Skateboard North-Seeking Return Mechanism for Maneuverability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current skateboards and scooters lack maneuverability, particularly for advanced users who perform tricks, as they require users to lean and balance to turn, and the existing solutions either interfere with aerial maneuvers or do not automatically return axles to their true north position, leading to instability and increased risk of wipeouts.
Innovation Solution
A skateboard or scooter design featuring independently pivotable wheel assemblies that are automatically returned to their true north position using a north-seeking return mechanism, which includes a rotation assembly and a user interface member connected to a spring-loaded engagement member within a housing, allowing for easy turning and stable recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the wheel assemblies are made pivotable for easy turning, then maneuverability is improved, but the wheel assemblies do not automatically return to their true north position, leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The north-seeking return mechanism automatically returns the wheel assembly to its true north position without requiring user intervention. The spring-loaded engagement member with the index finger protrusion and corresponding recess creates a self-correcting system that restores the wheel assembly to its starting orientation, enabling the system to serve itself by maintaining stability after maneuvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The north-seeking return mechanism provides feedback by detecting when the wheel assembly deviates from its true north position and automatically correcting it. The engagement member interacts with the index finger protrusion on the rotation assembly to sense and respond to positional deviations, creating a closed-loop feedback system that maintains orientation stability.
2Ease of operation
If a steering shaft is added to enable turning, then maneuverability is improved, but the steering shaft interferes with aerial trick maneuvers and creates safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the turning mechanism from the traditional steering shaft design and relocates it to the wheel assembly itself. The rotation assembly with the index finger protrusion and engagement member is integrated directly into the wheel assembly, eliminating the need for a separate steering shaft that would interfere with aerial maneuvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The turning mechanism is repositioned from a vertical steering shaft orientation to a horizontal rotation assembly within the wheel assembly. This dimensional change allows the turning function to be achieved without the protruding steering shaft that would interfere with aerial tricks, while maintaining full maneuverability.
3Ease of operation
If the wheel assembly is made steerable by the user, then maneuverability is improved, but the user must manually counter-turn the wheel assembly back to true north, increasing complexity of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The north-seeking return mechanism automatically returns the wheel assembly to its true north position without requiring user intervention. The spring-loaded engagement member with the index finger protrusion and corresponding recess creates a self-correcting system that restores the wheel assembly to its starting orientation, eliminating the need for manual counter-turning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded engagement member is pre-positioned to automatically engage with the index finger protrusion on the rotation assembly, preparing the system to self-correct the wheel assembly orientation. This preliminary configuration of the return mechanism ensures that the wheel assembly automatically returns to true north without requiring subsequent user actions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances maneuverability and stability by allowing users to turn the wheels with their feet without needing to counter-turn them back to the true north position, reducing the risk of accidents and improving confidence during tricks.
Implementation Method 1
a north-seeking return mechanism having a housing containing an engagement member movable along a linear axis within the housing and engaging a spring disposed between the engagement member and an interior wall of the housing
Implementation Method 2
the spring extends from its compressed state to its elongated state to move the engagement member of the north-seeking return mechanism back along the linear axis from its retracted position to its standby position
Data Source
AI summary
A roller board device like a skateboard or scooter operated by a user with one or more user-maneuverable wheel assemblies that are automatically returned to their “true north” position is provided according to the invention. The roller board device comprises an elongated deck, at least one wheel assembly, a rotation assembly operatively engaging and extending through the opening in the deck, one end of the rotation assembly being connected to the wheel assembly positioned below the deck, the other end of the rotation assembly being connected to a user interface member extending upward beyond the top surface of the deck, and a north-seeking return mechanism secured to the deck containing an engagement member movable along a linear axis within a housing and engaging a spring disposed between the engagement member and an interior wall of the housing, the rotation assembly operatively connected to the engagement member to convert rotational movement of the rotation member into linear movement of the engagement member. When the user applies rotational force to the user engagement member to turn it to the left or right, the rotation assembly and wheel assembly are rotated in the same direction and degree to allow the roller board device to be turned, the rotated rotation assembly interacting with the engagement member of the north-seeking return mechanism to move the engagement member along its linear axis to a retracted position to compress the spring. But, when the user releases the rotational force upon the user interface member, the spring extends from its compressed state to its elongated state to move the engagement member of the north-seeking return mechanism back along the linear axis from its retracted position to its standby position, counter interacting with the rotation assembly to return the wheel assembly of the roller board device to its true north position.