Multiple Degree of Freedom Balance Board System

Abstract

A balance board system and associated components incorporating a standard skateboard deck or any other shaped board that allows the user to balance in more than one rotational degree of freedom and can be used on a wide variety of surfaces. The balance board system includes a roller with flexible outer layer, one or more removable stops, and employs the use of a skateboard deck or similar structure as the balance board.

Description

BACKGROUND

Balance boards are devices used to improve balance, motor skills, and overall coordination. They are increasingly being used in broader recreations including strength training, athletic training, therapy, and other kinds of personal development.

Balance board systems typically include an elongated board and pivot device, often called a roller. The roller is typically cylindrical in shape. In use, the balance board is positioned on top of the roller and pivots around the circular axis of the cylinder. A prior art balance board system typically includes a balance board having a flat bottom, and a rigid roller having a hard outer surface tailored to match and/or fit into the bottom of the board. This tailoring is often accomplished by either matching the size of the board to the roller, or by using a channel or key-way to engage the balance board with the roller. An example of a prior art balance board system is shown in FIG. 1.

In practice, a user will stand on the board on top of the roller and as the board pivots around the roller, the user will counteract the pivot, keeping the board relatively flat causing the board to move laterally and causing the roller to roll underneath the board see FIG. 2: Prior Art Balance Board Usage.

Prior art balance board systems include a board that is specific to the roller, such that one balance board will not function properly with another balance board's roller. As a result, one cannot use a balance board on anything other than that balance board's paired roller. This incompatibility of competing balance board systems increases the price of the balance board systems (board and roller) based on the fact that the consumer must purchase both the roller and balance board together and cannot use some other type of balance board. The interaction of the flat bottomed board and flat, rigid roller limits the prior art balance board system to a single axis of rotation which, in turn, restricts the user to a single rotational degree of freedom (e.g., roll), when operating the prior art balance board.

In addition, prior art balance boards using rigid rollers are not well suited for use on hard surfaces. A rigid roller has a tendency to slide laterally instead of rolling on hard surfaces and often requires a pad or mat in order grip the floor and prevent it from sliding. This sliding has the potential to damage the roller or the floor.

Alternatively, if the board is not suited for the roller, the board can slide in relation to the roller having a similar effect to the movement in FIG. 3, whereby the board slides relative to the roller.

There exists one other prior art balance board that focuses balance on the heel-toe motor movements by using a longer roller and orientating the roller parallel to the long dimension of the board. This balance board is described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,387,358 B2. The user stands such that their feet are perpendicular to the axis of rotation and directly over top of the roller, such that the user must employ their heel-toe motor skills to counteract a single rotational degree of freedom that all prior art balance boards employ, but in this balance board embodiment, the rotational degree of freedom is Pitch.

SUMMARY

This document describes a balance board system that can be used with almost any style of balance board, though primarily designed to be used with skateboard decks (standard sized or longboard). This system includes one or more removable stops that can be attached to the underside of the board. These stops are typically mounted near the ends of the balance board to provide maximum range of motion for the user.

The balance board system of the present invention also includes a cylindrical roller having a flexible outer layer. This flexible outer layer is a key distinguishing factor from the prior art balance boards and serves at least three purposes. First, the flexible outer layer forms to the shape of the board which allows the roller to be used with various balance boards including a standard skateboard deck. Secondly, the flexible outer layer, when combined with a convex skateboard deck introduces two additional axes of rotation, or rotational degrees of freedom, for which the user can balance. Thirdly, the flexible roller allows a user to use the balance board system on any type of surface, including hard flooring, and uneven ground.

The details and explanation of the distinguishing factors of this balance board system to prior art are set forth in the accompanying drawings and detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: Prior Art Balance Board

FIG. 2: Prior Art Balance Board Usage

FIG. 3: Prior Art Balance Board Usage on a Hard Surface

FIG. 4: Standard Skateboard Deck

FIG. 5: Present Invention Roller

FIG. 6: Present Invention Stops

FIG. 7: Present Invention Stops Installation on a Standard Skateboard Deck

FIG. 8: Present Invention Assembly

FIG. 9: Present Invention vs. Prior Art Balance Board

FIG. 10: Rotational Degrees of Freedom

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes a balance board system that solves the problems of the prior art and provides for improved balance training through the use of a curved bottom board and a roller with a flexible outer layer. The flexible outer layer allows the roller to be used with various balance boards (including a standard skateboard deck), and allows the balance board system of the present invention to be used on a wide range of surfaces including, but not limited to, hard ground and uneven ground.

In addition, the balance board system of the present invention maximizes the user experience by allowing the user to balance in all three rotational degrees of freedom simultaneously. Specifically, the balance board system of the present invention enables all three rotational degrees of freedom—Roll, Pitch, and Yaw, whereas prior art balance boards only employ one rotational degree of freedom—‘Roll’ per FIG. 10 or ‘Pitch’ in U.S. Pat. No. 9,387,358 B2.

This document describes a balance board system that can be used with almost any style of balance board, though primarily designed to be used with skateboard decks. This document will focus on a standard skateboard deck, but the invention can be applied or extended to any balance board deck construct. A skateboard deck is characterized by having a length longer than its width, with two ends. Each end includes a set of holes for mounting trucks and wheels. The holes on skateboard decks are generally drilled the same width apart (when dividing the board along its long axis). Skateboards typically have a curved bottom surface which is intended to increase the bending strength of the board when compared to a flat board of similar thickness. Skateboard decks are typically 32 inches long×8 inches wide×0.5 inches thick, but can vary significantly in shape and size. See FIG. 4: Standard Skateboard Deck.

The flexible outer layer of the roller of the present invention allows the roller to be used with various balance boards including a standard skateboard deck. More specifically, the flexible surface contours and grips to the curved bottom surface of a skateboard deck (or any other deck shape), creating a fully functioning balance board that would not be possible with prior art rigid rollers. Second, the flexible outer layer, when paired with a curved bottom surface of a balance board, introduces two additional axes of rotation into the balance board system of the present invention, thus creating multiple rotational degrees of freedom for the user. To illustrate, using a balance board deck having a convex bottom surface that engages the flexible outer layer of the roller, a user can roll his/her ankles back and forth in a heel-toe motion creating a first rotational degree of freedom (e.g., “pitch”), in addition to the rotational degree of freedom that is enabled by pivoting around the rotational axis of the roller (e.g., “roll”). Additionally, when paired with convex bottom surface skateboard deck, or similarly shaped boards, the decreased surface area of the rounded board in conjunction with the flexible roller allow for the user to swivel the board around the roller's vertical axis, introducing a third rotational degree of freedom (e.g., ‘Yaw’ See FIG. 9: Present Invention vs. Prior Art Balance Board.

As a result, a user can now balance and control the board across all three rotational degrees of freedom simultaneously, which greatly increases the training intensity of the balance board system of the present invention and increases the core functionality of the present invention balance board system.

Lastly, the flexible roller allows a user to use the present invention balance board system on any type of surface including hard flooring and uneven ground. More specifically, the flexible outer layer essentially serves the same function as pad or mat that rigid rollers require to function properly on hard surfaces, and provides grip that prevents the roller from sliding laterally on hard surfaces or from sliding in relation to the board. Prior art rigid rollers have the potential to damage certain floors, the flexible roller of the balance board system of the present invention also prevents the user from damaging the floor or other surface on which they are balancing.

The combination of the skateboard deck or similar board having a curved bottom surface, with the flexible roller results in a truly unique user experience when compared to the experience of a prior art balance board. The ability for the user to practice balance in all three rotational degrees of freedom at the same time significantly improves the user experience and allows the user to improve their balance, motor skills, and overall coordination in a faster and more real-world applicable manner than any prior art balance board. Real-world applicable manner is this sense is referring to other board sports for which a user may use the present invention to train for, such as surfing and snowboarding.

The balance board system of the present invention includes a board, such as an elongated, rigid board, a roller, such as an elongated tube or cylindrical member, and one or more detachable stops. The board has a length that is longer than its width. However the specifics of the board shape do not limit the invention, as this balance board system is designed to be used with a standard skateboard deck, which is an existing and common board shape that comes in various sizes, or with any other similarly shaped board. The roller has a length that is approximately 2× greater than the diameter of the roller with open or capped ends. The roller consists of a rigid inner cylinder that is typically hollow (FIG. 5, Item 6), though can be solid as well. Preferably, the cylinder has a minimum outer diameter of 3 inches, with preferred diameter of 4.3 inches with a minimum wall thickness of 0.3 inches, and minimum length of 8 inches, with preferred length of 13 inches. The inner cylinder can be made of various rigid materials including, but not limited to ABS plastic, carbon fiber, and wood. Attached to the outside of the rigid inner cylinder is a cylindrical layer of flexible material (FIG. 5, Item 5). This flexible material can be made of various materials including EVA foam, soft plastic, and rubber, but preferably EVA Foam. This flexible material should have Shore A Hardness, or equivalent durometer scale, in the range of 20 to 100, but preferably 75. This outer layer should fit tightly around the rigid inner cylinder and must therefore must have dimensions to fit to the inner cylinder as such. Importantly, this flexible outer layer of the roller allows the roller to be compatible with various balance board shapes.

The detachable stops are designed with holes that match the dimensions of the skateboard deck holes and are intended to be attached to the outermost (nearest to the ends of the board) set of two holes to provide the user with maximum range of motion (see attachment locations in FIG. 7). Though designed for skateboards and longboard skateboards, a user can use any board-shaped item with properly sized and spaced holes, or the user can opt to not use the stops and therefore the board will not need holes. The stops (FIG. 6) can be made of various flexible materials, including, but not limited to polyurethane, rubber, and polyether, but preferably polyurethane. The stops should have Shore A Hardness, or equivalent durometer scale, in the range of 20 to 100, but preferably 83. The stops have a minimum length (FIG. 6, Item L) of 2 inches and can be as long as the selected board is wide or can be wider than the selected board. The stops have a width (FIG. 6, Item W) of 0.5 to 5 inches with preferred width of 1 inch, and height (FIG. 6, Item H) between 0.1 and 3 inches with preferred height of 1 inch. On the topside denoted by FIG. 6, Item 7, the stops are curved along the length of the body, which allows the stops to conform to the convex bottom of standard skateboard decks. The radius of this curvature is slightly less than that of standard skateboard decks, which allows the flexibility of the polyurethane to form the stops tightly up against the bottom curve of skateboard decks of varying curvatures without leaving a gap on the outer edges. This specific curvature allowing for gap free attachment is not required for the present invention to function in its full capacity, however it is preferable to secure a better fit for the stops on the board. The stops have two holes in them (FIG. 6, Item 10), each of 0.21 inch diameter. Both holes fully penetrate the top and bottom surface of the stops, without tapering. The holes are 1.625 inches apart from center to center, the same distance apart as the skateboard deck holes to which they line up. The set of holes are centered in relation to the top and bottom faces of the stops. On the bottom face of the stops are two hexagon shaped extrusions (FIG. 6, Item 9) centered on the two holes previously mentioned. The distance between parallel sides of these hexagon shapes is between 0.3 to 0.4 inches but preferably 0.376 inches. These are designed to grip the hex nuts that thread onto the bolts that hold the stops to the board. The hexagonal extrusions grip the nut, thereby not requiring the consumer to use a socket or crescent wrench to attach the stops to the board. The stops have rounded edges on all sides (FIG. 6, Item 12) except for the edges on the top face which have a flat edge (FIG. 6, Item 13) which allows the top of the stops to rest flat on the bottom of the board. The stops are mostly hollow with an open top face, though they can also be solid. Shell thickness of the stops is between 0.1 inches and 0.3 inches, but preferably 0.2 inches. Inside the stops can be multiple ribs (FIG. 6, Item 11) running along the width of the stops. The ribs can vary in thickness from 0.1 to 0.2 inches. The ribs are used to minimize material volume and weight while providing structural integrity.

The hardware supplied with the present invention balance board system invention consists of 4 bolts and 4 nuts. The bolts are 1.25 inches in length×#10-32 thread pitch. The nuts are #10-32 hex nuts. The hardware is standard and not pictured.

Claims

1. A balance board system comprising:

a deck having a longitudinal axis;

said longitudinal axis having a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

said deck having a first deck section defined as the section of the deck extending between the midpoint of said longitudinal axis and the first endpoint of said longitudinal axis, and a second deck section defined as the section of the deck extending between the midpoint of the longitudinal axis and the second endpoint of such longitudinal axis;

a first flexible stop mounted on said first deck section;

a second flexible stop mounted on said second deck section; and

a roller having a flexible outer layer.

2. A balance board system according to claim 1, wherein the roller has a flexible outer layer with Shore A durometer hardness between 20 and 100.

3. A balance board system according to claim 2, wherein the roller has an outer diameter between 3 and 12 inches.

4. A balance board system according to claim 3, wherein the deck is a skateboard deck.

5. A balance board system according to claim 1, having flexible stops with attachment points spaced approximately 1⅝″ apart.

6. A balance board system according to claim 5 wherein said attachment points are holes.

7. A balance board system according to claim 5 wherein said flexible stops have length between 2 and 12 inches.

8. A balance board system according to claim 7 wherein said flexible stops have a Shore A durometer hardness between 20 and 100.

9. A balance board system according to claim 8 wherein said flexible stops have a mounting surface with a radius of curvature greater than 20 inches.

10. A balance board system according to claim 9, wherein the deck is a skateboard deck.

11. A kit for converting an existing skateboard deck into a balance board system comprising:

a first flexible stop adapted to be mounted on said skateboard deck in replacement of a first set of trucks and wheels;

a second flexible stop adapted to be mounted on said skateboard deck in replacement of a second set of trucks and wheels; and

a roller having a flexible outer layer.

12. A kit according to claim 11, wherein the roller has a flexible outer layer with Shore A durometer hardness between 20 and 100.

13. A kit according to claim 12, wherein the roller has an outer diameter between 3 and 12 inches.

14. A kit according to claim 11 wherein the first flexible stop includes attachment points spaced approximately 1⅝″ apart, and the second flexible stop includes attachment points spaced approximately 1⅝″ apart.

15. A kit according to claim 14, wherein said attachment points on the first flexible stop are holes.

16. A kit according to claim 14, wherein said attachment points on the second flexible stop are holes.

17. A kit according to claim 11, wherein the first flexible stop and the second flexible stop each have length between 2 and 12 inches.

18. A kit according to claim 11, wherein the first flexible stop and the second flexible stop each have Shore A durometer hardness between 20 and 100.

19. A kit according to claim 11, wherein the topside of each flexible stop has a radius of curvature greater than 20 inches.