Angled Frame Rails for One-Wheeled Electric Skateboard Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
One-wheeled electric skateboards with straight frame rails suffer from instability during turns, high center of gravity, footpad slippage, and software-induced 'pushback' at high speeds, limiting rider performance and safety.
Innovation Solution
Angled frame rails that tilt downward after wheel connection points and upward before footpad deck attachment points, reducing the center of gravity and maintaining bumper clearance, enhancing stability and grip, and altering the gyroscope default position to reduce 'pushback' at high speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If straight, level frame rails are used, then the vehicle maintains a simple structure and easy manufacturing, but the rider's feet are positioned high above the center axle balance point causing instability during turns and high center of gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The frame rails are designed with an asymmetric angled configuration instead of straight horizontal rails. The rails angle downward from the deck toward the wheel mounting points, creating an asymmetric geometry that lowers the center of gravity and improves stability during turns while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a two-dimensional horizontal rail arrangement to a three-dimensional angled configuration. By introducing vertical dimension through the angled rails, the center of gravity is lowered without complicating the manufacturing process, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and stability
2Device complexity
If straight, level frame rails are used, then the vehicle structure remains simple, but the rider cannot shift weight far off center without the vehicle wobbling and possibly rolling over, inhibiting aggressive carving
Solution Approach 1:
The angled frame rails create an asymmetric weight distribution that allows the rider to shift weight more effectively. The downward angle provides a stable base that supports aggressive carving maneuvers while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The rail angle parameter is optimized to balance structural simplicity with rider control. By adjusting the angle of the rails, the design enables greater weight shift range for aggressive carving while keeping the frame structure relatively simple
3Shape
If straight, level frame rails are used, then the vehicle maintains consistent bumper height, but the rider's feet tend to slip off the front and rear of the footpads causing falls and injury
Solution Approach 1:
By angling the frame rails downward, the design changes the vertical positioning of components. This dimensional change allows the footpads to be positioned at optimal heights and angles that prevent foot slippage, while the rails still angle upward toward the bumpers to maintain adequate bumper clearance
4Stability of the object's composition
If straight, level frame rails are used, then the vehicle rides level at low speeds, but at speeds exceeding sixteen mph the skateboard tilts back with pushback making it impossible to have the board level at speed
Solution Approach 1:
The angled frame rails are pre-configured to counteract the pushback effect that occurs at high speeds. The downward angle of the rails creates a geometric predisposition that offsets the software-induced tilt, allowing the board to maintain a more level position during high-speed operation
Solution Approach 2:
The rail angle parameter is specifically designed to compensate for pushback. By changing the geometric parameters of the frame rails, the system counteracts the high-speed tilt without requiring software modifications, maintaining both low-speed stability and high-speed performance
Data Source
AI summary
Novel side rails for self-stabilizing, one-wheeled electric skateboards and related products are disclosed. The angled frame rails of this invention and disclosure lower the center of gravity at the contact points—i.e. a rider's feet on the footpads—by as much as possible without losing any clearance at the front and rear bumpers, and tilt the gyroscope to change the zero-degree level default position. In order to achieve this, the inventive rails herein change to a downward tilt as soon as possible after the axle bolt connection points, then tilt back up before the footpad decks and continue through the front and rear of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a five-degree downward tilt of the rails allows for an approximately one-half inch drop in the center of gravity of the vehicle, thus increasing speed, stability, and safety.