PERSONAL TRACKED VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A personal vehicle comprising:
- a frame having a central frame member which extends from front to back;
a front roller mounted to the frame;
a rear roller mounted to the frame rearward of the front roller;
a continuous belt which extends around the front roller and the rear roller;
a first boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s first boot;
a second boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s second boot, wherein the belt extends through the first boot support and the second boot support;
a plurality of side rollers fixed to the central frame and positioned within the belt, wherein the central frame member is flexible, and permits vertical displacement of the side rollers with respect to one another; and
a motor fixed to the frame to drive at least one of said rollers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A land vehicle has a flexible central frame member which extends from a large front roller to a smaller rear roller, and is encircled by a flexible looped belt having projecting treads. An engine mounted above the belt drives the front roller, and two bogie wheels engage the belt within valleys formed in the treads. Two boot supports are fixed to the central frame member which support the feet of a standing rider. Rollers fixed to the central frame member support the belt as it travels around the frame. The minimal extent of the frame outside the belt exposes a substantial length of the belt edge to engagement with the ground, making it possible to control the vehicle by twisting and tipping, in a manner similar to the control of a conventional unpowered snowboard. A trailer or sled may be connected to the rear of the vehicle for towing cargo.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a frame having a central frame member which extends from front to back;
a front roller mounted to the frame;
a rear roller mounted to the frame rearward of the front roller;
a continuous belt which extends around the front roller and the rear roller;
a first boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s first boot;
a second boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s second boot, wherein the belt extends through the first boot support and the second boot support;
a plurality of side rollers fixed to the central frame and positioned within the belt, wherein the central frame member is flexible, and permits vertical displacement of the side rollers with respect to one another; and
a motor fixed to the frame to drive at least one of said rollers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a frame;
a front roller mounted to the frame;
a rear roller mounted to the frame rearward of the front roller, the rear roller having a diameter less than the diameter of the front roller;
a continuous belt which extends around the front roller and the rear roller;
a first boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s first boot;
a second boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s second boot, wherein the belt extends through the first boot support and the second boot support;
a plurality of side rollers fixed to the frame and positioned within the belt;
a motor fixed to the frame to drive at least one of said rollers; and
at least one bogie wheel mounted to the frame and disposed to engage the exterior of the belt, the at least one bogie wheel causing the belt to engage the front roller over greater than 180 degrees of the circumference of the front roller. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21)
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15. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a frame;
a front roller mounted to the frame;
a rear roller mounted to the frame rearward of the front roller, the rear roller having a diameter less than the diameter of the front roller;
a plurality of side rollers mounted to the frame between the front roller and the rear roller;
a continuous belt which extends around the front roller, the side rollers and the rear roller, wherein the front roller and the rear roller each have radially extending lips positioned on either side of the belt, and each side roller has a radially extending lip which extends along an edge of the belt, a first boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s first boot;
a second boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s second boot, wherein the belt extends through the first boot support and the second boot support;
a motor fixed to the frame to drive at least one of said rollers, to thereby advance the belt to cause the vehicle to move, the roller lips being positioned to engage and position the belt, and to engage with a surface over which the vehicle is advanced.
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19. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a frame;
a front roller mounted to the frame and having a first diameter;
a rear roller mounted to the frame rearward of the front roller;
a plurality of side rollers mounted to the frame between the front roller and the rear roller, the side rollers having a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the front roller, wherein the rear roller has a diameter which is less than the diameter of the side rollers, and wherein the axis of the rear roller is positioned above the axes of the center rollers;
a continuous belt which extends around the front roller, the side rollers and the rear roller;
a first boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s first boot;
a second boot support fixed to the frame and having portions which extend above the belt to support a rider'"'"'s second boot, wherein the belt extends through the first boot support and the second boot support;
a motor fixed to the frame to drive at least one of said rollers, to thereby advance the belt to cause the vehicle to move.
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22. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a frame;
a front roller mounted to the frame;
a rear roller mounted to the frame rearward of the front roller;
a belt which is looped around the front roller and the rear roller;
a motor mounted to the frame above the belt to drive the belt to cause the vehicle to advance;
a rigid yoke extending rearwardly from the frame;
a sled pivotably connected to the rigid yoke rearward of the belt;
a tiller which extends upwardly from the sled, having a handle which extends in the front to back direction, the tiller being connected to the sled to permit the operator of the vehicle to engage the tiller, and to adjust the position of the tiller and the connected sled, thereby controlling the direction of advancement of the moving vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification