A skateboard truck that includes an inertia drive attached to a wheel. The inertia drive causes an inertial mass (i.e. flywheel) to turn at a higher speed then the wheel. During “pumping” of the skateboard the wheels accelerate and an inertia drive helps propel the skateboard given its inertia combined with the wheel inertia. The inertia drive may be configured to maintain skateboard stability at high speeds.

An electric weight sensing skateboard using one or more strain gauge systems to detect rider-induced strain on one or both trucks, an inertial sensor to detect accelerations and balance position, and wheel speed sensors. Throttle is controlled by rider position, for example, lean forward to increase speed, lean back to slow down. Several drive methods include a driver position detection velocity setpoint control, torque setpoint control, and direct velocity/torque control. A throttle remote is note required. Rider weight activates the motors.

The present steerable wheel assembly incorporates a lean-to-steer mechanism into an inner race of a roller bearing, while a wheel is mounted to an outer race of the roller bearing. A shaft extending from the mechanism is attached to a body, and the mechanism acts to steer the outer race and the wheel about a vertical steering axis when the shaft is tilted about a horizontal axis. The mechanism can be a pivot joint, providing a linear steering response, or can be a lean-to-steer mechanism that provides a non-linear response where the steering action is not proportionally responsive to tilting over the expected range of tilting.

Disclosed are an optical rotating wheel and a self-balancing vehicle. The optical rotating wheel of the present application includes a stationary component, a moving component, a light source connected with the stationary component, and a laser plate connected with the moving component, in which the stationary component is fixedly connected with the vehicle body and relatively static with respect to the vehicle body, while the moving component is rotationally connected with the stationary component. Moreover, the laser plate is provided with a laser dot which displays a preset pattern under an illumination of the light source, and when the moving component rotates, the preset pattern rotates around the light source. In such a way, a dynamic optical pattern is obtained in the optical rotating wheel and self-balancing vehicle.

An electric weight sensing skateboard using one or more strain gauge systems to detect rider-induced strain on one or both trucks, an inertial sensor to detect accelerations and balance position, and wheel speed sensors. Throttle is controlled by rider position, for example, lean forward to increase speed, lean back to slow down. Several drive methods include a driver position detection velocity setpoint control, torque setpoint control, and direct velocity/torque control. A throttle remote is note required. Rider weight activates the motors.

An aluminum or aluminum alloy wheel hub having at least one display opening for electrically operated display device and at least one interior channel anodized to a sufficient electrically insulative thickness, the channel is dimensioned to receive at least one electrically conductive element of a compact generator. The display device can be a LED device. The wheel hub is especially suited for roller skate, in-line skate, and skate board wheels.

The present steerable wheel assembly incorporates a lean-to-steer mechanism into an inner race of a roller bearing, while a wheel is mounted to an outer race of the roller bearing. A shaft extending from the mechanism is attached to a body, and the mechanism acts to steer the outer race and the wheel about a vertical steering axis when the shaft is tilted about a horizontal axis. The mechanism can be a pivot joint, providing a linear steering response, or can be a lean-to-steer mechanism that provides a non-linear response where the steering action is not consistently responsive to tilting over the expected range of tilting. The present non-linear lean-to-steer mechanisms can also be incorporated into alternative lean-to-steer devices, and alternative mechanisms can employ tracking structures to coordinate tilting motion of a first moving element with steering motion of a second moving element to provide a non-linear lean-to-steer response.

The present specification discloses wheel mounts for personal vehicles, such as skateboards and scooters. Wheel mount embodiments disclosed herein provide for the interchangeable mounting of wheels having differently shaped wheel cores. The present invention allows users to forego the previous limitation of having a specific wheel mount that only provides for the mounting a specific wheel having one specific wheel core geometry. Embodiments can be utilized on motorized personal vehicles, such as motorized skateboards and scooters that utilize various motors, such as direct drive or belt drive motors.

A method of controlling a four-wheel skateboard, the method comprising: applying a load on an induction switch of the four-wheel skateboard, the induction switch starting a power switch of the four-wheel skateboard; driving the four-wheel skateboard to slide by the assistance of the load; controlling and starting a motor, by a controller of the four-wheel skateboard, to drive the four-wheel skateboard to slide; and taking the load off from the induction switch of the four-wheel skateboard and the induction switch shutting down the power switch of the four-wheel skateboard. The four-wheel skateboard relies on the load-assisted driving, not entirely on the driving force of the motor, so that the four-wheel skateboard consumes less electricity for sliding the same distance as conventional skateboards, requires relatively small amounts of lithium-ion batteries, and requires not too large battery capacity and not too high voltage, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of the four-wheel skateboard.

A self-stabilizing, one-wheeled electric skateboard may include improved features. In some examples, the vehicle includes a status indicator viewable through a slot formed in an upper surface of the board. In some examples, the vehicle includes a convertible carrying handle transitionable between stowed and deployed positions. In some examples, the vehicle includes an interchangeable fender and fender substitute that may be removably coupled to an upper surface of the board. In some examples, a motor controller of the vehicle may operate a field-oriented control (FOC) scheme configured to control the electric motor by manipulating a direct current aligned with a rotating rotor flux angle and a quadrature current defined at ninety degrees from the rotating rotor flux angle. In some examples, the motor controller may be configured to permit intuitive dismounting of the vehicle by tilting and/or moving the vehicle backward.