CONTROLLERS FOR ELECTRIC SKATEBOARDS

Abstract

A controller for an electric skateboard is provided. The controller includes a pistol-grip housing configured to fit in a palm of a hand of a user of the electric skateboard; an accelerator trigger positioned on an upper front portion of the pistol-grip housing, and configured to be actuated by a first finger of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped; a brake trigger positioned on an upper rear portion of the pistol-grip housing, and configured to be actuated by a thumb of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped; and a display screen positioned on a front upper portion of the pistol-grip housing above the accelerator trigger and forwardly of the brake trigger, and configured to be viewed by the user when the pistol-grip housing is gripped.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Australian Patent Application No. 2017904121, filed Oct. 12, 2017.

FIELD

The present invention relates to controllers for electric skateboards.

BACKGROUND

A variety of controllers have been proposed for electric skateboards. Existing controllers typically comprise multiple buttons and switches positioned on a handheld housing to be accessed and actuated by fingers and/or thumbs of a hand of a user.

Existing controllers for electric skateboards suffer from various drawbacks. They are typically unergonomic because their multiple buttons, switches and thumb wheels that cannot be readily accessed or actuated by a user's fingers or thumb. In addition, existing controllers do not comfortably or intuitively translate hand movements into corresponding trigger control inputs for high performance electric skateboards. As a result, existing controllers fail to logically or safely map hand movements to the different operations and functionalities of high performance electric skateboards, such as acceleration, braking, speed control by thumb control, etc.

In this context, there is a need for safe, comfortable and intuitive controllers for high performance electric skateboards.

SUMMARY

According to the present invention, there is provided a controller for an electric skateboard, the controller comprising:

a pistol-grip housing configured to fit in a palm of a hand of a user of the electric skateboard;

an accelerator trigger positioned on an upper front portion of the pistol-grip housing, and configured to be actuated by a first finger of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped;

a brake trigger positioned on an upper rear portion of the pistol-grip housing, and configured to be actuated by a thumb of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped; and

a display screen positioned on a front upper portion of the pistol-grip housing above the accelerator trigger and forwardly of the brake trigger, and configured to be viewed by the user when the pistol-grip housing is gripped.

The controller may further comprise a deadman safety switch positioned on a middle front portion of the pistol-grip housing below the accelerator trigger, and configured to be actuated by second, third and little fingers of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped.

The controller may further comprise first and second speed control buttons positioned on a middle rear portion of the pistol-grip housing below the brake trigger, and configured to be actuated by a thumb of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped.

The controller may further comprise an ON/OFF button positioned on a lower rear portion of the of the pistol-grip housing below the first and second speed control buttons.

The ON/OFF button may be illuminated by LEDs (light emitting diodes) configured to indicate an ON operating state of the controller.

The controller may further comprise a rechargeable battery positioned in the pistol-grip housing.

The controller may further comprise an electronics assembly positioned in the pistol-grip housing and connected to each of the rechargeable battery, accelerator trigger, brake trigger, display screen, first and second speed control buttons, deadman safety switch, and ON/OFF button, wherein the electronics assembly is configured to wirelessly communicate with an electronic control module of the electric skateboard.

The controller may further comprise a micro-USB (universal series bus) socket positioned on a lower front portion of the pistol-grip housing below the deadman safety switch, and configured to receive a micro-USB plug to charge the rechargeable battery.

The pistol-grip housing may comprise first and second moulded plastic shells.

The pistol-grip housing may further comprise first and second grip portions respectively over moulded over portions of the first and second moulded plastic shells.

The accelerator trigger and brake trigger may each comprise a magnetic Hall effect sensor.

The first and second speed control buttons, deadman safety switch, and ON/OFF button may each comprise a tact switch.

The display screen may comprise a TFT-LCD (thin-film transistor liquid crystal display) screen.

The controller may further comprise a removable screen cover for the display screen.

The controller may further comprise a removable USB cover for the micro-USB socket.

The present invention also provides a method of remotely controlling an electric skateboard using the controller described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a controller for an electric skateboard according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the controller;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the controller;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the controller; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the pistol-grip housing and overmoulded grip portions of the controller.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a controller 10 for an electric skateboard (not shown) according to an embodiment of the present invention may generally comprise a pistol-grip housing 12 configured to fit in a palm of a hand (not shown) of a user (not shown) of the electric skateboard. An accelerator trigger 14 may be positioned on an upper front portion of the pistol-grip housing 12, and may be configured to be actuated by a first finger of the hand when the pistol-grip housing 12 is gripped. In use, actuation of the accelerator trigger 14 may progressively accelerate the electric skateboard. A brake trigger 16 may be positioned on an upper rear portion of the pistol-grip housing 12, and may be configured to be actuated by a thumb of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped. In use, actuation of the brake trigger 16 may progressively brake the electric skateboard.

A display screen 18 may be positioned on a front upper portion of the pistol-grip housing 12 above the accelerator trigger 14 and forwardly of the brake trigger 16. The display screen 18 may be configured to be viewed by the user when the pistol-grip housing 12 is gripped. For example, the display screen 18 may be inclined upwardly from the brake trigger 16 from its rear to its front ends toward a head and eyes of the user. In use, the display screen 18 may display parameters relating to the operating state, set up and performance of the electric skateboard, such as speed, distance, battery life, gear ratios, speed settings and skateboard electrical diagnostics etc.

The controller 10 may further comprise a deadman safety switch 20 positioned on a middle front portion of the pistol-grip housing below the accelerator trigger 14, and configured to be actuated by second, third and little fingers of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped. In use, releasing the deadman safety switch 20 may cease the operation of the electric skateboard, and will not allow control the electric skateboard unless it is pressed in by the second, third and little fingers of the hand when the pistol-grip housing 12 is gripped. A micro-USB socket 22 may be positioned on a lower front portion of the pistol-grip housing 12 below the deadman safety switch 20, and may be configured to receive a micro-USB plug (not shown).

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the controller 10 may further comprise first and second speed control buttons 24, 26 positioned on a middle rear portion of the pistol-grip housing 12 below the brake trigger 16. The first and second speed control buttons 24, 26 may be configured to be actuated by a thumb of the hand when the pistol-grip housing 12 is gripped. In use, the first and second speed control buttons 24, 26 may selectively change the speed of the electric skateboard between two predetermined speed settings, and may also allow the user to access the different user modes to best control the electric skateboard. The controller 10 may further comprise an ON/OFF button 28 positioned on a lower rear portion of the of the pistol-grip housing 12 below the first and second speed control buttons 24, 26. The ON/OFF button 28 may be illuminated by LEDs 30 configured to indicate an ON operating state of the controller 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, the controller 10 may further comprise a rechargeable battery 32 positioned in the pistol-grip housing 12. The micro-USB socket 22 may be configured to charge the rechargeable battery 32 via a micro-USB plug (not shown). The controller 10 may further comprise an electronics assembly 34 positioned in the pistol-grip housing 12 and connected to each of the rechargeable battery 32, accelerator trigger 14, brake trigger 16, display screen 18, first and second speed control buttons 24, 26, deadman safety switch 20, and ON/OFF button 28. The electronics assembly 34 of the controller 10 may be configured to wirelessly communicate with an electronic control module (not shown) of the electric skateboard, and to map or translate user inputs via the controller 10 to the different operations and functionalities of the electric skateboard.

A removable screen cover 36 may be provided for the display screen 18, and a removable USB cover 38 may be provided for the micro-USB socket 22. Each of the accelerator trigger 14 and the brake trigger 16 may be mounted in the pistol-grip housing 12 via a spring 40 and a pin 42.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the pistol-grip housing 12 may comprise first and second moulded plastic shells 44, 46. First and second grip portions 48, 50 may be respectively over moulded over portions of the first and second moulded plastic shells 36, 38.

The accelerator trigger 14 and brake trigger 16 may, for example, each comprise a magnetic Hall effect sensor. The first and second speed control buttons 24, 26, deadman safety switch 20, and ON/OFF button 28 may, for example, each comprise a tact switch. The display screen 18 may, for example, comprise a TFT-LCD screen.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a safe, comfortable and intuitive controller that is useful for remotely controlling high performance electric skateboards.

For the purpose of this specification, the word “comprising” means “including but not limited to,” and the word “comprises” has a corresponding meaning.

The above embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A controller for an electric skateboard, the controller comprising: a pistol-grip housing configured to fit in a palm of a hand of a user of the electric skateboard;an accelerator trigger positioned on an upper front portion of the pistol-grip housing, and configured to be actuated by a first finger of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped;a brake trigger positioned on an upper rear portion of the pistol-grip housing, and configured to be actuated by a thumb of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped; anda display screen positioned on a front upper portion of the pistol-grip housing above the accelerator trigger and forwardly of the brake trigger, and configured to be viewed by the user when the pistol-grip housing is gripped.

2. The controller of claim 1, further comprising a deadman safety switch positioned on a middle front portion of the pistol-grip housing below the accelerator trigger, and configured to be actuated by second, third and little fingers of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped.

3. The controller of claim 1, further comprising first and second speed control buttons positioned on a middle rear portion of the pistol-grip housing below the brake trigger, and configured to be actuated by a thumb of the hand when the pistol-grip housing is gripped.

4. The controller of claim 3, further comprising an ON/OFF button positioned on a lower rear portion of the of the pistol-grip housing below the first and second speed control buttons.

5. The controller of claim 4, wherein the ON/OFF button is illuminated by LEDs (light emitting diodes) configured to indicate an ON operating state of the controller.

6. The controller of claim 1, further comprising a rechargeable battery positioned in the pistol-grip housing.

7. The controller of claim 6, further comprising an electronics assembly module positioned in the pistol-grip housing and connected to each of the rechargeable battery, accelerator trigger, brake trigger, display screen, first and second speed control buttons, deadman safety switch, and ON/OFF button, wherein the electronics assembly is configured to wirelessly communicate with an electronic control module of the electric skateboard.

8. The controller of claim 6, further comprising a micro-USB (universal series bus) socket positioned on a lower front portion of the pistol-grip housing below the deadman safety switch, and configured to receive a micro-USB plug to charge the rechargeable battery.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein the pistol-grip housing comprises first and second moulded plastic shells.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein the pistol-grip housing further comprises first and second grip portions respectively over moulded over portions of the first and second moulded plastic shells.

11. The controller of claim 1, wherein the accelerator trigger and brake trigger each comprise a magnetic Hall effect sensor.

12. The controller of claim 4, wherein the first and second speed control buttons, deadman safety switch, and ON/OFF button each comprise a tact switch.

13. The controller of claim 1, wherein the display screen comprises a TFT-LCD (thin-film transistor liquid crystal display) screen.

14. The controller of claim 1, further comprising a removable screen cover for the display screen.

15. The controller of claim 8, further comprising a removable USB cover for the micro-USB socket.

16. A method of remotely controlling an electric skateboard using the controller of claim 1.