Multi-Pivoting Steering Mechanism

Abstract

A skateboard with positive camber steering includes a frame and a board pivotally coupled to the frame. A steering assembly is coupled to the end portion of the frame and includes an upper truck arm, a lower truck arm, and at least one wheel. The upper truck arm and the lower truck arm are spaced apart relative to the frame, and the wheel has an axis of rotation. The upper truck arm and the lower truck arm are each rotatable about an axis of travel parallel to the skateboard's line of travel, and the upper truck arm is coupled to the wheel above the axis of rotation relative to the surface, with the lower truck arm coupled to the wheel below the axis of rotation relative to the surface. Thus the upper truck arm extends farther from the frame than the lower truck arm, thereby imparting a positive camber in the direction of steering.

Description

BACKGROUND

Disclosed are preferred embodiments of a multi-pivoting skateboard. The majority of conventional skateboards utilize an elongated board that has a front truck and a rear truck, each having a two wheel assembly. Each assembly consists of two wheels fixed relative to the truck in a straight forward-and-reverse orientation. In order to turn a conventional skateboard, a person riding the skateboard will lean to the right or left, forcing the trucks to slightly angle the wheels in the chosen direction. Although the skateboard will turn to the right or left, the turning radius is typically limited by the amount of resistance from the trucks and wheels. In order to provide motive force, forward or backward, a rider must push the skateboard.

Due to the limited turning radius, an improved steering mechanism is needed that provides significantly improved control, including turning capability. An improved skateboard is also needed wherein a board can move up or down along the side edges of the frame. Another needed improvement is a skateboard having front wheels that can pivot perpendicularly to the frame, thus a skateboard that makes the wheels lean and turn at the same time when turning, to provide greater turning control to a rider. Additionally, a skateboard having such a steering mechanism is advantageous when the steering mechanism can be deployed on any other vehicle where wheel leaning while turning is desired.

SUMMARY

A skateboard is disclosed having positive camber steering when steered along a surface. The skateboard comprises a frame having a center portion and an end portion, and a board pivotally coupled to the center portion of the frame by a board pivot assembly. At least one steering assembly is coupled to the end portion, with the steering assembly including an upper truck arm, a lower truck arm, and at least one wheel. The upper truck arm and the lower truck arm are spaced apart relative to the frame, and the wheel has an axis of rotation.

The upper truck arm and the lower truck arm are each rotatable about an axis of travel parallel to the skateboard's line of travel. The upper truck arm is coupled to the wheel above the axis of rotation relative to the surface, and the lower truck arm is coupled to the wheel below the axis of rotation relative to the surface. Thus the upper truck arm extends farther from the frame than the lower truck arm, thereby imparting a positive camber in the direction of steering. A lever connected to a drive assembly is provided, wherein pivoting the board moves the lever and rotates the drive assembly, thereby moving the skateboard forward.

The frame preferably has a straight section and a curved outward section, and includes a board pivot interface for engaging the board pivot assembly. The frame also has an elevated rear end portion. The board preferably includes a variable width. Ball joints may couple the lower truck arm and the upper truck arm to the wheel, and the drive assembly preferably comprises a one way bearing coupled to a rear wheel. The drive assembly may also include a planetary gear around a one-way bearing coupled to a rear wheel. The skateboard also preferably includes a disk brake coupled to a rear wheel, the disk brake governed by an actuator on the board.

In an alternative embodiment, the skateboard has positive camber steering along a surface with a frame having an end portion and a board coupled to the frame. A steering assembly coupled to the end portion includes an upper truck arm, a lower truck arm and at least one wheel. The upper truck arm and the lower truck arm are spaced apart relative to the frame, and the wheel having an axis of rotation. The upper truck arm and the lower truck arm are also each rotatable about an axis of travel parallel to the skateboard's line of travel. The upper truck arm is coupled to the wheel above the axis of rotation relative to the surface and the lower truck arm is coupled to the wheel below the axis of rotation relative to the surface, such that the upper truck arm extends farther from the frame than the lower truck arm, thereby imparting a positive camber in the direction of steering.

The second embodiment skateboard frame may also have a straight section and a curved outward section, and the frame may include an elevated rear end portion. The board may have a variable width, ball joints may couple the lower truck arm and the upper truck arm to the wheel, and the board may be coupled to a center portion of the frame by a board pivot assembly. The skateboard may also include a lever connected to a drive assembly, wherein pivoting the board moves the lever and rotates the drive assembly. The drive assembly preferably includes a one way bearing coupled to a rear wheel, and may include a planetary gear around a one-way bearing coupled to a rear wheel. The skateboard preferably includes a disk brake coupled to a rear wheel, the disk brake governed by an actuator on the board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates an orthographic left side view of a multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 2 illustrates an orthographic right side view of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 3 illustrates an elevational left side view of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top plan view of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom plan view of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front elevational view of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 7 illustrates a rear elevational view of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 9 illustrates a bottom view of a frame of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 10 illustrates an orthographic top view of the frame;

FIG. 11 illustrates an exploded view of a front steering assembly of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 12 illustrates an exploded view of a rear drive assembly of the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 13 illustrates an orthographic view of a person riding the multi-pivoting skateboard;

FIG. 14 illustrates an orthographic right side view of a first alternative embodiment of the multi-pivoting skateboard having straight sides;

FIG. 15 illustrates a first orthographic front view of the front steering assembly showing two front tires/wheels in a pivoted position;

FIG. 16 illustrates a second orthographic front view of the front steering assembly showing two front tires/wheels in a pivoted position;

FIG. 17 illustrates a top view of the front steering assembly showing two front tires/wheels in a pivoted position;

FIG. 18 illustrates a side elevational view of the multi-pivoting skateboard's rear tire/wheel with two levers.

FIG. 19 illustrates an orthographic top view of a second alternative embodiment multi-pivoting skateboard having a front steering assembly with two tires/wheels, a rear assembly having two tires/wheels and an alternative board shape;

FIG. 20 illustrates a first alternative embodiment front steering assembly annotated with an XYZ coordinate system;

FIG. 21 illustrates an exploded view, a top orthogonal view and a bottom orthogonal view of the alternative embodiment steering assembly;

FIG. 22 illustrates an exploded view of a second alternative embodiment front steering assembly; and

FIG. 23 illustrates an exploded view of a damping system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided n the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, although a multi-pivoting skateboard is discussed herein, any other wheeled vehicle is contemplated. Additionally, although the expression ‘wheel’ is used herein, that expression contemplates, tires and other rotating structures on which a wheeled vehicle travels. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

As shown in FIGS. 1-19, an improved skateboard 10 includes the following major elements: a board 12, a frame 32, a front steering assembly 70 and a rear drive assembly 90. The board 12, as shown in FIGS. 1-8, includes an upper surface 14, a lower surface 16, a board front end 18, a board rear end 20 and a perimeter edge 22. Located substantially centrally of the board 12 on the lower surface 16 is a board pivot assembly 54. Traditional skateboards have elongated flat decks (i.e. boards) with straight sides and radiused front and rear ends. As shown in FIGS. 1-8, the skateboard 10 utilizes a unique board 12 shape that curves upward at the front and rear, with a perimeter edge 22 that curves inward along the board 12. This creates a board 12 with wider sections toward the board front end 18 and the rear end 20, and narrowed near the board pivot assembly. The board rear end 20 of the board 12 tapers to be substantially rectangular with preferable dimensions of 1.0-2.0 inches (2.54-5.08 cm) in width, extending along the side of the rear wheel 92 preferably to the left. Additionally, although the illustrated skateboard 10 utilizes a specific board 12 shape, other shapes and dimensions of the board 12 are contemplated, such as the board 12 with straight sides shown in FIG. 14.

Referring to FIGS. 1-10, the frame 32 is comprised of a straight section 34, an outward curved section 36, a frame front end 38 having an open ended hollow cylinder 40 and a frame rear end 42 having a frame opening 44. As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the straight section 34 spans the skateboard 10 with the straight section 34 having an upward curve as it approaches the frame rear end 42. The outward curved section 36 branches off from the frame front end 38 and continues at an outward angle to approximately the board pivot assembly 54, and then curves back inward with an S-shape until it contacts the straight section 34 at a point substantially two-thirds the length of the straight section 34.

Located on both the straight section 34 and the outward curved section 36 is a circular pivot board interface 46, each for interfacing the board pivot assembly 54 for anchoring the board 12 to the frame 32, and allowing the board 12 to smoothly pivot about the board pivot assembly 54.

The board pivot assembly 54 comprises a center rod 56 with two spacers 58 and two nuts 60. A first bearing 24 and a second bearing 26 are located between the circular board pivot interfaces 46 and the center rod 56. Thus, when the board 12 is placed on top of the frame 32, the first bearing 24 and second bearing 26 are located on the straight section 34 and outward curved section 36, respectively. Circular board pivot interfaces 46 and board 12 are aligned so that the opening on the first bearing 24 and second bearing 26 and the respective openings 48 on each of the circular pivot board interfaces 46 creates a unitary axial opening as shown in FIG. 8. The center rod 56 is preferably threaded at each end, allowing one of the nuts 60 to be screwed onto each end. Once the nuts 60 are screwed on the board 12 is securely attached to the frame 32 and can be raised or lowered along each side. Preferably to attach the board 12 to the frame 32 by the board pivot assembly 54, the first bearing 24 and second bearing 26 are inserted into the center circular bore of the board 12. The center rod 56 goes through the center circular bore of the board 12 and is inserted through the first bearing 24 and the second bearing 26. Both sides of the center rod 56 are fitted inside the openings 48 of the circular board pivot interfaces 46 on the frame 32 and fixed by nuts 60. Thus, the whole board pivot assembly 54 allows a smooth rocking up and down pivoting movement to the board 12.

FIGS. 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 15 and 16 show the front steering assembly 70. The front steering assembly 70 includes two front wheels 72, two trucks 74, a truck upper arm 76, a truck lower arm 78, a stabilizer 80 and attachment components 82 which include ball joint rod ends 86 proximal each wheel. A wheel 72 is located on each side of the board 12 and the frame 32 at the front. The attachment components 82, in conjunction with the open ended hollow cylinder 40 at the front end 38 of the frame 32, are utilized to secure the two front wheels 72, with the ball joint ends 86 attached terminally thereto. The stabilizer 80, as its name implies, is utilized to stabilize the front wheels 72 when the skateboard 10 is being ridden. The upper arm 76 and the lower arm 78 are attached to each respective wheel 72. The upper arm 76 and the lower arm 78 allow the two front wheels 72 to pivot about the frame 32. A compression spring 84 is located on each side of the frame 32 and is utilized to provide resiliency to each wheel 72 as the front wheels 72 pivot, urging them back to an upright orientation

The front steering assembly 70 is made in such a way that when rider pushes the board 12 down either to the left or right, both front wheels 72 tilt relative to a vertical plane and also turn into the pushed direction as shown in FIGS. 13,15, 16 and 17. The principal difference between the upper arm 76 and the lower arm 78 is that the upper arm 76 is not straight, but rather angled frontward from the frame 32 to the front wheels 72, while the lower arm 78 is straight. Both the upper arm 76 and lower arm 78 have a bore in the middle for attachment to the frame front end 38.

When the board 12 is tilted to the left or right, the upper arm 76 and lower arm 78 move parallel to each other so that the front wheels 72 also tilt, as shown in FIGS. 13, 15, 16 and 17. The front wheels 72 turn left or right as a result of the upper arm 76 moving side-to-side and bending slightly forward. The stabilizer 80 maintains both front wheels 72 parallel to each other and also it pushes the wheels 72 left or right (while keeping the wheels 72 parallel) as the board is pushed left or right while maintaining good control.

The rear assembly 90, as shown in FIGS. 2, 7, 8 and 12, includes a single rear wheel 92, first rear wheel attachment components 94, bearings 96, an internal gear hub/planetary gear system 106, and second rear wheel attachment components 120. The planetary gear system 106 includes a planetary gear carrier 108, a sun gear 110, three planet gears 112, an annulus 114, a first lever 116, a second lever 118, and a one-way bearing 122.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5 and 8, the rear drive assembly 90 is located at the rear of the skateboard 10. The rear wheel 92 is attached to the frame rear end 42 by use of the first attachment components 94 in conjunction with the frame opening 44 at the frame rear end 42. The rear wheel 92 is attached to the frame rear end 42 using of the internal gear hub/planetary gear system 106 and the first attachment components 94.

The rear drive assembly 90 is the main driving mechanism of the skateboard 10. The rear end 20 of the board 12 is attached to the second lever 118 with a pressed fit bearing. One end of the first lever 116 is attached to the internal gear hub/planetary gear system 106 with the one-way bearing 122 between them. The other end of the first lever 116 is attached to the second lever 118. The second lever 118 has a cylindrical extruded cut on both ends for bearings which are pressed fit into it. The first lever 116 has a different shape on both ends. The first end of the lever 116 also has a cylindrical extruded cut, with a key way slot so that the one-way bearing 122 fits into it. The other end has a straight slot shape extruded cut which acts as a slider.

As the board 12 is pivoted up and down by a rider, the rear end 20 pushes the second lever 118, and the second lever 118 pushes the first lever 116, as shown in FIG. 18. The first lever 116 rotates the internal gear hub planetary gear assembly 106 and the rear wheel 92. The one way bearing 122 is attached in between the lever 116 and the system 108. The one-way bearing 122 forces the internal gear hub/planetary gear assembly 108 and the rear wheel 92 to rotate in one direction only. As also shown in FIG. 18, a downward force is indicated by the arrow 130 and a sliding motion which is caused by the force is indicated by the arrows 132. The one way bearing 122 also helps a rider when he/she does not want to push the board 12 up and down and instead wishes to stand neutral and just cruise.

The first lever 116 has a straight slot shape extruded cut on the second end. The cut is made because when a vertical force is applied to the first lever 116 the internal gear hub/planetary gear assembly 106 and the rear wheel 92 will not rotate because the vertical force is moving through the center of the internal gear hub/planetary gear assembly 106 and rear wheel 92. So the straight slot shape on the second end of the first lever 116 shifts the force direction/angle. The shift of the force direction/angle causes the internal gear hub/planetary gear assembly 106 and rear wheel 92 to rotate when the board 12 is pushed up and down.

Located inside the left side of the rear wheel 92 is the planetary gear system 106 and the bearings 96. The skateboard 10 can selectively engage various gears depending on the speed and riding conditions that are encountered. The internal gear hub/planetary gear system 106 has gear ratios so that rider can go faster, as best shown in FIG. 8. The planet gear carrier 108, sun gear 110, three planet gears 112 and annulus 114 are attached inside the rear wheel 92 and the whole assembly is attached to the frame rear end 42. It should be noted that while the internal gear hub/planetary gear assembly 106 is disclosed and shown, the skateboard 10 is not limited to any specific number of gear ratios. Other numbers of gears, or no gears, can also be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention.

The rectangular section of the board 12 is attached to the rear end 42 of the frame by use of the first levers and the second lever 118. The first lever 116 and the second lever 118 allow the rear end 20 of the board 12 to pivot up down about the frame 32. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 8, the first lever 116 is attached to the frame rear end 42, and the second lever 118 is attached to the one-way bearing 122. The one-way bearing 122 is attached to the internal gear hub/planetary gear system 106 and the internal gear hub/planetary gear system 106 is attached to the rear wheel 92. The first lever 116 is also attached to the rear end 20 of the board 12 which is attached to the rear drive assembly 90. As a rider pushes the board 12 up and down the rear wheel 92 rotates with the help of the assembly 90.

The disc brake assembly 97 comprises a caliper 98, a disc 99, a wire 100, a brake actuator support 102 and a brake actuator 104. In order to slow down or stop the skateboard 10, the disc brake assembly 97 is utilized. As best shown in FIG. 8, the disc brake assembly 97 is located on the right side of the rear wheel 92 (when viewed from the front). The disc brake assembly 97 functions as other conventional disc brake systems. In order to slow down or stop, a person riding the skateboard 10 will step downward on the brake actuator 104, which is accessed from the upper surface 14 of the board 12 and is located on the left side adjacent the rear end 20 of the board 12.

When the brake actuator 104 is engaged the disc brake assembly 97 puts pressure 10 upon the brake disc 106 thereby reducing the rotational capability of the rear wheel 92. The disc brake assembly 97 is maintained in position adjacent the rear wheel 92 by the brake support 102.

Additionally, the disc brake assembly 97 is disclosed and shown on the right side of the rear wheel 92, and the gear system 106 is disclosed and shown on the left side of the rear wheel 92. Both the disc brake assembly 97 and the gear system 106 can be manufactured on opposite sides of the rear wheel 92 by the use of minor modification to the skateboard's 10 design. Also, other types/designs of brake systems can be utilized. Also, in this disclosure the multi-pivoting skateboard 10 has been described and shown with a front assembly having two front wheels 72 and a rear assembly having a single rear wheel 92. The fundamental inventive operation of the multi-pivoting skateboard 10 is not limited to the disclosed design. Other alternative embodiment skateboard design, having front and rear assemblies each having two wheels and with an appropriately modified board, is shown in FIG. 19.

The multi-pivoting skateboard 10 provides a rider with significantly improved control. A person riding the skateboard 10 can pivot the board up or down and to the right or left, as shown in FIG. 13. The control is also increased by the ability of the wheels to pivot, as previously disclosed. And, in conclusion, the unique scrape of the board 12 provides a platform that allows a rider to fully utilize the capabilities of the multi-pivoting skateboard 10 while maintaining balance and riding comfort.

When riding the skateboard 10, the rider stands on the board 12 and uses both legs to push skate board 10 up and down to go forward, and left and right to steer into a turn, as shown in FIG. 13. The board 12 pivots about the frame interface 24 with the help of the board pivot assembly 54. The up and down oscillating movement causes the skateboard 10 to move forward with the help of rear drive assembly 90. The front steering assembly 70 helps a rider to turn left and right by pushing the skateboard left and right.

FIG. 20 shows an XYZ coordinate system and Parallelogram linkage system 136 and the two wheels 142 (front or back, depending on the embodiment). The parallelogram linkage system 136 has four sides 144,146,148,150 and it is held by the center part 138 and attached at the bottom of the board 140. The wheels 142 are attached to two sides 144,148 of the parallelogram. The wheels 142 are resting on the bottom plane X-Y. And Z-X is vertical plane. All linkages 144,146,148,150 are attached to each other with joints 152,154,156,158 these joint allow for the rotation of the linkages as shown with arrows 160,162. In assembly 70 shown in FIGS. 13, 15,16 and 17 the ball joints 86 are used to allow degrees of freedom of rotation and in the assembly in FIG. 21 sleeve bearings 170 are attached at every joint 152,154,156,158. And in FIG. 22 joints 200,202,204,206 are used.

FIG. 21 shows assembly 160. Unlike upper aim 76 and the lower arm 78 from assembly 70 from FIG. 11, the Top Rod 162 and Bottom Rod 164 are straight and they are attached to the Mid 166 with nuts 168 and Bolts 170. There are sleeve bearings 170 at every joint point 172,174,176,178. Side pin 180 is used to attach the upright 182 to both the Top Rod 162 and the Bottom Rod 164. Wheels 72 are attached to the upright 182 with the nut 184 which is going through opening 186. This whole assembly 160 makes the parallelogram linkage system which makes the wheels lean and turn at the same time.

FIG. 22 shows assembly 188, in this assembly parallelogram linkage system has different joints that assembly 70 and 160. Top bar 200 and Bottom bar 198 has bore 202,204,206,208 at both ends. This bore openings 202,204,206,208 are at an angle. A bolt goes through opening 202,204,206,208 and attached to wheel holder 210. The rubber bushings 194,196 are inserted into counterbore 212,214 of center Part 194. The rubber bushings 194,196 has through opening 212,214 where Top bar 200 and Bottom bar 198 are attached to center Part 194 with the bolt.

FIG. 23 shows the damping system. The spherical balls 188, 190 rests in spherical concave 186 which is inside Mid 166, suspension Push 184 is between spring 192 and Mid 166 and its inclined surfaces 216 are touching spherical balls 188,190. When the Parallelogram moves at an angle the Spherical balls 188,190 slide over incline surfaces 216 of suspension Push 184 and compresses the spring 192.

While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modification may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof.

The foregoing descriptions of embodiments of the present invention have been presented only for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the forms disclosed. Accordingly, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Additionally, the above disclosure is not intended to limit the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A skateboard with positive camber steering along a surface, the skateboard comprising: a frame having a center portion and an end portion;a board pivotally coupled to the center portion of the frame by a board pivot assembly;at least one steering assembly coupled to the end portion, the steering assembly comprising an upper truck arm, a lower truck arm and at least one wheel, the upper truck arm and the lower truck arm spaced apart relative to the frame, and the wheel having an axis of rotation;the upper truck arm and the lower truck arm each rotatable about an axis of travel parallel to the skateboard's line of travel;the upper truck arm coupled to the wheel above the axis of rotation relative to the surface;the lower truck arm coupled to the wheel below the axis of rotation relative to the surface;wherein the upper truck arm extends farther from the frame than the lower truck arm, thereby imparting a positive camber in the direction of steering; andand a lever connected to a drive assembly, wherein pivoting the board moves the lever and rotates the drive assembly, thereby moving the skateboard forward.

2. The skateboard of claim 1 wherein the frame has a straight section and a curved outward section.

3. The skateboard of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises a board pivot interface for engaging the board pivot assembly.

4. The skateboard of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises an elevated rear end portion.

5. The skateboard of claim 1 wherein the board comprises a variable width.

6. The skateboard of claim 1 further comprising ball joints coupling the lower truck arm and the upper truck arm to the wheel.

7. The skateboard of claim 1 wherein the drive assembly comprises a one way bearing coupled to a rear wheel.

8. The skateboard of claim 1 wherein the drive assembly comprises a planetary gear around a one-way bearing coupled to a rear wheel.

9. The skateboard of claim 1 further comprising a disk brake coupled to a rear wheel, the disk brake governed by an actuator on the board.

10. A skateboard with positive camber steering along a surface, the skateboard comprising: a frame having an end portion;a board coupled to the frame;at least one steering assembly coupled to the end portion, the steering assembly comprising an upper truck arm a lower truck arm and at least one wheel, the upper truck arm and the lower truck arm spaced apart relative to the frame, and the wheel having an axis of rotation;the upper truck arm and the lower truck arm each rotatable about an axis of travel parallel to the skateboard's line of travel;the upper truck arm coupled to the wheel above the axis of rotation relative to the surface;the lower truck arm coupled to the wheel below the axis of rotation relative to the surface; andwherein the upper truck arm extends farther from the frame than the lower truck arm, thereby imparting a positive camber in the direction of steering.

11. The skateboard of claim 10 wherein the frame has a straight section and a curved outward section.

12. The skateboard of claim 10 wherein the frame comprises an elevated rear end portion.

13. The skateboard of claim 10 wherein the board comprises a variable width.

14. The skateboard of claim 10 further comprising ball joints coupling the lower truck arm and the upper truck arm to the wheel.

15. The skateboard of claim 10 further wherein the board is coupled to a center portion of the frame by a board pivot assembly.

16. The skateboard of claim 10 further comprising a lever connected to a drive assembly, wherein pivoting the board moves the lever and rotates the drive assembly.

17. The skateboard of claim 16 wherein the drive assembly comprises a one way bearing coupled to a rear wheel.

18. The skateboard of claim 16 wherein the drive assembly comprises a planetary gear around a one-way bearing coupled to a rear wheel.

19. The skateboard of claim 10 further comprising a disk brake coupled to a rear wheel, the disk brake governed by an actuator on the board.