Deck for ride-on devices

Abstract

Ride-on devices are disclosed. The ride-on device may include a deck having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least two wheels attached to the bottom surface of the deck. The deck includes a bulk flexible material having a first stiffness and at least two resilient members extending in a fore-aft direction and having a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness. The bulk flexible material may be a polymer, such as a thermoplastic, and the resilient members may be formed of a fiber composite, such as a fiberglass or carbon composite. The resilient members may be formed integral with the base or may be attached in a separate process. One resilient member may extend along an outer edge on a port side of the deck and another resilient member may extend along an outer edge on a starboard side of the deck.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ride-on device comprising:
 a deck having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least two wheels attached to the bottom surface of the deck, the deck including:
 a bulk flexible material having a first stiffness; and 
 at least two fiber composite resilient members extending in a fore-aft direction and having a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ride-on device of  claim 1 , wherein the bulk flexible material includes a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The ride-on device of  claim 1 , wherein the first stiffness is from 0.5 to 5 GPa and the second stiffness is at least 10 GPa. 
     
     
         4 . The ride-on device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two resilient members are formed integrally with the bulk flexible material. 
     
     
         5 . The ride-on device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two resilient members are attached to the bulk flexible material at least at the fore and aft of the deck. 
     
     
         6 . The ride-on device of  claim 1 , wherein a resilient member extends along an outer edge on a port side of the deck and a resilient member extends along an outer edge on a starboard side of the deck. 
     
     
         7 . The ride-on device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two fiber composite resilient members are formed of fiberglass. 
     
     
         8 . A deck for a ride-on device, the deck comprising:
 a base including a top surface for supporting a rider and a bottom surface configured to attach to at least two wheel assemblies, the deck including:
 a bulk flexible material having a first stiffness from 0.5 to 5 GPa; and 
 at least two resilient members integrally molded with the bulk flexible material and extending in a fore-aft direction and having a second stiffness from 10 to 150 GPa. 
   
     
     
         9 . The deck of  claim 8 , wherein the bulk flexible material includes a thermoplastic polymer and the at least two resilient members are formed from a fiber composite. 
     
     
         10 . The deck of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two resilient members are formed of fiberglass. 
     
     
         11 . The deck of  claim 8 , wherein the second stiffness is from 10 to 75 GPa. 
     
     
         12 . The deck of  claim 8 , wherein the at least two resilient members have a rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         13 . The deck of  claim 8 , wherein a resilient member extends along an outer edge on a port side of the deck and a resilient member extends along an outer edge on a starboard side of the deck. 
     
     
         14 . The deck of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one swivel caster attached to the bottom surface, the at least one swivel caster having two wheels mounted equidistantly off-set from an axis of rotation of the caster's swivel. 
     
     
         15 . A ride-on device comprising:
 a deck having a top surface and a bottom surface, the deck including:
 a bulk flexible material having a first stiffness; and 
 at least two resilient members extending in a fore-aft direction, the at least two resilient members having a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness and a density of at most 6 g/cm 3 . 
   
     
     
         16 . The ride-on device of  claim 15 , wherein the density of the at least two resilient members is at most 4 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         17 . The deck of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two resilient members are attached to the bulk flexible material at least at the fore and aft of the deck. 
     
     
         18 . The deck of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two resilient members are formed integrally with the bulk flexible material. 
     
     
         19 . The deck of  claim 18 , wherein the at least two resilient members form at least a portion of an outer surface of the deck. 
     
     
         20 . The deck of  claim 15 , wherein the first stiffness is from 0.5 to 5 GPa, the second stiffness is from 10 to 75 GPa, the bulk flexible material includes a thermoplastic polymer, and the at least two resilient members are formed of fiberglass. 
     
     
         21 . A ride-on device comprising:
 a deck having a top surface and a bottom surface; and   at least one swivel caster attached to the bottom surface, the at least one swivel caster having two wheels mounted equidistantly off-set from an axis of rotation of the caster's swivel.