Patent Application
20160114241
This disclosure relates generally to sporting goods and sporting activities and, more particularly, relates to a propulsion means and system for use by a participant to paddle over land.
In the area of water sports, it is known to paddle a sport craft for propulsion. Examples of such craft include kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and so on. Certain non-sport craft such as row boats also use one or more paddles for propulsion. In their use for water propulsion, paddles are convenient, though somewhat inefficient due to turbulent losses and other hydrodynamic inefficiencies. The energy lost in this manner is wasted and cannot be stored or later reused.
The possibility of using a type of paddle to propel a rider of a wheeled craft on land has recently come to light. In particular, the rider of a skate board, long board, or other wheeled personal conveyance may hold a staff or stick for propulsion. The end of the paddle is periodically forced into the ground and backward to propel the skate board or other conveyance forward. This motion is similar in appearance to the paddling motion used when paddling water-borne craft.
As with water craft, there are inefficiencies that occur when paddling a land borne conveyance. For example, the paddling resistance is not necessarily a good match for the rider's strength. As such, the rider may push with all their strength, but only cause a small displacement of the conveyance. The rider's strain during such a maneuver is essentially wasted. Moreover, if the rider swings the paddle downward on each paddling stroke, the sudden contact of the paddle with the ground may cause the paddle to slow suddenly, causing shock and potential injury to the rider, especially the rider's arms and shoulders.
The disclosure includes the following figures, which are provided so that the reader may better understand the invention.
The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and are not intended to convey precise dimensions, since precise dimensions are not critical. The figures and text show and discuss examples, but it will be appreciated that many other variations fall within the described invention.
As was discussed above it is possible for a rider to use a paddle to propel themselves on land via a wheeled craft such as a skate board. However, as also noted, the paddling resistance may not be a good match for the rider's strength, causing undue strain and wasted energy. Also, the sudden contact of the paddle with the ground during use may cause shock and potential injury to the rider. Thus, the inventor has conceived of a portable system for storing and releasing user energy while also diminishing the shock induced as the paddle strikes the road surface. The described invention works with a minimum of complication and expense.
A second tubular portion 102 is configured with a slightly smaller outer diameter or slightly larger inner diameter than the first tubular portion 101 so as to telescope slidingly into or outside of the first tubular portion 101, allowing the assembled paddle to compress. For storing the user's energy, an elastic element 104 is provided. The elastic element 104 in the illustrated embodiment is restrained to the second tubular portion 102 by way of a through-pin 106 and is linked to the first tubular portion 101 via a second pin 105 that extends through a slot 107 in the second tubular portion 102.
In this way, compression of the paddle serves to stretch the elastic element 104, storing the input energy for later release as propulsion. A foot or contact component 103 is affixed to the ground-facing end of the second tubular portion 102, allowing the paddle to grip the ground during the compression and release phases as the user propels the wheeled conveyance. In the figure shown, the contact component 103 is pinned to the second tubular portion 102 by a pin 108, but any suitable attachment mechanism may be used.
In an embodiment, the compression range of the paddle shown in
The partial cut away drawing of
For assembly, the bottom internal shaft 208 is slid into the top mid shaft 209. Once the internal shaft is connected into the top mid shaft, the top internal connection pin 205 is connected from the mid shaft 209 into the top internal connection. Once the top internal shaft 205 and mid shaft 209 are locked in place, the top of the mid shaft 209 is inserted into the bottom of the outer shaft 203. When all shafts are in place, a pin is inserted through the collar 204, and follows through the mid shaft slot 211 through the internal shaft pin hole, locking the collar 204 and the bottom internal shaft and pin hole together, allowing the pin to move freely up and down the mid shaft slot 211. The bottom grip 212 is then inserted and locked into place at the bottom of the mid shaft 210, giving a point of contact and grip with the ground.
Once the components in
In a further option applicable to all embodiments, the compression resistance may be tuned to the rider's size and/or strength preference. For example, with respect to tension elements such as bungees, the length, pre-stress or number of such elements may be adjusted to alter the force required to stretch the element.
Although certain examples have been shown and discussed herein, those of skill in the art will appreciate numerous variations and alternatives based on the given examples. As such, the scope of the disclosed invention is to be limited only by what would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, not by the exact details of any given example. Further, it will be appreciated that features of different examples may be combined in part or in whole without departing from the scope of the invention.
