Land vehicles – Runner vehicle – Standing occupant
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-26
2004-01-27
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Runner vehicle
Standing occupant
C280S015000, C280S018000, C280S817000, C441S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06682083
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to a snowboard-type of ski system. More specifically, the invention provides a winter recreation device combining the response and control of high performance skis with the freedom and “feel” of the ride on a snowboard.
Snow skiing generally refers to sports making use of separate skis attached by foot bindings to a skier's feet for the purpose of negotiating snow and/or ice covered terrain. To provide quick response and agility, a typical alpine ski is relatively narrow; and it therefore has a relatively low surface area for its length. The combined surface area of both skis generally keeps the skier from sinking too deeply into powder, thus slowing; and each ski provides two edges for control on ice. However, with both skis independent the skier must, at times, work to maintain control in keeping the skis from crossing, hooking onto each other or the snow, or diverging from a parallel path. Snowboards have entered the winter recreation arena as an alternative to traditional skis. With a wider surface, the skier is not as prone to sink in powder, nor will the skier be challenged to keep two independent skis in unified alignment. However, the width of the board severely reduces the dexterity and mobility that can be enjoyed with traditional skis; and further, the snowboard has only one edge—a significant issue with overall control and turning.
To describe the process of turning, it is practical to first describe the process with regard to a ski. It is also necessary to review the basic parts of a ski. A ski has a bottom, side edges, a tail, and a tip. Typically, the edges of a ski are metal. Further, the tip of the ski is angled up from the plane in which the majority of the ski substantially rests, and the material forming the ski is brought to a narrow point. This upwardly-curved portion of the tip is traditionally referred to as the shovel of the ski. Alpine skis are typically of a cantilever design in that they are thicker in their midsection and taper towards the tail and the tip. The cantilever design allows the skier's weight to be applied in the thickest part of the ski and then distributed over the entire length of the ski. Such distribution ensures a uniform flex and radius of curvature, as intended by the ski manufacturer.
When weight is equally applied to the ski, the ski will travel in a straight path down the hill. A turn is accomplished by the skier shifting his or her weight to place an increased concentration of weight on the edge of the ski in the direction of the turn, i.e., the skier's weight is shifted towards the inside of the turn and forward on the ski. Such action is commonly referred to as “rolling over on the edge.” This shift of weight to the edge of the ski causes the edge of the ski to bite into the snow. The shift of weight forward causes the ski to deform, shortening the radius of curvature along the edge biting the snow, and initiates the turn. The shovel of the ski, now angled as well, is able to “carve” into the snow, as well, and guides the ski through the turn. This style of turning is known as “carving.”
If the weight of the rider is applied too far forward of the intended mounting point, as conceived by the ski designer, the distribution of weight will be improper—the shovel will be caused to dig and the tail will lift, reducing the overall controlling contact of the edge of the ski with the surface of the snow. Likewise, if the skier's weight is applied far behind the intended mounting point, the tip and shovel will not track, and the initiation of a carve turn by rolling the edge over will be frustrated. By design, the optimum point of contact for weight distribution for a ski is the intended mounting point indicated by the ski manufacturer. When skiing with two skis and carving a turn, the inside edge of both skis, with respect to the inside of the turn, are in contact with the snow and tracking through the turn. To accomplish this positioning, one ski is extended away from the skier farther than the other.
The process of turning a snowboard is quite similar. By design, a snowboard is much more uniform in thickness throughout its length, and the stance of the snowboarded is fore and aft of the center of the board. As with a ski, a turn is effectuated by rolling the edge of the board, which in turn, causes the radius of curvature for the board to change, the edge to bite, and the board to carve through the turn.
For both the ski and the snowboard, lateral gravitational forces build and pull against the skier as the ski or board carves around the turn. The skier counteracts this G-force by leaning, and thereby, shifting his or her center of gravity to stay precisely in line with the centrifugal and gravitational forces encountered throughout the turn. If the force applied by the skier to the edge of the ski or board is insufficient, the ski or board will slide, and the turn will fail. Likewise, if the force is too great, the edge will breakaway from the snow surface, and the turn will fail as the skier slides sideways, falls, or worse.
Even when simply traversing across the slope, it is the edge and its contact with the snow that permits the skier to avoid sliding downhill. In practice, when skiing on two skis, a skier traversing a slope has one ski slightly higher than the other ski, permitting the skier to remain vertical, and causing the uphill edges of the skis to dig into the snow for directional control. It should be noted that this arrangement of the skis, one above the other, is the same relative configuration of the skis with respect to one another as occurs in the process of carving a turn where one ski is extended further from the skier than the other so that the edge can bite and carve through the turn. Thus, it can be seen that effective edge contact and the length of the edge of the ski or snowboard in contact with the snow during a turn or in a traverse is highly important.
The present invention relates to interconnecting preferably two alpine-type skis for the purpose of enjoying the feel of snowboarding with the advantages provided by alpine skis regarding agility of turning, response, and edge contact.
The known prior art relating to interconnecting or coupling two skis is generally concerned with rocker arm devices, or “a-arm” devices. Such devices have an axis of rotation that is parallel to the axis of the ski and concentrate the skier's weight fore and aft of the preferred loading point intended by the designer of the ski, e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,558,354 (Lion) and 4,175,759 (Strunk). More specifically, the application of the skier's weight to the skis is determined by the rocker arms positioned directly beneath the boot bindings. To permit a snowboard fore and aft stance, these rocker arms are necessarily mounted to the skis fore and aft of the manufacturer's intended loading spot. Because of the physics involved in such level arm devices, in most cases, the horizontal distance between the edges of the skis will not be maintained, and in fact, will grow narrower as one ski is extended further below the other. Systems such as Lion and Strunk are further limited in that the parallel axis of rotation prohibits cant of one ski relative to the other, e.g., one ski is simply lifted in its entirety. The mechanics of such rocker arm linkage systems also necessitate substantially raising the platform upon which the bindings will be affixed to permit the skier to attach his or her boots. Such a rise in elevation may be undesirable in many situations, as it causes the skier's center of gravity to be elevated further away from the snow.
Such lifting of one ski relative to the other assumes that the snow upon which the device is being used is relatively smooth. “Rough”, as applied to terrain, can have a variety of different meanings, depending upon the scale employed to measure roughness. Typically, in alpine skiing and snowboarding, roughness is desired on a large scale, such as a truly inclined snow-covered slope of a mountain. Many skie
Johnson Brian L.
Klebe M B
Stoneman Martin L.
LandOfFree
Snowboard system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Snowboard system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Snowboard system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3209726