Sports Vehicle

Abstract

A sports vehicle which includes a substantially horizontal platform [( 1 )] capable of supporting the user and having attached to its underside two or more rotatable disks [( 2 )] arranged to rotate about substantially vertical axes [( 3 )], the underside of each rotatable disk being substantially convex in form. The platform is resilient and can adopt a convex or concave shape, so as to steer the vehicle. The user places his feet on the platform and steers the vehicle by tilting the platform using his body weight. The vehicle enables its user to travel over grassland and similar terrain in a manner similar to skateboarding and snowboarding.

1 . A vehicle for travelling over grassland and similar terrain, said vehicle comprising a generally horizontal platform having attached to its underside two or more rotatable disks each having a lower surface adapted to contact the ground, each of said two or more rotatable disks arranged to rotate about a generally vertical axis, the underside of each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks being substantially convex in form.  
     
     
         2 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said two or more rotatable disks are arranged along a longitudinal axis of said platform.  
     
     
         3 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle has two rotatable disks arranged along a longitudinal axis of said platform.  
     
     
         4 . [A] The vehicle according to [any preceding]  claim 1  wherein said platform is resiliently pliable.  
     
     
         5 . [A] The vehicle according to [any preceding]  claim 1 , wherein said platform comprises a first area on its upper side towards the front of said platform adapted to receive one foot of the user, and a second area on its upper side towards the rear of said platform adapted to receive the other foot of the user, said platform comprising a central portion between said first and second areas adapted to flex resiliently about a lateral axis in the plane of said platform.  
     
     
         6 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 5 , wherein the first area of the platform is provided with a first rotatably mounted foot support member, and the second area of the platform is provided with a second rotatably mounted foot support member.  
     
     
         7 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 6 , wherein each foot support member is rotatably mounted such that its axis of rotation is substantially coincident with the axis of rotation of a rotatable disk.  
     
     
         8 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 6  [or  7 ], wherein said first and second foot support members are each provided with boot or shoe retention means.  
     
     
         9 . [A] The vehicle according to [any preceding]  claim 1 , wherein said central portion comprises a portion of said platform having a reduced cross-sectional area.  
     
     
         10 . [A] The vehicle according to [any preceding]  claim 1 , wherein the platform has a generally concave shape in a longitudinal direction in its unstressed state, such that the central portion of the platform is lower than the ends of the platform.  
     
     
         11 . [A] The vehicle according to [any one of  claims 1  to  9 ]  claim 1 , wherein the platform has a generally convex shape in a longitudinal direction in its unstressed state, such that the central portion of the platform is higher than the ends of the platform.  
     
     
         12 . [A] The vehicle according to [any preceding]  claim 1 , wherein each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks is supported on a spindle attached to the underside of said platform.  
     
     
         13 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 12 , wherein said vehicle further comprises additional support means adapted to provide additional support for each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks in addition to said spindle.  
     
     
         14 . [A] The vehicle [as claimed in] according to  claim 13 , wherein said additional support means is a plurality of idler wheels.  
     
     
         15 . [A] The vehicle [as claimed in] according to  claim 13 , wherein said additional support means is a plurality of rollers.  
     
     
         16 . [A] The vehicle [as claimed in any of  claims 1  to  12 ] according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks is supported by a support means selected from the group of support means comprising a plurality of idler wheels, a plurality of rollers, and a plurality of balls.  
     
     
         17 . [A] The vehicle according to [any preceding]  claim 1 , wherein each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks is solid.  
     
     
         18 . [A] The vehicle according to [any one of  claims 1  to  16 ]  claim 1 , wherein each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks is hollow, said upper surface of each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks being substantially concave in form.  
     
     
         19 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 18 , wherein said platform is shaped so as to follow the form of said concave upper surface of each of said [one] two or more hollow rotatable disks.  
     
     
         20 . [A] The vehicle according to [any preceding]  claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of each of said [one] two or more rotatable disks is substantially in the form of part of the surface of a sphere, an ellipsoid, a truncated cone, or a truncated toroid.  
     
     
         21 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 2 , the axis of rotation of at least one of said rotatable disks being inclined in a first rotational sense about the longitudinal axis of the platform, and the axis of rotation of at least one other rotatable disk being inclined in an opposite rotational sense about the longitudinal axis of the platform.  
     
     
         22 . [A] The vehicle according to  claim 21 , wherein the platform has attached to its underside three or more rotatable disks arranged along the longitudinal axis of said platform.