Personal Locomotion

Abstract

A method of personal locomotion including stepping onto first and second wheeled shoe accessories and engaging the first wheeled shoe accessory against a support surface to roll on the second wheeled shoe accessory in a desired direction at an angle to a normal walking direction. The wheeled shoe accessory includes a rigid board having a length sufficient to span a width of a shoe placed sideways across the board, with the board supporting at least an arch region of the shoe. At least one axle assembly is secured to a lower surface of the board. The user experience is similar to that of a skateboard, but with decoupled feet for individual maneuverability of each wheeled shoe accessory.

1 . A method of personal locomotion, the method comprising: 
 supporting oneself on a pair of separately movable wheeled devices to roll along a rolling direction at an angle to a normal walking direction defined by a user, each wheeled device supporting a respective foot and comprising: 
 a device body; and  
 at least one roller secured to the device body, the roller mounted to rotate about an axle defining a primary axis of rotation extending at an angle to the walking direction, as viewed from above the wheeled device;  
   accelerating in a desired direction corresponding to the normal walking direction by engaging the wheeled devices against a support surface;    repositioning the wheeled devices to engage the rollers against the support surface; and then    rolling in the desired direction, at an angle to the normal walking direction, supported by the rollers.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein accelerating in the desired direction comprises walking or running upon a forward region of the device body.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein repositioning the wheeled devices comprises lifting each wheeled device from the support surface, rotating the wheeled device away from the direction of acceleration, and then engaging the roller upon the support surface.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein repositioning the wheeled devices comprises moving the wheeled devices along the support surface while rotating the wheeled devices away from the direction of acceleration, wherein the wheeled devices continuously maintain contact with the support surface.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein repositioning the wheeled devices comprises repeatedly moving the wheeled devices in opposite directions along the normal walking direction to continue rolling in a desired direction at an angle to the normal walking direction.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wheeled devices are repositioned to roll in a direction substantially perpendicular to the normal walking direction defined by a user.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wheeled device comprises a shoe, the shoe comprising: 
 a sole defining a forward region positioned beneath toes and at least part of a ball of a foot received within the shoe and having a lower surface exposed across the forward region to engage a supporting surface for walking thereon; and    at least one roller secured to the sole and disposed rearward of the forward region, the roller mounted to rotate about an axle defining a primary axis of rotation extending at an angle to the walking direction, as viewed from above the shoe.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the shoes further comprises at least two rollers laterally spaced across the sole.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein centers of the two rollers have a lateral spacing of about 20 percent of an overall length of the sole.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the shoes comprises at least two rollers spaced apart along the walking direction.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein mid-planes of the two rollers are spaced apart along the walking direction by a distance of about 30 percent of an overall length of the sole.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the axle is secured to the sole through a compliant mount that resiliently deforms as the axle is rotated about its kingpin axis.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the axle carries two rollers, one disposed on either side of the kingpin axis.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the rollers are mounted for rotation about the axle through separate bearings containing rolling elements.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wheeled device comprises: 
 a rigid board having upper and lower surfaces and defining a longitudinal axis configured to be oriented along the rolling direction of the wheeled device, the upper surface of the board having a length along the longitudinal axis sufficient to span a width of a piece of footwear placed sideways across the board, with the board supporting at least an arch region of a piece of footwear; and    at least one axle assembly secured to the lower surface of the board and comprising an axle and at least one roller rotatably mounted on the axle for rolling in the rolling direction.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the board is sized to fit entirely under the piece of footwear.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the wheeled device further comprises at least one releasable fastener configured to secure the board to an underside of the piece of footwear to retain the wheeled device to the piece of footwear during use.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the releasable fastener comprises a projection extending upwardly from the upper surface of the board, the projection configured to be received by a receptacle defined by a sole of the piece of footwear.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the releasable fastener is configured to permit the piece of footwear to be selectively positionable on the board in either of two positions, each with the piece of footwear angled with respect to the rolling direction.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the axle assembly of the wheeled device further comprises a compliant mount resiliently deformable and secured to the lower surface of the board, the compliant mount defining a canted kingpin axis, the axle secured to the compliant mount and rotatable about the canted kingpin axis for inducing yaw with respect to the rolling direction.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising first and second axle assemblies, the compliant mounts secured to the lower surface of the board such that their canted kingpin axes are in opposing directions to one another.  
     
     
         22 . A personal locomotion device comprising: 
 a pair of separately movable wheeled devices to roll along a rolling direction at an angle to a normal walking direction defined by a user, each wheeled device supporting a respective foot and comprising: 
 a device body; and  
 at least one roller secured to the device body, the roller mounted to rotate about an axle defining a primary axis of rotation extending at an angle to the walking direction, as viewed from above the wheeled device.  
   
     
     
         23 . A personal locomotion device comprising: 
 a pair of separately movable wheeled devices to roll along a rolling direction at an angle to a normal walking direction defined by a user, each wheeled device supporting a respective foot and comprising: 
 a device body; and  
 at least one roller pivotally secured to the device body to swivel among multiple positions under the device body, the roller mounted to rotate about an axle defining a primary axis of rotation extending at an angle to the walking direction in each swivel position, as viewed from above the wheeled device.  
   
     
     
         24 . A method of personal locomotion, the method comprising: 
 supporting oneself on a pair of separately movable wheeled devices to roll along a rolling direction at an angle to a normal walking direction defined by a user, each wheeled device supporting a respective foot and comprising: 
 a device body defining a grinding portion on an underside of the device body for sliding along surface edges; and  
 at least one roller secured to the device body, the roller mounted to rotate about an axle defining a primary axis of rotation extending at an angle to the walking direction, as viewed from above the wheeled device;  
   positioning the grinding portion of at least one wheeled device on a surface edge so that the corresponding foot of the user is substantially parallel with the walking direction, as viewed from above the wheeled device, and a longitudinal axis of the surface edge; and then    
       allowing the grinding portion of the wheeled device to slide along the surface edge.  
     
     
         25 . A method of personal locomotion, the method comprising: 
 supporting oneself on a pair of separately movable wheeled devices to roll along a rolling direction at an angle to a normal walking direction defined by a user, each wheeled device supporting a respective foot and comprising: 
 a device body defining a grinding portion on an underside of the device body for sliding along surface edges; and  
 at least one roller secured to the device body, the roller mounted to rotate about an axle defining a primary axis of rotation extending at an angle to the walking direction, as viewed from above the wheeled device;  
   positioning the grinding portion of at least one wheeled device on a surface edge, the rolling direction of the wheeled device being at an angle with a longitudinal axis of the surface edge; and then    allowing the grinding portion of the wheeled device to slide along the surface edge.