The present invention relates generally to ramps for use in skating, snowboarding and cycling exhibitions, which is hydraulically and mechanically foldable for secured mobility and hydraulically and mechanically un-foldable as a complete ramp park unit and is adjustable vertically, horizontally and laterally for multiple terrain elevations.
Skateboarding, In-Line Skating and Snowboarding as a recreational activities among all ages creates opportunity for businesses to sell their products as professional skate board and snowboard riders perform tricks and stunts for the public.
As skateboarding has declined in the past it has begun to climb again in the market place as businesses try to find more ways to sell their products. It has become necessary to provide the ease of mobility and setup time in order to provide an economical means to promote new product or related exhibitions and contests for the purpose of entertainment while using a professional “competition regulation size” skate ramp.
Past and present methods of skateboarding exhibition ramp type half pipes are shipped to a site requiring hours or days of labor for assembly and disassembly making the exhibition more costly than profitable.
The following ramps are used for performing stunts by the riders and are also for use with roller skates, in-line skates and BMX bikes. For example, Schlesinger, U.S. Pat. No: 4,129,916 discloses an Adjustable Skateboard Ramp, Romero, U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,514 discloses a Ramp Device for Practicing Wheeled Sports, Farnen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,310 discloses a Modular Halfpipe Skateboard Ramp and Method of Constructing and Sheehan, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 257,874 and Firestone, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 258,460 show designs for skateboard ramps and, ltson; Joseph Derwood, GT Bicycles, Inc, U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,615 disclose a single folding design function that is not plausible within its presentation design. These references herein disclose a number of different designs of ramps and methods for constructing the ramps. Some of these references disclose the use of one-piece unitary riding surfaces, while other ramps known in the prior art disclose the use of multi-piece riding surfaces.
In view of the shortcomings of prior art, providing a portable “half-pipe” ramp transportable by a single vehicle the prior art ramp is not a regulation size skate ramp, does not provide a foldable public/rider observation deck and canopy protection for riders or invited public, therefore professional competition is not possible. The prior art design does not allow foldability as presented. It is this Applicants opinion, the prior art function is not possible in its current design form and function of its application. The new art herein provides a function that allows the ramp combined components to fold and unfold thereby making this new design foldable and mobile.
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-mentioned deficiencies associated with the prior art. The present invention generally comprised of two single trailers towed by vehicle to a site; hydraulically and mechanically unfolds into two skate park quarter sections and are hydraulically and mechanically adjusted for existing terrain height differences and conditions while allowing transition heights between ramps and ramp components to be smooth, preventing injury to riders in competitions and exhibitions alike. Unit 1 trailer includes a spiral stair accessibility for riders and public personnel to the upper rider/public observation deck platform with a foldable metal guard rail system and canopy. Unit 2 trailer consists of an upper rider deck and canopy with foldable metal guard rail system.
In a present embodiment of this invention, both trailers consists the plurality of rotating wheels and tires for mobility purposes, structural steel elements and steel cross braced framing, hydraulic outriggers, stabilizers and hydraulic lifts providing required height elevation, stability and adjustability of the set up site terrain post support and bracing to support upper deck at regulation height with canopy covers.
The ramps consists of 3 movable ramp components that create one each of the required two quarter ramps once hydraulically aligned and mechanically attached together creating a half pipe ramp. The lower flat ramp portion is mechanically attached to the curved ramp component providing the flat ramp portion required in professional skate park competition and folds within the required confined space once folded in the closed mobile position.
The description within the appended drawings is intended to describe the embodiments of the invention and its function. The description describes the function and methods for operating the invention. The same or equal functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the understood intent of the invention.
The skating/snowboarding ramp trailer Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the present invention is illustrated in
Referring first to
To become mobile simply reverse the set up process hook trailers to towing vehicles.