Personal Transport Apparatus

Abstract

A foldable skateboard includes a deck assembly comprising a pair of deck members that are hinged together. Each deck member includes a deck. Two opposed side walls and two opposed end walls depend from the deck. The deck members can be pivoted between an open condition in which the decks are generally aligned and a closed condition in which the decks are generally parallel to each other to define an enclosed volume. The skateboard includes a wheel assembly mounted on each deck member, so that when the deck members are in the open condition, the wheels protrude below the deck member to engage a substrate. The deck members each have a depression, cavity or hollow, which forms part of an enclosed volume, in which the protruding part of the wheels of the other deck member is received in the closed condition of the deck members.

1 . A personal transport apparatus that includes
 a deck assembly for supporting a user, the deck assembly including a pair of deck members that are hinged together, each deck member including a deck, two opposed side walls and two opposed end walls depending from the deck, the deck members being configured so that they can be pivoted between an open condition in which the decks are generally aligned and a closed condition in which the deck members define an enclosed volume; and   a wheel assembly mounted on each deck member, each wheel assembly including at least one wheel and being configured so that when the deck members are in the open condition, the, or each, wheel can engage a substrate while a user is supported on the decks.   
     
     
         2 . A transport apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , including a drive assembly which is arranged on one of the deck members and is engaged with the wheel assembly of that deck member to drive the, or each, wheel of the wheel assembly. 
     
     
         3 . A transport apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the drive assembly includes a controller so that a user can control operation of the drive assembly to speed up or retard movement of the apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . A transport apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the wheel assemblies are truck assemblies of the type used with conventional skateboards. 
     
     
         5 . A transport apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the deck, the side walls and end walls are dimensioned so that said enclosed volume can be used for storage of items to be carried by the user. 
     
     
         6 . A transport apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , including a locking arrangement for releasably locking the apparatus in the open condition with the decks generally aligned. 
     
     
         7 . A transport apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transport apparatus is configured as a skateboard having a deck area, in the open condition of the skateboard, to support the user. 
     
     
         8 . A foldable skateboard that includes
 a deck assembly for supporting a user, the deck assembly including a pair of deck members that are hinged together, each deck member including a deck, the deck members being configured so that they can be pivoted between an open condition in which the decks are generally aligned and a closed condition in which the decks are generally parallel to each other;   a wheel assembly mounted on each deck member, each wheel assembly including at least one wheel and being configured so that when the deck members are in the open condition, the, or each, wheel protrudes below the deck member;   wherein the deck members are configured to each have a depression, cavity or hollow which forms part of an enclosed volume in which the protruding part of the, or each, wheel of the other deck member is received in the closed condition of the deck members.   
     
     
         9 . A foldable skateboard as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each deck member includes a skirt that depends from the deck, the depression, cavity or hollow at least partially bound by the skirt. 
     
     
         10 . A foldable skateboard as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the skirts are dimensioned and configured to abut in the closed condition of the deck members to define the enclosed volume.