Abstract:
A skateboard light embodied as a riser used between the skateboard deck and truck assembly. The skateboard riser light includes an LED lamp that is bright enough to be used as headlights on skateboards. The skateboard riser light is powered by lithium cell batteries, which are compact and long lasting. The skateboard riser light uses a slide switch to turn the light off and on.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to skateboard lights and more particularly to a skateboard light embodied as a skateboard riser.  
         BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    For the last 30 years, the basic components of the skateboard have remained the same. A skateboard is made up of a deck, axle assembly, and wheel assembly. Few additional components have been added due to the abuse that they are subjected to, and that they may be obtrusive.  
           [0003]    Presently, skateboarders are limited to riding in the daylight, unless headlights are attached to the skateboard. The rules and regulations have been directly adopted from the same rules and regulations for bicycles.  
           [0004]    While attempts have been made to attach lights to the skateboard, none have been able to withstand the abuse subjected during average skateboard use, and were only bright enough to be used for decorative purposes.  
           [0005]    Recent advancements in light emitting diodes (LED), lithium cell batteries, and high impact plastic materials, have warranted the invention of the skateboard riser light.  
           [0006]    Skateboarders commonly use the riser as a spacer between the deck and the truck assemblies to offset the wheels from the deck, and to further prevent the wheels from rubbing against the bottom side of the deck.  
           [0007]    Advancements in LED technology have created lamps with the power to be used for headlights on skateboards, and with smaller and more powerful lithium cell batteries, these LED lamps can be used in skateboard headlights that last long enough to be practical and inexpensive.  
           [0008]    By locating the headlights in the presently used riser locations, the abuse subjected during average skateboard use is minimized.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel construction for a skateboard headlight. It is another object that the device be readily adaptable to presently used components of the skateboard. It is another object that the device is made of materials, which withstand damage from normal use. It is another object that the device be designed to be unobtrusive to normal skateboard use. It is another object that the device be universally used on the front or the rear ends of the skateboard. It is another object of the invention that the LED is bright enough to be used as a headlight. 
       
    
    
     BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a conventional skateboard and showing the placement of the skateboard riser light.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the skateboard of FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the skateboard riser light assembly.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the assembled skateboard riser light less the upper case half. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and set forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out the invention. Various modifications, however, will remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein.  
         [0015]    Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a typical skateboard assembly, which comprises a deck  1  with a topside  2  and a bottom side  3 , a truck assembly  14 , which comprises a baseplate  7 , an axle  8 , wheels  10 , wheel bearings  9 , and the wheel nuts  11 . The skateboard riser light  6  is assembled between the bottom of deck  3  and the baseplate  7 . The skateboard riser light  6  and the truck assembly  14  are mounted to the deck  1  with truck mounting bolts  4 , which are located thru the truck mounting thru holes  5 , thru the skateboard riser light  6 , and thru the truck assembly  14 . Finally, a nut  12  is threaded onto the truck mounting bolts. Item  13  shows the additional space between the bottom of deck  3  and the wheels  10 .  
         [0016]    Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the outer portion  15  of bottom of deck  3  and the bottom of deck between  16  truck assemblies  14 , and the axle  8 , which are the surfaces presently used by skateboarders for sliding along structures made of metal, wood, or concrete. Also shown, is the edge surrounding  17  the baseplate  7  and the skateboard riser light  6 , which should not be obtrusive to the surfaces noted above.  
         [0017]    Referring now to FIG. 3, shown are the components comprising the skateboard riser light  6 . The skateboard riser light  6  included a pair of case halves  18 , which is to be preferably made from an impact resistant material such as polycarbonate, nylon, UHMW (ultra high molecular weight), urethane, or similar material. Alternatively, the case halves  18  can be made of materials such as aluminum, titanium, brass, and similar materials. The case half  18  is comprised of thru holes  51  with a recent hole pattern  50  and an older hole pattern  27 . The case half thru holes  51  are surrounded by pillars  22 , which direct the impact away from the electronic components. The case half  18  includes an LED cradle  23  to position the LED  34 , a switch cradle  25  and a set of switch bosses  26  to position the switch  40 . A battery holder recess  31  is used to position the battery holder  37 . A resistor recess  30  is used to position the resistor  42 . When the case halves  18  are positioned so that the inner surfaces  52  are facing each other, the press pin  28  from one will align with the press pin receiver  29  from the other. The case half shall have a radius or fillet  33  as apposed to a sharp edge, which may damage the bottom of the deck  3 . An LED relief  24  is added for locating the LED  34  and to minimize any stress on the LED  34 . The case half has a battery access hole  32 , which provides a means of removing the battery  47  for replacement. The lithium cell battery  47  is pushed into a battery holder  37 , and in turn, the battery holder  37  placed into the battery holder recess  31 .  
         [0018]    Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown the components that comprise the light circuit  53 . The LED  34 , battery holders  37  with batteries  47 , and switch  40  are placed in a manner described above. Wire  44  is attached to the LED positive lead  35  and the battery holder positive terminal  38 . The resistor  42  is attached to the battery holder negative terminal  39  of the first battery holder positioned with the negative terminal facing left  54  and the battery holder positive terminal  38  of the battery holder with the negative terminal facing right  55 . Wire  45  is attached to the battery holder negative terminal  39  and a switch lead  41  on switch  40 . A final wire  46  is attached to the remaining switch lead  41  on the switch  40  and the LED negative lead  36 . The light circuit  53  is wired in a series fashion. The Resistor  42  is added to regulate the voltage that the batteries  47  are supplying to the LED  34 .  
         [0019]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adoptions and modifications of the invention as described above can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.