GB2368323A

GB2368323A - Footboard of scooter

Info

Publication number: GB2368323A
Application number: GB0026068A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kuo-Pin Yu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-10-25
Filing date: 2000-10-25
Publication date: 2002-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-25
Also published as: FR2816909A3; FR2816909B3; GB0026068D0; GB2368323B

Abstract

The footboard (10) is formed of a main body (20) with a wooden (wood or bamboo) layer (24) covering at least a portion of the main body (20). The main body (20) is made of a plurality of fiber-reinforced plastic boards and is provided in the interior with a receiving space (22) in which one or more shock-absorbing bodies, e.g foam material, may be disposed. A plurality of spaces may be provided by respective inner tubes made of a plurality of fibre-reinforced plastic boards. The wooden layer may cover all of the body, just the top surface, just the side surfaces, or portions of the top surface. It may be covered by a protective transparent or translucent fibre-reinforced plastic layer (26).

Description

FOOTBOARD OF SCOOTER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a scooter, and more particularly to a footboard of the scooter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The conventional footboard of scooter is generally made of alloy of aluminum or other metal and is therefore light in weight. In addition, the conventional footboard has an excellent rigidity. However, the conventional footboard is vulnerable to severe vibration when the scooter is cruising on a bumpy surface. In addition, the conventional metal footboard is prone to produce static resulting from friction or wind shear. Furthermore, the conventional metal footbaord lacks an attractive appearance. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a scooter with an attractive and lightweight footboard which is capable of absorbing shock and is immune from static.

In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a footboard of scooter, which is formed of a main body of a fiber-reinforced plastic material, and a wooden layer covering a portion of the main body. The footboard has a shock-absorbing capability and a wooden appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view taken along the direction indicated by a line 3-3 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a top view of a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a top view of an eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a tenth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1, a footboard 10 embodied in the present invention is mounted on a scooter 12 such that a handlebar 14 is pivoted with the front end of the footboard 10, and that a rear wheel 18 is pivotally fastened with the rear end of the footboard 10. The handlebar 14 is pivotally fastened with the bottom end of the handlebar 14.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the footboard 10 is formed of a main body 20, a wooden layer 24, and a protective layer 26.

The main body 20 is of a slightly curved and platelike construction and is made of a plurality of fiber-reinforced plastic plates which are stacked and wound together such that a receiving space 22 is formed in the interior. The main body 20 is made of a thermoplastic or thermosetting fiber-reinforced resin material, such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, boron fiber, or Kevlar fiber, which is impregnated with epoxy resin.

The main body 20 may be straight.

The wooden layer 24 is formed of a wood or bamboo material and is used to cover entirely the main body 20 so as to give the main body 20 a wooden appearance. The wooden layer 24 has a thickness ranging between 0.05mm and 1. 0mm. The wooden layer 24 of the present invention has a thickness of 0. 1 mm.

The protective layer 26 is used to cover the wooden layer 24 and is made of a transparent or translucent fiber-reinforced plastic material, such as glass fiber which is impregnated with epoxy resin. The protective layer 26 serves to protect the wooden layer 24 against impact. The protective layer 26 is not an essential component part of the present invention.

The main body 20 is light in weight, pliable, and capable of reducing vibration. The wooden layer 24 is different in density from the main body 20 and is therefore capable of canceling out the shock wave transmission. In addition, the wooden layer 24 gives the footboard 10 of the present invention a wooden appearance. Furthermore, the wooden layer 24 prevents the production of static by the footboard 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, a footboard of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is basically similar in construction to the footboard 10 of the first preferred embodiment, with the difference being that the footbaord 30 has a main body 32 which is provided in a receiving space 34 thereof with a core 36 of a plastic foam material, such as polyurethane.

As shown in FIG. 5, a footboard 40 of the third preferred embodiment is similar in construction to the footboard 10 of the first preferred embodiment except that the receiving space 43 of the main body 42 of the footboard 40 is provided with a first inner tube 44 and a second inner tube 46, which are made of a plurality of fiber-reinforced plastic plates and are attached together side by side, thereby resulting in formation of a cross rib 48 dividing the receiving space 43. The inner tubes 44 and 46 are also attached to the main body 42. As the main body 42 is formed, the interior of the main body 42 is provided with only the cavities 45 and 47 of the inner tubes 44 and 46. The outer edge of the attachment of the inner tubes 44 and 46, and the inner wall of the main body 42 are provided with a thick wall portion 49 which is located at two ends of the cross rib 48 and is thicker than other portions. The cross rib 48 and the thick wall portion 49 serve to enhance the mechanical strength of the footboard 40. The cavities 45 and 47 may be filled with a shockabsorbing body 451,471 of a foam material, such as polyurethane.

I-xa As shown in FIG. 6, a footboard 50 of the fourth preferred embodiment has a main body 52 which is provided in the receiving space 53 thereof with three inner tubes 54,55, and 56. The main body 52 is thus provided with two cross ribs 57 and 58, which divide the receiving space 53, and two thick wall portions 571 and 581. The cavity 551 of the central inner tube 55 is provided with a shock-absorbing body 552.

The wooden layer of the present invention may be disposed in various ways. For example, the wooden layer 62 covers only the central part of the main body 60, as shown in FIG. 7, or the front and the rear ends of the main body 60, as shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 9, the wooden layer 72 is divided into three parts, which are used to cover respectively the front segment, the midsegment, and the rear segment of the main body 70. As shown in FIG. 10, the wooden layer 76 is divided into three parts, which cover respectively the left segment, the midsegment, and the right segment of the main body 74 along the longitudinal direction of the main body 74. As shown in FIG. 11, the wooden layer 82 covers only the top of the main body 80. As shown in FIG. 12, the wooden layer 86 covers only the fringes of the main body 84.

The embodiments described above are given by way of examples only and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A scooter footboard comprising: a main body formed of a plurality of fiber-reinforced plastic plates and provided in the interior with a receiving space; and a wooden layer covering at least a portion of said main body.

2. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1 further comprising a core which is made of a foam material and is disposed in said receiving space.

3. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said main body is made of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material impregnated with resin.

4. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said main body is made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting material impregnated with resin.

5. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said main body is made of carbon fiber, glass fiber, boron fiber, or Kevlar fiber, which is impregnated with epoxy resin.

6. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said wooden layer has a thickness ranging between 0. 05mm and l. Omm.

7. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said wooden layer covers entirely said main body.

8. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 7, wherein said wooden layer has a thickness ranging between 0. 05mm and I. Omm.

9. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1 further comprising a transparent or translucent protective layer covering said main body and said wooden layer whereby said protective layer is made of a fiberreinforced plastic material.

10. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 9, wherein said protective layer is made of a plastic material which is reinforced by glass fiber.

11. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving space of said main body is provided with a first inner tube and a second inner tube, which are made of a plurality of fiber-reinforced plastic plates and are attached together side by side to form a cross rib dividing said receiving space, said two inner tubes being attached intimately to said main body.

12. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 11, wherein said first inner tube has a cavity and a shock-absorbing body disposed'in said cavity.

13. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 11, wherein said first inner tube and said second inner tube have a cavity and a shockabsorbing body disposed in said cavity.

14. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 11, wherein said main body is further provided with a third inner tube located between said first inner tube and said second inner tube such that said third inner tube is attached to said first inner tube and said second inner tube, thereby resulting in formation of two cross ribs dividing said receiving space.

15. The scooter footboard as defined in claim 14, wherein said third inner tube has a cavity and a shock-absorbing body disposed in said cavity.

16. The scooter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8, Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11 and/or Figure 12 of the accompanying drawings.