EP1163938A2

EP1163938A2 - Foot operated skateboard

Info

Publication number: EP1163938A2
Application number: EP01670005A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luis Seixas De Sarmento E Cunha
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-06-15
Filing date: 2001-06-15
Publication date: 2001-12-19
Also published as: PT102481A; EP1163938A3

Abstract

THE CYCLIST SKATE is a mechanical vehicle to be driven by a person in vertical position, with the feet laying on the pedals and the hands completely free. <??>The vertical tipping movement of the pedals causes the displacing of the vehicle forwards. The pedals have always the tendency to the take the highest position by action of recovery springs. <??>The movement direction of the vehicle is controlled through the lateral inclination of the pedals. <IMAGE>

Description

The cyclist skate is a mechanical vehicle without engine to be driven by a person with the feet laying on the pedals and the hands completely free, which carry out the vertical tipping movement of the pedals to drive the vehicle and the lateral inclination of the pedals to control the displacement direction.

This vehicle combines the features of a sportive equipment normally designed by "skate" which consists in a board mounted on wheels where the driver lays his feet and seeks the balance in order to be able to move himself, with the features of the driving of a bicycle which is normally carry out through a idle wheel system and gear wheels that convert the rotating movement of the pedals into the traction movement of the rear wheel.

The cyclist skate has two board type pedals that can perform each two movements that are independent between each other: the vertical tipping movement and the lateral inclination movement. That is, each pedal can, at the same time or not, perform the two movements.

The vertical tipping movement of the pedals, responsible by the driving of the vehicle, is converted through the driving system into rotating movement of the wheels, displacing the vehicle forwards. In this movement, the two pedals work independently between each other, that is, one of the pedals can move driving the vehicle while the other is stopped or, alternatively, the two pedals can move simultaneously impelling both the vehicle forwards. All these actions are performed by action of the driver feet since the pedals have always the tendency to the take the highest position by action of recovery springs. When the two pedals do not carry out the vertical tipping movement, the cyclist skate moves freely without being driven.

The movement direction of the vehicle is controlled through the lateral inclination of the pedals, with the vehicle moving to the right when the pedals are laterally inclined to the right and vice versa. In this movement the two pedals work together, that is, whenever a pedal is laterally inclined the other also follows that movement, as they are mechanically connected by means of shafts.

All the mechanical systems are supported on a chassis which, in turn transfers all the weight over the wheels.

An example of the cyclist skate will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The constitutive components of the cyclist skate are indicated in figure 1 and are:

Chassis 1 The tubular chassis is the structure that supports all the mechanical systems.
Wheels 2 The front and rear wheels are equipped with tires and provide the best contact with the irregularities of the ground and absorb the vibrations.
Driving 3 The vertical tipping movement of the pedals is converted into rotating movement of the rear wheel through a idle wheel system 8, followed by a set of mechanical gears 9 that establishes the best transmission rate.The wheels are only driven when one of the pedals carry out the downward movement. On the other hand, when the pedals are immobilised or return to the highest position due to the action of the recovery springs 7 that roll up the transmission belts 6, the system enters into idle wheel.Figure 2 shows the driving 3.
Pedals 4 As described in figure 3, each pedal is supported in the rear end on transmission belts 6 and in the front end on a "Cardam" type articulation 10 that establishes the axes of the tipping and lateral inclination movement of each pedal independent between each other.
Steering system 5 The joined lateral inclination movement of the pedals displaces the steering pitman arms 11 that control the direction of the front wheel through the steering bars 12.Figure 4 represents the steering system 5.

Claims

Cyclist skate comprised by a chassis (1) that supports the wheels (2), driving (3), pedals (4) and steering system (5), characterised in that the driving (3) is constituted by an idle wheel system (8) and a set of mechanical gears (9) that drive the wheels (2) when the pedals (4) moves downwards and in that the system enters into idle wheel when the pedals (4) are immobilised or return to its highest position by action of the recovery springs (7).
Cyclist skate as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the pedals (4) are supported on a "Cardam" type articulation (10) that enables each pedal (4) to carry out simultaneously and independently the vertical tipping movement and the lateral inclination movement.
Cyclist skate as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the steering system (5) is actuated by the joined movement of lateral inclination of both pedals (4), causing the steering pitman arms (11) to move which, in turn, move the steering bars (12) of the front wheel.