Land vehicles – Runner vehicle – Standing occupant
Patent
1995-01-10
1998-07-21
Boehler, Anne Marie
Land vehicles
Runner vehicle
Standing occupant
280607, 280609, 280618, A63C 503, A63C 504, A63C 900
Patent
active
057824754
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a piece of sporting equipment for gliding on snow of the type constituted by a single board with a raised tip, on which two bindings for solidly joining boots with the board can be mounted.
Two types of gliding equipment for snow using a single board are known. This would include monoskis, as disclosed for example in French Patent 2,604,631 or U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,049, in which the two bindings are parallel and disposed on the same transverse line, or snowboards, as disclosed for example in French Patent 2,600,548, in which a front binding is oriented longitudinally and a rear binding is oriented transversely, so that the user is placed in a semi-lateral position.
Two hybrid gliding devices have also been proposed. For example, German Patent 25 57 275 discloses a monoski constituted by a board on which the bindings are longitudinally offset, one behind the other. In order to compensate for the described device's lack of maneuverability, the board has a convex profile and the skier uses a small guide rope attached to the front of the board, which allows the skier to provide the impetus for entering a turn. German Patent 39 03 401 discloses another such gliding device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a piece of gliding equipment which is constituted by a single board, and which is capable of causing sensations that are different from those produced with prior equipment.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a piece of gliding equipment which is constituted by a single board, and which is capable of being used on powdery snow as well as on packed trails.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a snowboard which provides the user with a better view of the slope, particularly during the end phase of a turn, when the user is supported on his toes and has their back to the slope.
These and other objects which will be apparent are achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing an apparatus for gliding on snow which is comprised of a single board, a first binding which is positioned on the board in a way that is not movable in rotation or in translation, and so that the longitudinal axis of the first binding forms an angle between 0 degrees and 20 degrees, and preferably between 4 and 16 degrees, with the median longitudinal axis of the board, and a second binding which is positioned on the board in a way that is not movable in rotation or in translation, and so that the longitudinal axis of the second binding forms an angle between 0 degrees and 20 degrees, and preferably between 4 and 16 degrees, with the median longitudinal axis of the board, wherein the bindings are longitudinally displaced so that the longitudinal distance between the front end of the rear boot and the rear end of the front boot is at most equal to 100 millimeters. As a result, the user's head and shoulders are naturally positioned over the tip of the board, and the user's feet are positioned substantially one behind the other.
Preferably, the median axes of the two bindings are parallel, and the bindings are positioned symmetrically relative to an oblique axis which forms an angle between 4 and 16 degrees with the longitudinal axis of the board.
In a preferred embodiment, the width of the board at the center is substantially equal to 1.5 times the width of one boot. The width of the board at its center is advantageously between 110 millimeters and 150 millimeters, and is preferably on the order of 140 millimeters.
Such a gliding device offers improved ease of use and greater maneuverability.
In a first variant, the middle point of each of the bindings is positioned on the median longitudinal axis of the board. Further, the bindings are in parallel and positioned one behind the other so that the toe of the front binding reaches one of the lateral sides of the board, and the heel of the rear binding reaches the opposite lateral side of the board. The median axes of the two bind
REFERENCES:
patent: 3900204 (1975-08-01), Weber
patent: 3947049 (1976-03-01), Pederson
patent: 4995631 (1991-02-01), Hunter
patent: 5018760 (1991-05-01), Remondet
patent: 5058910 (1991-10-01), Teeter et al.
patent: 5277635 (1994-01-01), Gillis
Balmain Patrick
Boehler Anne Marie
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