A and  44 B, respectively. Each of the threaded holes  44 A and  44 B passes through the body  32 A. The threaded holes  44 A and  44 B are provided for receiving the threaded shafts  42 A and  42 B of the screws  30 A and  30 B, respectively. The threaded holes  44 A and  44 B are spaced about by the distance D 2  of  FIG. 1 , and thus correspond to two of the four mounting holes  20  in the deck  16  and in the truck  12 A. (See  FIGS. 1 and 2B .) 
     In one embodiment, the screws  30 A and  30 B include a locking material  62  that functions to lock the screws  30 A and  30 B in the threaded holes  44 A and  44 B of the body  32 A, to prevent them from inadvertently coming loose. In the present embodiment, the locking material  62  is a strip that is positioned in a slot  60  in the threaded shafts  42 A and  42 B of the screws  30 A and  30 B. The strip of locking material  62  may be Nylon® or similar material. The locking material  62  can be frictionally engaged in the slot  60 , or the screws  30 A and  30 B can be preheated so that the locking material  62  is heat bonded within the slot  60 . 
     While the present embodiment illustrates the locking material  62  being attached to the slot  60  in the screws  30 A and  30 B, these terms are expressly defined to include the inverse embodiment, wherein the slot  60  is in the threaded holes  44 A and  44 B of the body  32 A. Such an alternative is expressly considered within the scope of the invention, as claimed. Furthermore, other alternative embodiments could also be used. The locking material  62  could be made of another suitable material, an in another shape or embodiment. For example, the locking material  62  could also be provided by the material sold by Henkel Loctite Corporation under the trademark LOCTITE®. In this alternative embodiment, the slot  60  is not required. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the body  32 A has two opposed ends  46 A and  46 B and a major length dimension “L” extending between the ends  46 A and  46 B. The threaded hole  44 A passes through the end  46 A, and the threaded hole  44 B passes through the end  46 B. The threaded hole  44 A has an axis  48 A, and the threaded hole  44 B has an axis  48 B. The axes  48 A and  48 B are substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the length dimension L of the body  32 A. The ends  46 A and  46 B of the body  32 A are preferably rounded as shown in  FIG. 3  to prevent the body  32 A from catching on external objects (e.g., curbs, handrails, ramps, etc.) during use of the skateboard  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
     In general, the body  32 A may be formed from, or cast into, a solid block of a hard substance. The hard substance could be a metal such as aluminum, or metal alloy such as steel. The body  32 A may also be formed from a hard plastic material or a synthetic resin such as nylon, or any other material having qualities suitable for these purposes. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a portion  50  of the body  32 A between the two ends  46 A and  46 B has been removed to allow for an uneven adjacent and corresponding surface of the truck  12 A. For example, the adjacent and corresponding surface of the truck  12 A may have structures protruding therefrom, and the removed portion  50  provides clearance between the body  32 A and the structures. It is noted that in a preferred embodiment the truck mounting assemblies  18 B– 18 D of  FIG. 1  are similar to the truck mounting assembly  18 A of  FIG. 3 . 
     The truck mounting assembly  18 A of  FIG. 3  may be formed by starting with a solid block of a suitable hard substance as described above. The portion  50  of the block between the two ends  46 A and  46 B may have already been removed. The pair of spaced apart holes  44 A and  44 B may be formed in the block (e.g., by drilling), wherein each of the holes passes through the block and corresponds to a different one of the mounting holes in the truck  12 A. The holes  44 A and  44 B may then be adapted to receive the screws  30 A and  30 B, respectively. For example, the holes  44 A and  44 B may be tapped to receive the screws  30 A and  30 B, respectively.  FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the truck mounting assembly  18 A of  FIG. 2B . 
     One method of attaching the truck  12 A of  FIG. 1  to the underside surface  14  of the deck  16  of  FIG. 1  via the truck mounting assembly  18 A of  FIGS. 3 and 4  includes positioning the truck  12 A against the underside surface  14  such that the corresponding mounting holes of the deck  16  and the truck  12 A are aligned. The body  32 A of the truck mounting assembly  18 A is positioned against the truck  12 A such that the pair of threaded holes  44 A and  44 B of the body  32 A are aligned with the corresponding mounting holes of the truck  12 A. A thread lock material is preferably applied to the threaded shafts  42 A and  42 B of the respective screws  30 A and  30 B. The threaded shafts  42 A and  42 B of the respective screws  30 A and  30 B are passed through the corresponding mounting holes of the deck  16  and the truck  12 A, and are threaded into the corresponding threaded holes  44 A and  44 B of the body  32 A. The screws  30 A and  30 B are tightened by turning the respective heads  40 A and  40 B, thereby attaching the truck  12 A to the underside surface  14  of the deck  16 . 
     The truck mounting assemblies  18 A– 18 D of  FIG. 1  advantageously eliminate the need for a tool such as a wrench or socket to hold nuts in place while corresponding screws are tightened. For example, the threaded shafts of the two screws of one of the truck mounting assemblies  18  are preferably passed through corresponding mounting holes of a deck and a truck and threaded into the corresponding threaded holes of the body before being tightened. A first of the two screws is tightened while the other screw advantageously maintains alignment between the corresponding mounting holes of the deck and the truck and the corresponding threaded hole of the body. The other screw prevents the body from moving (i.e., spinning) while the first screw is being tightened. After the first screw is tightened, the other screw is tightened. It is also noted that the bodies of the truck mounting assemblies  18 A– 18 D may be manufactured to be advantageously lighter than the traditional steel nuts currently used to secure skateboard trucks to underside surfaces of decks. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims. 
     All patents, patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application is hereby incorporated by reference in full.