Abstract
A steering axle unit (24) for chassis or skateboards, comprising a bearing block (1) and a steering axle body (98), wherein the bearing block (1) has a fastening plane (11) for fastening to a chassis or skateboard, particularly skateboard deck (52), wherein, in the assembled state, the fastening plane (11) is arranged on the chassis or skateboard particularly so as to be parallel to the designated direction of travel (25) of the chassis or skateboard, and wherein the bearing block (1) comprises a vertical axis CD (22) about which the steering axle unit (98) is arranged so as to rotate relative to the bearing block (1), an axle (8) that projects normally from the vertical median longitudinal plane of the bearing block (1) in the straight-ahead position being arranged on the steering axle body (98), wherein the vertical axis CD (22) is arranged on the median longitudinal plane of the bearing block (1) at an angle W1 (19) of less than 90° relative to the fastening plane (11) in the direction of the steering axle body (98), wherein the axle (8) is arranged at a normal distance (20) to the vertical axis CD (22), and wherein the axle (8) is arranged in front of the vertical axis CD (22) in the designated direction of travel (25) of the chassis or skateboard.
Claims
1. A steering axle unit (24) for chassis or skateboards, comprising a bearing block (1) and a steering axle body (98), wherein the bearing block (1) comprises a fastening plane (11) for fastening to a chassis or skateboard, wherein, in an assembled state, the fastening plane (11) is arranged on the chassis or skateboard so as to be parallel to a designated direction of travel (25) of the chassis or skateboard, and wherein the bearing block (1) further comprises a vertical axis CD (22) about which the steering axle body (98) is rotatable relative to the bearing block (1), and an axle (8) that projects normally from the vertical median longitudinal plane of the bearing block (1) when in the assembled state as a steering axle unit (24) in a straight-ahead position, wherein the vertical axis CD (22) is arranged on the median longitudinal plane of the bearing block (1) at an angle W1 (19) of less than 90° relative to the fastening plane (11) in the direction of the steering axle body (98), and wherein the axle (8) is arranged at a normal distance (20, S1) to the vertical axis CD (22), and that the axle (8) is arranged both in front of the vertical axis CD (22) in the designated direction of travel (25) of the chassis or skateboard and above a plane AB (21) formed by an interface of the steering axle body (98) and the bearing block (1).
2. The steering axle unit (24) of claim 1, wherein the steering axle unit (24) has bearing units (12a, 12b) or (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e) or (12g, 12h, 12k) that are arranged between the steering axle body (98) and the bearing block (1), with the plane AB (21) lying on the plane of contact of the bearing units (12a, 12b or 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e or 12g, 12h, 12k) and being arranged perpendicular to the vertical axis CD (22).
3. The steering axle unit (24) of claim 1, wherein the angle W1 (19) between the vertical axis CD (22) and the fastening plane (11) of the bearing block (1) is between 30° and 70°, between 40° and 60°, or between 45° and 50°.
4. The steering axle unit (24) of claim 1, wherein a bearing unit (12a, 12b or 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e or 12g, 12h, 12k) with a maximally large mean diameter C (18), particularly between 25 mm and 50 mm, is provided between the bearing block (1) and the steering axle body (98), wherein the bearing block (1) and the steering axle body (98) are connected by means of a fastening element (13), wherein the steering axle body (98) has an additional bearing unit (15) on an outer side that is situated opposite the bearing unit (12a, 12b or 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e or 12g, 12h, 12k), and wherein a radially acting bearing sleeve (14) is arranged between the steering axle body (98) and the additional bearing unit (15).
5. The steering axle unit (24) of claim 1, wherein the steering axle body (98) is angled upward in a bending region (5) in the direction of the fastening plane (11) of the bearing block (1) when the steering axle unit (24) is in a straight-ahead position and carries the axle (8) at the end opposite the vertical axis CD (22) at the normal distance (20, S1), the normal distance (20, S1) of the axle (8) to the vertical axis CD (22) being between 30 mm and 90 mm, or between 50 mm and 70 mm.
6. The steering axle unit (24) of claim 1, wherein an angle W3 (39), between the fastening plane (11) of the bearing block (1) and a line (38) connecting the axle (8) to a point of rotation of the steering axle body (98), is between 22° and 40°.
7. The steering axle unit (24) of claim 1, wherein the bearing block (1) has an arcuate clearance (26) on its outer peripheral line with two lateral abutment surfaces (27, 28), wherein the steering axle body (98) has on an inner side an extension (29) that corresponds to the two lateral abutment surfaces (27, 28), and wherein the two lateral abutment surfaces (27, 28) and the extension (29) form a stop for the movement of the steering axle body (98) relative to the bearing block (1).
8. A skateboard or chassis, comprising at least one steering axle unit (24) as set forth in claim 1.
9. The skateboard or chassis of claim 8, wherein the steering axle unit (24) is arranged in front of the skateboard or chassis in the designated direction of travel (25).
10. The skateboard or chassis of claim 8, wherein the axle (8) is arranged in front of the vertical axis CD (22) in the designated direction of travel (25) and/or that the vertical axis CD (22) extends from the top in the front to the bottom in the rear relative to a chassis or skateboard that is standing on the ground.
11. The skateboard or chassis according to claim 8, further comprising a rear wheel axle unit (99) the rear wheel axle unit (99) comprising a rear bearing block (49) and a rear axle part (101), wherein the rear bearing block (49) comprises an opening that is open horizontally toward a rear of the skateboard or chassis in the direction of travel (25) of the skateboard or chassis, wherein the opening is designed to receive a pivot (46) of the rear axle part (101), and wherein the rear axle part (101), which further comprises an axle (45) and an opening (47) for a kingpin screw (105), is flat when carrying rollers or wheels such that the pivot (46) and the opening (47), within which resides the kingpin screw (105), is normal to a standing surface of the skateboard or chassis when in the installed position, and the axle (45) is located substantially on a horizontal plane EF (35) or parallel thereto when in an installed position, and wherein the rear axle part (101) is connected to the rear bearing block (49) by means of elastic members (43, 44) of variable size and hardness by means of a fastening element comprising a kingpin screw (105) and a nut (104).
12. The skateboard or chassis according to claim 11, wherein the rear wheel axle unit (99) comprises a combination of two elastic members comprising an upper elastic part (43) and a lower elastic part (44) of different size and hardness, wherein the upper elastic part (43) is arranged between the rear axle part (101) and the rear bearing block (49), wherein the upper elastic part (43) has a diameter of between 25 and 30 mm and a Shore hardness from 95 to 100 ShA, and wherein the lower elastic part (44) is arranged between nut (104) and rear axle part (101), the lower elastic part (44) being smaller and having a lower Shore hardness than the upper elastic part (43).
13. The skateboard or chassis of claim 11, wherein the pivot (46) of the rear wheel axle unit (99) is arranged on a vertical median longitudinal plane horizontally in front of a kingpin screw (105), or the pivot (46) points upward toward a front end of the skateboard or chassis in the direction of travel (25) while lying on a plane (82) in front of the kingpin screw (105), or the pivot (46) is located on a plane (84) behind the kingpin screw (105) and points upward toward the a rear end of the skateboard or chassis in the direction of travel (25).
14. The skateboard or chassis of claim 8, wherein the skateboard or chassis has a rigid, removable, telescopic, and/or foldable handlebar (90) that protrudes upward in a direction of travel (25) and has a handle part (14).
15. The skateboard or chassis of claim 8, wherein the front steering axle unit (24) has at least one steering shock absorber (200) that is movably connected in the region 201 and is supported with any fastening element (202) against a deck (52) of the skateboard or chassis.
16. The skateboard or chassis of either one of claims 8 or 11, wherein the skateboard or chassis comprises a drive, the wheels or rollers of the rear axle part (101) are drivable by the drive.
17. The skateboard or chassis of claim 16, wherein the drive comprises an electric drive.
Description
(1) The invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments of a skateboard or chassis. In the drawing,
(2) FIG. 1 shows a wheel suspension front axle, cross section
(3) FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d shows a wheel suspension front axle, exploded views axial bearing
(4) FIG. 3 shows a wheel suspension front axle, oblique view from below
(5) FIG. 4 shows a wheel suspension front axle, view from above
(6) FIG. 5a shows a wheel suspension rear axle, oblique view from below
(7) FIG. 5b shows a rear axle, oblique view
(8) FIG. 6a shows a chassis or skateboard, front axle with steering shock absorber
(9) FIG. 6b shows a chassis or skateboard, front axle in neutral position for straight-ahead travel
(10) FIG. 7 shows a skateboard without mounted wheels, side view obliquely from below
(11) FIG. 8a shows a conventional wheel suspension, offset to the center of the skateboard, neutral position
(12) FIG. 8b shows a conventional wheel suspension, offset to the center of the skateboard, deflected
(13) FIG. 9a shows a front wheel suspension according to the invention, transverse axle in front of the vertical axis
(14) FIG. 9b shows a skateboard, front with a wheel suspension according to the invention, deflected
(15) FIG. 9c shows a skateboard with two wheel suspensions according to the invention, deflected
(16) FIG. 10 shows a skateboard with rear axle with a horizontal pivot
(17) FIG. 11 shows a skateboard with rear axle with a pivot that projects upward toward the front
(18) FIG. 12 shows a skateboard with rear axle with a pivot that projects upward toward the rear
(19) FIG. 13 shows a skateboard with two wheel suspensions according to the invention
(20) FIG. 14a shows a skateboard or chassis with a handlebar, side view
(21) FIG. 14b shows a skateboard or chassis with a handlebar, deflected
(22) FIG. 14c shows a skateboard or chassis with a handlebar, neutral position
(23) FIG. 14d shows a skateboard or chassis with 3 wheels and a handlebar
(24) FIG. 15 shows a skateboard or chassis and a handlebar with 4 wheels
(25) FIG. 16 geometric ratios with respect to the steering angle shape with the height H1
(26) FIG. 17 geometric ratios with respect to the steering angle shape with the height H2
(27) FIGS. 18 and 19 show diagrams of the optimal steering axle parameters
(28) FIG. 1 shows a wheel axle 24 according to the invention in partial section, consisting of the fixed bearing block 1 and the movable axle part 98 (FIG. 2d), as well as the bearing washers 12a and 12b that are provided between these two parts in the openings 30 and 31 by way of example. Portion 2 (FIG. 2d) of the movable axle part 98 also has the bearing sleeve 14 (FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c) in its opening 10 and an additional axial bearing unit in its opening 9, the construction being held together by the screw bolt 13 and the nut 17. Practical riding tests have shown that slide bearing combinations of metal rings and slide bearing rings 12a, 12b (FIG. 2a) and 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e (FIG. 2b), or 12g, 12h, 12k (FIG. 12c) have the best steering characteristics if the average bearing diameter 18 (FIG. 1) is provided in a preferred size of from 20 to 50 mm in consideration of the angular mounting position on a chassis or skateboard. The two front-side bearing planes are on or parallel to the plane AB, which, in turn is normal to the vertical median longitudinal plane and extends at a predetermined angle from the front bottom to the rear top. Furthermore, the vertical axis CD is located on the vertical median longitudinal plane, the angle between the vertical axis CD and the longitudinal axis EF being in the range between 5° and 85°, better between 30° and 60°, and best between 40° and 50°. The swiveling movements of the part 98 thus take place along or parallel to the plane AB and about the axis CD. The movable axle part 98 consists substantially of portions 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8, portion 2 being angled away from portion 4 in the region 5 in the direction of the deck standing surface 52, whereby the distance line 33, which extends from the center of the axle 8 and is normal to the axis CD, is shortened to the distance 20.
(29) FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c show exploded views of the axle unit 24 with different embodiments of axial bearings, consisting of the fixed part 1 and the movable axle part 98, with the axis CD extending normal thereto, through portion 2 thereof, and centrally through the opening 10 thereof. An axial rolling-element bearing that is preferably adequate for one of the slide bearing combinations according to FIG. 2a, 2b, or 2c is located between the bearing block 1 and the steering axle 98, and a radial bearing for the screw bolt 13—preferably a force-fit bearing sleeve—is disposed in the opening 10. The screw bolt 13 serves to screw the assembly 24 together; it is disposed in a non-rotating manner in the housing 1 and connects parts 1 and 98, the axial bearing 15 being disposed in the opening 9, so after the screw connection is established by means of the nut 17, a backlash-free swiveling of the movable axle part 98 is ensured independently of a potentially divergent height and without a torque acting on the nut 17 during swiveling of the part 98.
(30) FIG. 2d shows parts of the front steering axles as an assembly 24 in an oblique view, with anti-torsion means being provided for the two slide bearing washers 12a/12b by means of a geometry 29 on their inner side that deviates from a circular path in a congruent form both on the bearing washers and on the connecting surfaces of parts 1 and 98. FIG. 2b shows a sliding bearing device in which the flat steel rings 12d and 12e are inserted into the recesses 30 and 31; the bearing washers 12a and 12b slide on these, with the annular steel washer 12c being provided between these two slide bearing washers. FIG. 2c shows another embodiment in which a flat steel ring is disposed in each of the circular recesses 30 and 31 but projects beyond these recesses, with a slide bearing washer 12k being disposed between the two flat steel rings that remains centrally positioned as a result of the screw bolt 13.
(31) FIG. 3 shows a steering axle unit from the underside in an oblique view that consists, on the one hand, of the bearing block 1, which has the angled protruding surface 6 that defines the plane AB and thus forms a boundary surface portion relative to the movable axle part 98 and has the spacing axial bearing 12a, and, on the other hand, the axle part 98, which can be moved along the plane AB and has the opening 9 for receiving an axial bearing 15 and the opening 10 for receiving the screw bolt 13. The movable axle part 98, in turn, has straight portions 2 and 4 that are bent in the region 5 in the direction of the bearing block 1, with the axle body 3 that carries the axle 8 being provided on the two extensions 4, and with the two ends of the axle 8 that carry rollers or wheels projecting from the axle body 3.
(32) FIG. 4 shows a steering axle unit from the top side in an oblique view, the top side 6 that projects at an angle therefrom having an arcuate clearance 26 with its lateral abutment surfaces 27 and 28, and that the extension 29 of the axle part 98 moves in a curved manner within these limits during swiveling. The top side of the bearing block 1 has a number of holes through which a secure connection with the deck of a chassis or skateboard is established by means of connecting elements such as screws, for example.
(33) FIG. 10 shows a skateboard or chassis facing in the direction of travel 25 in the side view with a front steering axle unit 24 and a rear wheel suspension 99 that consists of the portions of bearing block 49 with an upper boundary surface 41, and that the bearing block 49 has a substantially horizontally rearward-facing opening for receiving the pivot 46 of the wheel axle 101, which, in turn, is screwed in place between the elastic members 43 and 44 by means of the kingpin screw 105 and the nut 104. This design enables the deck to tilt bilaterally without the rear axle deflecting. To improve longitudinal stability and steering, a provision is made that the elastic member 43 is greater in diameter, height, mass, and Shore hardness than the elastic member 44, which corresponds to the standard for skateboard axles. The longitudinal stability of such a skateboard is therefore dependent on the properties of the elastic parts of the rear wheel suspension 99 on the one hand and on the torque with which the screw 104 has been tightened on the other hand. In practical experiments, a certain torque on the bolt 104 was assigned to a wheel suspension 99 depending on the weight of the rider and the desired riding characteristics.
(34) In another preferred embodiment, FIG. 11 shows a rear wheel suspension 99 in which the wheel axle 101 is located on the plane 82 that rises upward toward the front, with the result that the rear axle aids in steering against the curve during cornering, thus enlarging the radii traveled.
(35) In another preferred embodiment, FIG. 12 shows a rear wheel suspension 99 in which the wheel axle 101 is disposed on the plane 84 that rises toward the rear, with the result that the rear axle deflects in the opposite direction during cornering, thus making it possible to travel along arches with smaller radii.
(36) FIG. 5a shows a rear wheel suspension 99 as an assembly in an oblique view with the axle carrier 102 and the steering axle 101 screwed in place therein from which the axles 45 protrude on the front sides that carry wheels or rollers that are held in their position by screwing, with the rollers facing rearward in the installed position, also in order to prevent them from coming into contact with the rider's show while riding.
(37) FIG. 5b shows an exemplary rear wheel axle 101 consisting of the transverse portion 42 and the extension 50, on the front end of which the pivot 46 is provided, the extension 50 having the hole 47 and recesses 48 on both sides.
(38) FIGS. 6a and 6b compare an exemplary skateboard with a view of the underside thereof, with the front axle carrier 98 being deflected in FIG. 6a, from which it can be seen that the complete axle 8, which is arranged at a distance 56 in front of the pivot point 13, swivels out from the median longitudinal plane 51. In FIG. 6a, the front steering axle has at least one steering shock absorber 200 that is movably connected in the region 201 and supported with a fastening element 202 against the deck 52, so that steering deflection does not occur when riding faster over obstacles.
(39) FIG. 7, in addition to FIGS. 6a and 6b, shows an exemplary skateboard viewed obliquely from below with a deck 52, a front wheel suspension 24 in the direction of travel 25, and a rear wheel suspension 99.
(40) Both of FIGS. 8 and 9 compare the deflected end positions of the wheels as a function of the positions of the wheel transverse axles 8 relative to the axes of rotation 13. In FIG. 8a, the transverse axes 8 are arranged spatially at a distance 71 within the axes of rotation 13, with the result that the standing surface 65 on the inside of the curve between the vertical median longitudinal plane and the support points 63 and 64 is reduced to the smaller, less stable surface 66 upon full deflection. In FIG. 9a, the transverse axle 8 of the wheel axle unit 24 is located spatially at a distance 72 in front of the axis of rotation 13, whereby the standing surface located between the vertical median longitudinal plane and the support points 67 and 68 increases overall with a stabilizing effect. FIG. 9c shows an embodiment with two axle units 24 according to the invention, whereby the surface 70 is increased again.
(41) FIGS. 14 and 15 show additional preferred embodiments of chassis in various embodiments and views, with a board 52 having a front axle unit 24 and a rear axle unit 99; in FIG. 14a, a rigid, removable, telescopic, or foldable handlebar 90 having an exemplary handle part 14 protrudes from the board 52.
(42) FIGS. 14b and 14c show an embodiment with 3 wheels, with the single rigidly mounted rear wheel 93 having a convex cross section. FIG. 14d shows the same embodiment in an oblique view from below. Some embodiments of FIG. 14d comprise a skateboard or chassis with a rigid, detachable, telescopic, or foldable handlebar 90, wherein the deck 52 is bent in the front region at the two locations 120 and 122 by the exemplary angled length 121, so that the board 52 is lowered pronouncedly in the direction of the standing surface 100 by this measure in order to increase the riding comfort, and the rear wheel or the rear roller can thus be stored directly in the vicinity of the board height in a clearance in the deck in the axle region 123.
(43) In oblique view from below, FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of an exemplary chassis with front and rear moving axles and with a total of 4 rollers or wheels. A board 52 has an axle unit 24 on its front side and an axle unit 99 on the rear side. The embodiment of the rear axle unit 99 has been selected here by way of example. Depending on the desired riding characteristics, combinations according to FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are possible.
(44) FIG. 16 shows a cross section of a front steering axle unit 24 that is aligned straight relative to the vertical median longitudinal plane in which the vertical axis CD 22 is provided in a preferred angular range of from 40 to 50 degrees, the straight line S2 running longitudinally through the two points 8 and 130 and, in turn, forming the angle W3 with the CD normal S1 of length 20. The apex of the angle W3 between the two legs S1 and S2 has its geometric origin in the center of the transverse axle 8, with S2 extending between the apex 8 and the point 130, which, in turn, lies approximately at the mean bearing height of the steering axle body 98, which can be moved about the axis CD. FIG. 16 also shows the reference point 130 lying on the axis CD at the distance H1 and in FIG. 17 at the distance H2, starting from the point of intersection of the axis CD with the normal 81. The parameters of the inventively optimized geometry of these steering kinematics were defined by experiments and/or derived therefrom as follows:
(45) Angle W1 of the axis CD22 between 40° and 60° with the normal S1 of length 20 projecting therefrom in the range from 40 to 80 mm and the vertical distance between the transverse axle 8 and the reference surface 11 with a dimension of S3=30 to 60 mm. This results in the distance: S2=(S1/cos angle W3).
(46) Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the range lying between H1 and H2 is found from: H1(H2)=S1×tan angle W3. The optimal angular range W3 is found as follows: W3=(H/S 1)tan.sup.−1
(47) FIG. 18 shows a diagram that was created with the values of the various exemplary angles W2 from the six FIGS. 16a to 17c, with the range of ratio values included in the graph of the two curves yielding optimum steering ratios.
(48) In other preferred embodiments, all of the boards with steering axles in the various versions and combinations are provided with a drive, particularly an electric drive in the form of a hub motor and/or axle drive.
