Skateboard Suspension and Skateboard Axel

Abstract

The present invention relates to a skateboard suspension (10), particularly for use at the front axle of a surf skateboard (1). The skateboard suspension (10) of the present invention is intended to be attached to a rotating element (50) of a skateboard (1) having a board (40), and the rotating element (50) is designed to rotate the skateboard suspension (10) about an axis of rotation on the board (40). The skateboard suspension (10) of the present invention first comprises a connecting element (11) for attaching the skateboard suspension (10) to the rotating element (50). Furthermore, the skateboard axle (20) of the present invention comprises a rotatably mounted roller (30). The caster (30) is arranged behind the axis of rotation of the rotating element (50). Furthermore, the skateboard suspension (10) of the present invention comprises a swing arm (14), at least one caster (30) is attached to the swing arm (14), and the swing arm (14) is attached to the connecting element (11) by a first bearing (12). The first bearing (12) is provided to enable vertical movement of the caster (30). This vertical movement is cushioned by a first elastic element (15).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to skateboard suspensions, skateboard axles, particularly skateboard front axles, and skateboards, particularly surf skateboards equipped with the skateboard axles according to the present invention.

Background Art

[0002] Surf skating is a recently popular sport that combines elements of surfing and skating. Motivated by the concept of diverting typical operating elements of surfing to the skating of skateboard sports, a so-called surf skateboard has emerged that can move forward to some extent on a skateboard by imitating the rhythmic movement of drawing an arc in surfing.

[0003] In contrast to (street) skating using conventional skateboards, acceleration in the direction of travel is generated not by pushing (the technical term is "push"), but by curvilinear driving while intentionally changing the moment of inertia with respect to the axis of rotation of the curve. By expanding and contracting the body along the axis where gravity and centrifugal force are stably balanced, the moment of inertia can be changed and rotational acceleration can be generated. When the center of gravity of the body is lowered and the body enters the curve while being maintained outside the orbit around the center of the curve, the body can be extended at the time of entering the curve to bring the center of gravity closer to the axis of rotation (passing through the center of the curve), thereby reducing the moment of inertia. Curvilinear driving accelerates by maintaining angular momentum. Since the increase in speed in the tangential direction is converted when shifting to straight-line driving, this technique can be used to sequentially repeat alternating reversals to build up speed.

[0004] In order to convey the feeling of surfing to the skateboard as faithfully as possible, various forms of skateboards optimized for the above-described operating elements are known in the prior art. FIGS. 1a and 1b show a surf skateboard 1 according to an embodiment of the prior art, which includes front skateboard axles 20 at the rear and front. In either case, two casters 30 are arranged on the two skateboard axles 20. The two skateboard axles 20 are attached onto the board 40 of the surf skateboard (hereinafter referred to as the board 40). FIG. 1a is a view showing the surf skateboard 1 from below, and FIG. 1b is a view showing the surf skateboard 1 from the front. The surf skateboard 1 has a vertical axis y and a horizontal axis x that is orthogonal to the vertical axis y and extends also in the horizontal direction. A height axis that is orthogonal to the two axes and points in the vertical direction is simply referred to as the vertical axis z.

[0005] When going straight, that is, when moving in the direction of the vertical axis y, the athlete positions himself / herself on the board 40 such that the body axis extends in the direction of the vertical axis z and the center of gravity of the body is located on the vertical axis y as much as possible so as not to corner. When the athlete tilts the body axis and moves the body weight, for example, in the direction opposite to the horizontal axis x, a rotational movement of the board 40 with respect to the vertical axis y occurs as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1b and the arrow in FIG. 1a. Due to the rotational movement, the skateboard axles 20 of the surf skateboard 1 rotate about the vertical axis z from the zero position, that is, the position during straight movement, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1a. However, in this case, the four casters 30 are in contact with the ground and do not operate in the vertical direction (see FIG. 1b). The rotation of the skateboard axles 20 forces the surf skateboard to follow a curved path. The construction of the operating elements starts the means by which the surf skateboard 1 can continue to accelerate.

[0006] In order to enable the rotation of the skateboard axel, the skateboard axel is provided with a corresponding bearing having an elastic element. In the case of cornering, a force that resists the rotational movement of the skateboard axel acts on the skateboard axel and acts in the direction of the zero position (neutral position) of the skateboard axel. The axel of the surf skateboard is special compared to the conventional skateboard axel. In particular, it has a significantly flexible elastic element that can have a narrower radius of curvature, but there are greater requirements regarding the balance sense of the sports player.

[0007] Therefore, the surf skateboard according to the prior art is already very close to the typical surfing operation in many respects. However, the configuration of complex movement elements that cannot be implemented using the surf skateboard according to the prior art is the pumping movement transmitted from a person to the board. This enables the surfboard to move up and down with respect to the horizontal axis in relation to the buoyancy of water. This movement is also referred to as the pitching movement of the board and contributes to finding a better rhythm during cornering and assisting with the change in the height of the body's center of gravity during cornering. Also, this effect can be utilized for better acceleration regardless of cornering. The pumping movement is an operation specific to surfing and is not present in other related board sports such as snowboarding, wakeboarding, and skateboarding. Therefore, it is fundamental in terms of the sense of surfing movement elements.

[0008] Furthermore, the surf skateboard according to the prior art is optimized for a predetermined speed and, in relation to that, for a predetermined radius of curvature for the corresponding suspension and axel. As a result, the movement elements similar to surfing can only be fully achieved within the speed range configured for that purpose.

[0009] A similar design is already known from the prior art that includes only one front wheel, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. However, this design also cannot remedy the above problems.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0010]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0011] Accordingly, with respect to the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an alternative skateboard suspension, an alternative skateboard axle, and an alternative skateboard, thereby overcoming the problems identified in the prior art. This object is achieved by the gist of the independent claims. The dependent claims include advantageous developments of the present invention.

[0012] The skateboard suspension according to the present invention is provided for fixing to a rotating element of a skateboard having a board, the rotating element being configured to enable rotation of the skateboard suspension on the board with respect to a rotation axis. In this case, a substantial rotational movement of the skateboard with respect to the vertical axis of the skateboard, i.e., a rotational movement in the plane formed by the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis, is understood as a rotational movement on the board. In this case, a deviation of up to 45° is understood as "substantially around the vertical axis". First, the skateboard suspension according to the present invention comprises a connecting element configured to fix the skateboard suspension to the rotating element. Further, the skateboard suspension according to the present invention comprises a rotatably mounted caster. In this case, the caster axle for rotatably mounting the caster is arranged in a plane extending perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating element. In this case, the caster is arranged on the trailing side of the rotation axis of the rotating element, i.e., behind the rotation axis in the longitudinal direction and the traveling direction of the board. This kind of trailing arrangement is also referred to as the trailing or trailing principle, for example, a shopping trolley is known. Further, the skateboard suspension according to the present invention comprises a swing arm to which at least one caster is fixed, the swing arm being fixed to the connecting element by a first bearing. In this case, the first bearing is provided to enable a vertical movement of the caster, i.e., a movement in the direction of the vertical axis of the skateboard. In this case, the vertical movement is spring-biased by a first elastic element.

[0013] Due to the vertical mobility of the spring-biased caster according to the present invention, the vertical pumping motion of the sports player is transmitted to the board, and as a result, in terms of its complexity, a riding feeling of a skateboard that is significantly closer to the operating elements of surfing can be created compared to a conventional skateboard according to the prior art. Furthermore, the skateboard suspension according to the present invention can execute acceleration operating elements at various speeds and various radii of curvature. By using the skateboard suspension according to the present invention, the duration for which the angular momentum maintenance effect acts is affected by the sports player and is thus longer compared to embodiments of the prior art. As a result, it is possible to ride at a lower frequency rhythm, achieve acceleration, and overall achieve a higher speed.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, together with a suspension that fixes the caster to a swing arm, the swing arm is rotatably attached with respect to its longitudinal axis. In this way, the directivity of the caster is improved, particularly at a narrow radius of curvature, and as a result, wear of the caster material can be reduced by a low lateral acceleration. In this embodiment where rotational movement of the suspension with respect to the longitudinal axis of the swing arm is possible, it is advantageous to spring-bias and / or damp the rotational movement, particularly by an elastic element provided correspondingly, and it is advantageous when the spring biasing or damping is particularly adjustable. Thus, the elastic element is provided to counteract the force acting on the rotational movement.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, it is also effective to enable the rotation of the swing arm by a first bearing with respect to the axis of the skateboard suspension that is horizontal at the zero position. In this case, the horizontal axis is understood as any axis located within a plane formed by a horizontal axis and a vertical axis. In a simple form of this embodiment, a horizontally arranged axis is provided on the connecting element, and the swing arm is rotatable with respect to that axis. Since the caster is connected to the swing arm, the operation of the caster can be at least partially performed in the vertical direction (i.e., vertical operation). However, in the present invention, it is not limited to the above-mentioned execution of the caster in the vertical direction. For example, it is also conceivable to attach a spring-biased swing arm to a linear guide, and in this case, the linear guide is understood as the first bearing. Similarly, it is also conceivable to directly form the swing arm as a linearly guided and spring-biased (extendable) rod.

[0016] The first elastic element is preferably configured in the form of a spring, particularly in the form of a coil spring. Springs are widely used and cost-effective components, and are commercially available in various clearly definable strengths and dimensions. Furthermore, since springs have little wear and a long service life, they are convenient as elastic elements. In this case, the spring can be easily incorporated into the bearing design and contributes to the small structure of the skateboard suspension.

[0017] An embodiment with a spring is particularly preferable when the spring is pretensioned and the pretension of the spring can be specifically set. Therefore, considering weight and strength, the axel can be set and adjusted according to the preferences and physique of the athlete.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the skateboard suspension includes, in addition to the first elastic element, a first damping element configured to damp the vertical movement of the caster.

[0019] The skateboard suspension preferably includes only one central caster. Therefore, the board can be tilted significantly during cornering at a small radius. However, embodiments with two or more casters are also conceivable.

[0020] The skateboard suspension preferably further comprises two casters, and particularly preferably comprises two casters connected to a common axle and arranged in parallel. In this case, the axle is preferably rigidly connected to or integrally formed with the swing arm.

[0021] Preferably, a third bearing is further provided, and the third bearing or the swing arm or a part of the swing arm enables rotation about an axis offset by less than 60 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the skateboard at each offset position. Accordingly, rotation about an axis substantially corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the skateboard becomes possible, and furthermore, from the viewpoint of simulating the running feeling of a surfboard when surfing, the running behavior is optimized. In this case, preferably, an elastic element that generates a force to cancel the rotation is provided. With such an embodiment, when two casters are used for the skateboard suspension, even in the case of sharp cornering, it is possible to prevent the two casters from losing contact with the ground. In this case, the third bearing can be arranged at different positions of the connecting element and the swing arm. Similarly, it can be provided between the board and the connecting element. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, it is also contemplated to combine different bearings, for example, to be constituted by a ball joint.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first bearing and / or the third bearing of the swing arm is arranged offset in the longitudinal direction of the skateboard with respect to a rotating element that enables rotation of the skateboard suspension substantially centered on the height axis (vertical axis) of the skateboard. As a result, the first bearing and / or the third bearing is arranged in front of or behind the longitudinal direction of the rotating element.

[0023] The skateboard axle according to the present invention having a board comprises at least one skateboard suspension according to the present invention and at least one rotating element configured to enable rotation of the skateboard suspension on the board. As described above, by using this type of skateboard axle, the operating elements of surfing on a skateboard having a corresponding axle can be mimicked as much as possible.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the skateboard axle according to the present invention, the rotating element comprises a second elastic element configured to apply a force that cancels the rotation when the skateboard suspension rotates on the board. Thereby, when no external force is applied, the skateboard suspension is always returned to the neutral position. The neutral position (zero position) is preferably formed such that the caster is located at the height of the vertical axis in the lateral axis direction of the skateboard. The second elastic element can further apply a force during cornering and assist the sports player to transition from cornering to straight running and then to cornering in the opposite direction.

[0025] In this case, the second elastic element is preferably constituted by a spring, particularly a coil spring. As described above, the spring is a widely used and cost-effective component and is commercially available with various clearly definable strengths and dimensions. Furthermore, the spring is convenient as an elastic element because it has little wear and a long service life. In this case, the spring can be easily incorporated into the bearing design and contributes to the small structure of the skateboard axle. In this case, it is particularly preferable that the spring can be pretensioned and the pretension can be set.

[0026] In an embodiment of the skateboard axle, it is also preferable that the rotating element comprises a second damping element in addition to the second elastic element, and the second damping element is configured to damp the rotational movement of the swing arm on the board.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotation axis of the rotating element, and thus the rotation axis of the skateboard suspension on the board, is set at a specific angle with respect to the vertical axis of the board. Therefore, the rotation axis does not coincide with the vertical axis. By setting the rotation axis with respect to the vertical axis, the running characteristics of the skateboard can be set and adjusted according to personal preferences. Furthermore, the setting of the rotation axis with respect to the vertical axis generates a restoring torque during running that returns the skateboard axle to the zero position direction, i.e., the neutral position where no cornering occurs. The best running characteristics were the result of a setting angle with respect to the vertical axis in the range of 15 degrees to 40 degrees.

[0028] In a further preferred embodiment of the skateboard axle according to the present invention, the rotating element comprises a fixed part and a rotating part, the fixed part being rigidly, i.e., immovably, connected to the board, and the skateboard suspension being fixed to the rotating part by a connecting element. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a rotary bearing for executing rotation between the skateboard suspension and the board is provided between the fixed part and the rotating part. This type of configuration has the advantage of a simple shape, and the position of the caster with respect to the fixing point can be specified by the dimensions of the rotating part. In this case, rotating parts of different dimensions can be attached, thereby setting the position of the caster and thus the shape of the rear. Furthermore, the above embodiment is advantageous with respect to the replaceability with different parts in case of damage.

[0029] The skateboard according to the present invention comprises a skateboard axle according to the present invention. In this case, the skateboard axle is provided in particular as the front axle of the skateboard.

[0030] Hereinafter, aspects and preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

Fig. 1a

Fig. 1b

Fig. 2a

Fig. 2b

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

[0032] FIGS. 1a and 1b have already been described in detail in the description of the prior art. Therefore, a new description thereof will be omitted. FIGS. 2a and 2b are schematic views of a first embodiment of the skateboard 1 according to the present invention. In this case, FIG. 2a is a perspective view of the skateboard 1 from below, and FIG. 2b is a side view of the skateboard 1. The axes (vertical axis y, horizontal axis x, vertical axis z) of the skateboard 1 already defined in FIGS. 1a and 1b are also applicable to FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 3.

[0033] In this case, the skateboard 1 according to the present invention in FIGS. 2a and 2b includes a conventional skateboard axle 20 as a rear axle of the prior art to which two casters 30 are fixed, a board 40, and a skateboard axle 20 of the present invention as a front axle. The skateboard axle 20 according to the present invention is composed of a skateboard suspension 10 according to the present invention and a rotating element 50. The swing arm 14 is connected to the connecting element 11 via the first bearing 12, and the caster 30 is disposed on the swing arm 14 and is rotatable about a horizontal axis via a corresponding caster suspension on the swing arm 14. In this case, the position of the caster 30 is disposed behind the fixed position of the skateboard axle 10 on the board 40 in the traveling direction along the vertical axis (positive direction of the vertical axis y). Therefore, the caster 30 is attached to the subsequent side of the fixed position. The skateboard suspension 10 further includes a connecting element 11 connected to the rotating element 50. The rotating element 50 is connected to the board 40 and includes a second bearing 53.

[0034] The first bearing 12 enables the rotation of the swing arm 14 with respect to the horizontal axis, and thus enables the vertical movement of the caster 30 on the skateboard suspension 10, that is, the movement in the vertical axis z direction. In the illustrated embodiment, even if the caster 30 moves on a circular orbit with respect to the first bearing 12 of the swing arm 14 strictly, in this application, it also means moving in the vertical direction. In this case, a first elastic element 15 is provided between the board 40 and the swing arm 14 to spring bias the vertical movement of the caster 30 or the rotation of the swing arm 14. Therefore, when the caster 30 is displaced vertically from the illustrated zero position, the first elastic element 15 applies a force or torque that guides the swing arm 14 against the displacement, and this force or torque attempts to return the swing arm 14 and the caster 30 to the zero position.

[0035] In contrast, the second bearing 53 enables the horizontal rotation of the skateboard suspension 10, i.e., rotation about the vertical axis z, together with the swing arm 14. This operation is also spring-biased by the second elastic element 54, which applies a force or torque opposing the movement when the horizontal rotational movement of the skateboard suspension 10 deviates from the illustrated zero position. In this case, the operating elements for controlling the surf skateboard 1 correspond to the operating elements for conventional surf skateboards as described in the prior art. When a sports player moves the center of gravity along the transverse axis x away from the longitudinal axis y, a rotational movement of the board 40 about the longitudinal axis y also occurs here. This rotational movement is related to the horizontal rotation of the swing arm 14 relative to the second bearing 53, and thus to the displacement of the caster 30 of the skateboard axle 10 from the longitudinal axis y. Therefore, the surf skateboard 1 enhances cornering. The surf skateboard 1 receives a restoring torque opposing the rotational movement by means of a conventional rear axle configuration and partially also by the second elastic element 54. Since there is only one caster 30 on the front axle, the surf skateboard 1 can be easily tilted. Therefore, like in surfing, a sports player needs to maintain balance during cornering under the influence of centrifugal force and gravity. Different from the case of a conventionally designed surf skateboard 1, a sports player can execute a pumping action by moving the center of gravity of the body along the vertical axis z by means of an action such as a squat, and this pumping action is spring-biased by the first elastic element 15. Therefore, the pumping action is an action of the sports player on the board, and based on this, the sports player moves the center of gravity up and down along the vertical axis. This action causes a relative vertical movement between the board 40 and the caster 30 on the skateboard axle 20 according to the present invention. Therefore, when entering a curve, a sports player can lower the center of gravity of the body to compress the first elastic element 15, and during cornering, raise the center of gravity of the body again to utilize the energy stored in the first elastic element 15. Therefore, the lowering and raising of the center of gravity of the body indicate a pumping action. This is beneficial for obtaining a support effect by stretching and contracting the body to change the moment of inertia, and it is easy and advantageous to adapt to the rhythm section.A further advantageous aspect is that in the skateboard 1 according to the present invention as described herein, cornering for acceleration functions effectively at different frequencies or radii of curvature. Accordingly, the feeling of real surfing can be guaranteed at different speeds and radii of curvature.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a perspective detailed view of the skateboard 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated board 40 includes a skateboard axle 20 formed from a skateboard suspension 10 and a rotating element 50. The skateboard suspension 10 includes a connecting element 11 that fixes the skateboard suspension 10 to the rotating element 50. Both the skateboard suspension 10 and the rotating element 50 together form the skateboard axle 20. In the illustrated configuration, the skateboard axle 20 is in the zero position.

[0037] The skateboard suspension 10 further includes a swing arm 14 having a fork 141. The swing arm 14 is connected to a slip ring 142 on the fork 141 side and to the connecting element 11 on the opposite side. Further, a caster suspension 31 is provided on the swing arm 14. A caster axle 311, which is horizontally disposed at the zero position of the skateboard axle and rotatably mounts a caster 30, is provided in the caster suspension 31. In other words, the caster axle 311 is disposed in a plane extending perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating element 50. A rigid connecting rod is provided between the caster suspension 31 and the connecting element 11, and the slip ring 142 is movably disposed along the longitudinal axis of the rigid connecting rod. A first elastic element 15 in the form of a spring that winds around the connecting rod is provided between the slip ring 142 and the connecting element 11. The lower end portion 16 of the spring is disposed on the rigid connecting rod and is adjustable, for example, by a screw, along the longitudinal axis of the rigid connecting rod. The pre-tension of the spring can be set by changing the position of the lower end portion 16.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the swing arm 14 is configured as an integral connection. However, in other embodiments, it may be configured differently, for example, as an assembled part consisting of multiple components. Further, for example, the possibility of providing an elastic element such as a coil spring at the fixed location between the swing arm 14 and the connecting element 11 is also considered. Furthermore, when the fork 141 of the swing arm 14 is directly connected to the caster suspension 31, the rigid connecting rod can be omitted.

[0039] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the rotating element 50 includes a fixed portion 51 and a rotating portion 52. The fixed portion 51 fixes the skateboard axle 20 to the board 40 as a whole, and the rotating portion 52 is fixed to the connecting element 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the fixing of the fixed portion 51 to the board 40 and the fixing of the rotating portion 52 of the connecting element 11 are realized by screw connection, but different forms are also considered. A second bearing 53 is provided between the rotating portion 52 and the fixed portion 51, and the second bearing 53 enables the horizontal rotation of the rotating portion 52 and the skateboard suspension 10. In this case, a second elastic element 54 (not shown in FIG. 3) is provided, and when the skateboard suspension 10 rotates, the second elastic element 54 applies a force to the suspension in the zero position direction shown in the figure.

[0040] When the surf skateboard 1 receives a load due to the weight of the sports player, the vertical movement of the caster 30 occurs, which enables the swing arm 14 to rotate relative to the first bearing 12. For this purpose, the swing arm 14 rotates about the portion fixed to the connecting element 11, and in the process, the spring (elastic element 15) is pushed in by the slip ring 142. In this case, the rigid connecting rod between the caster suspension 31 and the connecting element 11 also rotates about the portion fixed to the connecting element 11. As a result, the caster 30 is spring-biased and undergoes vertical movement. The pre-tension of the spring and the force required for a specific displacement of the caster can be set by the adjustable lower limit portion 16.

[0041] When a sports player performs the pumping motion, the distance between the board 40 and the caster 30 permanently changes according to the pumping motion. This motion is assisted by the first elastic element 15. The weight transfer from the vertical axis y to the horizontal axis x causes the rotation of the rotating element 50, and thus the rotation of the skateboard suspension 10 on the board 40, forcing the skateboard 1 into a curved path. For this cornering, the caster axle 311 is not in a horizontal arrangement as in the illustrated zero position. In this case, the second elastic element 54 provides a force that resists the rotation of the skateboard suspension 10, causing the rider to shift the cornering to a straight line and finally to the opposite cornering to assist in the acceleration of the skateboard 1.

[0042] Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the skateboard 1 according to the invention with the skateboard suspension 10 according to the invention. Since the embodiment in this case mostly corresponds to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, only the differences between the embodiments will be described below. For the rest, refer to the description regarding FIGS. 2a and 2b.

[0043] First, in the embodiment of the skateboard suspension 10 and the skateboard 1, two casters 30 are provided at the front axle. These are arranged parallel to each other, i.e., concentrically, in the x direction and are connected to a common axle. In this case, the axle is firmly connected to the swing arm 14, but may be configured integrally with the swing arm 14, for example, as a single part. For clarity, the front caster 30 in the drawing plane is shown in dashed lines. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2a, here too, a first bearing 12 is provided between the connecting element 11 and the swing arm 14, and the bearing enables the rotation of the swing arm 14 and thus the rotation of the caster 30 with respect to the first bearing 12 in the x direction, i.e., the lateral direction of the skateboard. In this case, a first elastic element 15 is also provided, and the elastic element 15 applies a force to the swing arm 14 and guides the arm to the initial position. Therefore, the force acting from the elastic element 15 resists the operation when displaced from the initial position. In this case, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2a, the first elastic element 15 may be supported against the board 40 or the connecting element 11 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0044] Generally, in addition to the elastic element, a damping element can also be provided, and the damping element damps the corresponding movement of the bearing and removes energy from the movement.

[0045] Furthermore, in contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 2a, the connecting element 11 is configured at an angle, and this angle is configured such that, in the initial position, a part of the connecting element 11 points rearward in the longitudinal axis y direction. Thereby, it is ensured that the caster 30 is located behind the second bearing 53 in the longitudinal axis y direction, and the second bearing indicates the connection between the board 40 and the connecting element 11. In this case, the term "angled" should be understood such that the connection to the swing arm 14 moves in a direction along the longitudinal axis y compared to the connection point between the connecting element and the board in the non-displaced state. This can hold true for the simple structure of the connecting element 11 configured as an elbow.

[0046] Furthermore, a third bearing 13 is provided within the connecting element 11, and the third bearing 13 enables the twisting of two parts of the connecting element 11 connected by the third bearing 13 substantially centered on the longitudinal axis y of the skateboard 1 in the non-displaced state. In this case, "substantially centered on the longitudinal axis y of the skateboard 1" is understood to mean rotating about a rotation axis displaced by a maximum of 60 degrees from the longitudinal axis y of the skateboard 1 in the non-displaced state of the skateboard 1. In this case, the rotation of the third bearing 13 is preferably braked by a further elastic element, and the further elastic element applies a force opposing the rotation to the rotating part and returns the rotating part to the initial position as soon as the displacement force decreases. The angled connecting element provides a displacement in the longitudinal direction y of the skateboard 1 between the rotating element 50 and the third bearing 13 in the non-displaced state. In this case, the angled connecting element 11 is only one possibility to construct this displacement and is not limited thereto in the present invention.

[0047] In this case, other embodiments of the present invention are also conceivable. The third bearing 13 may be formed at another location of the connecting element 11 or as part of the swing arm 14. The third bearing 13 enables rotation substantially centered on the longitudinal axis of the swing arm 14. In still other embodiments, the third bearing 13 may be provided between the board 40 and the connecting element 11. Similarly, it is also conceivable to provide the first bearing 12 and the third bearing 13 as bearings having rotational degrees of freedom corresponding to each case. Further, embodiments in which the first bearing 12, the second bearing 53, and the third bearing 13 are configured as a single bearing, for example, a ball joint, are also considered.

[0048] In this case, it can be understood that the third bearing 13 is any bearing that enables rotation of the swing arm 14, a part of the swing arm 14, or the connecting element 11 (in the case of the position between the board and the connecting element) about an axis displaced by less than 60 degrees from the longitudinal axis y of the skateboard at each possible displacement position. Accordingly, it constitutes the rotational degrees of freedom at any position where a moving operation is possible, and this degree of freedom vectorially includes the y portion (longitudinal direction of the skateboard) in the global coordinate system. By providing three bearings, their rotation axes constitute a three-dimensional space and are linearly independent of each other from a vectorial perspective.

[0049] In addition to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention in which the connecting element 11 is already connected to the board 40 of the skateboard 1 at an angle different from 90 degrees are also conceivable.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0050] 1 ·· Surf Skateboard, 10 ·· Skateboard Suspension, 11 ·· Connecting Element, 12 ·· First Bearing, 13 ·· Third Bearing, 14 ·· Swing Arm, 141 ·· Fork, 142 ·· Slip Ring, 15 ·· First Elastic Element, 16 ·· Lower Portion, 20 ·· Skateboard Axle, 30 ·· Caster, 31 ·· Caster Suspension, 311 ·· Axis, 40 ·· Board, 50 ·· Rotating Element, 51 ·· Fixed Portion, 52 ·· Rotating Portion, 53 ·· Second Bearing, 54 ·· Second Elastic Element, x ·· Horizontal Axis, y ·· Longitudinal Axis, z ·· Vertical Axis,

Claims

1. A skateboard suspension (10) fixed to a rotating element (50) of a skateboard (1) having a board (40), wherein the rotating element (50) is configured such that the skateboard suspension (10) can rotate with respect to a rotation axis on the board (40), and the skateboard suspension (10) comprises: a connecting element (11) configured to fix the skateboard suspension (10) at a fixed position of the rotating element (50); at least one caster (30) connected to the trailing side of the rotation axis of the rotating element (50) on the board (40) and rotatably attached; a swing arm (14) fixed to the caster (30) and fixed to the connecting element (11) by a first bearing (12). The first bearing (12) of the swing arm (14) is provided to enable a vertical movement of at least one caster (30), and the vertical movement is spring-biased by a first elastic element (15). The skateboard suspension (10) is characterized by this.

2. The skateboard suspension (10) according to claim 1, wherein the caster (30) is rotatably attached with respect to the longitudinal axis of the swing arm (14).

3. The skateboard suspension (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first bearing (12) enables rotation of the swing arm (14) with respect to a horizontal axis.

4. The skateboard suspension (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first elastic element (15) is configured in the form of a spring, particularly in the form of a coil spring, and particularly the pre-tension of the spring can be set.

5. A skateboard suspension (10) provided with a first damping element configured to damp the vertical movement of the caster (30) in addition to the first elastic element (15).

6. A skateboard axle (20) of a skateboard (1) having a board (40), comprising at least one skateboard suspension (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5; and at least one rotating element (50) configured to be rotatable with respect to the rotation axis of the skateboard suspension (10) on the board (40). The skateboard axle (20) is characterized by this.

7. The rotating element (50) comprises a second elastic element (54) configured to apply a force that cancels out the rotation when the skateboard suspension (10) rotates on the board (40), and the second elastic element (54) is preferably configured in the form of a spring, particularly preferably in the form of a coil spring. The skateboard axle (20) according to claim 6.

8. The skateboard axle (20) according to claim 7, provided with a second damping element configured to damp the rotational movement of the skateboard suspension (10) on the board (40).

9. The rotation axis of the skateboard suspension (10) on the board (40) is set at a specific angle with respect to the vertical axis (z) of the board (40), particularly an angle between 15 degrees and 40 degrees. The skateboard axle (20) according to any one of claims 6 to 8.

10. A skateboard (1) comprising at least one skateboard axle (20) according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the skateboard axle (20) is provided particularly as a front axle.

Images