Patent Publication Number: US-11383141-B1

Title: Skateboard band

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 63/208,697, filed Jun. 9, 2021, and 63/161,885, filed Mar. 16, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     This disclosure relates to a skateboard band and, more particularly, to a band that may be secured to a skateboard for help in doing tricks with the board. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Skateboards have been around since the 1960&#39;s, though modern skateboards were developed starting in the late 1970s. Skateboarding has remained consistently popular, even showing up in professional sports such as the X-Games and European Skateboarding Championships. Interest from more and more people has led to advances in skateboard styles and teaching. 
     Despite great interest, skateboard training techniques have remained essentially the same for decades. Consequently, there is a need for a device which helps experts master various difficult tricks and new moves. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A skateboard band or strap that helps skaters learn to perform hard tricks on a skateboard is disclosed. The band is elastic and stretches over the deck of the skateboard longitudinally with a central span under which the rider&#39;s feet can be inserted. The band is a contiguous, homogenous elastic band with opposed ends having loops that may be wrapped around the skateboard trucks and wheels under the deck. The band is stretched taut, but has sufficient flexibility to enable the rider&#39;s feet to be inserted under the central span. 
     The present application provides a skateboard band, comprising an elastic band having a thickness and defining a central span with a longitudinal length and a constant lateral width, the band having opposed longitudinal ends of the central span shaped with loops. The loops may be circular, and may be wider in lateral dimension than the lateral width of the central span. 
     A method for assisting skateboarders to master hard tricks, comprising providing an elastic band defining a central span having opposed longitudinal ends shaped with loops, stretching the band longitudinally over the top of a skateboard deck and stretching the opposed longitudinal ends around the opposite deck ends, wrapping the loop-shaped ends around each of the two trucks and wheels under the deck, and inserting a rider&#39;s two feet under the central span on top of the deck and skating. 
     Other features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation, functions of related elements of structure and the combination of parts, and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a skateboard and band of the present application from below; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the skateboard and band from above; 
         FIG. 2A  is a top plan view of the skateboard band in a relaxed state, and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view from the side; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the skateboard band in a stretched state; 
         FIG. 4A  is a top plan view of an alternative skateboard band in a relaxed state, and  FIG. 4B  is a perspective view from the side; and 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a portion of the alternative skateboard band in a stretched state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Unless defined otherwise, all terms of art, notations and other technical terms or terminology used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. All patents, applications, published applications and other publications referred to herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. If a definition set forth in this section is contrary to or otherwise inconsistent with a definition set forth in the patents, applications, published applications, and other publications that are herein incorporated by reference, the definition set forth in this section prevails over the definition that is incorporated herein by reference. 
     Unless otherwise indicated or the context suggests otherwise, as used herein, “a” or “an” means “at least one” or “one or more.” 
     Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, any specific dimensions mentioned in this description are merely representative of an exemplary implementation of a device embodying aspects of the invention and are not intended to be limiting. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views from below and above of a band  10  of the present application mounted on a skateboard  20 . The skateboard  20  includes a deck  22  with a pair of trucks  24  mounted on the underside that support a plurality of wheels  26 . As with conventional skateboards, there are preferably four wheels  26  and two trucks  24  as shown, though more wheels per truck may also be utilized. 
     A standard deck  22  has a length of at least 2 feet in length, such as between about 24-33 inches, and a width W of between about 6-10 inches, though smaller and larger boards are available. The deck  22  has generally straight side edges  28  terminating in rounded ends  30  which are angled upwards from a planar middle of the deck by an inch or more. 
     The band  10  is stretched longitudinally over the top of the skateboard deck  22  such that opposed longitudinal ends  12  stretch around the opposite deck ends  30 . The longitudinal ends  12  are loop-shaped and wrap around each of the two trucks  24  under the deck, specifically around the wheels  26  so as to catch on the posts of the trucks  24  just under the deck  22 . The band  10  thus is elevated over the deck  22  by the height of the deck ends  30 . 
       FIG. 2A  is a top plan view of the skateboard band  10  in a relaxed state, and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view from the side. The band  10  is a contiguous, homogenous elastic band, meaning the band is formed of a single piece of elastomer of uniform physical properties. When unstretched or relaxed, the band  10  has a total length L, a width W of a central span  14 , and the loop-shaped longitudinal ends  12  are desirably circular. The longitudinal ends  12  have an outer diameter D 1  and an inner diameter D 2  of the hole in the loop. The band  10  also has a constant thickness T. Preferably, the central span  14  has a constant lateral width with lateral rounded indents  16  provided between the loop-shaped longitudinal ends  12  and the central span. 
     The outer diameter D 1  of the longitudinal ends  12  is preferably larger than the width W of the central span  14 . For instance, the outer diameter D 1  is between about 4-6 inches, while the width W is between about 3-5 inches. A preferred band  10  has a width W of 4 inches, an outer diameter D 1  of the ends of 6 inches, and an inner diameter D 2  of the ends of 4 inches. Further, the material is desirably about 3/16 inches ( 3/16±⅛ inches or 4.76±3.18 mm) elastic material: neoprene, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), gum rubber, neoprene, latex, silicone, or another suitable elastomer. 
     The total length L of the band  10  partly depends on the length of the skateboard on which the band  10  is mounted, though a typical length is between about 42±6 inches. A 42-inch band  40  is sized to be stretched taut around a skateboard of between 27-32 inches. The total length L of the band  10  is preferably about 10-20% longer than the length of the skateboard so that it may be easily stretched around the opposite deck ends  30  and wrapped around the trucks  24 . 
     With the band  10  mounted on a skateboard  20 , riders have a tool to have fun and expand their ability to do tricks that they cannot do on a normal skateboard—things like no hand backflips or  360   s  will be possible with the band. Skating opportunities on a ramp expand as well so that, for instance, one can do “grab” tricks without grabbing. The feeling you get on a skateboard with the band is similar to riding a snowboard, and will allow riders to cross train for snowboarding in the summer months. The band is not intended to replace high level ollie moves, but is just intended for fun and to expand the things riders can do on a skateboard. Riding with the band on is actually harder to do than just riding a skateboard alone. It is recommended that the proper safety equipment such as pads and helmet are used, just like one would use riding a skateboard without the band. 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the skateboard band in a stretched state, which shows the central span  14  stretched and thus narrowed. In one embodiment, a label, logo or other indicia  18  is printed on one or both sides of the central span  14  which may be read in both the relaxed and stretched states. For instance, the characters or images of the indicia  18  is compressed longitudinally when relaxed, but stretches and separates when the band is stretched as in  FIG. 3 . If the indicia comprises numeric and/or alphabetic characters it assumes normal font proportions when stretched. Instructions, advertising or illustrations may make up the indicia  18 . 
       FIG. 4A  is a top plan view of an alternative skateboard band  40  in a relaxed state, and  FIG. 4B  is a perspective view from the side. Again, the band  40  is a contiguous, homogenous elastic band—i.e., formed of a single piece of elastomer of uniform physical properties. When unstretched or relaxed, the band  40  has a total length L 2 , a major width W 2  of a middle span  44 , and loop-shaped longitudinal ends  42  which are desirably circular. The longitudinal ends  42  have an outer diameter D 3  and an inner diameter D 4  of the hole in the loop. The band  40  also has a constant thickness T 2 . Preferably, a central laterally-indented region  46  is provided between the longitudinal ends  42  and at the middle of the central span  44  having a minor width W 3  and minor length L 3 . 
     The outer diameter D 3  of the longitudinal ends  42  is preferably larger than the major width W 2  of the central span  44 . For instance, the outer diameter D 3  is about 6±2 inches, while the width W 2  is about 4±1 inches. The inner diameter D 4  of the hole in the loop may be 3±2 inches. A preferred band  40  has a width W 2  of 4 inches, an outer diameter D 3  of the ends of 6 inches, and an inner diameter D 4  of the ends of 2.5 inches. The minor width W 3  may be about 3±1 inches, and the central indented region  46  spans a minor length L 3  between 25-40% of the total length L 2 . 
     Further, the material thickness T 2  is desirably 3/16 inches ( 3/16±⅛ inches or 4.76±3.18 mm) elastic material: neoprene, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), gum rubber, neoprene, latex, silicone, or another suitable elastomer. An effective material is EPDM rubber with high elasticity approximately Shore A of  40 . It is die cut from a sheet of elastomer and the logo (item  48 ) is screen printed on the rubber. The band is tight enough to hold to the skateboard and also allow for a firm attachment by the rider. 
     The total length L 2  of the band  40  partly depends on the length of the skateboard on which the band  40  is mounted, though a typical length is about 42±6 inches. A 42-inch band  40  is sized to be stretched taut around a skateboard of between 27-32 inches. The central indented region  46  spans between 25-40% of the total length L 2 . For a 42-inch band  40  the central indented region  46  spans about 17±7 inches. The total length L 2  of the band  40  is preferably about 10-20% longer than the length of the skateboard so that it may be easily stretched around the opposite deck ends  30  and wrapped around the trucks  24 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a portion of the alternative skateboard band in a stretched state, which shows the central span  44  stretched and thus narrowed. In one embodiment, a label, logo or other indicia  48  is printed on one or both sides of the central span  44  which may be read in both the relaxed and stretched states. For instance, the characters or images of the indicia  48  is compressed longitudinally when relaxed, but stretches and separates when the band is stretched as in  FIG. 5 . If the indicia  48  comprises numeric and/or alphabetic characters it assumes normal font proportions when stretched. Instructions, advertising or illustrations may make up the indicia  48 . 
     CLOSING COMMENTS 
     Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of elements, it should be understood that those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. Elements and features discussed only in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments.