FIELD
The exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention relates to the field of electric skateboards (E-boards), and more particularly to providing rider stability while using an E-board. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an E-board foot support.
BACKGROUND
E-boards are motorized skateboards that give the rider the ability to accelerate and decelerate without the rider needing to kick the ground. It should be noted that while moving longitudinally in a given direction, acceleration can occur in both the positive and negative directions of motion. Deceleration can be used to describe accelerations in the opposite direction relative to the state of motion i.e. braking. Also, acceleration can occur laterally while traveling at a given speed in a curved path. Gas motorized skateboards have been around as early as 1975, but modern E-boards with electric motors originated in the late 1990s as battery technology advanced. E-boards gained widespread awareness among consumers peaking around 2012 but it took up until recent years, 2017-2018, for E-boards to become popularly used and commonly seen in public. The E-board market is still relatively young and continuously growing with several startups flooding the new consumer market. Companies are still busy with marketing the product to the public as a cool, fun, and useful means of transportation around cities and campuses, helping to solve the last-mile dilemma for commuting as well as provide a new sport for pleasure riding. Companies are primarily focused on providing lower cost, higher quality boards with longer riding range, higher power motor outputs, and easier user-interface controls. Also, with recent spike in the use of E-boards in dense urban areas, certain major cities are calling into question the regulation and safety of E-boarders on public streets. Because focus is on other aspects of the E-board performance and compliance, there are many unaddressed design/functional issues regarding E-board rider stability during operation.
The majority of modern electric skateboards have a top speed of 20-25 mph with various speed modes ranging from light eco-cruising to peak motor performance (˜2000+ Watts). E-boards are typically operated with hand-held remote that controls the desired direction mode, forward or backward, and the desired speed with a throttle. Typically, positive throttle will speed the rider up and negative throttle will slow the rider down in whichever their current direction mode is set to. This capability is achieved by the E-board's DC motor being able to expend power from the battery to propel and harness power to the battery in order to brake. The braking functionality is often referred to as regenerative braking which resists the state of motion, converting the kinetic energy of the wheels spinning into useful energy stored back into the battery while consequently decelerating the board.
On a traditional (non-motorized) skateboard, a rider manually uses one of their two feet to kick on or slide against the ground to accelerate or decelerate while keeping the unused foot on top of the board's deck. Because of this traditional method, rider stability on the deck was not an issue because the act of kicking or sliding on the ground required dynamic, coordinated movement of the feet and body. Stability depended on the rider's ability to perform the actions skillfully. With a motorized skateboard, however, the rider does not need to move their feet off the board's deck during motion at constant speed, acceleration or deceleration. Because acceleration and deceleration are controlled by the hand-held remote controls, riders now need to maintain their form and stability with both feet planted on the board's deck while navigating terrain. Therefore, a rider will need to be able to quickly and frequently start and stop throughout the ride since E-Boarding commonly takes place on paved surfaces—i.e. city streets, bike lanes, sidewalks or walking trails—with other motor or foot traffic.
It is common in any skateboard design to use a layer of a grip tape adhered to the top of the deck in order to help the rider's feet stay planted. This grip tape relies on static friction shear force interactions with the bottom of the rider's shoes. For a given combination of two materials, the frictional force is directly proportional to the normal force applied at the material interface.
Due to the high power output of the motors, the rider must lean their body into the direction of desired longitudinal motion in order to react the forces from the E-board's motors. If the rider does not lean enough and/or accelerates or decelerates too quickly, it is not uncommon for the rider's momentum to carry/throw them off the board. However by leaning, the rider must decrease the normal force on their shoe that is opposite to the direction of the lean, thus reducing the static friction threshold on that foot with the grip tape.
For the case of the E-board accelerating straight forward on a flat surface, the rider leans forward, reducing the normal force on their rear foot. The rear foot is also the only foot that uses a normal force to counteract the moments from the board about the rider's body center of gravity (CG). So, when the rider leans forward it is a tradeoff between losing rear foot normal force and increasing their effective moment arm between their rear foot and their CG to react to a given applied moment from the E-board's acceleration. Therefore, the rear foot, in this situation, loses a lot of effectiveness for the rider to stabilize and hold themselves longitudinally on the E-board during acceleration. When riding on a sloped surface (a hill) this problem is exacerbated further requiring the rider to lean forward or compensate their stance's leg angles more than if they were on a flat surface.
Currently, E-boards lack a design that would provide proper foot support and stability during acceleration or deceleration while still providing the same freedom as traditional skateboards with the rider being able to easily move their feet anywhere on, off or along the deck unrestricted.
Common torque blocks for non-motorized longboards are intended to aid a rider in a forward, crouched stance. The torque block is commonly used for highspeed downhill riding at speeds between 40 mph to up to 80 mph. Because of the downhill rider's aggressive speeds, rider stance must also become aggressive with rear foot position. The block rests beneath only the rear foot where the rear foot is parallel to the direction of forward motion allowing the heel to be lifted off the block in the air while the toes/ball of the foot grip the block (similar to the set position of a track runner's foot on a metal starting block). Due to the highspeed downhill longboarding application, a torque block is a simple, straight-cut wedge with a uniform, flat inclined plane.
While foot stops also exist, neither do they solve the problems associated with facilitating the E-boarder's upright stance nor to effectively counter the acceleration and deceleration forces of electric skateboarding. Common foot stops for non-motorized skateboards exist but have various shortcomings and inadequacies. Foot stops are used for high-speed downhill application to aid various extreme maneuvers. The rider does not step on the foot stop, but instead the side of the rider's foot abuts the vertical wall of foot stop. The first intent of the foot stop is for foot location consistency, so the rider easily knows their foot's position and orientation on the deck without having to take their eyes off the road to look at their feet while at speed. The second intent of the foot stop is for providing extra sideways reaction force to prevent (stop) the rider's foot from slipping off the deck because depending on rider skill, the grip tape's friction is not sufficient. Two instances where sideways foot slippage is most likely to occur are during corners and during long-distance-pumping (LDP) motions. In corners, the rider is in a crouched, in low stance often sliding one gloved hand on the pavement for added stabilization and/or using one hand to hold the side of the deck. This causes the rider's legs to be at sharp acute angles to their deck, prone to slippage. In LDP, the rider sharply turns their board while at speed in a “hockey stop” motion, causing their wheels to slide sideways instead of roll. Again, often one gloved hand is placed on the pavement for added stabilization as they pump their board sideways from under their upper body. LDP helps a rider reduce speed on long straightaways and to speed check themselves before corner entry. Foot stops are typically small in size so the rider can keep their feet as close to being over the trucks as possible providing less leverage to pivot the truck's hanger, which is beneficial at high speeds where smooth, minor turns are needed. Since foot stops are intended to abut to the side of the foot for the following aforementioned reasons, such foot stops would not help to facilitate the E-boarders upright stance since they are not intended to rest as an incline beneath the foot during motorized skateboard motion. So ankle roll and corresponding muscle fatigue still occur with foot stops.
There are also standard binding-cups and foot straps which are typically used for off-road (dirt) riding involving jumps or more aggressive riding so that the board is firmly secured beneath the rider's feet at all times. However, since these binding-cups and foot straps go over the top of the rider's feet they restrict the rider's foot to being setup in a fixed location and angle. This limits the rider's ability to change their riding stance (feet, legs, body) while riding. Also, to remove their feet from binding-cups and foot straps, the rider must use their hands to unstrap a buckle or undergo awkward motions to slide their foot back out of the strap/binding cup. This aspect can be very unsafe while riding when the rider needs to quickly bail off the E-board during a fall or trying to avoid a collision.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an inclined/contoured/angled support section that is permanently (requiring destructive force to the board to modify, install or remove) or separately (requiring no destruction to the board to modify, install or remove) integrated to the deck of the E-board for a rider to better react the acceleratory forces at their feet during motion and to facilitate a comfortable upright E-boarder stance during navigation and turning.
SUMMARY
Embodiments of the present invention serve to provide E-board riders stability during acceleration or deceleration, or some combination of the aforementioned scenarios. A rider typically needs to lean forward or backward longitudinally to compensate for induced moments from the motorized board about the rider's center of gravity. The inclined foot support helps the rider in reacting to accelerations by providing a surface that tilts the sole-plane's normal vector of their back or front foot more into the direction of acceleration for improved stance, comfort, and grip. The inclined foot support also helps the rider distribute weight on their feet while going up and down hills because the inclined support naturally becomes a more horizontal surface relative to the sloped surface, which lessens the degree that the ankle must be angled. Going uphill the rear foot benefits while conversely going downhill the front foot benefits with added stability. The primary focus of this inclined support is for compensating the forces from the motorization aspects of the E-board. However, for the case of the E-board accelerating while cornering, the inclined support could be contoured in order to provide a secondary means for better reacting to the lateral acceleration forces at the rider's toes or heels, depending on a left or right corner. This in turn has the advantage of facilitating the rider of the E-board to have an upright, athletic stance with a more desirable ankle angle relative to the lower leg.
Currently, E-board riders typically need to keep both feet flat on the deck while leaning into the direction of acceleration. The accelerations bring their shoe's closer to the grip tape's static frictional force threshold and could result in foot slippage or ankle roll, if too much power is demanded from the motors, and/or poor steering control from being off balance while trying to lean. The angled foot support of the present invention will therefore allow the rider to distribute more normal force on their rear or front foot during longitudinal acceleration or deceleration, respectively.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the inclined support maintains the rider's unrestrictive foot movement on and off the deck easily and also any direction of foot movement relative to the deck at all foot locations of the useable deck area. The inclined support should be integrated to the deck so its useable portion is inboard of the truck mounts (trucks). The inclined support's attachment location is intended to maintain contact of all wheels firmly on the ground while the rider presses against the support during motorized operation (acceleration/deceleration). The inclined support of the present invention is configured for E-board motors that are controlled by a hand controller (not by any foot sensor technology).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inclined support apparatus is integrated to a motorized board, providing a rider stability during acceleration and during deceleration on sloped and flat surfaces, configured to receive foot pressure by the rider at a top surface of the support apparatus. According to the embodiment, the support apparatus comprises: a support body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side edge, a right side edge, a first edge and a second edge. The first and second edges define a length of the support body and wherein the left side and right side edge define a width of the support body. The support body comprises at least one inclined section at the top surface along the length of the support body, wherein a beginning of the inclined section begins nearer to the first edge and inclines toward the second edge, and at least one concave depression within the inclined section; and wherein the first edge is a leading edge that is positioned closer to a center of the board than the second edge which faces an end of the board. Furthermore, a side view thickness-profile of the board, measured where the inclined support body is integrated to the board's shape, is larger than a side view thickness-profile measured along a majority of a length of the board.
According to preferred embodiments, the inclined support can be removably mountable as a single part, static body which may be conveniently installed using any number of the previously existing holes of that the board uses to attach to the trucks. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the support may have a multi-part, static body design. In an alternative embodiment, the inclined support may have a rider-adjustable body design.
These features, advantages and other embodiments of the present invention are further made apparent, in the remainder of the present document, to those of ordinary skill in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The exemplary aspects of the present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various embodiments of the invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to the specific embodiments, but are for explanation and understanding only.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a rear inclined support, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a top, left perspective view of the rear inclined support of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the rear inclined support showing one example of specific angles and dimensions in its design, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the rear inclined support of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4A is a front cross-sectional view of the rear inclined support of FIG. 1, taken at the B-B line of FIG. 4B.
FIG. 4B is a top plan view of the rear inclined support to FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a side view of a front inclined support which is smaller than the rear inclined support in its incline and size, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a top, left perspective view of the front inclined support of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a detailed diagram of the primary contact incline section of the front inclined support showing one example of specific angles and dimensions in its design, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a front view of the front inclined support of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8A is a front cross-sectional view of the front inclined support of FIG. 5, taken at the A-A line of FIG. 8B.
FIG. 8B is a top plan view of the front inclined support to FIG. 5.
FIG. 9 is a top, left, front perspective view of an E-board with a front and rear inclined support setup, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a top, left, rear perspective view of the E-board with the front and rear inclined support setup of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a front view of FIG. 9.
FIG. 12 is a rear view of FIG. 9.
FIG. 13 is a top plan view of FIG. 9 showing key foot regions, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of FIG. 9.
FIG. 14A illustrates a perspective view of a conventional E-board rider stance during forward acceleration.
FIG. 14B is a top plan view of FIG. 14A.
FIG. 14C is a side view of FIG. 14A.
FIG. 14D is a rear view of FIG. 14A.
FIG. 14E illustrates an E-board rider stance during forward acceleration on front and rear inclined supports according to embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 14F is a top pan view of FIG. 14E.
FIG. 14G is a side view of FIG. 14E.
FIG. 14H is a rear view of FIG. 14E.
FIG. 14I illustrates a front view of a conventional E-board rider stance during uphill acceleration.
FIG. 14J illustrates an E-board rider stance during uphill acceleration on front and rear incline supports according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a top plan view of FIG. 9 with foot placement indicators, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 16 is a top, left, front perspective view of an E-board with only a rear inclined support setup, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 17 is a top plan view of FIG. 16.
FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of FIG. 16.
FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of the components of a rear inclined support with partial view of an E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 20 is a top plan view of front inclined foot support for a left foot forward rider with adjustment slots, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 21 is a top plan view of a rear inclined support with adjustment slots attached to partial tail end view of an E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a rear inclined support with adjustment slots attached to partial tail end view of an E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 23 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the inclined support with adjustment slots, attached to the E-board, taken through the bolts and with top cap attached, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 24 is a perspective view of FIG. 22 with top cap attached, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 25 is a top plan view of an E-board with a front and rear inclined support setup with top caps attached and illustrating foot placement indicators, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 25A is a top perspective view of a rear inclined support with adjustment slots, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 25B is a side view of FIG. 25A.
FIG. 25C is a front view of FIG. 25A.
FIG. 25D is a top plan view of FIG. 25A.
FIG. 25E is a front cross-sectional view thereof, taken along the A-A line of FIG. 25D.
FIG. 25F is a top perspective view of a front inclined support with adjustment slots, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 25G is a front view of FIG. 25F.
FIG. 25H is a top plan view of FIG. 25F.
FIG. 25I is a front cross-sectional view thereof, taken along the A-A line of FIG. 25H.
FIG. 25J is a right side view of FIG. 25F.
FIG. 25K is a left side view of FIG. 25F.
FIG. 26 is a top, left front perspective view of a multi-part support attached to a partial view of an E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 27 is an exploded side view of the components of the multi-part support with partial view of an E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 28 is a side elevational view of FIG. 26.
FIG. 29 is a top, left, rear perspective view of the multi-part support attached to a partial view of an E-board of FIG. 26.
FIG. 30 illustrates a top, left perspective view of a rear base component without any support incline attached to a partial view of an E-board with a foot placement indicator, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 31 is a top plan view of a multi-part support attached to an E-board with foot placement indicators, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 32 is an exploded top perspective view of the components of the multi-part support with partial view of the E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 33 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the components of the multi-part support with partial view of the E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 34 illustrates a side view of an inclined support having a curved bottom surface according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 35 is a top plan view of an inclined support with a patterned top surface according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 36 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 35.
FIG. 37 is a side cross-sectional view thereof, taken along the AA-AA line of FIG. 36.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The purpose of the following detailed description is to provide an understanding of one or more embodiments of the present invention. Those of ordinary skills in the art will realize that the following detailed description is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure and/or description.
Various embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the drawings may not be drawn to scale. Rather, the dimensions of the various features may be expanded or reduced for clarity. In addition, some of the drawings may be simplified for clarity. Thus, the drawings may not depict all of the components of a given apparatus (e.g., device) or method. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following detailed description to refer to the same or like parts.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a foot support apparatus for the rear of the board (tail side), hereinafter referred to as a rear inclined support 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rear inclined support 1 has a wedge-shaped body with two fastener receiving holes/openings 2 at a top surface 3 to be used to fasten the inclined support 1 to an E-board. The illustration shows an example support 1 utilizing two different angles to create a contact incline section increasing from a leading edge 4 toward the end edge 5. The inclined support 1 begins from the front/leading edge 4 with first segment 6 at a smaller angle of about 13 to 16 degrees and then widens to about 23 to 26 degrees at a second segment 7. The angled segments can be modified to accommodate rider's preference and stability and, additional segments of the support may include different angles, shapes or contours. It is contemplated that the exact angle of inclination, Θ, from the leading edge 4 may span from 0<Θ<180 degrees. In preferred embodiments, the angle of inclination of the support 1 is estimated around 10 to 30 degrees, or a combination at different parts of the support 1.
The dimensions of the inclined support 1 can also be manufactured to suit a rider's preference. In particular, the width 8, length 9, and height 10 of the support 1 can all be varied. As shown in the FIG. 2, along the length 9 of the support there is a change in incline. The overall length 9 is comprised of a relatively horizontal length of fastening section 9A and a length of the contact incline section 9B. As further shown in FIG. 3, according to an embodiment, the length of the contact incline section 9B of the support 1 may extend approximately 3 to 7 inches from the front/leading edge 4; and the height 10 measured at the end edge 5 may be approximately 1 inch to 2 inches. The overall length 9 of the support body may be approximately 6 to 10 inches; and the fastening section 9A approximately 3 to 5 inches. The contour of the support 1 may be selected based on rider preference and shape of the rider's deck. According to an embodiment, the leading edge may begin with a height of about 0.10 inch before ascending.
FIG. 4 shows the front view of the rear support 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The front view further illustrates the raised side lips 15A and 15B at an angle of about 7 degrees to reach a height of about 0.10 inch at each side at the leading edge. As shown in FIG. 4A which is a cross sectional view taken along the B-B line of FIG. 4B (the top plan view of the support 1), the raised side lips 15A, 15B have an angle of inclination of about 7 degrees with respect to the horizontal bottom surface. These contours on the sides of the support 1 help provide more responsiveness to the rider's movements during turn initiation and stability during turn progression by cupping the rider's foot inwards to the board's centerline, providing more comfort. A symmetric, pair of off-center cupped portions 14 (concave depressions) are contoured at a depth into the top surface of the contact incline section beginning from the leading edge 4. In an embodiment, the pair of cupped portions 14 are symmetrically positioned on the support. For example, the cupped portions 14 are laterally opposite each other. The cupped portions 14 depress in a concave direction into the top surface of the support, such that no part of the cupped portion's contours extend higher than the tallest, steepest inclined plane at the top surface. This symmetric cupping feature of the rear support 1 help facilitate either a left or right foot for the rider to maintain a comfortable, upright, stable stance during the E-board's acceleration and deceleration motions.
The static support may exist in multiple combinations/options as a fixed shape/design for simplicity; however, a rider adjustable inclined section could be designed for the rider to tune their desired angle of support. However, this rider adjustable inclined section may end up being too complicated and over built for most users.
FIGS. 5-8 illustrate a foot support apparatus for the front of the board (nose), hereinafter referred to as a front inclined support 20, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows the front inclined support 20 includes a wedge-shaped body with two fastener receiving holes/openings 22 at the top surface 23 to be used to fasten the inclined support 20 to an E-board. The illustration shows an example front inclined support 20 utilizing two different angles to create a contact incline section increasing from a leading edge 24 toward an end edge 25. As shown in FIG. 7 the front inclined support 20 begins with a first segment 26 at a smaller angle of about 10 degrees and then widens to about 16 degrees at a second segment 27. The angles can be modified to accommodate rider preference and stability and additional segments of the support may include different angles.
The dimensions of the front inclined support 20 can also be manufactured to suit rider preference. Specifically, the width 28, length 29, and height 30 can all be adjusted. As shown in the FIG. 6, along the length 29 of the support there is a change in incline. The overall length 29 is comprised of a relatively horizontal lengths of fastening section 29A and a length of the contact incline section 29B. As further shown in FIG. 7, according to an embodiment, the length of the contact incline section 29B of the support 20 may extend approximately 2 inches to 5 inches from the leading edge 24; and the height 30 measured at the end edge 25 may be approximately 0.5 inch to 1.5 inch. According to an embodiment, the leading edge 24 may begin with a height of about 0.10 inch before ascending.
FIG. 8 further shows the front view of the front inclined support 20. As illustrated, an off-center cupped portion 33 (concave depression), is contoured into the top surface and relatively based on rider's front foot choice. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the support 20 is designed for a rider having a right foot forward (goofy) stance. Similarly, for left foot forward (regular) stance the front foot support would be a left-right-hand mirror about the major axis of the board. In practice, the rider's front foot's toes are slightly clocked (angled) into the direction of motion, anywhere from 5 to 30 degrees from perpendicular (See further in FIG. 15). This angle, hereinafter referred to as the clocking angle 18. As shown in FIG. 8A which is a cross sectional view taken along the A-A line of FIG. 8B (the top plan view of the support 20), the raised side lips 17A, 17B have different angles of inclination of about 7 degrees and about 3 degrees respectively on each side edge 21A, 21B, with respect to the horizontal bottom surface 48. This directionality in the contours of the front support 20, for example the location of the cupped portion 33, helps conform the support 20 to the ball position of the rider's foot. The side profile of the front foot from the ball to the heel is supported by having the swept clocking angle 18 section along the width 28 of the front support 20 that extends up the top surface over the entire length of the incline section 29B. As shown in FIG. 8B the leading edge of the front support 20 that is angled toward the cupped portion 33 by a clocking angle 18 of about 12 degrees inward from the lateral (horizontal) axis aligned with the outermost point of the leading/front edge 24. The side lip angle 17B at this outer facing side (right side) is less than the side lip angle 17A at the foot's inner facing side due to the clocking angle's 18 sweep up the incline's length (i.e. 17A is at the left side edge 21A for a right-foot-forward stance). Similarly, if the front support is configured for regular stance (left foot forward stance), the right-side lip angle 17B would be steeper than the left side lip angle 17A. Similar to the cupping feature of the rear support 1, the contouring and cupped portion 33 of the front support 20 help facilitate the rider to maintain a comfortable upright stance during the E-board's acceleration and deceleration motions.
FIGS. 9-10 illustrate a rear inclined support 1 and front inclined support 20 removably installed toward the tail 102 and nose 103 of the deck 101 of a full E-board 100 respectively. In this embodiment, the rear and front inclined supports 1, 20 are positioned inboard of the rear truck 104 and front truck 105. The directional arrows indicate the direction of forward acceleration. Deceleration would be in the opposite direction of the arrows. The rear inclined support 1 and front inclined support 20 can be made to have different angles, shapes and sized depending on the rider's preference. In other embodiments, either support may be sloped in multiple directions combined, i.e. sloped across the width in addition to the slope along the length of the board to better mold to the natural shape of the rider's sole and so that the rider's feet can be at an angle non-perpendicular angle to the direction of motion. This would suit riders who ride with a regular, goofy, duck stance, forward parallel stance or combination of the stances with either of their feet.
According to embodiments, the width 8, 28 of the support 1, 20 may span the majority or all of the width of the deck to provide the rider with the maximum angled foot holding that their deck offers. The width 8, 28 of the support 1, 20 could be larger than the deck width (overhanging the deck's edge) however this could be a hindrance to the rider while turning and lacking proper support without the deck beneath the inclined material. Due to the thousands of deck shapes, a standard/manufactured support design could have a slight overhang from the deck that is tolerable.
FIG. 11 illustrates a front view of a removably attached front support incline 20 installed on an E-board deck 101. FIG. 12 illustrates a rear view of the removably attached rear support incline 1 installed on the E-board deck 101. FIGS. 13-14 illustrate the respective top plan view and side view of a removably installed rear inclined support 1 and front inclined support 20 on the E-board. As shown in the top plan view of FIG. 13, placement of the inclined supports 1, 20 targets the key regions 43, 44 of the board (dashed circles) where the rider's feet have the most leverage for tilting the board about the truck's kingpin axis during a turn. E-boards are predominantly about maneuverability at low (25 mph or less) speeds with all four wheels in rolling contact with the ground with frequent starts/stops and tight turns—unlike high speed downhill long boarding. The front foot is primarily used for initiating turn entry and the front foot is usually at a forward clocking angle while the back foot is perpendicular to the board (as shown by foot indicators in FIG. 15) which is why the front foot region 44 is slightly larger than the rear foot region 43.
To better illustrate the conventional E-board rider's stances during forward acceleration without use of any inclined support, see FIGS. 14A-D. As shown, the rider must lean into the direction of acceleration, moving their center of mass (roughly at their belly button) over the front truck/nose of the deck (see FIG. 14B). Since most of the weight is on the front foot during this lean, the rear foot has less force going to it, so there is less normal force pressing against the deck, resulting in a reduced friction holding force for the rear foot against the grip tape on the deck i.e. less stability. Usually the rear leg is straight with the knee locked out in order to accommodate such a forward lean, as shown in FIG. 14C. In such a conventional E-board rider stance, since there are no supports, the rider's feet are flat against the top surface of the deck and this causes the rear ankle to accommodate at a dramatic angle difference between the bottom face of the rear foot relative to the lower leg shin bone. This dramatic angle causes an uncomfortable riding position leading to rider fatigue in the ankle and supporting muscles. The front leg must be bent in order to accommodate such a lean. It is therefore problematic and awkward to engage the front foot in this position to initiate a turn since the center of mass is directly above the front foot, leading to a potentially unstable, wobbly steering scenario since only one (front) foot is engaged with the steering effort.
For comparative purposes, FIGS. 14E-H minor the views of FIGS. 14A-D except each stance now reflects the use of a rear support 1 and front support 20 on the E-board during forward acceleration, according to embodiments of the present invention. While the rider still slightly leans into direction of acceleration; the center of mass is advantageously moved less forward than without supports 1, 20 (see FIG. 14F). The rider's center of mass is in-between their two feet leading to a more centered, athletic stance with both front and rear leg's being bent at the knees. This more upright stance is closer to how a non-motorized skateboard rider would casually stand on their board while gliding with both feet on the deck. With both knees bent, the rider can press outward against the front 20 and rear foot support 1 to help stabilize their body in a more centered position, having the ability to push their body forward or back, distributing their weight more evenly between the front and rear foot, which helps the rider initiate turns easier as well. As further shown in FIG. 14F, the force going down the rear leg is transferred more normally into the support's 1 inclined surface, relying less on friction forces. The foot support 1 helps the rear ankle accommodate either a smaller or zero angle between the bottom face of the rear foot relative to the lower leg (see FIG. 14G). The reduced angle for the rear ankle results in more stability and more rider comfort, i.e. less fatigue.
To better illustrate the conventional E-board rider's stance when accelerating uphill, without use of any inclined support, see FIG. 14I. It is clear that all of the stability and comfort issues associated with forward acceleration are exaggerated when moving uphill. In addition to a rider shifting their center of mass forward over the nose of the deck, the rider typically must also lower their center of mass closer to the ground to accommodate the hill's slope causing a larger ankle angle between the bottom of their foot sole and lower leg. Sometimes the rider cannot physically accommodate that angle with keeping their rear foot sole flat against the deck (parallel to the hill's slope) which either requires to tilt their sole on its inside edge or rotate (clock) their rear foot forward. In either situation, this reduces the frictional hold on the rider's rear foot with a narrower or smaller contact patch instead of the full area of their sole. This need to further lean forward while on a hill also causes the front knee to be bent more. This leaning position causes not only the rear ankle and supporting muscles to become fatigued but also the front leg's muscles since the rider must be more crouched while powering the motors uphill.
For comparative purposes, FIG. 14J illustrates the rider's stance when accelerating uphill with the use of inclined supports 1, 20 on the E-board. With the foot supports 1, 20, the rider's rear foot is resting against a more horizontal (or perfectly horizontal) surface on the support's top face (depending on the grade of the hill and angle of the support's main incline). The rider's rear leg is more vertical while the front leg is less bent. This helps keep the rider in a more upright, relaxed, athletic riding position with their legs while powering the motors uphill.
For purposes of understanding how the rider would ride the board with inclined supports 1, 20, FIG. 15 is illustrated showing foot placement indicators 40, 42 to identify where feet would hypothetically be positioned on the board 101. It is tested and envisioned that most riders will place their feet partially or fully engaged with these foot supports at all times while riding. In this embodiment, the rear and front inclined supports 1, 20 are positioned inboard of the trucks 104, 105, inclusive of directly over the trucks 104, 105. The directional arrows indicate the direction of forward acceleration. As discussed above, the rider's front foot's toes are slightly clocked into the direction of motion, anywhere from 5 to 30 degrees from perpendicular, as illustrated by foot placement indicator 42. The front foot support 20 is shown for a rider who has a right foot forward (goofy) stance. Similarly, for left foot forward (regular) stance the front foot support 20 would be mirrored about the major axis of the board.
FIGS. 16-18 illustrate varying perspective views of a removably installed rear inclined support 1 setup on the E-board. The illustrations show how an E-board can be equipped with just the rear-inclined support setup due to various rider preference reasons. In this embodiment, the rear inclined support 1 is positioned inboard or in front of the rear truck 104. Again, the directional arrows indicate the direction of forward acceleration.
The placement of either inclined support 1, 20 along the length of the board deck depends on the deck shape and where the rider prefers to place their feet while riding. In a preferred embodiment, the support 1, 20 is most advantageously placed within the wheelbase, i.e. the rider's feet remain inboard of the trucks 104, 105, as their feet would normally be located while riding without this support. Since causing the rider's foot to be placed outside the truck mounts would cause that foot's reaction force to help pivot the deck about that truck's wheels. Placing the inclined section of the support 1, 20 so that the rider's feet when using this support are on top or outboard of the trucks would also be a potential clearance issue for most E-board's since the support 1, 20 and rider's foot would be directly above or closer to the wheels, thereby it would be more likely for rider's feet to contact the spinning wheels while turning sharply. Alternatively, as some boards do have setups that fully cover the front or rear wheels, the support 1, 20 could be placed on top or outboard of the trucks 104, 105 (but such a setup would be at the riders' discretion due to the undesired wheel clearance, awkward stance position and the wheelie or flipping action induced by reacting their foot outboard of the wheels).
FIG. 19 illustrates an exploded view of a rear inclined support 1 and the components that fasten the support 1 to the E-board's deck 101 and truck 104. The fastening method utilizes the existing holes on the deck through which the trucks are fastened to the deck, therefore, installing the inclined supports 1, 20 do not require any further or permanent modification, such as drilling new holes or using wood screws, to the existing deck. As illustrated, support 1 is installed above the deck and attached to the deck and truck 104 using two bolts 11, two inserts 12, and two bolt retention nuts 13. The inserts 12 are part of a stronger material to withstand the preload from the bolt, providing a more rigid bolted stack compared to that if the bolt gripped to the inclined support material; also may be referred to as T-hats. This embodiment illustrates one method of fastening the support 1 body to the E-board and is not necessarily the only method of attachment as other securing means are contemplated. In this embodiment, the rear inclined support 1 is positioned inboard or in front of the rear truck 104. The same fastening method may be used to removably attach the front support 20 to the E-board deck and/or truck. The attachment method may be any method including structural hardware, fasteners, adhesives, hook and loop, or some other intricate/simple fastening or interlocking mechanism and combinations thereof, which allow for secure attachment of the support to the E-board, without loosening during riding, and may also be permanently integrated or removably integrated so that when the rider desires to uninstall the support without damage to the deck.
FIG. 20 illustrates a top plan view of a front inclined support 35 for a regular stance (left foot forward rider), according to an embodiment of the present invention. This support 35 also has one or more adjustment slots 37 instead of fixed receiving hole 22 positions as an option for riders to have more customizability to the longitudinal positioning of the support 35 on the board to accommodate different stance widths.
To further illustrate a version of the support with customizable and adjustable longitudinal positioning, FIGS. 21 and 22 are a top plan view and perspective view of a rear inclined support 36 with adjustment slots 37 attached to partial tail end view of an E-board, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rear support 36 may comprises a cavity 34 inside which the adjustment slots 37 are located recessed inside the cavity 34. The rear support 36 is attached to the board by bolts/screws 11 inserted in respective slotted inserts 32 which surround the slots 37. The slotted inserts 32 have openings which correspond to the length of the slots 37. It is contemplated that the one or more adjustment slots 37, while shown as continuous, may instead be configured as a set of multiple discrete holes. In other embodiments, the adjustment slots 37 or discrete holes may be configured to accommodate lateral adjustment of the support 35, i.e. positioned in the width-wise direction.
FIG. 23 is a partial cross-sectional view along the A-A line of FIG. 22 further including a top cap 38 which seals the cavity 34 and rests flush with the top surface 39 of the support 36. In this embodiment, the top cap 38 covers the bolts/screws 11 and slotted inserts 32. The slotted inserts 32 contact the deck (top surface) of the board 101 and the bolts/screws 11 are screwed into the existing deck/truck openings on the board through the slots 37 and inserts 32. Bolt retention nuts secure the bolts to the trucks 104. The top cap 38 is removably attached to the support 36 to allow for access to the cavity 34, for example when attaching, removing, replacing or adjusting the placement of the support 36 to the deck and truck 104 of the board 101. According to an embodiment, the top cap 38 has an annular snap-fit feature around its perimeter to connect with the vertical side-wall of the cavity 34. The top cap 38 can be retained by other means such as being press fit or clipped into the cavity 34.
FIG. 24 illustrates the rear inclined support 36 in perspective view attached to the tail end of an E-board with the top cap 38 attached in place over the cavity 34. The cavity 34 which houses the slotted 37 part is capped to form a substantially horizontal top fastening section, similar to the horizontal fastening sections 9A, 29A of the non-laterally adjustable supports 1, 20. This fastening section of the support 36 expectedly has a longer length than the non-adjustable versions to accommodate the length of the adjustment slots 37.
FIG. 25 shows the top plan view of the longitudinally adjustable rear inclined support 36 and the front support 35 setup installed on the E-board, each with top cap 38 covering the slotted 37 parts of the supports. Foot placement indicators 40, 42 are shown, where the front foot indicator 42 is positioned at a slight angle in the direction of movement.
FIGS. 25A-E illustrate an embodiment of the rear inclined support 36 comprising a pair of off-center cupped portions 14 which are symmetrically positioned at a cupping angle 45 from the centerline. The start of each cupped portion 14 begins at the cupping angle 45 which is anywhere from 15 to 35 degrees from a centerline reference axis through the length of the support. In a preferred embodiment, the cupping angle 45 is at 30 degrees from the centerline axis on each side. Each cupped portion 14 extends parallel to the cupping angle 45 through a length of a main inclined section 46 as shown in FIG. 25D. According to an embodiment, the main inclined section 46 has an incline angle of about 12 degrees as shown in FIG. 25B, the side lip angles 47 are the same at about 4.4 degrees with respect to the horizontal bottom surface 48 as shown in the cross sectional view of FIG. 25E taken along the A-A line of FIG. 25D. Given the symmetry of the structure of the rear support 36, there is no clocking angle present as may be contemplated for the front inclined support 35 since the rear foot typically is perpendicular to the direction of motion in most rider stances. Also, the rear foot does not need as much specific contoured support since it does not contribute to the steering as much as the front foot.
FIGS. 25F-K illustrate an embodiment of the front inclined support 35 comprising an off-center cupped portion 33 which is asymmetrically positioned at a cupping angle 45 from the centerline. The front inclined support 35 is configured for a right-foot-forward, goofy stance. The start of the cupped portion 33 begins at the cupping angle 45 which anywhere from 15 to 35 degrees from a centerline reference axis through the length of the support. In a preferred embodiment, the cupping angle 45 is at 30 degrees from the centerline. The cupped portion 33 extends parallel to the cupping angle 45 through a length of a main inclined section 49 as shown in FIG. 25H. According to an embodiment, the main inclined section 49 has an incline angle of about 14 degrees as shown in FIGS. 25J and 25K, the side lip angles also differ at about 4.9 degrees on the left side lip angle 47A and about 4.6 degrees on the right side lip angle 47B, measured with respect to the horizontal bottom surface 48 as shown in the cross sectional view of FIG. 25I taken along the A-A line of FIG. 25H. As further shown in FIG. 25H the leading edge 24 of the front support 35 is swept at a main angle of about 14 degrees 49 up the incline's top face with an about 30 degree angle cupped portion 33 and a clocking angle 18 of about 14 degrees inward from a horizontal axis aligned with the outermost point of the leading/front edge 24. As shown in the left side view of FIG. 25K, due to the cupping angle of about 30 degrees in which the cupped portion 33 cuts in closer to the left side edge 21A boundary than to the right side edge 21B, a smaller angle of incline is produced at the left side edge 21A than the main angle 49. This smaller angle may be about 9 degrees from the base to the top surface of the left side edge 21A.
According to embodiments, the top surface may have multiple central planar inclined sections and the cupped portion 33 is a fillet along the edge between the side lip (side edge 21A or 21B) and the central incline planar sections (e.g. main inclined section 49) of the top surface. Other concave shapes are contemplated in other embodiments, as long as no part of the contours of the cupped portion 33 extend higher than the tallest, steepest inclined plane at the top surface.
FIG. 26 illustrates a perspective view of a multi-part support 50 attached to the deck 101 of the board according to an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, there are at least two primary components which include the base component 55 and the inclined support component 51. Other embodiments may be envisioned with additional support components. The base component 55 remains attached to the board deck 101 at all times, allowing the rider to more accessibly swap on and off different incline shapes without having to undo the two truck bolts/screws and nuts (not shown) that mount the base component 55 via the base component holes 56 to the trucks of the board. Other means of fastening or securing/joining the base component 55 to the board deck are envisioned in other embodiments.
The inclined component 51 which may resemble a support wedge is removably attachable to the base component 55. The inclined support component 51 portion can be swapped with different incline shapes or removed completely. Such versatility allows the rider to choose between having an incline or to free up the deck space for the rider's foot and ride on a normal deck platform. In this embodiment, the base component 55 and the inclined support component 51, positioned on the rear of the board, are positioned inboard or in front of the rear truck 104.
FIG. 27 illustrates an exploded view of the multi-part support 50 as illustrated in FIG. 26. The multi-part support 50 components include the inclined support component 51, bolts/screws 52, inserts 53, bolt retention nuts 54, and the base component 55. In this embodiment, the bolts 52, inserts 53, and bolt fasteners 54 shown here are used to easily attach the inclined support component 51 to the base component 55. As shown in this embodiment (see also FIGS. 32 and 33), the inclined support component 51 has a pair of receiving holes/openings 57 which align above another pair of receiving holes/openings 58 on the base component 55. The receiving holes 57 on the inclined support component receive the inserts 53 and the bolts 52. The receiving holes 58 on the base component 55 terminate near the deck with a shape for receiving the captive/press fitted nuts 54. For example, before the base components 55 is installed, a hex nut 54 is placed inside the receiving hole 55 before the support component 51 is attached using the bolts 52 such that the bolts engage the nut 54.
FIGS. 28-29 illustrate a side view and a top rear perspective view of the multi-part support 50 embodiment of FIG. 26. In this embodiment, the base component 55 and the removably attached inclined support component 51 are positioned inboard or in front of the rear truck 104. FIG. 30 illustrates a top perspective view of the rear base component 55 without any support incline 51 attached and a foot placement indicator 40 showing relative location of the rider's foot with respect to the base component 55. FIG. 31. illustrates a top plan view of the multi-part support 50 installed on the deck of the board. This view shows the rear base component 55 with a removably attached inclined support component 51 and foot placement indicators 40 for both feet of the rider.
FIGS. 32-33 illustrate a top perspective exploded view and bottom perspective exploded view of the multi-part support 50 embodiment illustrated in FIG. 26. These views better illustrate the fastening of the multi-part support 50 components which include the inclined support component 51, bolts 52, inserts 53, retention nuts 54, and the base component 55. The bolts 52 are inserted into the inserts 53 into the receiving holes 57 of the inclined support component 51. The bolts 52 engage the nuts 54 which are positioned inside the receiving holes 58 of the base component 55. While the base component 55 is attached to the deck/trucks via the base component holes 56, similarly to the way the supports 1, 20 are attached through the existing deck/truck openings 60, the inclined support component 51 is not fastened directly to the deck but instead fastened to the base component 55, allowing for easy replacement/change. Other means of fastening or securing/joining the inclined support component 51 to the base component 55 are envisioned in other embodiments.
The inclined supports 1, 20, 35, 36, as well as the primary components of the multi-part support 50 (incline component 51 and base component 55) are each manufactured as a single/static piece, which can be machined, molded or crafted, and can be constructed of metal, plastics, rubber, foam, wood, carbon fiber, fiber glass, fluid filled pockets/vessels or other material composite bodies or combinations thereof. The bottom surface of each of the supports which contact the top surface of the board, while shown as substantially horizontal/flat may also be manufactured/pre-formed with a custom-profiled or curved bottom surface 70 to correspond with a curvature of a board and help preload the inclined support to the deck's top surface. FIG. 34 illustrates a side profile of the how the bottom surface 70 of the support body is curved in order to preload the incline against the deck when fastened down. The top surface fastening section, for example the surface 39 above the slotted inserts 32, may be angled as well for saving weight.
As described above, the supports comprise single or multi directional sloped incline sections. Any of the surfaces of the inclined supports, may further comprise a gripped surface or include grip tape. As shown in FIG. 35 a top plan view of the support body illustrates a grip patterned surface according to an embodiment of the present invention. The patterned features 80 may be hexagonal shaped as shown, and may be recessed or extruded from the top surface so as to provide more grip to the contact surface of the support. As further shown in FIG. 36 which illustrates the bottom plan view of the inclined support body and FIG. 37 which illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along the AA-AA line, a pattern is incorporated to reduce the overall weight of the support. In order to reduce the weight of the support, lightening pockets 85 (in this embodiment circular in shape) are patterned on the underside to remove material from the core of the inclined body. This patterning helps reduce weight as well as reduce the stiffness of the incline section which depending on the material properties and dimensions helps provide a softer feeling when the rider presses their foot on the support.
In another embodiment, the support may be configured for fitting a custom designed deck with specific fastening schemes pre-designed such as extra mounting holes for bolts, T-hats/nuts or threaded inserts for attaching the foot supports to the deck instead of using any of the existing four truck holes on each tail or nose end of the board.
The foot supports of the embodiments shown above are intended as accessories that are removably installed on the original deck of motorized boards. Each of the supports allow the rider to safely and comfortably distribute the rider's reaction forces on their feet to the board's motion. Use of the support relieves riders from excessively leaning or other positions that compensate for the acceleration or which place their ankles in awkward angles. The supports provide the rider stability and control by creating a more horizontal surface to ride upon while on sloped, hill surfaces. For example, improved rider reaction force distribution is obtained via the rear inclined support during acceleration or on uphill climbs and obtained via the front inclined support during deceleration/braking or when going downhill. The supports are non-restrictive as the rider is free to move their foot off any of the supports to the regular portion of the deck whenever desired and easily back onto the support(s) whenever angled support is desired.
It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the supports may comprise other features including electronics, reflectors, lights, speakers, or other typical skating accessories for purposes of rider safety or board protection, night riding enjoyment or other activities. In other embodiments of the present invention, there is an E-board comprising at least one inclined support apparatus; or an E-board comprising two inclined support apparatus. In other embodiments, it is envisioned that the supports may be integrated as accessories for other types of boards used in other motorized boarding activities, for example scootering where the rider desires the angled support during acceleration/deceleration but to still maintain the freedom of foot movement.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of these exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
Patent Application
20200030684
