Interchangeable Bushing Seat Inserts For Skateboard Truck

Abstract

This invention discloses a set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts which can be removably attached to the bushing seat on a hanger in any skateboard type truck to allow for different set ups and create different feelings. By having different bushing seat insert options, the rider can “tune” or adjust the feel and handling of the truck for different riding styles or courses. The interchangeable inserts may be of different geometry/shape and size and once inserted into the bushing seat area, it forms a new base and side for the bushing seat area, thus affecting the base and side of the bushing seat area. The possibilities for geometric changes to the inserts are almost limitless. This invention is also directed to a modified skateboard truck with an enlarged bushing seat which allows for the insertion (by any practical means) of specifically shaped inserts which surround the bushing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a skateboard truck, and more particularly to interchangeable bushing seat inserts for skateboard truck and a skateboard truck incorporating said interchangeable bushing seat inserts.

2. Description of Related Art

A typical skateboard is made of a few basic parts including a deck which is a riding surface for a rider to ride on, a pair of skateboard trucks which supports the deck and rider, and four wheels with some sort of ball bearing arrangement upon which the trucks, deck, and rider are transported. The trucks are very important as they are the metal turning mechanism that attach the wheels to the deck.

A skateboard truck comprises a few primary components, mainly a base plate, a hanger, bushings, and a kingpin and nut. The base plate mounts the truck to the skateboard deck and holds the kingpin (a bolt or other threaded fastener). The base plate also has a pivot cup which accepts the pivot point of the hanger. The hanger is a metal Tee shaped component which has the wheel axles extending to the sides, a pivot point extending perpendicular to the axles around which the hanger rotates relative to the base plate, and bushing seats where the bushings nestle in and a kingpin hole in the center. The kingpin extends through the hole in the base plate and the kingpin hole in the hanger and mounts securely in the base plate. In order for the hanger to rotate relative to the base plate there are typically two cylindrical elastomeric bushings with a hole through the center employed in the system. The first bushing is placed over the king pin and is trapped between the kingpin head and the hanger bushing seat. The second is installed in the bushing seat on the other side of the hanger and is retained on the kingpin by a nut and washer.

Typical bushings come in different shapes and hardness. They are usually made of polyurethane material and are perhaps the easiest things to change on a truck in order to change the feel of how the skateboard turns. For example, a harder bushing will be much harder to turn on than a softer bushing; a bushing of a larger shape will be much harder to turn on than a narrow shaped one. Adjusting the kingpin nut to tighten or loosen the bushings can adjust the turning radius and response of the truck itself. Tighter bushings mean stable but stiffer trucks, less easy to turn the skateboard; while loose bushings make for easier turning but less stability.

Another aspect that has an influence on bushing performance is the bushing seat on the truck. The bushing seat is the area on the hanger where the bushing makes contact. This area often has a rim to cup the edge of the bushing, restricting the movement of the bushing as the bushing deforms through a turn. Some trucks have very loose, whereas others have very restrictive bushing seats, greatly reducing bushing deformation. More restrictive bushing seats are generally found on trucks designed with faster riding in mind as they offer more stability and lean.

Nevertheless, standard trucks have permanently cast in or machined in bushing seats, limiting the riders ability to tune or adjust the riding characteristics of their trucks. Currently, there is no way to adjust the bushing seats.

Therefore, it is desirable to implement an interchangeable bushing seat insert (placed between the bushing seat and the bushing) with varying shapes and durometer that will influence the stability and maneuvering of the truck and feel of how it turns to allow the rider to get more setup options that were never available previously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide interchangeable removable bushing seat inserts of different shapes, made of different materials so that the rider can make changes of bushing seats in order to get more setup options that were never available previously. Another object of the present invention is to provide a skateboard truck that incorporates said interchangeable bushing seat inserts.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts which can be removably attached to the bushing seat area on a hanger in any types of skateboard truck to allow for different setups to create different feelings.

Each interchangeable bushing seat insert has a fastening means to allow it to be removably attached to the bushing seat. Some may have exterior threads to engage the interior threads in the bushing seat of the hanger. Some may have mechanical fasteners such as bolts or screws. Some may be simply pressed to fit into the bushing seat.

Both the top (board side) and bottom (road side) bushing seats can be changed independently with replaceable inserts of different shapes and perhaps different materials, i.e. metal, plastic, rubber, etc. Once the interchangeable inserts with different geometry (for size and shape) and materials are inserted into the bushing seats area, they form new base and sides of the bushing seat area. By having different bushing seat insert options, the rider can “tune” or adjust the feel and handling of the truck for different riding styles or courses.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an interchangeable bushing seat insert according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a elastomeric bushing;

FIG. 1C is a king pin;

FIG. 1D is a perspective view of a bushing seat on a hanger;

FIG. 2A is an exploded view showing a hanger and an interchangeable bushing seat insert separate apart;

FIG. 2B shows the interchangeable bushing seat insert is placed over the bushing seat on the hanger; and

FIG. 3 shows the primary components of a skateboard truck which includes the interchangeable bushing seat inserts of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention is directed toward interchangeable bushing seat inserts and a skateboard truck with interchangeable bushing seat inserts. Referring to FIG. 1A, there is disclosed an interchangeable bushing seat insert 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the bushing insert 10 has a cylindrical shape with an exterior diameter d2 and a hole in the center with an interior diameter d3 for receiving a bushing 20. FIG. 1 B shows a traditional (regular) bushing which has a cylindrical shape with an exterior diameter d4 and a hole with an interior diameter d5 for receiving a kingpin 30. FIG. 1C shows a kingpin 30 with a diameter d7. The bushing seat 40 shown in FIG. 1D is circle shaped with a diameter d1 for receiving a bushing seat insert and has a hole with a diameter d6 in the center for receiving kingpin 30. The sizes of the bushing seat 40, bushing seat insert 10, bushing 20, and kingpin 30 are in the order of d7<d6 =d5<d4<d3<d2<d1. The bushing seat insert 10 is placed between the hanger bushing seat 40 and bushing 20.

The interchangeable insert 10 may be made of a solid or semi ridged material, such as metal, urethane, rubber, plastic etc. and of various shapes to allow for different “set-ups”. The inserts 10 could be on both or either side of the hanger 70 or even possibly all the way through the hanger 70. They could be one or more pieces or segments. They may be placed into the bushing seat 40 on the hanger 70 by any practical fastening means. In one embodiment the bushing seat 40 has threads on its interior wall and the interchangeable insert 10 has matching threads on its exterior wall to engage the bushing seat 40. The interchangeable insert 10 may be threaded into the bushing seat 40 on the hanger to be secured in place. In another embodiment, the interchangeable insert 10 may be simply snapped fitted to the bushing seat 40 or attached to the bushing seat 40 by mechanical fastening means such as screws and bolts. Any other possible fastening means may be used to secure the interchangeable inserts 10 in place. FIG. 2 A shows the exploded view with the bushing insert 10 and hanger 70 separated and FIG. 2 B shows the bushing insert 10 inserted into the bushing seat 40 on the hanger 70.

The device 10 according to the present invention can be used on any type of skateboard, long board, luge or scooter type device which employs a truck with a bushing and kingpin configuration.

The present invention is also directed to a modified skateboard truck with an enlarged bushing seat which allows for the insertion (by any practical means, i.e. threaded, bolted, press fit etc.) of specifically shaped inserts which surround the bushing.

FIG. 3 illustrates the components of the skateboard truck and how they fit together. Skateboard trucks 50 have several basic components, including a base plate 60 and a truck hanger 70. The base plate 60 is physically attached to the bottom of the skateboard deck. It includes the plate itself, a pivot cup 61, and a hole 62 for kingpin 30 to pass. The truck hanger 70 is a metal Tee shaped component which has the wheel axles 71 extending to lateral sides, a pivot point 72 extending perpendicularly from the center of the wheel axles, a bushing seat 40 in the center on each side (board side or road side) of the hanger 70 which allows the bushings 20 to nestle in, and a hole 73 in the center of the bushing seat 40 through which the kingpin 30 fits. When the pivot point 61 fits snugly into the pivot cup 72, the holes 73 and 62 in the hanger and base plate and the two elastomeric bushings 20 align to form a channel allowing a kingpin 30 to pass through so that the hanger 70 and base plate 60 can be connected and secured by the kingpin 30 and a washer 32 and nut 33 and still allow the hanger 70 to rotate relative to the base plate 60. In order for the rider to be able to have more set up options, one or two bushing inserts 10 with a hole through the center are placed inside the bushing seat 40 on either side or both sides of the hanger 70 for receiving the one and/or two elastomeric bushings 20.

The method of or arrangement of above components and mounting them will be well known to those with ordinary skill in the mechanical arts.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled.

Claims

1. A set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts comprising: at least one interchangeable bushing seat insert which has a hole in the center for receiving an elastomeric bushing and can be removably attached to a bushing seat on a hanger in any type of skateboard truck, allowing riders to have more setup options.

2. The set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts of claim 1, wherein the inserts have exterior threads to match with the bushing seat's interior threads.

3. The set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts of claim 1, wherein the insert is fastened to the bushing seat by mechanical fastening means including screws or bolts.

4. The set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts of claim 1, wherein the insert can be snap/press fitted into the bushing seat.

5. The set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts of claim 1, wherein the insert is made of material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, urethane and rubber.

6. The set of interchangeable bushing seat inserts of claim 1, wherein the insert has different shapes.

7. A skateboard truck, comprising:

a kingpin with threads;

a nut with threads matching the threads on the kingpin for engaging to the kingpin;

at least one elastomeric bushing having a hole through the center for the kingpin to fit in;

at least one interchangeable removable bushing seat insert having a hole through the center sufficiently large for receiving the elastomeric bushing;

a base plate including the plate itself, a pivot cup, and a hole for the kingpin to pass;

a hanger being a metal Tee shaped component having the wheel axles extending to lateral sides, a pivot point extending perpendicularly from the center of the wheel axles, a bushing seat in the center on both top and bottom side of the hanger allowing insertion of the bushing seat insert, and a hole through the center of the bushing seat allowing the kingpin to extend through;

wherein the holes in the base plate, hanger, bushing seat insert and the elastomeric bushings align to form a channel allowing the kingpin to pass through so that the hanger and base plate can be connected and secured by the kingpin and nut and still allow the hanger to rotate relative to the base plate with more setup options.

8. The hanger in a skateboard type truck of claim 7, wherein the bushing seat has interior threads and the insert has exterior threads to match and engage the interior threads in bushing seat.

9. The hanger in a skateboard type truck of claim 7, wherein the insert is fastened to the bushing seat by mechanical fastening means including screws or bolts.

10. The hanger in a skateboard type truck of claim 7, wherein the insert can be snap/press fitted into the bushing seat.

11. The hanger in a skateboard type truck of claim 7, wherein the inserts is made of material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, urethane and rubber.

12. The hanger in a skateboard type truck of claim 7, wherein the insert has different shapes.