Apparatus and method for reducing the incidence of sudden stoppage with self balancing skateboards

Abstract

An apparatus and method for reducing the incidence of sudden stoppage while riding a self balancing skateboard. Wheels are mounted with the front of the bumper, or integrated within a special replacement bumper, of the skateboard to provide a low-friction “rollout” instead of an instant stop, allowing the rider to maintain control in the event that the front of the board contacts the ground. The wheels protrude from a lower surface of the bumper to limit contact of the bumper with the ground.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self balancing skateboard, comprising:
 a left and a right rail;   a platform for supporting a rider attached to the left and the right rail;   a drive wheel and a hub motor assembly supported on a shaft extending between the left and the right rail;   a bumper attached to a forward end of the platform and rail; and   a wheel assembly rotationally supporting a ground wheel below a bottom surface of the bumper.   
     
     
         2 . The self balancing skateboard of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel assembly further comprises:
 a carriage having a pair of lobes protruding from a base of the carriage, the lobes dimensioned to receive the ground wheel between the lobes and an interior cavity defined within the base; and   axially aligned apertures defined in the lobes to receive a wheel axel.   
     
     
         3 . The self balancing skateboard of  claim 2 , wherein the wheel assembly further comprises:
 a threaded shaft extending from a top end of the carriage, the threaded shaft dimensioned to be received through a mounting hole of the forward bumper of the skateboard and threadingly received in a threaded bore defined at a forward end of the platform.   
     
     
         4 . The self balancing skateboard of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a void defined in a bottom surface of the bumper; and   the carriage of the wheel assemblies are received in the void such that the wheel protrudes from a bottom edge surface of the bumper proximal to the void.   
     
     
         5 . The self balancing skateboard of  claim 4 , wherein the wheel assembly is mounted to a left and a right lateral aspect of the void. 
     
     
         6 . The self balancing skateboard of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 the wheel assembly is carried within a void defined in the lateral aspects of the forward bumper.   
     
     
         7 . The self balancing skateboard of  claim 6 , wherein the wheel assembly is integrally formed with the bumper assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The self balancing skateboard of  claim 7 , wherein the wheel extends through an aperture opening into the void. 
     
     
         9 . A wheel assembly adapted to mount a bumper assembly to a self balancing skateboard, comprising:
 a carriage having a pair of lobes protruding from a base of the carriage, the lobes dimensioned to receive the ground wheel between the lobes and an interior cavity defined within the base of the carriage;   axially aligned apertures defined in the lobes to receive a wheel axel; and   a threaded shaft extending from a top end of the carriage, the threaded shaft dimensioned to be received through a mounting hole of the forward bumper of the skateboard and threadingly received in a threaded bore defined at a forward end of the self balancing skateboard.   
     
     
         10 . The wheel assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a wheel rotationally carried on the wheel axel.   
     
     
         11 . The wheel assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a bearing rotationally supporting the wheel on the axel.   
     
     
         12 . A bumper assembly for a self balancing skateboard, comprising;
 a bumper configured to be attached to a forward end of the platform and a rail of the self balancing skateboard; and   a wheel assembly received in a concavity defined at the lateral margins of a bottom surface of the bumper, the concavity rotationally supporting a ground wheel protruding from the concavity below a bottom surface of the bumper.