This disclosure relates to accessories related to deck-based sporting equipment and, in particular, to magnetic accessory systems for skateboards and electronic skateboards (e-boards).
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Skateboards are commonly used as fun and convenient travel accessories, particularly in urban environments. However, skateboarding at night requires the use of a lighting system. Helmet-mounted lights may be used but are positioned far from the ground and may provide inadequate vision for the user. Lighting systems have been incorporated into the truck and baseplate of the skateboard, but this has numerous issues. First, a lighting system incorporated into the truck, and therefore below the deck, may be too close to the ground to provide adequate illumination over uneven terrain. Second, a lighting system incorporated into the truck may be challenging and time-consuming to install. Third, the lighting system must have an electrical supply meaning that a separate electrical supply must incorporated into the skateboard, or the lighting system must be removed to be recharged, which may be time-consuming. Fourth, a lighting system rigidly fixed to the truck or baseplate may be easily damaged if the skateboard encounters difficult terrain. A lighting system for a skateboard which may be easily installed, detached, and recharged is desirable. Further, a lighting system for a skateboard which may provide adequate lighting of upcoming terrain is also desirable.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
In one embodiment, a skateboard accessory system is provided including a base and at least one magnet. The base includes a leg. The base is adapted to receive an accessory. The leg includes a foot adapted to be positioned against a deck of a skateboard. The magnet is positioned within the foot of the leg. The magnet is adapted to magnetically couple the base to the heads of at least two truck bolts.
In another embodiment, a skateboard lighting system is provided including a base, a plurality of magnets, and a light. The base includes multiple legs. Each of the legs includes a foot adapted to be positioned against a deck of a skateboard. Each magnet is arranged within the foot of one of the plurality of legs. The magnet is adapted to magnetically couple the base to heads of at least two truck bolts of the skateboard. The light is coupled to the base.
In yet another embodiment, a skateboard accessory system is provided including a base, at least two magnets, and an electrical accessory. The base includes a top, a bottom, at least two legs, and at least two feet. The feet are arranged within each of the legs at the bottom of the base. The magnets are each arranged within one of the feet. The electrical accessory is coupled to the top of the base.
The embodiments may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale. Moreover, in the figures, like-referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.
In one example, a skateboard accessory system is provided including a base and at least one magnet. The base includes a leg. The base is adapted to receive an accessory. The leg includes a foot adapted to be positioned against a deck of a skateboard. The magnet is positioned within the foot of the leg. The magnet is adapted to magnetically couple the base to the heads of at least two truck bolts.
One technical advantage of the systems and methods described below may be that the skateboard accessory system described herein may be located above the deck of the skateboard, providing ideal illumination to see upcoming terrain even in uneven situations.
Another technical advantage of the systems and methods described below may be that the skateboard accessory system described herein may be easily installed onto the skateboard, by merely magnetically coupling the skateboard accessory system to the deck of a skateboard. The magnetic coupling may provide additional advantages by allowing the skateboard accessory system to be easily detached for electrical recharging. Also, the magnetic coupling may allow the skateboard accessory system to more easily decouple from the skateboard in the event of a crash, minimizing damage to the skateboard accessory system.
The legs 12 may be any portion of the base 10 which extend outward from the center of the base 10. The legs 12 may extend to cover at least a portion of the heads (38 in
The foot 14 may be any portion of the leg 12 which is adapted to be positioned over a truck bolt 30 and which may house a magnet (16 in
The base 10 may extend from a top 82 to a bottom (84 in
In some embodiments, the skateboard accessory system may include one or more tabs 24 extending upward from the top 82 of the base 10. In some embodiments, a first tab 24 may be positioned on a first side of the base 10 and a second tab 24 may be positioned on a second side of the base 10. The tabs 24 may be adapted to constrain the position of the accessory 40 relative to the base 10. In such embodiments, the tabs 24 may help guide the accessory 40 into the mounting opening 20 to ease the installation process. Alternatively, the tabs 24 may constrain the rotational movement of the accessory 40 within the mounting opening 20, for example, as constraining the directionality of an accessory 40 such as a flashlight.
As illustrated in
The truck may be any portion of the skateboard which is adapted to have wheels and is coupled to the deck. The truck may include a baseplate 28 and an axle 34. The baseplate 28 of the truck may be coupled to the deck 26 by truck bolts 30 passing through the deck 26 and the baseplate 28. The truck bolts 30 may be coupled to the baseplate 28 and the deck 26 by truck nuts 32 threaded onto the truck bolts 30. The truck bolts 30 may have heads 38 secured against the deck 26, while the truck nuts 32 may be secured against the baseplate 28 below the deck 26. The heads 38 may be flat and recessed into the surface of the deck 26, or may be rounded to protrude above the deck 26. The truck bolts 30 and heads 38 may be made of a magnetic material such as iron, nickel, cobalt, or an alloy containing one of those metals such as steel.
In some embodiments, an upper plate 36 may be included. The upper plate 36 may be any component which is secured by the truck bolts 30 above the deck 26. The upper plate 36 may be made of a metal to better engage with the heads 38 of the truck bolts 30. In some embodiments, the deck 26 may have a recessed cavity in which the upper plate 36 may be positioned, as illustrated in
In some embodiments, a magnetic washer 39 may be between the head 38 of the truck bolt 30 and the deck 26 of the skateboard. The magnetic washer 39 may be made of a magnetic material such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, or an alloy thereof. The magnetic washer 39 may be used to enhance the magnetic attachment force between the magnets 16 of the base 10 and the heads 38 of the truck bolts 38. For example, in one embodiment without the magnetic washer 39, the magnet 16 may be held to the head 38 of the truck bolt 30 with approximately 8.8 pounds of force. In another embodiment with the magnetic washer 39 and a rounded head 38 for the truck bolt 30, the magnet 16 may be held to the head 38 of the truck bolt 30 with approximately 15.4 pounds of force. In another embodiment wherein a flat head 38 of the truck bolt 30 is recessed into the magnetic washer 39, the magnet 16 may be held to the head 38 of the truck bolt 30 with approximately 22.0 pounds of force.
Two to six truck bolts 30 may be used to secure the truck to the deck 26 of the skateboard though typically four truck bolts 30 may be used. The skateboard may include both forward and rear trucks (not shown), such that the skateboard is balanced on four wheels. In such embodiments, truck bolts 30 may be used to secure both trucks to the deck 26 of the skateboard. Additionally, in such embodiments, two bases 10 may be used to couple to both the front and back sets of truck bolts 30. For example, the back base 10 may be coupled to a red light accessory 40 and the front base 10 may be coupled to a wide-angle headlight accessory 40. In such an embodiment, the bases 10 and accessories 40 may be used on the skateboard to approximate regulation street vehicle running lights.
The energy source 44 may be any component of the accessory 40 which may provide electrical power to the accessory 40, such as a battery. The switch 48 may be any component which may electrically activate the accessory 40, such as an on/off button. The shell 86 may be any component of the accessory 40 which encloses all or some of the other components of the accessory 40. The charging port 46 may be any opening defined in the shell 86 by which the energy source 44 may be electrically charged, such as a universal serial bus (USB) port. For example, in some embodiments, the light, the switch 48, the energy source 44 and the charging port 46 may all be electrically coupled.
In some embodiments, the accessory may also include an engagement surface 50 which is adapted to engage with the surface of the base 10 to secure the position of the accessory 40 relative to the base. For example, as illustrated in
The shell 86 of the accessory 40 may also define a securing opening 52 adapted to receive a securing element 54. The securing opening 52 may be arranged at a bottom of the accessory 40 to allow the accessory 40 to be secured to the top 82 of the base 10. The securing opening 52 may be threaded. The securing element 54 may be any component which may extend between the bottom 84 of the base 10 and the securing opening 52 of the accessory 40 to secure the accessory 40 to the base 10. The securing element 54 may include a threaded portion 78 which may interact with the threaded surface of the securing opening 52. The securing element 54 may also include an element head 80 which may be secured against the bottom 84 of the base 10.
A portion of the outer shell of the foot 14 may be divided into several digits 56 encircling the magnet cavity 18 and separated from adjacent digits 56 by gaps 60 in the outer shell. The digits 56 may be more flexible than other portions of the outer shell, allowing the digits 56 to bend and flex slightly to make installation of the magnet 16 into the magnet cavity 18 easier. The digits 56 may also as a shock absorber between the deck 26 of the skateboard and the magnet 16, allowing the base to remain coupled to the deck 26 even when rolling over uneven surfaces.
Each digit 56 may include an overhang 62 extending under the magnet cavity 18. Each overhang 62 may restrain the movement of the magnet 16 within the magnet cavity 18, preventing the magnet 16 from exiting the magnet cavity 18. The overhang 62 may be aligned with the bottom 84 of the base 10 to allow the magnet 16 to be as close to the head 38 of the truck bolts 30 as possible. The overhang 62 may also have a sloped outer surface 64. The sloped outer surface 64 may assist in installing the magnet 16 into the magnet cavity 18, as the magnet 16 may be pressed down against the sloped outer surface 64 to bend the digits 56 slightly outward to allow the magnet 16 to enter the magnet cavity 18. The sloped outer surface 64 may also be shaped to accommodate the rounded head 38 of the truck bolts 30, allowing the heads 38 to be as close as possible to the magnet 16 and increase magnetic attraction. The magnet 16 may also have a lower surface 58 with a concave shape shaped to accommodate the rounded head 38 of the truck bolts 30, allowing the heads 38 to be as close as possible to the magnet 16 and increase magnetic attraction.
In some embodiments, the magnet cavity 18 may be slightly larger than the magnet 16. The extra space of the magnet cavity 18 may act as a shock absorber for the magnet 16, allowing the base 10 to remain coupled to the deck 26 even when rolling over uneven surfaces. For example, a height of the magnet cavity 18 (94), from the upper surface of the magnet cavity 18 to the overhang 62, may be at least 0.0625 inches larger than a height of the magnet 16 (92). Similarly, a diameter of the magnet cavity 18 (90) may be at least 0.0625 inches larger than a diameter of the magnet 16 (88).
Skateboard decks 26 and trucks typically have two standards in spacing between the truck bolts 30 from the front to the rear of the truck. A first standard spaces the truck bolts approximately 2.125 inches apart from each other from the front to the rear. A second standard spaces the truck bolts approximately 2.5 inches apart from each other from the front to the rear.
The spacing of the magnets 16 within the legs 12 may correspond to the two standards for truck bolt 30 spacing on skateboards. For example, where only two magnets 16 may be present in each leg 12, each front magnet 16 may be spaced apart from the respective rear magnet 16 by approximately 2.125 inches (66) or 2.5 inches (68), depending on the standard upon which the base 10 is designed to be used with. In another example, as in
Furthermore, although specific components are described above, methods, systems, and articles of manufacture described herein may include additional, fewer, or different components. For example, in some embodiments, up to four feet 14 may be arranged within each leg 12. In such an embodiment, each foot 14 may have a magnet cavity 18 containing a magnet 16. Additionally, in some embodiments, the legs 12 may be curved to accommodate unusual and complex arrangements of truck bolts 30.
In addition to the advantages that have been described, it is also possible that there are still other advantages that are not currently recognized but which may become apparent at a later time. While various embodiments have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible. Accordingly, the embodiments described herein are examples, not the only possible embodiments and implementations.
This application claims priority of Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/401,885 filed Aug. 29, 2022, entitled “Magnetic Skateboard Lighting System.”
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20240066384 A1 | Feb 2024 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63401885 | Aug 2022 | US |