WO1992015378A1

WO1992015378A1 - Skateboard truck

Info

Publication number: WO1992015378A1
Application number: PCT/AU1992/000088
Authority: WO
Inventors: Victor Manuel Pracas
Original assignee: Victor Manuel Pracas
Priority date: 1991-03-01
Filing date: 1992-02-28
Publication date: 1992-09-17

Abstract

A skateboard truck (10) for a skateboard (100). The skateboard truck (10) is arranged to be connected to the undersurface of the deck (102) of the skateboard (100). The skateboard truck (10) consists of a wheel assembly (12) and a brake assembly (14). The brake assembly (14) is operable such that it pivots into contact with the wheels (22) of the skateboard truck (10) when required to provide a braking action.

Description

SKATEBOARD TRUCK DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a skateboard truck. The skateboard truck of the present invention is arranged to be connected to the undersurface of the deck of a skateboard.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Conventional skateboards generally provide no braking system for the skateboard wheels or, where fitted, the braking system is of a crude form which is difficult to operate and does not provide effective braking. Often, such conventional braking systems consist simply of a stop member attached to the undersurface of the deck at the rear of the skateboard. The rider transfers his weight to the rear of the skateboard causing the stop member to drag along the ground to provide a braking action.

In contrast, the present invention provides a skateboard truck with a brake assembly which the rider can operate to act on the wheels of the skateboard truck. This makes braking easier and more effective. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a skateboard truck comprising wheel assembly means and brake means, wherein said brake means is operable to contact the wheels of said wheel assembly means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an undersurface perspective view of a skateboard incorporating a first embodiment of a skateboard truck in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an undersurface perspective view of the rear of a skateboard incorporating a second embodiment of a skateboard truck in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is a side elevation view, partly in cross-section, of the skateboard shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail cross-sectional view of the brake activation mechanism of the skateboard truck shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevation view, partly in cross-section, of the rear of a skateboard incorporating a third embodiment of a skateboard truck in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 is a first side elevation view of a prior art skateboard; and Figure 7 is a second side elevation view of the prior art skateboard shown in Figure 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figure 1 there is shown a skateboard 100 incorporating a skateboard truck 10 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

The truck 10 is at the rear of the skateboard 100. The skateboard 100 itself comprises a deck 102 and another (front) truck 104, both of which may be of conventional form. The deck 102 has an offset portion 106 at its rear part. The offset portion 106 is offset in an upwardly inclined manner. The deck 102 is provided with a rounded tapered portion 108 at its front part. The skateboard truck 10 comprises a wheel assembly 12 and a brake assembly 14.

Apart from the incorporation of the brake assembly 14, the skateboard truck 10 may be of conventional form. The brake assembly 14 comprises a pivotal member 16 which is rotatably pivotal in sleeve bearings 18. The sleeve bearings 18 extend from the casing 20 of the truck 10. The casing 20 (as is the case in conventional casings of conventional skateboard trucks) encloses the axle-bearing shaft which carries the axles upon which the wheels 22 of the wheel assembly 12 are mounted.

The pivotal member 16 is provided with a wheel contact member at respective ends thereof.

These wheel contact members may be in the form cf pads 24. The pads 24 are positioned near a respective wheel 22. The pads 24 are positioned at the rear of each wheel 22. The pivotal member 16 is substantially rod like. The pivotal member 16 has an offset member 26 extending rearwardly therefrom from the middle portion of the pivotal member 16 in a substantially transverse manner. The end of the offset member 26 has a portion 28 which is curved (in the longitudinal direction of the offset member 26). At least the curved portion 28 of the offset member 26 has a portion that is rounded (in the transverse direction of the offset member 26). A resilient member, such as a spring 30, is connected to the curved portion 28 and biases the offset member 26 toward the deck 102 of the skateboard 100. This keeps the brake pads 24 out of engagement with the wheels 22 when the brake assembly 14 is not in operation. The brake assembly 14 further comprises brake activation means which is operable to cause the pads 24 to engage with the (traction surfaces of the) wheels 22. The brake activation means comprises a second pivotal member 32.

The second pivotal member 32 is pivotally connected between supports 34. The supports 34 are connected to a mounting plate 36. The mounting plate 36 is arranged to be connected to the offset portion 106 of the deck 102. At its rear end the second pivotal member 32 is provided with a transverse ground contact portion 38. The second pivotal member 32 has an offset portion 40 at its other end. The offset portion 40 is positioned between the deck 102 and the curved portion 28 of the offset member 26. A stop member 42 is arranged to be connected to the offset portion 106 of the deck 102 beneath the offset portion 40 of the second pivotal member 32. The stop member 42 limits the pivotal movement of the offset portion 40 of the second pivotal member 32 towards the deck 102 by acting as a spacer.

The offset portion 40 of the second pivotal member 32 is provided with a hole 44 therein. The spring 30 is arranged to be connected to the mounting plate 36 and extends through the hole 44 to the end of the curved portion 28 of the offset member 26.

The curved portion 28 of the offset member 26 bears against the offset portion 40 of the second pivotal member 32, under the biasing action of the spring 30 which thereby holds the offset portion 40 adjacent the stop member 42. The remainder of the truck 10 may be of conventional form, i.e. with: a mounting plate 50 connecting the truck 10 to the deck 102 by way of bolts 52 with an intermediate block 54 of resilient material; and, nuts 56 to retain the wheels 22 on the truck 10. The other parts of the truck 10 are obscured in Figure 1, but it will be understood that these may be of conventional form, as hereinabove stated. Similarly, the truck 104 may be of conventional form (as hereinabove stated), i.e. with a mounting plate 110 connecting the truck 104 to the deck 102 by way of bolts 112 with an intermediate block 114 of resilient material; resilient portions 116 on either side of a collar 118 extending from the casing 120 which encloses the axle-bearing shaft which carries the axles upon which the wheels 122 are mounted; a bolt 124 extending through the resilient portions 116, collar 118, a sleeve 126 and into the mounting plate 110; and nuts 128 to -retain the wheels 122 on the truck 104. The preceding description of conventional parts is provided by way of information even though they do not form part of the present invention.

In Figures 2 to 4, there is shown a skateboard 100' incorporating a skateboard truck 60 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

Like reference numerals are used in Figures 1, and Figures 2 to 4 to denote like parts and it will be understood that the previous descriptions of such parts with reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, apply to the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 4.

The truck 60 is similar to the truck 10 except for the structure of the brake activation means. The brake assembly 62 of the truck 60 comprises a brake activation means in the form of a resiliently biased member arrangement 63.

The resiliently biased member arrangement 63 comprises a resiliently biased member 64 and a sleeve housing 66. The sleeve housing 66 has annular flanges 68 and 69 at either end. The annular flanges 68 and 69 define respective openings through which portions 70 and 71 of the resiliently biased member 64 extend. The resiliently biased member 64 has a portion 72 of enlarged size positioned in the sleeve housing 66. A resilient biasing member, such as a spring 73, is positioned in the sleeve housing 66 around the resiliently biased member 64 and between the annular flange 69 and the portion 72. The spring 73 biases the resiliently biased member 64 such that the portion 70 protrudes through the opening defined by the annular flange 68 with the portion 72 abutting the annular flange 68.

The sleeve housing 66 is arranged to be provided in a hole formed in the deck 102 of the skateboard 100' with the portion 70 protruding above the deck 102 and the portion 71 protruding beneath the deck 102.

The portion 71 of the resiliently biased member 64 extends from the opening defined by the annular flange 69 and substantially contacts the curved portion 28 of the offset member 26. The remainder of the truck 60 is the same as the truck 10 hereinabove described.

The remainder of the skateboard 100' is the same as the skateboard 100 hereinabove described, except that in Figure 4 a conventional rear stop member 128 is also shown as provided. However, this is merely an option. In Figure 5, there is shown a skateboard 100'' incorporating a skateboard truck 80 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. Like reference numerals are used in Figure 1, Figures 2 to 4, and Figure 5 to denote like parts and it will be understood that the descriptions of such parts with reference to the embodiments shown in Figure 1, and Figures 2 to 4 applies to the embodiment shown in Figure 5. The truck 80 is similar to the trucks 10 and 60 except for the structure of the brake activation means. The brake assembly 82 of the truck 80 comprises a brake activation means that is a combination of the brake activation means of the trucks 10 and 60. In the brake assembly 82, the sleeve housing 66 is provided in the stop member 42. The portion 71 of the resiliently biased member 64 extends from the opening defined by the annular flange 69 and bears against the offset portion 40 of the second pivotal member 32 on the opposite side thereof to the curved portion 28 of the offset member 26. The ground contact portion 38 may have a rear member 128 attached thereto. However, this is merely an option. The remainder of the truck 80 is the same as the trucks 10 and 60 hereinabove described. The remainder of the skateboard 100'' is the same as the skateboards 100 and 100' hereinabove described. Figures 6 and 7 show a conventional prior art skateboard 130. The skateboard 130 has a conventional rear truck 132 with wheels 133 and the other parts are conventional and the same reference numerals are used to denote these conventional parts as are used in Figures 1 to 5. When the rider of the skateboard 130 wishes to slow down or stop, he/she transfers his/her weight to the rear offset portion 106 of the deck 102 such that the stop member 128 comes into contact with the ground and drags therealong. However, this is an inefficient way of slowing down or stopping and is very difficult to control. In contrast, the manner of operation and use of the skateboard 100 incorporating the truck 10 of the present invention will now be described.

The skateboard 100 may be ridden by a rider in a manner similar to that of conventional skateboards. Thus, the skateboard 100 may be steered and ridden in a conventional manner.

However, the brake assembly 14 of the truck 10 enables the skateboard 100 to be slowed down or stopped by the rider as required. The brake assembly 14 operates on the wheels 22 of the wheel assembly 12.

To cause the brake assembly 14 of the truck 10 to come into operation, the rider transfers his/her weight to the offset portion 106 of the deck 102 such that the ground contact portion 38 comes into contact with the ground. This causes the second pivotal member 32 to pivot between the supports 34 and the offset portion 40 will move away from the stop member 42. The offset portion 40 of the second pivotal member 32 engages with the curved portion 28 of the offset member 26 and pushes downwardly against the curved portion 28, against the biasing action of the spring 30. This causes the pivotal member 16 to pivot in the sleeve bearings 18 in the direction shown by the arrows A in Figure 1. This causes the pads 24 to come into contacting engagement with the wheels 22. In this way, the pads 24 engage on the wheels 22 and apply a braking force thereto. Consequently, the skateboard 100 is caused to slow down and brake. The brake assembly 14 of the truck 10 is disengaged from operation on the wheels 22 by the rider removing his/her weight from the offset portion 106 such that the ground contacting portion 38 is caused to come out of contact with the ground. This causes the offset portion 40 to move back toward the stop member 42 under the biasing action of the spring 30 on the offset member 28. This biasing action of the spring 30 causes the pivotal member 16 to pivot in a direction opposed to that of the arrows A thereby taking the pads 24 out of engagement with the wheels 22. This pivotal motion of the pivotal member 16 causes the curved portion 28 to push against the offset portion 40 to keep the ground contact portion 38 out of contact with the ground.

The braking force can be controlled by the rider depending upon the amount of weight that the rider shifts to the offset portion 106. By shifting a lesser amount of weight, the braking force will be less. If the rider shifts a large amount of weight to the rear offset portion 106 then the pivotal motion of the second pivotal member 32 will be greater thereby causing a greater pivotal motion of the pivotal member 16 to cause a stronger braking force of the pads 24 against the wheels 22.

The brake assembly 14 of the truck 10 enables the rider to control the speed and braking of the skateboard 100 without affecting the manner in which the skateboard 100 is ridden and steered as compared with prior art conventional skateboards.

The manner of operation and use of the skateboard 100' incorporating the truck 60 of the present invention will now be described.

The skateboard 100' may be ridden by a rider in a manner similar to that of conventional skateboards. Thus, the skateboard 100' may be steered and ridden in a conventional manner. However, the brake assembly 62 of the truck 60 enables the skateboard 100' to be slowed down or stopped by the rider as required. The brake assembly 62 operates on the wheels 22 of the wheel assembly 12.

To cause the brake assembly 62 of the truck 60 to come into operation, the rider places a foot onto the portion 70 of the resiliently biased member 64 that extends from the opening defined by the annular flange 68 above the upper surface of the deck 102. This causes the resiliently biased member 64 to act against the biasing force of the spring 73 such that the portion 71 projects further from the opening defined by the annular flange 69. The portion 71 pushes downwardly against the portion 28 of the offset member 26, against the biasing action of the spring 30. This causes the pivotal member 16 to pivot in the sleeve bearings 18 in the direction shown by the arrows A in Figure 2. The pads 24 engage with the wheels 22 as hereinabove described with reference to the truck 10. The brake assembly 62 of the truck 60 is disengaged by the rider removing his/her foot from the portion 70 of the resiliently biased member 64. The spring 73 then biases the resiliently biased member 64 away from the curved portion 28. The pivotal member 16 and pads 24 then operate and disengage from the wheels 22 as hereinbefore described with reference to the truck 10.

The braking force is, once again, controllable by the rider. The braking force is controlled by the rider depressing the portion 70 the required amount. Depressing it a lesser amount, provides a lesser braking force, and the converse applies.

The brake assembly 62 of the truck 60 enables the rider to control the speed of braking of the skateboard 100' without affecting the manner in which the skateboard 100* is ridden and steered as compared with prior art conventional skateboards.

As will be readily seen the truck 80 of the third embodiment incorporates a combination of the brake activation means of the trucks 10 and 60. Thus, the brake assembly 82 of the truck 80 may be operated in either way of the brake assembly 14 of the truck 10 or the brake assembly 62 of the truck 60.

The only difference in the operation of the brake assembly 82 is that the portion 71 of the resiliently biased member 64 bears against the offset portion 40 of the second pivotal member 32 (which in turn bears against the curved portion 28 of the offset member 26), rather than directly on the curved portion 28. However, the offset portion 40 pivots to push against the curved portion 28 and operation is then the same as hereinabove described with reference to the brake assembly 62 of the truck 60.

The other parts of the description of^' the trucks 10 and 60 apply to the truck 80.

Even if the rider steers the skateboard 100, 100' or 100'' to the left or right, the relative distance between the pads 24 and the wheels 22 remains the same because the pivotal member 16 is rotatably pivotal in the sleeve bearings 18 which form part of the casing 20 of the truck 10, 60 or 80. Further, the offset member 26 is not only provided with a curved portion 28 but is also rounded.

This means that as the skateboard 100, 100' or 100'* pivots to the left or right side, the rounded curved portion 28 is able to roll on the offset portion 40, or_. the portion 71, in a corresponding manner to the pivotal motion of the skateboard 100.

Whilst the preceding description has been with reference to the trucks 10, 60 and 80 being incorporated in a conventional skateboard, the trucks 10, 60 and 80 may be incorporated into non-conventional skateboards. Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A skateboard truck characterized in that it comprises wheel assembly means and brake means, wherein said brake means is operable to contact the wheels of said wheel assembly means.

2. A skateboard truck according to Claim 1, characterized in that said brake means comprises first pivotal member means and wheel contact means carried by said first pivotal member means, said wheel contact means arranged to be brought into contact with said wheels to apply a braking action thereto when said brake means is operated.

3. A skateboard truck according to Claim 2, characterized in that said first pivotal member means is pivotally retained in bearing sleeve means carried by the casing of said skateboard truck.

4. A skateboard truck according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said brake means comprises brake activation means to cause said first pivotal member means to move to bring said wheel contact means into contact with said wheels, and means is provided to keep said wheel contact means out of contact with said wheels when said brake means is not in operation.

5. A skateboard truck according to Claim 4, characterized in that said first pivotal member means has an offset member extending therefrom and said brake activation means is arranged to be substantially in contact with said offset member and to act on said offset member when said brake activation means is activated.

6. A skateboard truck according to Claim 5, characterized in that said brake activation means comprises second pivotal member means arranged to pivot to cause said first pivotal member means to move such that said wheel contact means is brought into contact with said wheels.

7. A skateboard truck according to Claim 6, characterized in that said second pivotal member means comprises a ground contact portion and an offset member contact portion arranged to be substantially in contact with said offset member such that when said ground contact portion is pushed against a surface said second pivotal member means pivots and said offset member contact portion bears against said offset member causing said first pivotal member means to move and bring said wheel contact means into contact with said wheels.

8. A skateboard truck according to Claim 7, characterized in that stop means is arranged to be provided on said deck of said skateboard to space said offset member contact portion from said deck and said offset member contact portion is arranged to be positioned between said stop means and said offset member.

9. A skateboard truck according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said offset member is rounded at least in its region where it is arranged to contact said offset member contact portion.

10. A skateboard truck according to any one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that said brake activation means comprises resiliently biased member means arranged to be provided in said deck of said skateboard and arranged to cause said first pivotal member means to move such that said wheel contact means is brought into contact with said wheels.

11. A skateboard truck according to Claim 10, characterized in that said resiliently biased member means comprises a housing having a resiliently biased member and resilient means therein, said resiliently biased member having first and second portions arranged to protrude from respective openings of said housing such that said first portion is depressible against the biasing action of said resilient means such that said second portion causes said offset member to cause said pivotal member means to move such that said wheel contact means is brought into contact with said wheels.