Skateboard with grinding roller

Abstract

A skateboard has one or more rollers on a bottom region of the body of the board, disposed between the front and rear trucks thereof. The roller(s) may be disposed longitudinally along the length of the board, generally parallel to a normal direction of travel of the board. However, in some embodiments, the angle of the rollers may be adjustable or fixed in a direction offset from parallel by from about 1 to about 45 degrees, typically between 1 and 15 degrees. The rollers may extend from the bottom of the board, or may be partially embedded in an indentation formed in the bottom of the board. The roller(s) may be solid, cylindrical, tapered or composed of a plurality of smaller rollers in a row, for example.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A skateboard comprising:
 a board member;   front and rear trucks attached to a bottom side of the board member;   at least one wheel disposed on each of the front and rear trucks, the at least one wheel adapted to move the board member in a first direction, the first direction generally along a longitudinal axis of the board member; and   at least one roller disposed between the front and rear trucks, the at least one roller having an axis of rotation disposed at an angle to the first direction, the angle being from about 75 to about 105 degrees.   
     
     
         2 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller is one roller disposed centrally along a width of the board member. 
     
     
         4 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller is two or more rollers. 
     
     
         5 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller is formed from a plurality of individual rollers disposed side-by-side along the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , further comprising brakes disposed on the bottom side of the board member. 
     
     
         7 . The skateboard of  claim 6 , wherein the brakes are formed from raised members on opposite sides of the at least one roller. 
     
     
         8 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , further comprising skid plates disposed at opposite ends of the at least one roller. 
     
     
         9 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is fixed. 
     
     
         10 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is adjustable. 
     
     
         11 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller is disposed below the bottom side of the board member. 
     
     
         12 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller is disposed partially within an indent formed in the bottom side of the board member. 
     
     
         13 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , further comprising front and rear mounting plates disposed at opposite ends of the board member, the mounting plates having at least one hole to receive the at least one roller therein. 
     
     
         14 . The skateboard of  claim 13 , wherein the front and rear mounting plates are L-shaped members attached to the bottom side of the board member. 
     
     
         15 . The skateboard of  claim 13 , wherein the front and rear mounting plates attach to truck board mounting bolts of the skateboard. 
     
     
         16 . The skateboard of  claim 13 , further comprising a bushing fitting into the at least one hole, the bushing receiving a shaft of the at least one roller. 
     
     
         17 . The skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller has a taper along its length. 
     
     
         18 . The skateboard of  claim 17 , wherein the taper is toward a center of the length of the at least one roller. 
     
     
         19 . A skateboard comprising:
 a board member;   front and rear trucks attached to a bottom side of the board member;   at least one wheel disposed on each of the front and rear trucks, the at least one wheel adapted to move the board member in a first direction, the first direction generally along a longitudinal axis of the board member;   at least one roller disposed between the front and rear trucks, the at least one roller having an axis of rotation disposed generally orthogonal to the first direction;   brakes disposed on the bottom side of the board member; and   skid plates disposed at opposite ends of the at least one roller.   
     
     
         20 . The skateboard of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one roller is two or more rollers.