Wheeled Recreational Device For Use With Rough Terrain
A recreational device including a single wheel having a rim with a track and a tire coupled to the rim. The recreational device further includes a central hub assembly positioned within the wheel and movably coupled to the track of the rim such that the central hub assembly is rotatable in the track about an axis of rotation of the wheel. The recreational device further includes a support plate coupled to the central hub assembly and configured to support a human foot, and a guard plate coupled to the central hub assembly. The recreational device is configured such that rotational movement of the central hub assembly is independent from rotational movement of the wheel.
The invention is directed generally to recreational and sporting devices and specifically to recreational and sporting devices having one or more wheels for human transportation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn the area of recreational and sporting devices, a device comprising a foot support mounted to one or more wheels, where a person stands in a generally upright position and travels over a surface, is well known in the art. For example, one such type of device is a skateboard, which is constructed for use on paved or other types of smooth surfaces. Other such recreational and sporting devices include either conventional or in-line roller skates having a plurality of wheels for use on similar kinds of finished surfaces.
With respect to in-line roller skates (a.k.a. rollerblades), a known in-line roller skate customarily comprises a boot for accommodating a person's foot and a frame connected to the boot with two or more wheels in a row connected to the frame. Each wheel is provided with a bearing and secured to the frame using a removable axle. In this regard, the frame supporting the wheels is typically positioned directly under the boot of the in-line roller skate such that the user appears to be standing over the wheels. To accommodate positioning of the wheels under a user's foot, these types of in-line roller skates require the use of smaller wheels. A wheel of a common in-line roller skate includes a hard outer surface, typically made from urethane or other similar materials, with a diameter ranging from 55-110 mm. These smaller wheels make it impossible, or extremely difficult, to skate on surfaces that are not perfectly smooth, making even the slightest unevenness of the terrain troublesome. Further, the hard outer surface of these wheels is not suited for navigating obstructions on the skating surface, such as rocks or sticks, for example.
To this end, these types of in-line roller skates are not suitable for recreational use on rough or uneven surfaces such as an off-road trail, for example. A solution to this problem consists of using larger wheels, similar to bicycle tire, for example. Furthermore, the current design of in-line roller skates does not allow for the use of a single, larger wheel, and the preferred design is to use multiple smaller wheels, as discussed above.
Accordingly, there is still a need for an efficient and cost effective way to provide a recreational device, similar to an in-line roller skate, for use on rough or uneven surfaces. There is further a need to provide a solution using a single, large wheel, capable of navigating obstructions that may be present on rough or uneven surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention achieves the above-described needs by providing a recreational device with a single wheel having a rim with a track and a tire coupled to the rim. The recreational device includes a central hub assembly positioned within the wheel and movably coupled to the track of the rim such that the central hub assembly is rotatable in the track about an axis of rotation of the wheel. The recreational device further includes a support plate coupled to the central hub assembly and configured to support a human foot, and a guard plate coupled to the central hub assembly. The recreational device is configured such that rotational movement of the central hub assembly is independent from rotational movement of the wheel.
In another embodiment, the recreational device includes a plurality of smaller wheels operably coupled to the central hub assembly and movable within the track. Furthermore, only a portion of each of the plurality of smaller wheels may be positioned within the track and in contact with a base of the track. Moreover, an axis of rotation for each of the plurality of smaller wheels may be parallel with the center axis of rotation of the wheel.
In one embodiment, the central hub assembly of the recreational device includes at least one aperture configured to partially receive a portion of at least one smaller wheel therein. The central hub assembly may further includes at least one notch configured to receive a portion of at least one smaller wheel therein such that the wheel is partially recessed into the central hub assembly. In one embodiment, the central hub assembly further includes a fork configured to operably support one smaller wheel therein. The fork may be diametrically opposite from the support plate about a perimeter of the central hub assembly. The fork may include a head tube positioned within a bore in the central hub assembly, and further include a spring positioned within the bore and received within the head tube of the fork. In one embodiment, a vertical axis of the head tube of the fork is transverse to the axis of rotation of the wheel.
In yet another embodiment, the central hub assembly further includes a plurality of bearings operably coupled to the central hub assembly and movable within the track. The plurality of bearings may be operably coupled to the central hub assembly with a bearing pin. Furthermore, the plurality of bearings may be positioned entirely within the track. In one embodiment, a spacer is coupled to the bearing pin and positioned between the bearing and the central hub assembly. In another embodiment, an axis of rotation of each of the plurality of bearings is transverse to the axis of rotation of the wheel.
In yet another embodiment, a recreational device is provided including a wheel having a hub and rim with a track positioned on one side of the rim. The wheel further includes a tire coupled to the rim. The recreational device further includes a central hub assembly movably coupled to the track such that the central hub assembly is rotatable in the track about an axis of rotation of the wheel, a support plate coupled to the central hub assembly and configured to support a human foot, and a guard plate coupled to the central hub assembly such that rotational movement of the central hub assembly is independent from rotational movement of the wheel.
In one embodiment, the wheel is only rotatable in one direction about the hub. In another embodiment, the central hub assembly further includes a plurality of smaller wheels operably coupled to the central hub assembly and movable within the track. In yet another embodiment, the central hub assembly further includes a plurality of laterally positioned bearings coupled to the central hub assembly and movably positioned within the track.
Those skilled in the art will more readily appreciate and understand the features of the present invention when considered in the context of the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described in the next section and then described in more detail in the section thereafter.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for the carrying out of the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and is not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.
Various non-limiting embodiments will now be described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the structure, function, and use of the single wheel recreational device disclosed herein. One or more examples of these non-limiting embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that apparatus and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting embodiments. The features illustrated or described in connection with one non-limiting embodiment may be combined with the features of other non-limiting embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.
With reference to
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With continued reference to
The leg guard 22 provides support for the leg of a rider and protects the leg of a rider from interference with the wheel 12 of the recreational device 10. The leg guard 22 sits against the inside of a rider's leg between the leg and the wheel 12 and hub assembly 18. The leg guard 22 may be provided with straps or other attachment means to secure the rider's leg to the leg guard 22 for additional support. As best shown in
With reference now to
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As shown, each wheel 36 is rotatably coupled to the body 26 of the central hub assembly 18 and rotates about each axis of rotation A2. Each axis of rotation A2 is generally parallel to the axis of rotation A1 of the wheel 12 and transverse to the body 26 of the central hub assembly 18. With specific reference to the two wheels 36 positioned on the lower half of the body 26, each wheel 36 is positioned in a notch 46 in the body 26 of the central hub assembly 18. As best shown in
Turning now to
As shown, the central hub assembly 18 further includes a plurality of bearings 38 around the wheel 12. Specifically, the illustrated embodiment has three bearings 38 positioned laterally about the circumferential edge 48 of the body 26 of the central hub assembly 18. In an alternative embodiment, the central hub assembly 18 may contain more or less bearings 38. The bearings 38 provide for additional points of contact between the central hub assembly 18 and the rim 14 of the wheel 12 and counteract lateral loads experienced by the central hub assembly 18 during use of the recreational device 10. Each bearing 38 may be a rolling-element bearing, such as a ball bearing, for example, that uses balls to maintain the separation between an inner bearing race 68 and an outer bearing race 70. In this regard, each bearing 38 is positioned within the track 30 of the rim 14 such that the outer race 70 of each bearing 38 maintains contact with the sidewalls 34 of the track 30. To facilitate contact in this regard, the diameter of each bearing 38 is closely sized to a width of the track 30 of the rim 14 (i.e., the width of the base 32 of the track 30).
Each bearing 38 is rotatably coupled to the body 26 of the central hub assembly 18 using a bearing pin 72, bolt, or other similar means for attachment. For each bearing 38, the bearing pin 72 is positioned through the inner race 68 of the bearing 38 and into a bore 74 located on the circumferential edge 48 of the body 26 of the central hub assembly 18. Each bearing pin 72 may further include a spacer 76 configured to space the bearing 38 away from the body 26 of the central hub assembly 18 so that the bearing 38 maintains its position in the track 30 of the rim 14. Alternatively, instead of using the spacer or bushing 76, a coil spring may be used in place of the spacer to maintain positioning of the bearing 38 within the track 30. In this regard, the spring may extend along the bearing pin 72 and between the bearing 38 and the circumferential edge 48 of the central hub assembly 18. The spring is configured to exert a biasing force against the bearing 38 so that the bearing 38 maintains its engagement with the end of the bearing pin 72. In any event, each bearing 38 is rotatable about the bearing pin 72 which defines an axis of rotation A3 for each bearing 38. The axis of rotation A3 for each bearing 38 is transverse (and perpendicular) to the axis of rotation A1 of the wheel 12. To this end, as the central hub assembly 18 rotates about the central axis of rotation A1 of the wheel 12, each bearing 38 rotates within the track 30 about each corresponding bearing pin 72.
With reference now to
With continued reference to
As shown, the central hub assembly 18a includes three smaller wheels 36a and three bearings 38a. While the terms “wheel” and “bearing” are used to describe these components of the invention, they are not to be taken in a limiting sense. These components may include any one of the following: wheels, casters, bearings, or other similar means. In the embodiment shown, each extension 78, 80 of the body 26a of the central hub assembly 18a includes one wheel 36a rotatably coupled thereto. Each wheel 36a is partially positioned with the track 30a and in contact with the base 32a of the track 30a. Thus, as the central hub assembly 18a rotates about the hub 82 of the wheel 12a the smaller wheels 36a move about the track 30 of the rim 14a.
With continued reference to
With reference to
While various embodiments have been described herein, it should be apparent that various modifications, alterations, and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to persons skilled in the art with attainment of at least some of the advantages. The disclosed embodiments are therefore intended to include all such modifications, alterations, and adaptations without departing from the scope of the embodiments as set forth herein.
In accordance with these and other possible variations and adaptations of the present invention, the scope of the invention should be determined in accordance with the following claims, only, and not solely in accordance with that embodiment within which the invention has been taught.
Claims
1. A recreational device, comprising:
- a wheel having a rim with a track and a tire coupled to the rim;
- a central hub assembly positioned within the wheel and movably coupled to the track of the rim such that the central hub assembly is rotatable in the track about an axis of rotation of the wheel;
- a support plate coupled to the central hub assembly and configured to support a human foot; and
- a guard plate coupled to the central hub assembly;
- wherein rotational movement of the central hub assembly is independent from rotational movement of the wheel.
2. The recreational device of claim 1, wherein the central hub assembly further comprises a plurality of smaller wheels operably coupled to the central hub assembly and movable within the track.
3. The recreational device of claim 2, wherein only a portion of each of the plurality of smaller wheels is positioned within the track and in contact with a base of the track.
4. The recreational device of claim 2, wherein the central hub assembly includes at least one aperture configured to partially receive a portion of at least one smaller wheel therein.
5. The recreational device of claim 2, wherein an axis of rotation for each of the plurality of smaller wheels is parallel with the center axis of rotation of the wheel.
6. The recreational device of claim 2, wherein the central hub assembly further includes at least one notch configured to receive a portion of at least one smaller wheel therein such that the wheel is partially recessed into the central hub assembly.
7. The recreational device of claim 2, wherein the central hub assembly further includes a fork configured to operably support one smaller wheel therein.
8. The recreational device of claim 7, wherein the fork is diametrically opposite from the support plate about a perimeter of the central hub assembly.
9. The recreational device of claim 7, wherein the fork further includes a head tube positioned within a bore in the central hub assembly.
10. The recreational device of claim 9, wherein the bore further includes a spring positioned within the bore and received within the head tube of the fork.
11. The recreational device of claim 9, wherein a vertical axis of the head tube of the fork is transverse to the axis of rotation of the wheel.
12. The recreational device of claim 1, wherein the central hub assembly further includes a plurality of bearings operably coupled to the central hub assembly and movable within the track.
13. The recreational device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of bearings are each operably coupled to the central hub assembly with a bearing pin.
14. The recreational device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of bearings are positioned entirely within the track.
15. The recreational device of claim 13, wherein a spacer is coupled to the bearing pin and positioned between the bearing and the central hub assembly.
16. The recreational device of claim 12, wherein an axis of rotation of each of the plurality of bearings is transverse to the axis of rotation of the wheel.
17. A recreational device, comprising:
- a wheel having a hub and rim with a track positioned on one side of the rim, the wheel further having a tire coupled to the rim;
- a central hub assembly movably coupled to the track such that the central hub assembly is rotatable in the track about an axis of rotation of the wheel;
- a support plate coupled to the central hub assembly and configured to support a human foot; and
- a guard plate coupled to the central hub assembly;
- wherein rotational movement of the central hub assembly is independent from rotational movement of the wheel.
18. The recreational device of claim 17, wherein the wheel is only rotatable in one direction about the hub.
19. The recreational device of claim 17, wherein the central hub assembly further includes a plurality of smaller wheels operably coupled to the central hub assembly and movable within the track.
20. The recreational device of claim 19, wherein the central hub assembly further includes a plurality of laterally positioned bearings coupled to the central hub assembly and movably positioned within the track.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 23, 2021
Publication Date: Aug 25, 2022
Inventor: Kenneth Paul Cunningham (Fort Myers, FL)
Application Number: 17/182,792