US 12,005,340 B2
Suspension systems for an electric skateboard
Kyle Jonathan Doerksen, Santa Cruz, CA (US); and Maximilian Fredrick Ballenger Sluiter, Oak Park, CA (US)
Assigned to FUTURE MOTION, INC., Santa Cruz, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/248,214
Filed by Future Motion, Inc., Santa Cruz, CA (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 15, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/050463
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 6, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/076141, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 14, 2022.
Application 18/248,214 is a continuation of application No. 17/229,572, filed on Apr. 13, 2021, granted, now 11,123,629, issued on Sep. 21, 2021.
Application 18/248,214 is a continuation of application No. 17/474,858, filed on Sep. 14, 2021, granted, now 11,484,776, issued on Nov. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/088,192, filed on Oct. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0381630 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A63C 17/12 (2006.01); A63C 17/00 (2006.01); A63C 17/08 (2006.01); B62K 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC A63C 17/12 (2013.01) [A63C 17/0046 (2013.01); A63C 17/08 (2013.01); B62K 11/007 (2016.11); A63C 2203/12 (2013.01); A63C 2203/20 (2013.01); A63C 2203/42 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-balancing electric vehicle comprising:
a wheel having an axis of rotation;
a board including a frame having an aperture to accommodate the wheel, such that the board is tiltable about the wheel, first and second deck portions of the board each configured to receive a left or right foot of a rider oriented generally perpendicular to a direction of travel of the board;
an electric hub motor configured to drive the wheel;
a motor controller configured to receive orientation information indicating an orientation of the board and to cause the hub motor to propel the board based on the orientation information; and
a suspension system including:
a swingarm coupling an axle of the wheel to the frame of the board, such that the board is configured to be movable up and down relative to the axle; and
a shock absorber oriented transverse to the direction of travel of the board and coupled at each end to the swingarm, such that the shock absorber is configured to dampen up and down movement of the board relative to the axle, wherein an entirety of the shock absorber is disposed below the first deck portion.