Abstract:
A skateboard having extra sets of gears compared to a regular skateboard and also has a lower support platform is provided. When an individual jumps on the skateboard, the support platform and extra gears cause the skateboard to automatically travel forward due to the interaction between the support platform, the extra gears, and the existing wheels on the skateboard.

Description:
The present application is a continuation-in-part of pending patent application Ser. No. 11/821,037, filed on Jun. 21, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 11/101,020, filed on Apr. 6, 2005, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a skateboard and, more particularly, the invention relates to a skateboard which automatically travels in a forward direction when an individual jumps and/or bounces on the skateboard. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,776 B2, issued to Todd, discloses a skateboard for use on a hard surface, with the skateboard being configured to simulate the response of a snowboard. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,163 B2, issued to Lee, discloses a combined skateboard scooter/exerciser which comprises a handlebar, a board, a steering device, a transmission device, and a wheel drive. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention concerns that of a new and improved skateboard. The skateboard has extra sets of gears compared to a regular skateboard and also has a lower support platform. When an individual jumps on the skateboard, the support platform and extra gears cause the skateboard to automatically travel forward due to the interaction between the support platform, the extra gears, and the existing wheels on the skateboard. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of a skateboard that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the skateboard that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the skateboard in detail, it is to be understood that the skateboard is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The skateboard is capable of other embodiments and being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present skateboard. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a skateboard which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a skateboard which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a skateboard which is of durable and reliable construction. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a skateboard which is economically affordable and available for relevant market segment of the purchasing public. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational side view illustrating a spring board, constructed in accordance with the present invention, prior to having any weight placed downward upon the main board; and 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational side view of the spring board, constructed in accordance with the present invention, after weight is placed downward upon the main board. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a side view of the skateboard  1  prior to having any weight placed downward upon the main board  2 , while  FIG. 2  shows a side view of the skateboard  1  after weight is placed downward upon the main board  2 . The present invention is a skateboard that allows an individual to merely jump on the center of the main board, which starts a rapid chain of events that causes the skateboard  1  itself to automatically move forward. 
     Main board  2  has two surfaces, a top surface and a bottom surface, with the top surface designed to be a standing platform for an individual. Main board  2  also has two ends, a front end and a rear end. Main board  2  is fabricated from a substance that has mild flexibility once weight is pushed downward onto it. Main board  2  is preferably flat in the middle, with the board curving upward slightly once it gets near either the front end or the rear end of the main board  2 . This configuration gives the board a slight concave configuration in relation to the top surface of the main board  2  and a slight convex configuration in relation to the bottom surface of the main board  2 . 
     The bottom surface of the main board  2  has a front set of teeth  4  and a rear set of teeth  6 . The front set of teeth  4  is located on a first track  5 , while the rear set of teeth  6  are located on a second track  7 . Each of the sets of teeth has two ends, a first end and a second end, with the first end of each set of teeth being located closest to the middle of the main board  2  and the second end of each set of teeth being located nearest the end of the main board  2 . 
     Attached to the bottom surface of the main board  2  are front bracket  40  and a rear bracket  42 . The front bracket  40  is attached to the main board  2  near the front end of the main board, while the rear bracket  42  is attached to the main board  2  near the rear end of the main board  2 . Attached to the front bracket  40  are front wheels  20  and  21 , while attached to the rear bracket  42  are rear wheels  22  and  23 . The brackets  40  and  42  provide the structural framework to hold up the wheels and remaining components of the skateboard  1 . Front wheels  20  and  21  are connected by an axle  50 , while rear wheels  22  and  23  are connected by an axle  52 . 
     Underneath the main board  2  is located a rigid lower support bar  18 , which has two ends, a front end and a rear end, and two surfaces, a top surface and a bottom surface. The front end of the lower support bar  18  is attached to the front bracket  40 , while the rear end of the lower support bar  18  is attached to the rear bracket  42 . On the top surface of the lower support bar  18  is located a support stopper block  8  that is located exactly halfway in between the front end and the rear end of the lower support bar  18 . 
     Located in between the main board  2  and the lower support bar  18  are front V-frame  10  and rear V-frame  12 , which each have two ends, a first end and a second end. The first end of both V-frames is connected to a central bracket  60  located on the bottom surface of the main board  2 . The second end of the front V-frame  10  is fixedly attached to the first end of the front set of teeth  4 , while the second end of the rear V-frame  12  is fixedly attached to the first end of the rear set of teeth  6 . 
     Front V-frame  10  has a roller wheel  70  attached to it halfway in between the first end and second end of the front V-frame  10 , while rear V-frame  12  has a roller wheel  72  attached to it halfway in between the first end and second end of the front V-frame  12 . When pressure is placed downward upon the main board  2 , then the roller wheels will travel outward away from the stopper block  8 . When no pressure is being placed against the main board  2 , the roller wheels  70  and  72  are resting against the stopper block  8  due to the force of springs  14  and  16 . 
     Attached to the first end and the second end of front V-frame  10  is a front spring  14 , while attached to the first end and the second end of rear V-frame  12  is a rear spring  16 . These springs are normally positioned when the main board  2  has no downward pressure applied to it, and begin to stretch out once the individual starts putting downward pressure (bouncing) on the middle part of the skateboard main board  2  which will lead to the first end and second end of each of the V-frames pull apart. The springs act to pull the two ends of each V-frame back together once no more downward pressure is being placed upon the main board  2 . 
     The skateboard  1  also has a plurality of other gears that are in use to propel the skateboard  1  forward. Acting in concert with the front wheels  20  and  21  are a front lower support gear  32  and a front upper support gear  30 . Front-toothed gear  24  is axially mounted around the axle  50 , with the gear  24  being located adjacent to one wheel of the front wheels  20  and  21 . The front-toothed gear  24  is connected to the front lower support gear  32 , which is connected to the front upper support gear  30 . The front upper support gear  30 , in turn, is directly in contact with the front set of teeth  4  located on the underside of the main board  2  of the skateboard  1 . 
     At the same time, acting in concert with the rear wheels  22  and  23  is rear upper toothed gear  28 . Rear-toothed gear  26  is axially mounted around the axle  52 , with the gear  26  being located adjacent to one wheel of the rear wheels  22  and  23 . The rear-toothed gear  26  is connected to the rear upper toothed gear  28 . The rear upper toothed gear  28 , in turn, is directly in contact with the rear set of teeth  6  located on the underside of the main board  2  of the skateboard  1 . 
     When an individual jumps or puts pressure on the center of top surface of the main board  2  by his or her feet to the center of the main board  2 , the main board  2  will bend downward reducing the distance between the main board  2  and the support bar  18  forcing the front V-frame  10  and the rear V-frame  12  to lower in height, pushing apart the second end of each V-frame outwards while the first end will be fixed to the central bracket  60 . This motion expands the levers  10  and  12  that are connected to the gear teeth  4  and  6  actuating one-way ball bearings in all of support gears  30 ,  32  and  24  which is connected to the axle  50  that will propel wheels  20  and  21  forward. The gear teeth  4  and  6  are only engaged by pushing down in the middle of the main board  2 . 
     Rear wheels  52  are connected to one set of gears  28  that hook to the long teethed gears  6  while the front wheels  50  are connected to the long teethed gears  4  through two gears  30  and  32 , assuring that both one way bearings/wheels  20 ,  21 ,  22 , and  23  are moving towards the front (one direction) when the bouncing action take place. With the bouncing up and down motion the springboard is unidirectional board. Coasting occurs when the board  2  is in its initial position, i.e., prior to pushing down. Without using this movement to propel the board, the board can free-wheel coast and is movable in both directions. This board is NOT steerable like a normal skateboard when the board is in its initial position or movement since we have to keep all axes in line for propulsion all the time. 
     Due to the fact that there are gears that must be aligned all the time in this skateboard, the skateboard of the present invention can be steered only by the individual using his/her two feet in such a manner: placing second foot to the rear end of the main board  2  and first foot on the center of main board  2  in such a manner while propelling the skateboard he/she can exert some pressure using the second foot to the rear end of the skateboard which will help reducing the pressure on the front end wheels which will help steering the skateboard left or right using the first foot. This movement is used by all skateboard players to direct the normal skateboards as well. 
     The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.