Collapsible Skate Rail and Method of Using a Collapsible Skate Rail

Abstract

A collapsible skate rail is provided that includes a first bar having a first support and a second bar having a second support. The second bar is connected to the first bar by a hinge, and the first and second bar form together a two-piece bar. The hinge enables the two-piece bar to assume at least two positions. The first and second bars form an angle with the hinge at an apex in a folded position, and the first and second bars are linearly aligned in a extended position. The collapsible skate rail further includes an internal sleeve adapted to occupy a first internal space of the first bar adjacent to the hinge and a second internal space of the second bar adjacent to the hinge when the two-piece bar is in the extended position. A method of using a collapsible skate rail is provided.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to skateboarding accessories, and in particular relates to a collapsible rail for skateboard grinding and a method of using a collapsible skate rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Skateboards are a popular recreation for children and adults. Skateboards come in various shapes and sizes, and are used for transportation, recreation and/or for competitions. Additionally skateboards are frequently used to perform tricks including jumps. Over the years, skateboarders have developed many tricks using objects in the urban environment, including steps and railings. One trick used by a skateboarder with a railing is to jump the skateboard onto the railing such that a truck housing for the wheels in the front and back of the skateboard contact the rail. Since the truck housing may be metal and the rail is typically metal, the contact presents a low coefficient of friction allowing the skateboard to slide along the rail on the truck housings. This trick is called grinding. Similarly, a skateboarder may also grind along the edge of a step or other similarly arranged article.

However, a public area which may be conducive to skateboarding may not have a handrail or step appropriate for grinding. Additionally, even if an area has a handrail, the handrail may not be at an appropriate height, may have a hazard situated close by, may be at an inappropriate angle or may be in inappropriate for any other possible reason. Furthermore, restrictions on skateboarders may be made by public or private entities for an area. Therefore, there is a need for a portable grind rail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A collapsible skate rail is provided that includes, among other things, a first bar having a first support and a second bar having a second support. The second bar is connected to the first bar by a hinge, and the first and second bar form together a two-piece bar. The hinge enables the two-piece bar to assume at least two positions including a folded position and an extended position. The first and second bars form an angle with the hinge at an apex in the folded position, and the first and second bars are linearly aligned in the extended position. The collapsible skate rail further includes an internal sleeve adapted to occupy a first internal space of the first bar adjacent to the hinge and a second internal space of the second bar adjacent to the hinge when the two-piece bar is in the extended position.

In the collapsible skate rail, the first and second supports may have adjustable height. In the collapsible skate rail, the first and second bars may have about equal lengths, the first support may be mounted on the first bar a first distance from an end of the first bar away from the hinge, and the second support may be mounted on the second bar a second distance from an end of the second bar away from the hinge. The first distance may be unequal to the second distance such that when the two-piece bar assumes the folded position, the first and second supports do not contact each other.

In the collapsible skate rail, the first and second bars may have different lengths, and the first support may be mounted on the first bar a first distance from an end of the first bar away from the hinge. The second support may be mounted on the second bar the first distance from an end of the second bar away from the hinge, and when the two-piece bar assume the folded position, the first and second supports may not contact each other.

In the collapsible skate rail, at least one of the first and second internal spaces may include a storage space, and the at least one of the first and second internal spaces and the storage space may form a storage position adapted to accommodate the internal sleeve when the two-piece bar is in the folded position.

The internal sleeve may be attached to the one of the first and second bars having the storage space by a bolt extending out from the internal sleeve through a channel running along a part of a length of the one of the first and second bars. The bolt and channel may cooperate to allow the internal sleeve to slide between the storage position and a use position including the first and second internal spaces.

The bolt may be adapted to accept a wing nut on an end of the bolt, and the wing nut may be adapted to form a friction fit with the one of the first and second bars in a region of the channel and maintain the internal sleeve in at least one of the storage position and the use position.

In the collapsible skate rail, the internal sleeve may be adapted to support the two-piece bar in an area of the hinge when in the use position. The two-piece bar and internal sleeve may be adapted to bear the weight of a skateboarder grinding on the two-piece bar when the internal sleeve is in the use position. A force transverse to an axis of the two-piece bar may be opposed by the two-piece bar and the internal sleeve when the internal sleeve is in the use position.

In the collapsible skate rail, the two-piece bar may have an approximately square cross-section. The internal sleeve may have an approximately square cross-section. The first and second bars may be metal.

A method of using a collapsible skate rail is provided that includes, among other things, extending a two-piece bar from a folded position to an extended position, the two-piece bar including a first bar and a second bar connected by a hinge. The hinge enables the two-piece bar to assume at least the folded position in which the first and second bars form an angle with the hinge at an apex, and further enables the two-piece bar to assume the extended position in which the first and second bars are linearly aligned. The method further includes sliding an internal sleeve into a first internal space of the first bar adjacent to the hinge and a second internal space of the second bar adjacent to the hinge so that the internal sleeve spans the hinge area of the two-piece bar.

The method may further include locking the internal sleeve in position using a wing nut attached to the internal sleeve by a bolt, the wing nut being adapted to engage a channel accommodating the bolt on one of the first and second bars after the locking operation.

The method may further include adjusting a height of the collapsible skate rail using a first height adjuster on a first support on the first bar and a second height adjuster on a second support on the second bar.

These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of a collapsible grind rail according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of the grind rail of FIG. 1 shown in a partially folded state and with the legs detached;

FIG. 3 illustrates a collapsible grind rail of FIG. 1 in a fully folded state with the legs detached;

FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a collapsible grind rail having leg attachment holes on a different face of the leg stubs and showing an internal sleeve location using a cutaway image;

FIG. 5 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of the collapsible skate rail of FIG. 4 in a folded state with the legs attached and showing an internal location of the sleeve prior to locking;

FIG. 6 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of the collapsible skate rail of FIG. 5 from below and showing the location of the internal sleeve and the locking wing nut;

FIG. 7 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of the collapsible skate rail of FIG. 4 in an unfolded position and showing the internal sleeve in the locked position; and

FIG. 8 illustrates the collapsible skate rail embodiment of FIG. 7 from below and showing the internal sleeve and wing nut in a locked position.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a collapsible skate rail that includes two bars connected by a hinge and having an internal sleeve that is adapted to be arranged in an area of the hinge. The collapsible skate bar has two offset legs, one arranged at each end. The offset of the legs allows the folding of the collapsible bar to enable the two legs not to interfere with each other when the collapsible bar is folded. The leg stubs of the collapsible bar can be attached to leg platforms which have an adjustable height.

FIG. 1 discloses a first exemplary embodiment of collapsible skate rail 100 which includes grind rail 110, leg stubs 112 and 114, and detachable leg platforms 120 and 130. Grind rail 110 is composed of two metal bars having a square or rectangular cross section. The two bars are connected at a hinge 180. The two bars comprising grind rail 110 are hollow or at least partly hollow. Detachable legs 120 and 130 each have a stabilizing platform 140 and 150, respectively. Detachable leg 130 attaches to leg stub 114 by removable pin 170. Detachable leg 140 attaches to leg stub 112 by removable pin 160. Wing nut 190 is used to lock grind rail 110 in a usable position as will be explained in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 2 illustrates grind rail 110 of FIG. 1 in a partially folded position with leg platforms 120 and 130 detached. Grind rail part 205 and grind rail part 200 are connected by hinge 180 and form grind rail 110 of FIG. 1. Internal sleeve 210 slides into grind rail part 205 and is locked into position using wing nut 190 which travels through channel 230. Leg stub 114 has locking holes 260, 265 and 270. Detachable leg 130 including leg platform 150 also includes locking hole 255 arranged to cooperate with one of leg holes 260, 265 and 270. Locking pin 170, as shown in FIG. 1, may be inserted into hole 255 when it is overlapping one of leg holes 260, 265, and 270 to lock detachable leg 130 onto leg stub 114. In the same manner, detachable leg 120, which includes locking hole 250, may be attached to leg stub 112.

FIG. 3 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of a collapsible grind rail according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown in a fully folded state. In this state, internal sleeve 210 may be fully inserted into grind rail part 205 so that it does not extend out. In this manner internal sleeve 210 may not increase the size of the collapsible grind rail when the collapsible grind rail is packed for travelling. Wing nut 190 may lock internal sleeve 210 into position to prevent it from sliding out of grind rail part 205. Also shown in FIG. 3 are leg stub holes 310, 320 and 330 on leg stub 120. By arranging different leg stub holes to cooperate with the holes in detachable legs 120 and 130, varying heights may be achieved by the collapsible skate rail. Additionally, by using different corresponding holes for each of the two detachable legs, an angle may be provided by the collapsible skate rail when it is being used. Leg stub 112 is arranged a distance 340 from an end of grind rail part 205, and leg stub 114 is arranged a distance 350 from an end of grind rail part 200. Distance 340 and distance 350 are different in an amount able to allow grind rail part 200 and grind rail part 205 to fold together without leg stub 112 and leg stub 114 contacting each other. In this manner the folded collapsible skate rail may occupy as little space as possible.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment, distance 340 and distance 350 may be equal, but a length of grind rail part 200 may be different from a length of grind rail part 205 to an extent that folding grind rail part 200 together with grind rail part 205 does not cause leg stub 112 to contact leg stub 114.

FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the collapsible skate rail having only one locking hole on each leg stub. In particular leg stub 112 includes locking hole 410 and leg stub 114 includes locking hole 420. Additionally locking hole 410 is arranged on a face of leg stub 112 that is perpendicular to a length of the collapsible skate rail. As can be seen from FIG. 4 and FIGS. 1-3 any variation of leg holes for the leg stubs and the detachable legs may be provided including multiple holes on the leg stubs and multiple holes on the detachable legs. Additionally the holes may be arranged on either or both faces of the leg stubs and the detachable legs. Also shown in FIG. 4 is internal sleeve 210, which is shown in dashed line format since it is internal to grind rail part 205.

FIG. 5 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of the collapsible skate rail of FIG. 4 in a folded-out state. However, in FIG. 5 internal sleeve 210 has not been positioned across hinge 180 and therefore grind rail 110 is not stabilized and ready to be ridden by a skateboarder. Also shown in FIG. 5 are detachable leg hole 510 on detachable leg 130 and detachable leg hole 520 on detachable leg 120. Detachable leg holes 510 and 520 are arranged on a side of the corresponding detachable leg in a direction perpendicular to the length of grind rail 110. In this manner, detachable leg holes 510 and 520 cooperate with leg stub holes 410 and 420, as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates the exemplary collapsible skate rail of FIG. 5 in the same folded-out state with internal sleeve 210 in the same position as shown in FIG. 5. Internal sleeve 210 is in one grind rail part and does not span hinge 180. The exemplary collapsible skate rail of FIG. 6 is shown from below illustrating internal sleeve 210, which has a bolt extending out of channel 230 upon which wing nut 190 is attached. Wing nut 190 may be tightened onto a bolt attached to internal sleeve 210 to engage channel 230 with a friction fit to prevent internal sleeve 210 from moving.

FIG. 7 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of the collapsible skate rail of FIGS. 4-6 in a folded-out position and with internal sleeve 210 engaged to allow grinding. Internal sleeve 210 is moved into the position shown in FIG. 7 so that it spans hinge 180 and occupies internal spaces in both parts of grind rail 110. In this manner a skateboarder grinding along grind rail 110 is supported on grind rail 110 in an area of hinge 180 not by the hinge 180, but by internal sleeve 210. In this manner, wear on hinge 180 may be reduced and the lifespan of the collapsible skate rail may be increased.

FIG. 8 shows the exemplary collapsible skate rail of FIG. 7 form below and illustrates that internal sleeve 210 is spanning hinge 180 and is positioned to occupy internal spaces of the two parts of skate rail 110 adjacent to hinge 180. Wing nut 190 is shown in channel 230 in an area closer to hinge 180. The exemplary collapsible skate rail according to FIGS. 6 and 8 may be transformed from that shown in FIG. 6 to the collapsible skate rail shown in FIG. 8 by loosening wing nut 190 and sliding wing nut 190 along channel 230 towards hinge 180. In an area of hinge 180, wing nut 190 may be tightened to create a new friction fit with channel 230. In this manner, the exemplary collapsible useable skate rail of FIG. 8 may be obtained, and internal sleeve 210 may be securely positioned in an area of hinge 180 to allow secure grinding along skate rail 110.

The foregoing Detailed Description is to be understood as being in every respect illustrative and exemplary, but not restrictive, and the scope of the invention disclosed herein is not to be determined from the Detailed Description, but rather from the claims as interpreted according to the full breadth permitted by the patent laws. It is to be understood that the embodiments shown and described herein are only illustrative of the principles of the present invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A collapsible skate rail, comprising:

a first bar having a first support;

a second bar having a second support, the second bar connected to the first bar by a hinge, the first and second bar forming together a two-piece bar, the hinge enabling the two-piece bar to assume at least two positions including a folded position and an extended position, the first and second bars forming an angle with the hinge at an apex in the folded position, the first and second bars being linearly aligned in the extended position; and

an internal sleeve adapted to occupy a first internal space of the first bar adjacent to the hinge and a second internal space of the second bar adjacent to the hinge when the two-piece bar is in the extended position.

2. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein the first and second supports have adjustable height.

3. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second bars have about equal lengths;

the first support is mounted on the first bar a first distance from an end of the first bar away from the hinge;

the second support is mounted on the second bar a second distance from an end of the second bar away from the hinge; and

the first distance is unequal to the second distance such that when the two-piece bar assumes the folded position, the first and second supports do not contact each other.

4. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second bars have different lengths;

the first support is mounted on the first bar a first distance from an end of the first bar away from the hinge;

the second support is mounted on the second bar the first distance from an end of the second bar away from the hinge; and

when the two-piece bar assumes the folded position, the first and second supports do not contact each other.

5. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second internal spaces includes a storage space, the at least one of the first and second internal spaces and the storage space forming a storage position adapted to accommodate the internal sleeve when the two-piece bar is in the folded position.

6. The collapsible skate rail of claim 5, wherein the internal sleeve is attached to the one of the first and second bars having the storage space by a bolt extending out from the internal sleeve through a channel running along a part of a length of the one of the first and second bars, the bolt and channel cooperating to allow the internal sleeve to slide between the storage position and a use position including the first and second internal spaces.

7. The collapsible skate rail of claim 6, wherein the bolt is adapted to accept a wing nut on an end of the bolt, the wing nut adapted to form a friction fit with the one of the first and second bars in a region of the channel and maintain the internal sleeve in at least one of the storage position and the use position.

8. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein the internal sleeve is adapted to support the two-piece bar in an area of the hinge when in the use position.

9. The collapsible skate rail of claim 8, wherein the two-piece bar and internal sleeve are adapted to bear the weight of a skateboarder grinding on the two-piece bar when the internal sleeve is in the use position.

10. The collapsible skate rail of claim 8, wherein a force transverse to an axis of the two-piece bar is opposed by the two-piece bar and the internal sleeve when the internal sleeve is in the use position.

11. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein the two-piece bar has an approximately square cross-section.

12. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein the internal sleeve has an approximately square cross-section.

13. The collapsible skate rail of claim 1, wherein the first and second bars are metal.

14. A method of using a collapsible skate rail, comprising:

extending a two-piece bar from a folded position to an extended position, the two-piece bar including a first bar and a second bar connected by a hinge, the hinge enabling the two-piece bar to assume at least the folded position in which the first and second bars form an angle with the hinge at an apex, the hinge further enabling the two-piece bar to assume the extended position in which the first and second bars are linearly aligned; and

sliding an internal sleeve into a first internal space of the first bar adjacent to the hinge and a second internal space of the second bar adjacent to the hinge so that the internal sleeve spans the hinge area of the two-piece bar.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising locking the internal sleeve in position using a wing nut attached to the internal sleeve by a bolt, the wing nut adapted to engage a channel accommodating the bolt on one of the first and second bars after the locking operation.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting a height of the collapsible skate rail using a first height adjuster on a first support on the first bar and a second height adjuster on a second support on the second bar.