Freestyle Board Sports Device

Abstract

A freestyle board sports device is described. More specifically, a rotatable footplate system for attachment to a freestyle board sports device, such as a skateboard with wheels, is described. The rotatable footplate system comprises a footplate assembly that is attached to the wheels of the skateboard and freely rotates in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction from a neutral position with respect to a vertical axis of the skateboard when a turning force is applied to the footplate assembly and/or wheels. An alignment mechanism automatically returns the footplate assembly and wheels back to the neutral position via a shortest path when no turning force is applied. A locking mechanism either allows or prevents the footplate assembly from rotating.

1 . A rotatable footplate system for attachment to a sport device having a steering assembly, the rotatable footplate system comprising:
 a footplate assembly operatively connected to the steering assembly, wherein the footplate assembly and steering assembly freely rotate together in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction from a neutral position with respect to a vertical axis of the sport device body when a turning force is applied to the footplate assembly; and   an alignment assembly operatively connected to the footplate assembly that automatically returns the footplate assembly to the neutral position when no turning force is being applied to the footplate assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  further comprising a locking mechanism for preventing the footplate assembly from rotating. 
     
     
         3 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 2  wherein the locking mechanism is operable between a locked and an unlocked position based on a user's foot placement on the footplate assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 2  wherein the locking mechanism includes a magnet operatively connected to the footplate assembly and movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein placement of a user's shoe containing metal on the footplate assembly moves the magnet into the unlocked position and disengages the footplate assembly from the sport device body, allowing the footplate assembly to freely rotate, and wherein upon removal of the user's shoe the magnet automatically returns to the locked position. 
     
     
         5 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 4  wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a spring for biasing the magnet in the locked position. 
     
     
         6 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 2  wherein the locking mechanism includes a compressible spring protruding from the top of the footplate assembly, wherein placement of a user's shoe in the center of the footplate assembly compresses the spring and disengages the footplate assembly from the sport device body, allowing the footplate assembly to freely rotate, and wherein removal of the user's shoe from the center of the footplate assembly allows the spring to extend, engaging the footplate assembly with the sport device body and preventing the footplate assembly from rotating. 
     
     
         7 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  wherein the alignment assembly comprises:
 a rotating block operatively connected to the footplate assembly and rotatable with the footplate assembly; and 
 a biasing means operatively connected to the sport device and biased against the rotating block, wherein the biasing means automatically returns the rotating block and footplate assembly to the neutral position when no turning force is applied to the footplate assembly. 
 
     
     
         8 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 7  wherein there is more than one neutral position and the biasing means moves the footplate assembly to a neutral position by the shortest path. 
     
     
         9 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 7  wherein the rotating block is an elliptical disk cam having two neutral positions 180 degrees apart, and wherein the biasing means is at least one spring. 
     
     
         10 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 7  wherein the biasing means is a spring having a first end pivotably connected to the rotating block at a pivot point and a second end operatively connected to the sport device, wherein the spring first end can fully rotate about the pivot point as the pivot point rotates with the rotating block. 
     
     
         11 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  wherein the alignment assembly comprises at least one rotatable magnet operatively connected to and rotatable with the footplate assembly; and at least one stationary magnet operatively connected to the sport device; wherein the magnetic fields of the at least one rotatable magnet and the at least one stationary magnet bias the footplate assembly into the neutral position. 
     
     
         12 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one rotatable magnet and the at least one stationary magnet include a plurality of magnets, creating a plurality of neutral positions for the footplate assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  wherein the sport device is a skateboard and the steering assembly is a truck and wheel assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  wherein the footplate assembly further includes a binding system for operative engagement with a user's shoe for applying the turning force to the footplate assembly through the binding system. 
     
     
         15 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 14  wherein the binding system includes a magnet for providing a magnetic connection to a user's shoe containing metal to aid the user in applying a turning force to the footplate assembly through the binding system. 
     
     
         16 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism including a magnet operatively connected to the footplate assembly and movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein placement of a user's shoe containing metal on the footplate assembly moves the magnet into the unlocked position and disengages the footplate assembly from the sport device body, allowing the footplate assembly to freely rotate, and wherein upon removal of the user's shoe the magnet automatically returns to the locked position; and 
 wherein the alignment assembly comprises:
 a rotating block operatively connected to the footplate assembly and rotatable with the footplate assembly; and 
 a biasing means operatively connected to the sport device and biased against the rotating block, wherein the biasing means automatically returns the rotating block and footplate assembly to the neutral position when no turning force is applied to the footplate assembly. 
 
 
     
     
         17 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism including a magnet operatively connected to the footplate assembly and movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein placement of a user's shoe containing metal on the footplate assembly moves the magnet into the unlocked position and disengages the footplate assembly from the sport device body, allowing the footplate assembly to freely rotate, and wherein upon removal of the user's shoe the magnet automatically returns to the locked position; and 
 wherein the alignment assembly comprises at least one rotatable magnet operatively connected to and rotatable with the footplate assembly; and at least one stationary magnet operatively connected to the sport device; wherein the magnetic fields of the at least one rotatable magnet and the at least one stationary magnet bias the footplate assembly into the neutral position. 
 
     
     
         18 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism including a compressible spring protruding from the top of the footplate assembly, wherein placement of a user's shoe in the center of the footplate assembly compresses the spring and disengages the footplate assembly from the sport device body, allowing the footplate assembly to freely rotate, and wherein removal of the user's shoe from the center of the footplate assembly allows the spring to extend, engaging the footplate assembly with the sport device body and preventing the footplate assembly from rotating; and 
 wherein the alignment assembly comprises:
 a rotating block operatively connected to the footplate assembly and rotatable with the footplate assembly; and 
 a biasing means operatively connected to the sport device and biased against the rotating block, wherein the biasing means automatically returns the rotating block and footplate assembly to the neutral position when no turning force is applied to the footplate assembly. 
 
 
     
     
         19 . The rotatable footplate system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism including a compressible spring protruding from the top of the footplate assembly, wherein placement of a user's shoe in the center of the footplate assembly compresses the spring and disengages the footplate assembly from the sport device body, allowing the footplate assembly to freely rotate, and wherein removal of the user's shoe from the center of the footplate assembly allows the spring to extend, engaging the footplate assembly with the sport device body and preventing the footplate assembly from rotating; and 
 wherein the alignment assembly comprises at least one rotatable magnet operatively connected to and rotatable with the footplate assembly; and at least one stationary magnet operatively connected to the sport device; wherein the magnetic fields of the at least one rotatable magnet and the at least one stationary magnet bias the footplate assembly into the neutral position.