Skateboard security rack

• US 20060108296A1
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elite Products and Design LLC
• Original Assignee: Curt Loch
• Inventors: Loch, Curt
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/5
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 11/02 Devices for stretching, clamping or pressing skis or snowboards for transportation or storage
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/44 Storage or transportation means for ice or roller skates
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0094 for skate-boards

Abstract

An improved skateboard security rack having a pair of support members defining a slot therebetween for receiving the deck of a skateboard. At least one of the support members has a width smaller than the wheelbase of the skateboard received in the slot. Locking structure between the support members and across the top of the slot retains the skateboard within the slot. The locking structure may be separate elements coupled to each of the support members and a lock therebetween. Alternatively, the locking structure may be a lock such as a conventional U-shape lock. If separate elements coupled to each of the support members are used, they may be fixed in place, or movable such as longitudinally slideable along the support members. The support members may be elongated hollow or solid members, or formed in panels. The support members are desirably hollow tubes bent into inverted U-shapes. Bases of the support members may be mounted to a variety of base surfaces such as flat or curvilinear, horizontal or vertical. For instance, the bases may be bolt mounted to or embedded in a horizontal concrete sidewalk. Multiple support members can be mounted in sequence to provide an array of slots. The bases of a number of the support members can be shared or connected to provide modular structures that facilitate installation.

Claims

1. A portable skateboard security rack array for securing multiple skateboards each having a deck, a pair of axles mounted thereon with wheels, a wheelbase, a deck thickness, a deck width, and a height from the top of the deck at the wheels to the bottom of the wheels, comprising:

a portable mounting base; and

an array of at least three spaced apart support members each being attached to the mounting base and extending normally away from the mounting base a height dimension at least as great as the largest deck width, each of the support members having a width dimension and at least one of each two adjacent support members having a width dimension smaller than the skateboard wheelbase, the support members being mounted in parallel to each other on the mounting base a distance apart perpendicular to their width dimensions that is greater than the skateboard deck thickness but less than the skateboard height, an array of slots each sized to receive a skateboard therefore being defined between the support members such that there is always one less slot than the number of support members.

2. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 1, wherein the support members are formed as elongated, inverted U-shapes each having spaced apart ends attached to the mounting base and an elongated middle portion therebetween.

3. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 2, wherein the mounting base comprises a pair of spaced apart strips to which the spaced apart ends of the support members attach.

4. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 2, wherein the mounting base comprises a plate-like structure to which the spaced apart ends of the support members attach.

5. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 4, further including indicia displayed on the plate-like structure.

6. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 5, wherein the indicia comprises a skateboard image in its position of suggested placement on the plate-like structure.

7. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 1, wherein the support members all have a width dimension smaller than the skateboard wheelbase.

8. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 1, further including:

locking structure coupled to at least two of the support members for constraining a skateboard positioned in the slot therebetween and having its wheels on both sides of one of the support members.

9. The skateboard security rack of claim 8, wherein the locking structure includes elements non-removably coupled to both support members.

10. The skateboard security rack of claim 8, wherein the locking structure is a lock coupled to both support members.

11. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 1, wherein the support members are selected from the group consisting of:

elongated hollow members;

elongated solid members;

hollow panels; and

solid panels.

12. A portable skateboard security rack array for securing a skateboard having a deck and a pair of axles mounted thereon with wheels, the skateboard having a wheelbase, a deck thickness, a deck width, and a height from the top of the deck at the wheels to the bottom of the wheels, comprising:

a common mounting base; and

a plurality of spaced apart inverted U-shaped support members each having spaced apart ends attached to the mounting base and upstanding middle portions extending normally away from the mounting base a height dimension at least as great as the largest deck width, each of the support members having a width dimension smaller than the skateboard wheelbase, the support members being mounted in parallel to each other on the mounting base a distance apart perpendicular to their width dimensions that is greater than the skateboard deck thickness but less than the skateboard height, a slot sized to receive a skateboard therefore being defined between each two adjacent support members such that there is always one less slot than the number of support members.

13. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 12, wherein the mounting base comprises a pair of spaced apart strips to which the spaced apart ends of the support members attach.

14. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 12, wherein the mounting base comprises a plate-like structure to which the spaced apart ends of the support members attach.

15. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 12, wherein the modular assembly of the mounting base and support members is portable and capable of being transported and mounted as a unit.

16. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 12, further including:

locking structure coupled to at least two of the support members for constraining a skateboard positioned in the slot therebetween and having its wheels on both sides of one of the support members.

17. The skateboard security rack of claim 16, wherein the locking structure includes elements non-removably coupled to both support members.

18. The skateboard security rack of claim 12, wherein there are seven support members and six slots.

19. A portable skateboard security rack array for securing multiple skateboards each having a deck, a pair of axles mounted thereon with wheels, a wheelbase, a deck thickness, a deck width, and a height from the top of the deck at the wheels to the bottom of the wheels, comprising:

a portable mounting base including pair of spaced apart strips; and

an array of at least three spaced apart support members each having a pair of spaced apart ends attached to the mounting base, one spaced apart end to each strip, each support member extending normally away from the mounting base a height dimension at least as great as the largest deck width, each of the support members having a width dimension and at least one of each two adjacent support members having a width dimension smaller than the skateboard wheelbase, the support members being mounted in parallel to each other on the mounting base a distance apart perpendicular to their width dimensions that is greater than the skateboard deck thickness but less than the skateboard height, an array of slots each sized to receive a skateboard therefore being defined between the support members such that there is always one less slot than the number of support members.

20. The portable skateboard security rack array of claim 19, wherein the support members are selected from the group consisting of:

elongated hollow members; and

elongated solid members.