Patent Publication Number: US-2016228760-A1

Title: Skateboard with grinding roller

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/115,083, filed Feb. 11, 2015, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to skateboards and, more particularly, to a skateboard having one or more grinding rollers disposed on a bottom side of the skateboard between the front and rear trucks thereof. 
     Skateboards are designed typically with a solid board disposed between a front wheel, or set of wheels (referred to as the front truck) and a rear wheel, or set of wheels (referred to as the rear truck). The front and rear trucks often include a pair of wheels, however, in some embodiments, the front and rear trucks may be formed with a single wheel each. Often such boards are referred to as an inline skateboard. 
     The solid board often extends from forward of the front truck to rearward of the rear truck. The solid board is often formed as a single piece. However, in some embodiments, the solid board (the body of the skateboard) may be formed as a first piece over the front truck and a second piece over the rear truck. A connection can be made between these two pieces. Often, this connection may be a flexible connection. 
     Skateboarders often perform various tricks on their boards. Over time, skateboards have been modified to permit different maneuvers or modifications of such maneuvers. Such maneuvers can include a grinding maneuver, where the bottom of the board, between the front and rear trucks, is slid along a surface, such as a rail or the like. This maneuver, however, may damage the bottom of the board, or, the friction between the bottom of the board and the surface may create sufficient friction to limit such maneuvers 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a skateboard having an improved design to permit various maneuvers to be performed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a skateboard comprises a board member; front and rear trucks attached to a bottom side of the board member; at least one wheel disposed on each of the front and rear trucks, the at least one wheel adapted to move the board member in a first direction, the first direction generally along a longitudinal axis of the board member; and at least one roller disposed between the front and rear trucks, the at least one roller having an axis of rotation disposed at an angle to the first direction, the angle being from about 75 to about 105 degrees. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a skateboard comprises a board member; front and rear trucks attached to a bottom side of the board member; at least one wheel disposed on each of the front and rear trucks, the at least one wheel adapted to move the board member in a first direction, the first direction generally along a longitudinal axis of the board member; at least one roller disposed between the front and rear trucks, the at least one roller having an axis of rotation disposed generally orthogonal to the first direction; brakes disposed on the bottom side of the board member; and skid plates disposed at opposite ends of the at least one roller. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom view of a skateboard having a roller disposed on a bottom surface thereof, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the skateboard of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the skateboard of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of a skateboard having an adjustable angle roller disposed on a bottom surface thereof, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of a skateboard having a double roller disposed along a bottom surface thereof, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed view of the skateboard of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view showing the attachment of one roller to a roller bracket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a detailed view of a portion of a skateboard, illustrating an alternate method for attaching a roller to the underside of a skateboard; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of a tapered roller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of a roller comprising a series of rollers aligned in a row according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     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. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a skateboard having one or more rollers on a bottom region of the body of the board, disposed between the front and rear trucks thereof. The roller(s) may be disposed longitudinally along the length of the board, generally parallel to a normal direction of travel of the board. However, in some embodiments, the angle of the rollers may be adjustable or fixed in a direction offset from parallel by from about 1 to about 45 degrees, typically between 1 and 15 degrees. The rollers may extend from the bottom of the board, or may be partially embedded in an indentation formed in the bottom of the board. The roller(s) may be solid, cylindrical, tapered or composed of a plurality of smaller rollers in a row, for example. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , a skateboard may include a board member  10  and trucks  12 . As discussed above the trucks  12  may be front and rear trucks having wheels  14  on each side thereof. The board member  10  may be aligned to extend beyond the front and rear trucks  12 . The board member  10  may move longitudinally as the wheels  14  turn. This is referred to as forward or normal motion of the skateboard. The trucks  12  may have two wheels  14 , as shown in the Figures, or may have a single wheel on each of the forward and rear trucks  12  (also referred to as an inline skateboard). Other truck designs, as may be known in the art, may be used within the scope of the present invention. 
     The board member  10  may be formed from one or more solid members. For example, a single board member  10  may be used as shown in the Figures. However, a front board member and a rear board member may be connected by a joining member, as may be known in the art. In some embodiments, this joining member may incorporate a roller  16 , as described below, therewithin. 
     Regardless of wheel and truck design, the roller  16  may be disposed between the front and rear trucks  12 , where an axis of rotation of the roller  16  may be parallel or substantially parallel to the forward or normal motion of the skateboard. The roller  16  may be offset from parallel by a certain degree, depending upon the requirements of the user. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the axis of rotation of the roller  16  may be adjustable, where grooves  18  may be provided to permit adjustment of this axis. A lock (not shown, but may take various forms as may be contemplated by one skilled in the art) may be provided to fix the axis of rotation. In some embodiments, the roller  16  may be designed to pivot within the grooves  18 , allowing the axis of rotation of the roller  16  to vary during use. 
     The roller  16  may rotate on a shaft  20 . Bearings, or other similar structure, may be used to connect the shaft  20  of the roller  16  to the bottom of the board member  10 . Examples of such connections are discussed in greater detail below. 
     The roller  16  may extend completely below the board member  10 , or may be embedded partially within the board member  10 .  FIG. 2  shows a side view where the roller  16  is embedded in the board member  10 . In this embodiment, the roller  16  extends below a plane defined by the bottom of the board member  10 . 
     In some embodiments, a guard  22  or cover may be disposed on the top side  24  of the board so that the roller  16  is not accessible from the top side  24  of the board member  10 . This guard  22  may be a separate element, attached to the board member  10 , or may be simply a top portion of the board member  10 . In other words, the roller  16  may be disposed in an indentation formed in (but not through) the board member  10 , or may be disposed in a slot formed through the board member  10 . 
     While  FIGS. 1-4  show a single roller  16 , referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , multiple rollers  16  may be disposed, generally side-by-side and parallel to one another, along the bottom of the board member  10 . In this embodiment, multiple rollers  16  may help improve balance for the user as compared to a single roller. The wheels or rollers could be in one line on one axle, or could possibly be hung each independently by struts or bogeys, for example. Examples of such connections are described below. 
     The roller  16  may be formed as a linear member along its axis of rotation, with its axis of rotation generally parallel to a plane defined by the bottom of the board member. However, in some embodiments, the roller may be sloped forward, sloped backwards, or sloped toward a center thereof. In this latter embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 9 , a roller  16 A may slope toward the center thereof. This design may help keep the skateboard moving along a rail, for example, urging the rail-to-roller contact point toward a longitudinal center of the roller  16 A. 
     The roller  16  may be formed from a solid, unitary, integral member, as shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , or, as shown in  FIG. 10 , a roller  16 B may be formed from a plurality of smaller rollers  16 C disposed along an axle  26 . 
     The skateboard of the present invention may include brakes  28  on the longitudinal sides of the roller  16 . The brakes  28  may be formed as portions of the board member that extend down and away from the bottom plane of the board. The brakes  28  may take various shapes and the Figures show one possible embodiment for the shape thereof. 
     The skateboard of the present invention may further include one or more skid plates  30 , typically two skid plates  30  located at the front and rear of the shaft  20  of the roller  16 . The skid plates  30  may help prevent contact to the front and rear side portions of the roller  16 , the bearings, and the like. The skid plates  30  may take various shapes and the Figures show one possible embodiment for the shape thereof. Where the roller may pivot, as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the skid plates  30  may extend across a longer width of the board as compared to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 , as the ends of the roller may be disposed at various locations along the width of the board member  10 . Similarly, when multiple rollers  16  are present, the skid plates  30  may be wider than when a single roller  16  is present. 
     In some embodiments, an adjustable friction element (not shown) may be disposed to provide friction against free rotation of the roller. At maximum friction, the roller may not rotate and may simply provide a surface for a grinding maneuver. In some embodiments, a user may desire to adjust the rotation resistance of the roller to help provide control or slow down certain maneuvers. 
     The rollers  16  (while two rollers are shown, a single roller may be connected in a similar manner) may attach to the bottom of the board member  10  in various manners. One example of such attachment is described with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . A mounting bracket  34  can attach to the bottom of the board member  10  in various manners, such as with bolts. The mounting bracket  34  may be generally L-shaped with one portion of the L-shape extending toward a supporting surface when the skateboard is supported by the supporting surface by its wheels  12  (in a normal operating position). The depending portion  36  of the mounting bracket  34  may have a hole  38  for mounting the roller  16  thereto. The mounting bracket  34  may be disposed at opposing ends of the board member, with the roller(s)  16  disposed therebetween. The length of the depending portion  36  and the position of the hole  38  may be determined by, for example, the height of the board member  10  and the diameter of the roller(s)  16 . These elements may be arranged so that the roller(s)  16  do not interfere with the normal operation of the board but so that the roller(s)  16  may rotate under the board when certain maneuvers are performed. 
     The roller  16  may be mounted on its shaft  20 . A bushing  40  may fit into the hole  38  and the shaft  20  may fit into the bushing  40 . A washer  42  may be disposed between the roller  16  and the mounting bracket  34 . Of course, other configurations, as may be contemplated by one skilled in the art, may be used for mounting the roller(s)  16  on the bottom surface of the board member  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , in some embodiments, a mounting bracket  44  may be configured to mount onto an existing truck board mounting bolt  46 . The mounting bracket  44  may include a one hole (not shown) to receive the truck board mounting bolt  46  and another hole  48  for receiving the roller  16 . The roller  16  may be received into the hole  48  in a manner similar of that described above with respect to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , or by another manner as may be contemplated by one skilled in the art. 
     To attach the mounting bracket  44 , one can simply remove a nut from the truck board mounting bolt  46  insert the one hole of the mounting bracket  44  and re-attach the nut to secure the mounting bracket  44  onto the truck board mounting bolt  46 . When two rollers are used, a mounting bracket  44  may attach to each truck board mounting bolt  46  on one side of the truck  12 . When a single roller is used, one mounting bracket  44  may be used on each the front and rear trucks, or a mounting bracket may be designed to attach to two adjacent truck board mounting bolts  46  of each trunk  12  and have its hole  48  centered therebetween, resulting in the single roller to be centered across the width of the board member  10 . 
     In some embodiments, instead of mounting on the truck board mounting bolt, a mounting bracket can be formed integrally with the wheel truck  12 . In this embodiment, the result may be a mounting hole for receiving one or more rollers formed integrally, as a single component, with the truck so that no additional parts are needed for installation of the roller. 
     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.