대표
청구항
▼
1. A shock absorbing system for a sports board having a top surface and a bottom surface for engaging a ground or water surface, comprising:(a) a rocker platform having forward and rearward end sections, a top surface for receiving, supporting and positioning both feet of a sport board rider, and a bottom surface,(b) a rocker assembly hingedly interconnecting the rocker platform to the top surface of the sports board, the rocker assembly enabling the forward and rearward end sections of the rocker platform to rotate towards and away from the top surface ...
1. A shock absorbing system for a sports board having a top surface and a bottom surface for engaging a ground or water surface, comprising:(a) a rocker platform having forward and rearward end sections, a top surface for receiving, supporting and positioning both feet of a sport board rider, and a bottom surface,(b) a rocker assembly hingedly interconnecting the rocker platform to the top surface of the sports board, the rocker assembly enabling the forward and rearward end sections of the rocker platform to rotate towards and away from the top surface of the sport board and to support one and the other foot of the sport board rider, the hinge connection defining first and second spaces between the forward and rearward end sections of the rocker platform and the top surface of the support board, and the feet of the sport board rider being adapted disposed to be forward and rearward of the said rocker assembly atop a respective end section, and(c) a pair of compressible members, one compressible member being disposed forward of the rocker assembly and in said first space and the other compressible member being disposed rearward of the rocker assembly and in said second space, the pair of compressible members resisting relative closing movement between the platform and the board. 2. The shock absorbing system of claim 1 whereinsaid platform and said sport board extend longitudinally and are generally oblong in shape, wherein the outer periphery of the platform is enclosed within the outer periphery of said sport board, and the platform is centered between the opposite ends of the sport board and about one third the length of the sport board, andthe rocker assembly comprises:(a) a lower rocker member extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the board, said lower rocker member being integral, at least in part, with said board,(b) an upper rocker member extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the platform, said upper rocker member being integral, at least in part, with said platform, and(c) means for hingedly interconnecting the upper rocker member to the lower rocker member. 3. The shock absorbing system of claim 2 wherein the means for hingedly interconnecting comprises:(a) a plurality of apertured first hinge elements integrally formed with the lower rocker member, the apertures of the first hinge elements being coaxially aligned with one another,(b) a plurality of apertured second hinge elements integrally formed with the upper rocker member, the apertures of the second hinae elements being coaxially aligned with one another, the second hinge elements being spaced apart a sufficient distance to interdigitate with the first hinge elements of the lower rocker member and form an elongated bore through said hinge elements, and(c) a hinge pin which projects through the elongated bore when the hinge elements are interdigitated wherein to interconnect the platform to the board. 4. The shock absorbing system of claim 1 wherein each of the compressible members comprises an inflatable air bladder. 5. The shock absorbing system of claim 1 which further comprises a shroud for encasing the shock absorbing system. 6. The shock absorbing system of claim 1 wherein the compressible members comprise a compressible foam. 7. The shock absorbing system of claim 1 which further comprises a mounting plate, the platform, the rocker assembly, and the compressible members being disposed on the mounting plate, and said mounting plate being securable to the sports board. 8. The shock absorbing system of claim 1 which further includes means for sealing the shock absorber system, said means for sealing including:a first rim seal disposed on the top surface of said sport board,a second rim seal disposed on the bottom surface of said rocker platform, anda resiliently deformable annular containment shroud having opposite annular ends, the shroud having an annular wall sized to encircle and enclose the rocker system, one and the other ann ular end of the containment shroud defining, respectively, a lower seal member that is sealingly interlockable with the first rim seal and an upper seal member that is sealingly interlockable with the second rim seal. 9. A sport board for use by a rider standing thereatop when performing sport maneuvers, said maneuvers being performed on the water, the snow, the ground, and in the air, comprising:upper and lower platforms, each said platform having top and bottom surfaces, a central section, and front and rear end sections disposed along a central longitudinal axis, the top surface of said upper platform being sized to simultaneously support and position both feet of the rider during use of and maneuvering of the sport board,first means for hingedly connecting the platforms together and in a manner that the opposite ends of the upper platform may rock towards and away from the lower platform, the first means includingupper and lower rocker members extending, respectively, transversely of the upper and lower platforms, anda hinge pin for connecting the rocker members together,said rocker members, at least in part, being molded into and extending from a respective of the top surface of said lower platform and the bottom surface of said upper platform, said lower rocker member defining a fulcrum, and said upper rocker member substantially bisecting the bottom surface of the upper platform into a pair of identical surface portions which taper in a direction away from the fulcrum to a respective end of the upper platform, the feet of the rider being adapted to be positioned atop the top surface of the upper platform and on opposite sides of the fulcrum,the hinged connection forming a closable lateral space between each of said identical surface portions and the top surface of the lower platform, the lateral spaces extending in a direction away from the fulcrum towards a respective opposite end of the upper platform,a compressible air bladder disposed in each said space, said air bladders resisting closing movement of the surface portions towards the top surface of the lower platform caused by the rider's feet during rider maneuvers, andmeans for sealing and enclosing said first means, said compressible air bladders, and the spaces receiving said air bladders. 10. The improvement of claim 9, wherein said first means comprises each said rocker member including a body portion disposed in a respective platform, and a respective set of cylindrical elements that are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the cylindrical elements of one rocker member to interdigitate with the cylindrical elements of the other rocker member and form a continuous cylindrical bore extending along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis, said hinge pin being disposed in said bore for connecting the rocker members together and the upper platform to the lower platform. 11. The improvement of claim 9, wherein each said bladder includes means for selectively pressurizing the bladder, as desired, to change the force of impact during rider maneuvers. 12. In a sport board having forward and rearward end sections, a central section, an upper surface and a lower surface adapted to engage a surface, said surface comprising ground or water, the improvement comprising:a shock absorber system mountable as a unit to said sport board, said shock absorber system comprising:a mounting plate having a central section between opposite ends thereof,means for mounting the mounting plate centrally of the upper surface of said sport board,a longitudinally extending rocker platform, said rocker platform having opposite ends, a top surface for supporting both feet of a rider, and a bottom surface divided into a pair of like-shaped end sections which taper longitudinally away from the center thereof and towards the opposite ends thereof,a hinge element for hingedly interconnecting the center of the rocker platform atop the central section of the mounting plate, the hinge elem ent enabling the end sections of the rocker platform to pivot towards and away from the mounting plate and the interconnection defining on each side of the hinge element a closable space between the end sections of the rocker platform and the mounting plate, anda compressible member disposed in said each space. 13. The improvement of claim 12, further including means for at least partially enclosing and sealing, the means being disposed about said mounting plate, said rocker platform, said compressible members and the spaces receiving the compressible members.
