CN101400413A - Suspension system for a ski - Google Patents

Abstract

Suspension systems are provided for skis. In some implementations, the suspension system includes a spring-like element and a support structure configured to attach one end of the spring-like element to the central half of the longitudinal running length of a ski body. The spring-like element is configured so that the opposite end of the spring-like element contacts the ski body at a contact point on the front-most or rear-most fifth of the longitudinal running length of the ski body, and applies a downward force at the contact point such that the degree of free camber of the ski is increased relative to the natural free camber of the ski body without the suspension system attached.

Description

The suspension system that is used for sled

Technical field

The present invention relates to sled and skiing method, especially relate to the sled that in the skiing zone of descending, uses.

Background technology

Recreational alpine skiing, as what instruct and put into practice on training place, hillside fields all over the world, it is a kind of in check skating technique.Modern sledge is designed to slide by this way on snow, and promptly it produces the frictional force that supplies the slider to be used for control rate and direction.Usually, the beginning taught how to turn round be allow their unequal ground control action before sled with after pressure, to produce the unequal power that slides.Just and after slide power difference produce flywheel moment.In fact all recreational sliders have utilized this basic fundamental.

The Alpinist that appears as of " typing " or " parabolic type " sled provides the other technology that turns to cut (carving) technology.Use the sled of these types to grasp to turn to the incision technology to comprise make sled lean on an edge or another edge----securely this is that initial slider feels very a kind of technology of difficulty.The edge should be locked in the snow, and will automatically produce a specific arc or turn to.The fabulous control of " turning to of incision " and efficient make this technology very desirable.

Regrettably, pure incision skiing is difficult to obtain in actual conditions.In the classical works " skiing mechanics " of John Howe, and again in " the skiing mechanics is newly discussed " of calendar year 2001 version, he discusses " cutting radius and speed for a given side; have only a real incision turning radius continuous, balance "----referring to John Howe, " skiing mechanics newly discuss ", the 130th page (Mcintire publishing house calendar year 2001 the 2nd edition).In other words, the turning radius of a sled be by its design and structure and " constructing " in this sled.Under given conditions, the slider cuts a turning radius.Slider's change condition (for example, changing his or her speed) of having to; Perhaps, when needs short or long turn to the time stop cutting and entering sliding.

It more seriously is because the tip of traditional sled and afterbody were actually stand under load not before the sled embowment that this difficulty becomes.Tip and tail edge up to sled catch the tip and the afterbody of snow and embowment sled just to apply significant pressure.Contradiction be, do not have this pressure just to be difficult to engage ski edge so that sled in the primary importance bending.In order to begin turning to of small a, major radius, the slider who cuts mode should make sled roll into a slight edge angle slightly.In fact, the design of existing sled all can't be satisfied this small incision usually, this be because the tip of sled and afterbody they can not catch snow effectively before curving bigger arc.These limitation will make the slider be confined to a narrow and small turning radius scope, make continuous incision skiing become a difficult problem.

The high mountain sled all must have the slipsurface of belt edge usually, avenges so that slide on snow and/or engage; And have sufficient longitudinal elasticity power, so that sled can embowment when tilting, and when being in the plane, flatten again.In history, above-mentioned two functions are realized by single part: the skid as the long slab spring, it has poly base with slip on snow, and has the steel edge so that engage compacting snow or ice.Therefore, the high mountain sled is a continuous leaf spring basically, has near middle and forward and backward extreme (tip and afterbody) to be suspended at the snow boots that link on the snow face.

Traditional high mountain sled is not having preload force (although its small camber that is designed to of all traditional skis or radian have produced small pressure really on its tip and afterbody on its tip and the afterbody, but this is for making sled then can ignore turning to narrow and small edge angle, and by typically unevenly face easily offset).Therefore, for flat sled on the snow face of training court, in fact slider's total weight all acts directly on the snow face of slider underfooting, does not almost have pressure to act on the tip and afterbody of sled.Regrettably, the tip of sled and afterbody produce stability and maximum turning force just.Here it is why traditionally shaped sled occur easily unstablely reaching the main cause that feature that significant angle just reaches this sled turns to radian until its edge.In addition, the higher-pressure region of slider underfooting small size will be owing to pressing sunken infiltration snow face to make flat sled become slowly largely, and this is undesirable for the ski race person.

Because traditional sled is straight or do not lack any significant preload under the case of bending, this sled generally all designs and is configured to as the function of (very hard) sheet spring of high elastic coefficient very.This high elastic coefficient makes that significant pressure can be promptly set up at its tip and afterbody when sled begins bending, thus provide required, under the feature turning radius along the stability of the whole length of sled.Regrettably, high elastic coefficient also can also stop any big variation of turning radius.Making the sled embowment in case the slider utilizes his body weight to overcome high elastic coefficient, in order to produce significant racing to radius and required additional bending, will be impossible for the light slider of body weight.

High elastic coefficient also makes sled hard and be difficult to stand on very not level and smooth place easily, and this may make recreational slider's disequilibrium.

Worse ground, when traditional skis runs into typical convex surface, almost the whole length of sled all may lose and contact (Figure 20 A) that avenges face, and this causes the slider out of control comprehensively potentially.

Summary of the invention

Sled suspension system with sled of the present invention is characterised in that its combination has behavioral characteristics, and this behavioral characteristics is different with the characteristic remarkable of aforementioned conventional " typing " sled.Usually, the sled that has suspension system described here has the very turning radius of wide region, and it has insignificant unstable region.Therefore, slider or glider can optionally increase or reduce turning radius, and easily are smoothly transitted into left steering from right turn.In some embodiments, this is by provide significant preload force to realize with relative low coefficient of elasticity to sled.By smooth sled on snow, the part that preload is very big with slider's body weight imposes on the tip and the afterbody of sled.Therefore, when the slider enlarged small edge angle, most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody can stably engage snow immediately.In order to turn to sled bending to reach critical arc, therefore by enlarging, the slider can redirect to the right turn of wide region substantially smoothly from the left steering of wide region.Preload force also provides bigger significantly fore-and-aft stability for entertainment skiing person.The problem of beginner and intermediate slider's maximum usually is balance and stability.Entertainment skiing person recedes when unbalance and frightened usually, and this lifts the sled tip and leaves snow, has caused inevitably slipping.This just constantly slipping abandoned the most common reason of this motion with the people of becoming out of control.The suspension system here is by producing long stroke, independently gives most advanced and sophisticated and the afterbody pressurization, though make the slider become significantly unbalance and when receding most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody all will on avenging, keep pressure and bending consistently, prevented this constantly slipping with out of control.In addition, when by disperseing player's body weight to keep that the sledge base is smooth to have reduced to penetrate snow surface on snow the time on the bigger zone, so preload makes that the contest skiing is quicker.

The low relatively coefficient of elasticity of sled produces the turning radius of wide region response with preload.When the slider slowly shift near (or tilt) racing to the time because it does not overcome by the coefficient of elasticity of sled, so the additonal pressure that is produced by centrifugal force no longer can be ignored.Therefore, the pressure that centrifugal force produces can be used for sled is bent to bigger arc, thereby can turn to with more suddenly gathering.

The low elasticity coefficient also can make sled more soft and insensitive for the scrambling on surface.This has produced and more level and smooth slided and absorbed the power that usually recreational slider is had nothing to do.

On the one hand, the suspension system that is characterized as design of the present invention is connected to sled or skid body, applies vertically downward power with first and second ends to the sled body.This suspension system before or after the sled bending or during apply this power.

This suspension system is arranged such that the downward force of slider's body weight is applied on the three or more difference of sled body length.For example, at least one point that is applied in downward force can be located immediately at below, boots installation site, and between boots installation site and sled body tip, another point is substantially between boots installation site and sled body afterbody at least substantially for another point at least.Suspension system can be configured to one of feasible these points that apply downward force and be positioned at preceding vertical 1/5th of sled body, at least another point central longitudinal of being positioned at the sled body to 1/3rd and at least another point be positioned at back vertical 1/5th of sled body.Replacedly, suspension system can be configured to one of feasible these points that apply downward force and be positioned at preceding vertical 1/8th of sled body, at least another point central longitudinal of being positioned at the sled body to 1/3rd and at least another point be positioned at back vertical 1/8th of sled body.

In some cases, when sled from normal unloaded state or predetermined deflection state (as hereinafter defined) when bending to bigger deflection state with reference to figure 3A, suspension system can be configured to offer sled with the coefficient of elasticity that reduces.

For example, suspension system is arranged such that the coefficient of elasticity that represents at predetermined degree of deflection place sled will be less than at least 10% of the maximum elastance that represents at primary deflector degree place sled more.

In another example, suspension system is arranged such that at least 90% of maximum elastance that the coefficient of elasticity that represents at predetermined degree of deflection place sled will represent less than primary deflector degree place sled more.In some cases, suspension system is configured to provide such coefficient of elasticity to sled, and promptly coefficient of elasticity increases after the sled bending surmounts predetermined deflection state to arrive bigger deflection.In addition, the predetermined state of described deflection can be respectively sled first half and latter half of adjustment independently.

In some cases, suspension system is configured to provide such coefficient of elasticity to sled, promptly reduce in sled coefficient of elasticity when normal unloaded state or predetermined deflection state bend to bigger deflection state, provide the coefficient of elasticity of increase at another predetermined deflection state to sled, this coefficient of elasticity surmounts described predetermined deflection state in the sled bending to be increased behind bigger deflection state.

In some cases, suspension system is configured to provide three grades of coefficient of elasticity to sled, the first initial high coefficient of elasticity when from unloaded state deflection for example, be used for next to the lowest coefficient of elasticity further deflection, that follow, be used for the 3rd coefficient of elasticity further deflection, that follow, the 3rd coefficient of elasticity is in the middle of first and second coefficient of elasticity.

In some embodiments, suspension system is connected to the sled body by installation/push and pull system, installation/push and pull system is configured to when the bending of sled body surmounts predetermined degree of deflection, is applied to load on the sled body by suspension system and reduces or be presented as the coefficient of elasticity that reduces.

Suspension system can comprise spring, for example pneumatic spring or pneumatic dampers.Spring can be selected from one group, and this group comprises wind spring, torsion spring, torque rod, leaf spring and elastomer.Spring can comprise damping element and represent damping characteristic that this damping characteristic passes to the sled of binding.

Suspension system can comprise the connecting rod between sled body first end and sled body second end, this connecting rod can make certain deflection of sled body first end increase the elastic force of sled body second end, and can make the elastic force of certain deflection increase sled body first end of sled body second end.

Suspension system can comprise that also the supporting construction that is attached to the vertical middle section of sled is attached to supporting construction the installation system of sled in one way with it, and this mode has been got rid of sideslip and the rolling movement between supporting construction and the sled body.Installation system can comprise element, and this element is configured to allow on vertical and the longitudinal direction and around the elastic movement of pitch axis between supporting construction and sled body.This supporting construction portability boots bundled piece.If suspension system comprises spring, this spring can be located immediately at boots bundled piece below so, and is connected to by push and pull system on first and second ends of sled body.Supporting construction is attached to the sled body releasedly.Suspension system can comprise the spring-like compressing member, leaf spring for example, its be attached at supporting construction and sled body before or after vertical 1/3rd places.Suspension system can comprise one or more tensioning spring elements that are attached on the supporting construction, and vertical 1/3rd places before or after this supporting construction contact sled body produce downward force in the zone separately at those.

Suspension system can be configured to have following any one or a plurality of feature.In order to make 0.25 inch of sled body deflection, must apply 15 pounds or bigger power.1.0 three times of the power that the power that inch deflection needs needs less than 0.25 inch deflection.The coefficient of elasticity that represents during first 0.25 inch of the sled body deflection is at least 110% of the coefficient of elasticity that represents during ensuing 0.25 inch deflection.Must apply additional force so that the sled body is deflected into 0.50 inch from 0.25 inch, this additional force is less than the sled body is deflected at least 10% of power that 0.25 inch deflection must apply from 0.0 inch.0.40 the power that inch deflection needs is greater than at least 10% of 0.80 inch required additional force of deflection.The sled body is deflected into the power of horizontal conllinear state needs in 15 to 100 pounds scope.

Suspension system can be configured to allow minimum initial deflection before predetermined deflection state, and at predetermined deflection state point, further significant deflection is excluded the power that applies up to the slider and surpasses scheduled volume.In this case, sled can comprise guiding mechanism, and this guiding mechanism is configured to adjust predetermined degree of deflection, applies downward force for first and second ends of sled body at this predetermined degree of deflection part that suspends.Guiding mechanism can be configured to allow to produce and does not produce the downward force that imposes on sled.Suspension system also can be configured to make downward force not impose on the sled body by suspension system to bend to predetermined degree of deflection up to the sled body.

On the other hand, feature of the present invention makes suspension system be configured to retrain or reduce to be attached to the free arch of the nature of sled body, to produce medium preload.This suspension system can comprise one or more supporting constructions, and this supporting construction is attached to vertical middle section of sled.This binding can comprise the sideslip between basic eliminating supporting construction and the sled body and the installation system of rolling movement.Installation system can comprise element, and this element can be on vertical and the longitudinal direction and around the supporting construction of pitch axis and the elastic movement between the sled body.This suspension system also can comprise at least two tension elements, each by described supporting construction be connected to the sled body central authorities half, and be connected respectively to preceding and back 1/3rd of described sled body.Supporting construction portability boots bundled piece.Suspension system also comprises adjusting device, and this adjusting device can be adjusted the affined degree of arch that allows.Preferably, this suspension system can be attached to sled, and this sled specifically is constructed with high arch degree and the coefficient of elasticity lower than normal elasticity coefficient, for example coefficient of elasticity be per inch 10 to 15Ib 2 " to 5 " natural arch.

On the other hand, suspension system of the present invention is characterised in that it can be connected to the sled body, load is imposed on the front and rear of sled body, suspension system is configured to provide at least 20% up to 100% resistance, this resistance must be overcome so that make the deflection of sled body from zero deflection to 0.25 inch, and the resistance that remaining needs overcome is if the words that have are provided by the sled body.

On the other hand, suspension system of the present invention is characterised in that it can be connected to the sled body, load is imposed on the front and rear of sled body, suspension system is configured to provide at least 20% up to 100% resistance, this resistance must be overcome so that the sled body deflects into positive deflection state from smooth overall linear state, and the resistance that remaining needs overcome is provided by the sled body.

Another aspect, suspension system of the present invention is characterised in that it can be connected to the sled body, suspension system be configured to make the sled body from 0.25 inch deflect into 0.50 inch deflection the time the additional force that must apply less than make the sled body from 0.0 inch deflect to 0.25 inch deflection the time the power that must apply at least 10%, may be less than 95%.In predetermined degree of deflection, the sled body will represent less than the maximum elastance that is represented before the described predetermined deflection 10% to 98% between coefficient of elasticity.

Some embodiments can comprise one or more following features.Suspension system can be connected to the sled body by installation/push and pull system.Installation/push and pull system is configured to when the bending of sled body surmounts predetermined degree of deflection, is applied to load on the sled body by suspension system and coefficient of elasticity is reduced or is presented as the coefficient of elasticity that reduces.With reference to as described in the figure 3A, suspension system can be configured to when sled is in normal unloaded state, when any significant deflection all is excluded power on imposing on the sled body and exceeds scheduled volume, apply preload for the sled body as following.Suspension system also can be configured to provide the coefficient of elasticity of increase when bending surmounts predetermined deflection state.

The measurement of all parameters in claims is all carried out with reference to figure 3A is described by following.

Set forth the details of one or more embodiments in the following drawing and description.According to specification, accompanying drawing and claims, other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the sled side view according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the enlarged side view that has omitted 2/3rds places, Fig. 1 the right of bundled piece;

Fig. 2 A is the side detail of a part among Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is that explanation curved deflector (in inch) is as the curve map that is applied to the power (in pound) on the sled shown in Fig. 1-2 A, and in order more also to show the curve of the power on the sled that conduct is applied to preload not;

Fig. 3 A is illustrating of measuring method used herein and term;

Fig. 4 and 4A are respectively before arch constraint bundled piece/mounting structure is installed on the sled and sled side view afterwards;

Fig. 5 is the perspective view of the sled front portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 A is the part exploded view, and it shows the beam that removes from the sled body/suspend/fastening;

Fig. 5 B is the enlarged drawing of Fig. 5 A part;

Fig. 6 is the latter half of perspective view of a sub equipment that suspends;

Fig. 7-the 9th illustrates the curve map of various sled performances (coefficient of elasticity) characteristic;

Figure 10 is the side view that adopts the sled of two leaf springs;

Figure 11 is the enlarged drawing of Figure 10 part;

Figure 11 A is the more detailed view of the amplification of Figure 11 part;

Figure 12 is the side view of leaf spring equipment;

Figure 12 A is the enlarged drawing of the leaf spring equipment of Figure 11 A;

Figure 13 is the side view that Figure 12 leaf spring equipment of pre-tensioner has been installed;

Figure 14 is a side cross-sectional view of observing, have the sled at edge, tunnel from the sled longitudinal centre line, has wherein omitted suspension system;

Figure 15 is the end cross-section along the sled of Figure 14 of straight line 15-15 intercepting;

Figure 16 is the sled end cross-section along Figure 14 of straight line 16-16 intercepting;

Figure 17 is a side cross-sectional view of observing, have the sled at edge, tunnel from the sled longitudinal centre line, has wherein omitted suspension system once more;

Figure 18 A-18C is the sled end cross-section with edge, tunnel of various channel shapes;

Figure 19 is a kind of side view of replaceable embodiment, and wherein sled comprises two leaf springs of the pre-tensioner that has one part that suspends;

Figure 19 A is the enlarged side view of Figure 19 part;

Figure 20 A is the key diagram of traditional skis on the protruding ground;

Figure 20 B is the key diagram of embodiment of the present invention on the protruding ground;

Figure 21 A and 21B are the side views of replaceable embodiment;

Figure 22 A is the enlarged side view of the sled part shown in Figure 21 A;

Figure 22 B is an enlarged side view, and it shows the replaceable installation of the support 421 shown in Figure 22 A;

Figure 23 is the side view that has the replaceable embodiment of tensioning spring;

Figure 24 is the side view that has the replaceable embodiment of tensioning spring and supporting construction.

Reference numeral identical in the different accompanying drawings is represented same parts.

The specific embodiment

With reference to figure 1, sled 10 comprises the suspension system of hereinafter describing in detail 14.Under the situation of the coefficient of elasticity of compromising, suspension system 14 is not being designed and is being configured to the coefficient of elasticity of optimization sled for the sliding/cutting function or other characteristic of optimization sled.

With reference to figure 1, sled 10 also comprises sled body 12, and it is as " skid " or " glider ".Sled body 12 comprises smooth sliding surface and is used to engage the edge of snow/ice.Yet different with above-mentioned traditional high mountain sled structure, sled body 12 is not the coefficient of elasticity that depends primarily on sled.Therefore, in order to slide and/or engage snow and ice on snow and ice, but the design of optimization sled body comprises shape, size and material, and these performance characteristics that do not need significantly to compromise are to obtain the coefficient of elasticity of expection.When its unique ability was developed by the sled body of particular design in suspension system optimization ground, this suspension system also can be attached on the traditional skis body and represent similar performance and improve and characteristic.

Just sled slide/cut function and spring function has been separated into two independently personal modules (sled body 12 and suspension system 14), just help aforesaid preload and low elasticity coefficient.

Fig. 3 A has illustrated the method that is used to measure coefficient of elasticity and preload.Point A and B represent the point along the sled major axis, have maximum width at its front and rear respectively at these sleds.When the sled base was held against flat surfaces, these points were typically consistent with those points that scroll up sled.Distance between these points is the contact length of sled, that is, in fact this part of sled engages hard snow face.This distance is punished into two parts at an X basically, typically is the structure centre of sled, and it is typically also represented by " boots centre mark ".Distance between distance between X and the A, X and the B is labeled as " preceding contact length C respectively _F" and " back contact length C _R".During all were measured, sled was only supported at A and B point place.

By only supporting sled at A and B point, downward power is applied to an X, and this will cause the sled center to be bent downwardly between some A shown in Fig. 3 A and B.In order to apply given force in this mode at the X place, the initial position that never applies power is to the position that applies power, and what some X was final is called deflection here to bottom offset.

Fig. 3 illustrates with respect to not having this suspension system and not having the preload performance characteristic of the suspension system uniqueness of the sled shown in Fig. 1-2 A, the 4A, 10 and 21 for the sled of preload.The novel preload feature that has a sled of the suspension system shown in Fig. 1-2 A, the 4A, 10 and 21 remains predetermined pressure minimum on sled tip and the afterbody, though before significantly crooked and deflection begin (left side very, curve A-D).When deflection (with turning to) began, most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody had been subjected to enough pressure to cut stable turning to.On the contrary, on most advanced and sophisticated before bending/deflection and afterbody, do not having under the situation of remarkable pressure, do not have suspension system and not the sled figure of preload (curve E-G) direct and substantial linear relationship between deflection and power has been described.In addition, this sled must the significant deflection of experience before most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody receive remarkable pressure.

The dash area of Fig. 3 (20 pounds pressure following) represent wherein sled since the load of tip and afterbody deficiency with relative unsettled zone.The preload feature of the sled shown in Fig. 1-2 A, the 4A, 10 and 21 has guaranteed that sled is operated in the top, zone and the outside of latent instability, typically on the skiing gamut of amusement.On the contrary, typically on the skiing gamut of amusement, the traditional skis of preload (curve E-G) almost is not operated in the unstable region fully.Even extreme deflection above unstable region, traditional skis becomes enough loads with before cutting stable turning in the opposite direction at sled, always all must pass this zone once more.This be why this sled from a direction to the rightabout reason that is difficult to seamlessly transit that turns to.Sled shown in Fig. 1-2 A, the 4A, 10 and 21 is easily from turning left to the right, and the significant unstable region of unnecessary encirclement.Therefore, the incision slider can oneself handle to turn to be similar to a row skater or cyclist and produce almost any track or route.

Because preload pressure is brought the working region of requirement at once to sled, so coefficient of elasticity after this is significantly less than the sled that does not have preload.Measure as previously mentioned, the sled of describing among the curve E-G has typically in the coefficient of elasticity of 15Ibs/ inch to 35Ibs/ inch scope, in Fig. 3, pass through shown in curve E and the G respectively.Coefficient of elasticity shown in curve E and the G represents by many gentle crooked recreational skis (curve E) and adamantine racing sleds (curve G).The coefficient of elasticity of 25Ibs/ inch (curve F) represents by many traditional medium hard recreational skis.Sled shown in Fig. 1-2 A, the 4A, 10 and 21 will typically represent the preload (A=20Ibs from 15 to 45Ibs/ inches in remarkable deflection with before turning to beginning, B=25Ibs, C=30Ibs, D=35Ibs), represent afterwards from the coefficient of elasticity of 5 to 15Ibs/ inches, it is the only about half of of the sled coefficient of elasticity scope shown in the curve E-G.The coefficient of elasticity that reduces after deflection begins just provides the control response of controlling flexibly and strengthening of the sled shown in Fig. 1-2 A, the 4A, 10 and 21.

The curve D of Fig. 3 has also illustrated three grades of coefficient of elasticity suspension systems, wherein the first initial high coefficient of elasticity is being followed the second low elasticity coefficient that is used for further deflection when from unloaded state deflection, and then the 3rd coefficient of elasticity, the 3rd coefficient of elasticity is higher than second coefficient of elasticity to be used for further deflection.

In addition, as can be seen from Fig. 3, when sled from smooth deflect into the arc that significantly makes progress such as landform in projection on the time, the traditional skis of the part that do not suspend only can effectively add tag and afterbody.When sled was on the protruding landform or is pressurizeed improperly, this sled did not have device to come to deflect into downward arc from smooth.On the contrary, Fig. 1 has the sled 10 of suspension system, from deflecting down-1.5 " to upward deflecting 1.5+ ", it as one man pressurizes specially and gives tip and afterbody, therefore no matter unfavorable slider's posture and balance, complete it has all kept contact and to the control of all shape landform.

With reference to figure 2 and 5A-5B, suspension system 14 can be contained in the firm substantially supporting construction 16.As shown, supporting construction 16 is preferably the beam of U-shaped cross-section substantially.Supporting construction 16 can be made of aluminum, and can comprise a plurality of holes or be formed on wherein otch to reduce the weight of beam.Except supporting suspension system 14, supporting construction 16 also supports harness assembly 18 (Fig. 1 and 5), and boots is attached on this harness assembly 18.Supporting construction 16 is connected to sled body 12 by installation system, and installation system comprises elastic force male part 30 and mounting bracket 13, and this male part 30 can for example be made by artificial rubber.Installation system can comprise the elastic force male part and the support of any desired quantity, for example two or more elastic force male parts and one or more mounting bracket.Male part 30 combines with mounting bracket 13, moves on the both direction of permission supporting construction 16 in three directions, but does not allow any significant sideslip relatively or rolling between supporting construction 16 and sled body 12.Supporting construction 16 is attached to mounting bracket 13 (Fig. 5 B) by pin 17, pin 17 holes 15 (Fig. 2 A and 5B) that extend through in the elastic force male part 30, and it remains in the support 13, and is attached to successively or integrally formed with sled body 12.In this embodiment, pin 17 has internal whorl, securely supporting construction 16 is screwed to pin 17 (Fig. 5 and 5B) by screw 33, and screw 33 is screwed onto in the pin 17 (these screws only the side in Fig. 5 and 5B on as seen) at each end.The length of each pin 17 is substantially exactly corresponding to the outside width of (usually in ± 0.005 scope) supporting construction 16, and therefore, each end of pin flushes with supporting construction 16 corresponding lateral walls 23.When screw 33 downwards during fastening this lateral wall, the head of screw on supporting construction 16 each side and engaging of this sidewall help the structural integrity of supporting construction 16, have stoped these sidewalls to scatter owing to stressed during skiing.

With reference to figure 2A, for big downward compression stress, extra elastomer block X and Y be optional be applied to need bigger resilient support situation.Axle back-up block 31 (Fig. 5 A and 5B) is supported by elastomer block X, so its downward compression stress of dividing spreader beam 16 with elastic force male part 30.Fit in the elastomer block Y that has the gap that is used for axle 24 between sled body 12 and the beam 16, it is compressed when skid 12 is deflected into arc.When compressing by this way, elastomer block Y from beam 16 directly downwards the transmission power to sled body 12.Because elastomer block Y is further from the vertical centrally-located of sled body 12 rather than any part of mounting bracket 13, so they have given beam 16 extra pitching stability, and further from effective cantilever pin joint of the vertical central mobile sled of sled body 12, this has produced bigger resistance to overturning under extreme load.

Supporting construction 12 also allows supporting construction 16 to remove easily with the pin joint of elastic force male part 30, allows the assembling of supporting construction 16 and suspension system 14 to be removed by the user of sled 12 and to replace.The suspension system that this removing property permission user exchange has the different performance feature also allows the user to remove supporting construction/suspension system, to help transportation and to store sled and/or prevent that this equipment from being stolen.If expectation, screw 33 can be substituted by the lock fastener that the sled owner has a key, when the sled owner select not when the sled body removes this equipment, to have reduced to steal from skiing area or other public place may.

Supporting construction 16 is kept the side offside tolerance with the compactness of support 13, and it gets rid of any sideslip and scroll actions between two parts.In addition, thin bearing film can be used between supporting construction 16 and the support 13 such as UHMW polyethylene or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)), frays to reduce wearing and tearing and eliminating.(not shown) on the other hand, like this elastic force male part 30 allow on some of pin 17 and supporting construction 16/down and front/rear damped motion.The elastic force of the supporting construction 16 of the sled body 12 tops part that suspends helps sled user's shock isolation and vibration.When the slider becomes front/rear when unbalance, this motion also allows supporting construction 16 slightly to rotate around pitch axis with respect to sled body 12, it changes the geometry of the part that suspends successively so that produce bigger downward force on the part of sled body, otherwise this sled body will lighten and shakiness.For economic reasons, can remove elastic component and supporting construction and can directly be attached to the sled body.

Supporting construction 16 portability main springs 22.Be in compression state under main spring 22 normal conditions, typically be in 30 to the 220Ib scope.In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1-2 A and the 5A-5B, spring for example can be to have the gas spring that about 1-1.5 inch stroke and the force rate value from initial motion to the stroke end are approximately 1:1.4.Because mass concentration and low-inertia force square, spring 22 approximately is positioned at the central authorities of sled body 12 usually, directly below harness assembly 18.With reference to figure 2,5A and 6, spring 22 is connected to forward and backward stay 28A, 28B by axle 24 and connecting rod 26, the back both by as hereinafter described in male part 20 engage sled bodies 12.Each root axle 24 supports (though a back-up block has been shown in Fig. 5 A and 6, each root axle 24 supports by two back-up blocks in some embodiments, respectively has one on each end of axle 24) by one or more back-up blocks 31.When the preceding of sled body 12 and after when being bent upwards camber, male part 20 promotes stay 28A, 28B and inwardly enters supporting construction 16 (seeing the arrow A of Fig. 5 A), and by a connecting rod 26 and axle 24 compression main springs 22.This special purpose spring/suspension system helps to provide dynamic characteristic discussed here.

It should be noted that stay 28, connecting rod 26 and axle 24 can be with respect to 12 configurations of sled body, so that as illustrating in Fig. 7 and 8, sled surmounts certain degree of crook and represents the coefficient of elasticity that reduces.When coefficient of elasticity reduces by this way, sled will be realized more and more elephant " softness " sled when the sled body is crooked significantly.Reducing of coefficient of elasticity is stay 28, connecting rod 26 and axle 24 result of conllinear substantially that becomes when sled is crooked.In case these assembly conllinear, spring 22 will stop to apply any significant additional force to sled tip and afterbody owing to further crooked.Sled must crooked what (if taking place really) can pre-determine before conllinear takes place, for example by the angle A (Fig. 2) between the straight line of adjusting stay 28 and drawing from the stay base of the upper surface that is parallel to the sled body, and/or the height H that stay 28 is connected to the point at supporting construction 16 places above this straight line is determined.For good leverage is provided to the slider, H usually preferably at least 0.25 ", more preferably at least 0.5 ", most preferably be 1.0 ".Higher height can be effective equally.Angle A can for example be about 3 to 40 degree, preferred about 5 to 15 degree.

Connecting rod 26 can comprise the adjustment element, and its arch that can be used for setting sled is the degree that requires.These are adjusted elements and allow effective lengths of axle 24 to adjust, therefore, through pillar 28 and male part 20 promotes most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody up or down, this reduces or has increased " free arch " respectively.For example, as shown in Fig. 5 B and 6, connecting rod 26 can comprise threaded portion 32, and it allows the length of axle 24 to regulate by the screw adjustment, promptly advances by threaded portion 32 spiral shells with connecting rod 26 or spiral shell goes out to be fixed in the internal thread piece 35 of pillar 28 1 ends.Selectively, threaded block 35 can remain on its precalculated position of supporting construction 16 belows by pin (not specifically illustrating), and pin is fixed in the body of threaded block 35, and it extends in the slit 38 that is formed in the supporting construction 16.In this pin and slit device, allow threaded block 35 to vertically move with respect to supporting construction 16, be removed up to these pins but can not break away from from supporting construction 16.Under the serious situation about rising and falling of landform, adjust the spill that sled permission sled bends to amplification for having extra arch, otherwise tip and/or afterbody will unload.This has produced " long travel suspension ", and it will keep the most advanced and sophisticated snow that contacts with afterbody of sled with better control and stable.

And with reference to Fig. 1 and 2, in suspension system 14, preceding stay 28A is connected to backstay 28B by axle 24, and they all stop in 22 liang of opposite ends of single main spring.This new independently but the part that suspends that connects with the load on spring on the forward and backward stay 28A of autobalance, the 28B.The sled that the typical case is traditional, when the slider ran into bump, the sled front portion was bent upwards, and the slider is thrown the unbent so far afterbody to softness backward.The slider must fall with the crooked and rear portion that loads sled really backward to mate the front portion.Connection suspension system described herein is specially in response to this identical situation.When running into bump, the sled front portion will absorb big energy by compression suspension spring 22 to bigger pressure.Because continuous connection, the same pressure that improves is applied to the sled afterbody.The pressure that improves on the sled afterbody helps the slider to keep balance to prevent to promote backward, also keeps pointed end for continuous control and stability simultaneously.

For recreational slider, the suspension system of connection produces unique stability sensation, absorption and equilibrant force, and these are normally distressful.And, because whole suspending/harness assembly equipment flexibly installs by the male part 30 (for example elastic caoutchouc male part) on the sled body (slipsurface), so directly vibrations underfoot and impact are effectively suppressed equally.

Shown in Fig. 1-2 A help the various dynamic parameters of optimization, on the turning radius of wide region, to realize maximum stable with above-mentioned suspension system and sled.For taught or other purpose, simpler suspension system is suitable, and the sled 100 as shown in Fig. 4 A has been represented a kind of more economical solution.

Fig. 4 shows sled body 50, and it is suitable for before spring suspension system and harness assembly installation, as the skid of the sled 100 shown in Fig. 4 A.The free arch that sled body 50 is formed with expansion forms.The sled body 50 that " does not have the constraint arch " among Fig. 4 is usually 1 to 5 inch scope.Sled body 50 low-down coefficient of elasticity also significantly depart from typical sled characteristic.Shown in Fig. 3 A and aforesaid measurement, the coefficient of elasticity of the sled body 50 of Fig. 4 are generally 10 to the 20Ibs/ inch, but under child or heavy athletic extreme case, can be respectively 5 to 10Ibs/ inch or 20 to the 30Ibs/ inch.Traditional skis drops on 20 usually in the scope of 25Ibs/ inch, and it is approximately the twice of sled 50 among Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 A has illustrated the suspension system that comprises confinement element.This equipment comprises the supporting construction 16 of carrying constraint/suspension system 14 and harness assembly 18.Supporting construction is connected to sled body 50 by support 13 and elastic force male part 30, and the elastic force male part absorbs shock and vibration when providing accurate sideslip and roll control.For economic cause, the elastic force male part can remove and for example use screw or bolt directly to link.

After supporting construction 16 was placed on the sled body 50, this equipment was compressed against flat surfaces, was eliminated up to the significant quantity of extreme arch.Under this restrained condition, the configuration of sled body is in static, unloading and will seem more as traditional skis when not compressing.In the time of in the structure of this restriction, two male parts 20 before and after the sled engage with the respective link 28 on the mounting structure.From restraint device removal (Fig. 4 A) time, the same with firm supporting construction 16, sled 100 keeps the relative pressurized state that does not have arch by front/rear male part 20 with stay 28, and as shown in Figure 4, stay 28 stops sled body 50 to return extremely recessed domes.The arch that keeps still can be littler or bigger usually 1 to 2 inch scope.Equally, this equipment has represented the new features of the sled with suspension system shown in Fig. 1-2 A equally, particularly, and significant preload force and low dynamic elasticity coefficient.The load ratio deflection curve of graphic this equipment is similar to the A-D of Fig. 3.This equipment can use the relative simple technology manufacturing.But supporting construction 16 injection moldings, and connecting rod 28 is because it only is to stretch, so it can be the cable of single length.For economic cause, supporting construction 16 also can be removed and can directly be fixed on the support that is bonded to the appropriate size on the sled from the single length cables of male part 20.For example, this support can comprise the plate that is suitable for being fitted in boots bundled piece below, and therefore is clipped between boots bundled piece and the sledge body by fixed.This plate comprises that a plurality of holes are to allow boots binding mounting screw by also positively keeping support thus.

In addition, the length adjustment feature also can be incorporated into male part 20 and/or stay 28, and/or in the supporting construction 16 or in the support, so just can adjust the arch amount simply.By the effective length of lengthening or shortening confinement element 28, can allow sled body 50 more or less ground under unloaded state crooked.Therefore, static arch can be adjusted to the wide region of the spill of the long stroke of extreme in the static arch from traditional skis.

And additional assembly for example elastomer or spring may be employed in male part 20, stay 28 and supporting construction 16 or the support or between them, to increase or to improve dynamic characteristic.For example, be connected at each bracing bars 28 under the situation of supporting construction 16 or male part 20, in conjunction with elastomer the inhibition part 14 that suspends all stretched, as the state when the slider leaves the snow face for a moment.

The replaceable modification of this equipment uses cable as coupling element, and its restriction arch also produces preload force (being that stay 28 can be replaced by cable).Arch adjuster and tensioned device also can be used for this system, to regulate arch and preload.

In another embodiment, the element of two aforementioned device can make up.Therefore, the sled 10 shown in Fig. 1-2 A can be changed into and comprises low coefficient of elasticity sled body, and it has concave arcuate extremely at no restrained condition.In this case, as previously mentioned, stay and male part are realized binding function (tensioning/unloading) and preload function (compression/loading) with connecting rod and supporting construction.Supporting construction also comprises those elements that illustrate among Figure 11 A, and it is higher than the coefficient of elasticity that represents before these inflexion points in coefficient of elasticity and produces the inflexion point characteristic later on.

Many embodiments have been described.Anyway, be understandable that, can make various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

For example, can utilize above-mentioned principle that the sled with multiple performance characteristic is provided.For example, as illustrating among Fig. 7, sled can not have to represent the coefficient of elasticity that reduces under the situation of initial preload.This can be with reference to figure 1-2A and 5-5B, for example by above-mentioned suspension system/supporting construction equipment being installed and being used the spring (for example wind spring) with relative low elasticity coefficient to realize in this suspension system on the sled body with low elasticity coefficient (promptly very " softness " sled body).Therefore, before crooked sled, wind spring will only apply enough power to most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody, so that sled is realized as the traditional skis with average hardness.As above described with reference to figure 8, when the sled bending surmounts certain when a bit, for the deflection of equivalent, spring will apply additional force less and less and give tip and afterbody, therefore after initial high elastic coefficient preload, more and more nervous when crooked when it, sled will realize more and more resembling soft sled.

The high elastic coefficient preload feature of being followed by the low elasticity coefficient region among Fig. 8 has been described in Fig. 9 diagram, but except the 3rd zone that increases coefficient of elasticity begins at the predetermined point of deflection, it can finish (Figure 11 A) by firm element in location or elastomer element between supporting construction and sled body.

And above-mentioned suspension system equipment can be revised with individually or in combination in conjunction with following feature and/or element.

The sled body 12 that is connected with suspension system can be skid, its meet proposed on February 22nd, 2005, name is called the United States Patent (USP) NO.6 of " skid sled ", the shape and size feature of instruction in 857,653.Its whole disclosure is combined in herein.Described in the patent application of above-mentioned reference, for example, sled body 12 can have very narrow waist, 40mm or littler for example, and most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody can be significantly wideer, and for example the high specific of tip and tail width and waist width can be 2:x, wherein 0.5≤x≤1.5.Sled body geometry generally can strengthen the steering characteristic of sled.

The sled body 12 that is connected with suspension system can comprise " edge, tunnel " structure, such as proposed on July 11st, 2006, name is called the United States Patent (USP) NO.7 of " have the tunnel and increase the sled at edge ", the sled body described in 073,810.Its whole disclosure is combined in herein.This sled has the ski edge geometry and is similar to skating shoe incision performance.One or more grooves or passage are introduced into the sledge bottom slipsurface, to expose the inboard of ski edge.These passages slide along the steel side of sled.This slipsurface comprises that flat is used to prevent that two edges from inserting immediately and stop to travel forward of slider.Therefore the inboard of ski edge has been exposed in the existence of this passage, and during turning to, ski edge resembles moves the skates and compare with the brake angle that plane by the skiing face between the ski edge produces and the snow face produces and inserts the angle.This marginal texture will improve the control under compacting snow or ice condition.

The example of edge, tunnel sled has been shown among Figure 14-18C.Figure 14 shows the sled 120 with cavity or passage 130, and cavity or passage 130 are formed in the slipsurface 140 of zone below of boots bundled piece 125.Passage 130 has the front and back ends 132,134 of inclination, and its deepest part or top that is preferably gradually passage 130 is connected with slipsurface 140.As shown in Figure 15, the both sides of passage 130 are by ski edge 150 sealing, its be preferably be formed from steel and usually along sled 120 except on the whole length extremely most advanced and sophisticated and the afterbody, extending, still can be shorter or longer.The ski edge 150 of adjacent channel 130 in both sides or three sides rather than just in time one or both sides expose, therefore, inboard 154 can be used for contact snow.Under the situation of compacting snow or ice, sled 120 lower surface at contiguous these edges are recessed and do not contact snow.The all downward forces of slider are only supported by the edge in passage 130 zones 150.Therefore, the ski edge 150 at passage 130 places because they all expose on the outside and inboard 154, so be similar to the effect of playing skates, does not penetrate and there is extra surface to stop during turning to.Slider's power imposes on the skiing surface by edge tip 152 and inboard 154 in turning to, rather than applies by the turning of edge 150 and slipsurface 140.The inside ski edge of exposing 154 applies the slider power effectively and turn 90 degrees to the skiing surface, and therefore, ski edge 150 is inserted the angle and engaged with skiing surface rigidity with some rigidity.

Figure 16 shows the firm sled body 120 at the front end place of passage 130 fronts.In this position, ski edge 150 is only exposed on the outside and edge tip 152.Inboard 154 directly install and are capped against sled body 120.As shown in Figure 14, passage 130 preferably extends by the central authorities 1/3rd of approximate sled 120 length, and 1/3rd of the slipsurface 140 before and after keep smooth and smooth and do not have passage simultaneously.Yet in replaceable embodiment, passage can from 5% to 100% according to the application length of topographical surface and requirement.

As shown in figure 17, passage 130 can be discontinuous, is formed in two or more zones along the passage 130 of sled 120 discrete lengths.For example, second channel 130a can be formed near the leading portion or tip of sled 120, and third channel 130b is formed near the rear portion or afterbody of sled 120.These passages 130a, 130b can have the shape identical or different with the passage 130 of sled 120 boots binding district below.Under each situation, the front and back end of these passages 130,130a, 130b tilts to sliding shape surface 140 from channel roof.Channel roof is preferably smooth.

Figure 18 A-18C shows a kind of embodiment, and wherein in the slipsurface 140 on each end of sled 120, passage 130 is divided into two independently passages 130.Each ski edge 150 all has the inboard 154 of exposing, its towards one of these passages 130 to be used to contact the snow face.Shown in Figure 18 A, slipsurface 140 is preferably smooth, and can have second edge 160.

Suspension system 14 can comprise quick release device with coupling of sled body 12, allows sled body 12 and suspension system 14 to break away from easily and apace.This will allow the slider being with a pair of suspending/boots strap-on structure with several the sled body to be travelled, and each is optimized to the sled body for different condition.

Main spring 22 can comprise quick variation characteristic, allows its interchangeable main spring with different preloads and/or coefficient of elasticity of exchange easily.

Usually be in stay 28A, the 28B (Fig. 1) of pure substantially tension force or pure compression state, configurable rotatablely moving, it can apply the power that also can apply tension force/compression stress up or down except giving the sledge body.This can realize by spring, torque arm and/or elastomer.And can use greater or lesser preload and coefficient of elasticity.

Figure 10,11 and 11A in another embodiment has been shown.Similar with aforementioned embodiments, the suspension system that has sled 200 comprises: sled body or skid 12, and it has the mounting bracket 13 of binding; Be fixed to the supporting construction 16 of support 13; And spring support 21 (Fig. 2,11 and 11A).With reference to Figure 10,11 and 11A, sled 200 is with the similar part of aforementioned embodiments: it comprises supporting construction 16, and it is installed to sled body 12 by pin 17 as previously mentioned.

In the alternative of the centralized positioning main spring of aforementioned embodiments and connecting rod, supporting construction 16 in this embodiment comprises spring mounting bracket 27, it is attached to two ends of supporting construction 16, allow support 27 location in the scope at supporting construction 16 two ends, vertically to regulate in a small amount by this method of attachment, for example unclamp the back by support 27 is slipped into or skids off in supporting construction 16 scopes at support mounting screw (not shown).This vertical adjustment will increase or reduce the spring force on the sled body 12 when any concrete deflection, with the variation of compensation slider's weight differential or ice-lolly spare.Replacedly, spring mounting bracket 27 can be incorporated into supporting construction 16 functionally, directly eliminates the needs (Figure 11 A) of separating member.

Figure 12 is the enlarged drawing of one of spring equipment 29, and it comprises the installation wheel hub 37A that has binding and the elastic component 39 of 37B, and this wheel hub 37A and 37B fix or be formed on each end.As shown in Figure 10-13, elastic component 39 can be leaf spring or semielliptic spring, its can by resin and fiber for example the composition of epoxy resin and glass fibre, carbon or fiber B (Kevlar) or spring temper metal make.Replacedly, elastic component 39 can be selected from this group, and this group includes but not limited to wind spring, torsion spring, elastomer, gas spring and gas shock.In addition, this elastic component can comprise damping element.Each spring equipment 29 connects supporting construction 16 and sled body 12 at its two ends, for example utilize pin 25 to be connected with 36 as shown in the figure.Therefore, the wheel hub 37A of each spring equipment 29 is connected to supporting construction 16 by pin 25, and it passes in the leaf spring mounting bracket 27 or is positioned at the hole 40 of the two ends of supporting construction 16 (Figure 11 A), and corresponding hole 41 among the wheel hub 37A.Another wheel hub 37B connects the sled bodies by pin 36, and it passes hole 43 (Figure 11,11A and 12A) in the support 21 and the respective aperture 42 (Figure 11 A, 12,12A) among the wheel hub 37B.Pin 25 and 36 can be in two ends boring and perforate to receive screw, and this screw will keep these pins or can adopt other holding device after insertion.

Sled 200 has played identical performance characteristic and the advantage of aforementioned embodiments, and this is because sled body 12 bends to arc and compressed spring equipment 29, has produced downward force by support 21 on the sled body.And, as described in Figure 10-13, when elastic component 39 is leaf spring or semielliptic spring, concrete and the new physical dimension coupling of the common dynamic feature of compression semielliptic spring or leaf spring and this structure, when compression when beginning respectively and continuing, produced uniqueness and the performance that expect of following the high immediately coefficient of elasticity " preload " behind the low-down coefficient of elasticity zone.

Figure 13 is the side view that is similar to the leaf spring equipment 29 ' shown in Figure 12, but it has the preload tensioner 47 of binding.Preload tensioner 47 in this embodiment is stainless steel cables, and when leaf spring remained on compressive state, it was attached to the end of wheel hub 37A and 37B.Preload tensioner 47 also can be the solid hopkinson bar that is attached between two wheel hub 37A and the 37B, and this connected mode is got rid of the mode that these wheel hubs move out, and does not closely move but do not limit these wheel hubs when leaf spring is subjected to additional compression power.When being in compressive state, preload tensioner 47 also can be the robust construction that directly is attached to elastic component 39, so elastic component is subjected to the restriction of the minimum arc that produced by compression stress, but its arc when further additional compression power is freely.When removing compression stress, preload tensioner 47 stops wheel hub 37A and 37B away from each other, keeps elastic element 39 to be in constant compressive state.When being similar to the sled 200 shown in Figure 10 and 11 leaf spring element 29 ' is installed in sled, sled will represent aforesaid preload feature.Pre-tensioned leaf spring equipment 29 ' will be got rid of the motion of support 21, up to surpassing pre-tensioning.More importantly, even before the sled body experiences remarkable deflection, leaf spring equipment 29 ' downward pre-tensioning all passes to sled body 12 by 21.In first/4th inches ranges of deflection, this pre-tensioning produces the downward force on the sled body usually at each support 21 place, and this power is between 7 to 25Ib..

Figure 12 A is a leaf spring equipment 29 " side view (it is also shown in Figure 11 A), it is similar to the leaf spring shown in Figure 12, but it additional has a preload tensioning screw 49.Yet in the structure shown in Figure 11 and 12, wheel hub 37B can rotate freely any angle with respect to support 21 around pin 36, this equipment 29 " screw 49 as the adjustment backstop of support 21, when elastic element 39 stretched near whole arch, it had limited the anglec of rotation of wheel hub 37B with respect to support 21.When screw 49 collision supports 21, rotatablely moving of wheel hub 37B stops, and keeps elastic component 39 and is in tensioning state.The effect of this structure is similar to the effect of the structure that has pre-tension element 47 shown in Figure 13.

The replaceable embodiment of the part design that suspends of the coefficient of elasticity that has the preload feature and reduce has been shown among Figure 19.In this embodiment, support 21 shown in Figure 11 and hole 43 are replaced by support 421, and support 421 is directly connected to elastic component 39.This remodeling has also been removed pin 35 and wheel hub 37B (Figure 12 and 19A).Support 421 is designed to firmly keep elastic component 39 at the concrete angle place with respect to sled body 12 tops, usually between 15 to 30 degree.By optimizing this angle, elastic component provides the spring performance of aforementioned all expectations, simultaneously sled body 12 self provides restriction and pre-tensioned function, has eliminated the demand to pre-tensioned cables 47 (Figure 13) or other concrete pre-tensioning or limiter assembly.

When sled deflection exceeds scheduled volume, comprise that all aforesaid suspension system embodiments of supporting construction 16 also can comprise increase coefficient of elasticity and sclerosis sled system.As shown in Figure 11 A, on the zone between each end of each mount pin 17 and supporting construction, one or more elastic force or firm element 46 are incorporated in the supporting construction 16.Described elastic force or firm element can be cemented on the threaded collar 45, and threaded collar 45 is screwed onto on the bolt 44 successively, and bolt 44 is cemented on the supporting construction 16.By swivel becket 45, the space between elastic force or firm element 46 and the sled body 12 can increase or reduce, and what deflection angle sled body 12 this will determine at contact resilient body or firm element 46.Before such contact, the longitudinal center zone of sled body 12 is pressed downward the most significantly by two pins 17, and the end of sled body unfetteredly freely is bent upwards into pure arc.After contacting like this, by being used as downward fulcrum, produce opposite curvature moment, pin 17 upwards spurs respectively, and elasticity or 46 preventions of firm element further upward deflect.After should contacting like this, the additional deflection of sled will represent the coefficient of elasticity and the whole hardening of quick increase.By this feature, sled can have the tangent bend figure, its cruise with the incision scope on relative flexible so that control easily and operate, but hardening at once when more extreme slider input is applied in.And transfer point can be adjusted by rotating ring 45 fully, and the preceding latter half of sled can be adjusted to slider's preferential selection independently.The another advantage of this device is, when having traditional boots/bundled piece/ski device, the sled body continues to keep crooked arc rather than become smooth below boots.By elastic force or firm element as fulcrum, pin 17 is pulled out in elastomer 30 scopes, sled body 12 central areas were bent downwardly when permission was bent upwards when most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody, had therefore kept the continuous arc in boots below, and this turns to for pure incision is vital.This tangent bend graphic feature in conjunction with aforementioned initial high elastic coefficient " preload " feature, produces the design that suspends of distinct three curved patterns and three stages.In addition, supporting construction can comprise more than one this elastic force or the robust equipment 46 that is positioned at supporting construction 16, in its zone between mount pin 17 and each end of supporting construction, therefore, the sled that links will represent three kinds or how different coefficient of elasticity, the progressive increase of described coefficient of elasticity when deflection increases.With initial " preload " feature of high elastic coefficient described here, the sled that is attached to this suspension system will represent four or how different suspending the stroke stage, deflection begins through maximum deflection from unloading or free arch state, particularly following the initial high coefficient of elasticity of low elasticity coefficient, then the zone of high elastic coefficient more gradually.And for these features of front and rear of sled body independently optimization separately.

All aforementioned embodiments and various suspension system have produced high expected long travel suspension feature.Traditional skis comes down to smooth when being not suitable for the landform protruded and its unloading usually, most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody does not have pressure in essence.Pressure on tip and the afterbody can not become significantly, is bent upwards camber up to most advanced and sophisticated when turning to significantly and afterbody.Therefore, if even traditional skis runs into minimum protrusion surface, for example collide peak or precipitous landform, sled all reaches 90% (Figure 20 A) with vertical possible loss that contacts of snow so, causes completely losing control.

The long travel suspension feature of above-mentioned suspension system has been kept significant pressure on most advanced and sophisticated and the afterbody, particularly, reaches 2 inches or realize by the sled body being bent to strict downward arcuate arc more.With reference to figure 20B, the sled skid with aforementioned suspension system adapts to the collision and the landform variation of convex, keeps whole length of skid and edge to contact with snow with control fully.And the landform of concavo-convex conversion is independently controlled and will adapt to most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody.When the slider is uneven, the pressure by keeping most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody with contact, tip and/or afterbody descend the situation of leaving the snow face earlier, these are grown travel suspension features and have also stoped out of control.

From complete discharge " extreme arch " the structure deflection first little increment (common 0.10 to 0.40 inch), novel geometry of this system and Machine Design have produced remarkable pressure at most advanced and sophisticated and afterbody.Therefore when the deflection first little increment, suspension system loads rapidly, represents high maximum elastance, and it is in 100 pounds of per inch or bigger rank.Afterwards, when being subjected to further deflection, suspension system is kept relative constant compression force basically, in whole the suspend stroke and the deflection of sled body, represents coefficient of elasticity very low or that reduce.During putting into practice, run through whole recreational skiing operation and the orographic condition that normally runs into, the entire longitudinal length of sled body is pressurized and keep contacting with avenging all the time.

The novel feature of another of this device has helped to stablize unbalanced slider.If slider's weight moves to the rear portion, supporting construction 16 corresponding downward pitching and upwards anterior so at the rear portion.The hub switch side that the anterior height that promotes has increased front springs 37A has produced precipitous angle between spring 29 and sled body 12.This has increased the power vertically downward that is applied to sled body tip by spring in turning to, although slider's posture backward, it helps to keep it and the actual contact of avenging with intrinsic long travel suspension, has so all kept slider's control.Do not have these features, unbalanced slider recedes causing sled anterior to point upward and lose and contacting of avenging, and causes that the slider is out of control.

Design another interchangeable embodiment and be used on the sled that has comprised bundled piece, bundled piece directly is attached to the sled body by current conventional apparatus.This embodiment adopts the basic spring assembly in the aforementioned embodiments that illustrates among Figure 11-13 and 19, still, has removed supporting construction 16 installation component relevant with all.With reference to Figure 10,11,11A, 21 and 22, spring mounting bracket 27 directly links or is attached to indirectly the toe member and the heel member of boots bundled piece now.For combining for example sled of Tyrolia ' s RAILFLEXTM harness assembly of gliding system or " track " system, support 27 can slide on existing rail set, and this rail set is the part of sled body.These supports have they are bonded to device on each bundled piece or the track matrix, so support will slide by the associating bundled piece when sled is crooked.This linking method also can be retained in support on the sled body.Hole 40 in the leaf spring mounting bracket 27 is positioned at sled body upper surface top certain height, thinks that the spring action produces correct geometry, the feature that this causes aforementioned preload and reduces coefficient of elasticity.Spring mounting bracket 27 can be located immediately at each bundled piece (Figure 21 A) next door or leave each bundled piece specific range (Figure 21 B) by the employing connecting rod.In addition, mounting bracket 27 can be configured on the part of boots binding equipment hole 40 is set, to realize supporting the geometry of specific suspension system feature.

Do not comprise that for those sled bodies 12 application of new rail mounted system, mounting bracket 27 can directly be attached on the sled body 12 on the bundled piece or shown in Figure 21 A.For example, this mounting bracket 27 can comprise the plate that fits in boots bundled piece below, therefore by be sandwiched in carry out between boots bundled piece and the sled body fixed.This plate can comprise that a plurality of holes pass and positively remain in the support to allow boots bundled piece mounting screw.

Figure 22 A has illustrated leaf spring equipment and relevant installation hardware with B.One end of leaf spring is adaptive with installation wheel hub 37, and the other end has the device that is attached on the mounting bracket 421.Support 421 be designed to keep elastic component 39 with respect to the top of sled body 12 at the special angle place, usually between 15 to 30 degree.By optimized angle, elastic component offers the pre-tensioning function of sled body with the downward preload force of characteristic, the coefficient of elasticity feature that reduces and restriction arch degree.

Mounting bracket 421 can be installed on the sled body 12 with one or more screws, industry adhesive, and perhaps it can be integrally formed in the sled body 12.

Replacedly, the leaf spring equipment that illustrates among Figure 12 A can as shown in Figure 21 A, B and 22A, the B constitute, wherein mounting bracket 21 replaces supports 421.

Replacedly, mounting bracket 21 can be placed on the sled body, when sled deflection along sled body art skating longitudinally, and this system can comprise the vertical maintenance track in the support 21, this track cooperates align structures 51, keeping and to keep the lateral alignment of support 21 when it vertically slides, described align structures 51 can be fixed or be combined in the sled body.In the latter's situation, non-resilient tension element 48 generally should be included between support 21 and each bundled piece or the spring mounting bracket 27, is in compact model so that keep leaf spring.Tension element 48 can be simply as the stainless steel cable and comprise the device of adjustable-length, so that adjust the compression degree of arch degree and/or elastic component 39.

Interchangeable a kind of embodiment has been described among Figure 23, has wherein replaced elastic component 39, and replaced tension element 48 by tensioning spring 54 by firm substantially connecting rod 53.Tensioning spring 54 preferably represents very high elasticity tension and low coefficient of elasticity when being installed to here.Track 51 should have the device of limit bracket 21 lengthwise movement scopes, to keep the specific degree of arch.This action limiting device can be adjusted so that change the degree of arch.In this structure, tensioning spring has produced downward power by firm substantially connecting rod 53 around the turning moment of pin 25 on sled body 12.

In addition, this embodiment can be attached in the embodiment that illustrates among Figure 11 A.As described in Figure 24, spring equipment 29 " replace by firm connecting rod equipment 55, wherein firm substantially connecting rod 53 replaces elastic component 39.When sled tilts, mounting bracket 21 freely vertically slides along the sled body, and can comprise the vertical maintenance track that cooperates with align structures 51, keeping and to keep the lateral alignment of support 21 when its longitudinal sliding motion, described align structures 51 can be fixed or be attached in the sled body.Tensioning spring 54 is arranged in supporting construction 16, and these supporting construction 16 1 ends are attached on the support 57, and this support 57 is attached on the supporting construction 16.The tensioning spring other end is connected on the sliding support 21 by cable or firm connecting rod 56.Tensioning spring 54 preferably shows very high spring tension and low coefficient of elasticity when being installed to here.Track 51 should have the device of limit bracket 21 lengthwise movement scopes, to keep the specific degrees of arch.This action limiting device can be adjusted so that change the degree of arch.Tensioning spring 54 for example can be the spring of wind spring, torsion spring, gas spring, elastomer, gas shock or other type.In addition, this tensioning spring can comprise damping element and can be compression pattern with modification connecting rod assembly, to produce the tensile property that needs.The spring assembly that this tensioning spring is also single perhaps compresses or tensioning, and the tensioning function of spring 54 promptly is provided by suitable connecting rod.In addition, spring mounting bracket 57 is attached to supporting construction adjustably to allow height and lengthwise movement, provides like this in the distortion of part geometry and characteristic aspect that suspends.

Mounting bracket 421 or 21 and support 27 in axis hole 40 between relative distance and angle and installing hole 40 apart from the height distance of sled body 12 and each bundled piece, determined the performance characteristic of suspension system about preload, arch and coefficient of elasticity.All these parameters can be by providing simple mechanism optimization and adjusting, to adjust and to change these geometrical relationships.

Replacedly, these embodiments any other spring and support unit of illustrating and describe before can comprising.

Therefore, other embodiment is included in following claims scope.

Claims (50)

1, a kind of suspension system that is used for sled comprises:

The spring-like element; With

Supporting construction is configured to a end with the spring-like element and is attached to half of central authorities that the sled body vertically slides length;

The spring-like element be configured to make the spring-like element the opposite end the sled body vertically slide length the most preceding or last 1/5th on contact point place contact sled body, and apply downward power at described contact point, so that the free arch degree of sled increases with respect to the free naturally arch degree of the sled body that does not link described suspension system.

2, suspension system as claimed in claim 1 comprises at least two spring-like elements; With

Supporting construction is attached to half of central authorities that the sled body vertically slides length with an end of each spring-like element;

Wherein, the opposite end of spring-like element the sled body vertically slide length the most preceding or last 1/5th on contact point place contact sled body, and each applies downward power at contact point separately, so that the free arch degree of sled body increases with respect to the free naturally arch degree of the sled body that does not link described suspension system.

3, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, with respect to the free naturally arch of the sled body that does not link described suspension system, described suspension system has increased the free arch at least 1/4 of the sled body that has linked suspension system ".

4, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, with respect to the free naturally arch of the sled body that does not link described suspension system, described suspension system has increased the free arch at least 1/2 of the sled body that has linked suspension system ".

5, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, with respect to the free naturally arch of the sled body that does not connect described suspension system, described suspension system has increased the free arch at least 3/4 of the sled body that has linked suspension system ".

6, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, with respect to the free naturally arch of the sled body that does not link described suspension system, described suspension system has increased at least 1 inch of the free arch of the sled body that has linked suspension system.

7, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the sled body vertically slide length preceding and back 1/5th on described contact point and the downward force of application, be vertically sliding on the preceding and the most last sixth of length at the sled body.

8, as claim 7 suspension system, wherein, vertically slide the described contact point on the preceding and back sixth of length and the downward force of application at the sled body, be the sled body vertically slide length preceding and the most last 1/7th on.

9, as claim 8 suspension system, wherein, the sled body vertically slide length preceding and back 1/7th on described contact point and the downward force of application, be the sled body vertically slide length preceding and the most last 1/8th on.

10, a kind of suspension system that is used for sled comprises:

At least two spring-like elements; With

Supporting construction is configured to a end with each spring-like element and is attached to half of central authorities that the sled body vertically slides length;

Wherein, the opposite end of spring-like element the sled body vertically slide length the most preceding or last 1/5th on contact point contact described sled body, and each applies downward power at contact point separately, so that in predetermined degree of deflection, the sled body will represent at least at least 25% coefficient of elasticity of the maximum elastance that represents less than described sled before the described predetermined degree of deflection.

11, as the suspension system of claim 10, wherein, at least 50% coefficient of elasticity of the maximum elastance that has the sledge body deflection predetermined extent place of sled body, sled body will represent at least to represent in binding less than described sled body before the described predetermined degree of deflection.

12, as the suspension system of claim 1 or 10, wherein, described supporting construction comprises the element of the boots binding equipment that is attached on the sled body.

13, as the suspension system of claim 1 or 10, wherein, described supporting construction comprises that the boots of the one of sled body bundlees the element of connected device.

14, as the suspension system of claim 2 or 10, wherein, at least two spring-like elements are attached to half of the central authorities of vertically sliding length of sled body by supporting construction, this supporting construction be attached to the sled body the central authorities of vertically sliding length 1/3rd.

15, as the suspension system of claim 14, further comprise installation system, it is attached to the sled body with described supporting construction in one way, and this mode is got rid of sideslip and the rolling movement between supporting construction and the sled body basically.

16, as the suspension system of claim 15, wherein, described installation system comprises and is configured to allow along vertical and longitudinal direction and around the element of the elastic movement of pitch axis between supporting construction and sled body.

17,, further comprise the boots bundled piece that carries by supporting construction as the suspension system of claim 16.

18, as the suspension system of claim 17, wherein, described supporting construction is attached to the sled body releasedly.

19, as the suspension system of claim 17, be included in additional spring-like in the supporting construction or firm element, it is configured to make the predetermined deflection angle place of sled body in binding, the coefficient of elasticity that the coefficient of elasticity that described sled body represents when further deflection directly represents before greater than described predetermined deflection state.

20, as the suspension system of claim 19, wherein, described predetermined deflection state is adjustable.

21, as the suspension system of claim 20, wherein, described adjustment can impose on vertical first half of linking the sled body that it is arranged and vertically latter half of independently.

22, as the suspension system of claim 20, further comprise the mechanism that changes the upright position of described spring-like element or firm element with respect to described supporting construction, therefore described adjustment is provided.

23, as the suspension system of claim 14, its be configured to make the motion backward of slider's center of gravity increase front spring linear element by suspension system be applied to the sled body the first five/downward pressure at a place, and travelling forward of slider's center of gravity increases the downward pressure that rear spring linear element by suspension system is applied to 1/5th places behind the sled body.

24, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, described suspension system is configured to offer and links the coefficient of elasticity that the sled body is arranged, and this coefficient of elasticity reduces when normal unloaded state or predetermined deflection state bend to bigger deflection state at the sled body.

25, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, it is configured to make at the predetermined degree of deflection place of the sled body that connects, at least 25% of the maximum elastance that the coefficient of elasticity that the sled body represents will be represented by the sled body less than littler degree of deflection place.

26, suspension system as claimed in claim 2, it is configured to make at the predetermined degree of deflection place of the sled body that connects, at least 50% of the maximum elastance that the coefficient of elasticity that the sled body represents will be represented by the sled body less than littler degree of deflection place.

27, as the suspension system of claim 1 or 10, wherein, described spring-like element comprises and is selected from one group spring that this group comprises semielliptic spring, leaf spring, wind spring, torsion spring, torque rod, gas spring, gas shock and elastomer.

28, as the suspension system of claim 2 or 10, it is configured to make that for 0.25 inch of sled body deflection, it need apply 15 pounds or bigger power.

29, as the suspension system of claim 28, it is configured to make that for 0.25 inch of sled body deflection, it need apply 20 pounds or bigger power.

30, as the suspension system of claim 2 or 10, it is configured to make that for 1/8 inch of sled body deflection, it need apply 12 pounds or bigger power.

31, as the suspension system of claim 2 or 10, wherein, described sled body represents maximum coefficient of elasticity during first 0.5 inch of deflection, and this maximum elastance is 150% of the average elasticity coefficient that represents during subsequently 0.75 inch of the deflection at least.

32, a kind of suspension system that is used for sled comprises:

At least two confinement elements;

Be attached to the end that the sled body vertically slides first confinement element of preceding 1/4th of length; Be attached to the end that the sled body vertically slides second confinement element of back 1/4th of length; With

At least one supporting construction, its opposite end with described first and second confinement elements is attached to half of central authorities that described sled body vertically slides length, and wherein the confinement element sled body that will connect their unloading bends to the littler free arch degree of free arch that will represent than the sled body that does not link suspension system.

33, as the suspension system of claim 32, wherein, at predetermined degree of deflection place, the sled body that is connected with suspension system will represent at least 25% coefficient of elasticity less than the maximum elastance that was represented by described sled body before described predetermined degree of deflection.

34, as the suspension system of claim 32, wherein, described supporting construction be attached to the sled body vertically slide length central authorities 1/3rd.

35, as the suspension system of claim 34, further comprise installation system, it is attached to supporting construction the sled body in one way, and this mode is got rid of sideslip and the rolling movement between supporting construction and the sled body basically.

36, as the suspension system of claim 35, wherein, described installation system comprises and is configured to allow along vertical and longitudinal direction and around the element of the elastic movement of pitch axis between supporting construction and sled body.

37,, further comprise the boots bundled piece that supporting construction is carried as the suspension system of claim 33.

38, as the suspension system of claim 32, wherein, described supporting construction is attached to the sled body releasedly.

39, as the suspension system of claim 32, further be included in the one or more spring-like elements in the supporting construction, it is configured to make the predetermined deflection angle place of the sled body of suspension system in binding, further deflection causes the sled body to represent coefficient of elasticity greater than the coefficient of elasticity that directly represents before the described predetermined deflection state.

40, as the suspension system of claim 39, wherein, described predetermined deflection state is adjustable.

41, as the suspension system of claim 40, wherein, described adjustment can impose on vertical first half of sled body and vertically latter half of independently.

42, as the suspension system of claim 32, further comprise adjusting device, its degree that is configured to allow to retrain arch can be adjusted, and therefore also adjustment is connected with the sled body tip of suspension system and the preload pressure of afterbody.

43, as the suspension system of claim 32, wherein, described supporting construction comprises the element of the boots binding equipment that is attached to the sled body.

44, as the suspension system of claim 2 or 10, wherein, described suspension system is configured in order to make the sledge body inch provide 20% resistance that must overcome from zero deflection to 0.25 at least, and remaining resistance is provided by the sled body.

45, as the suspension system of claim 44, wherein, described suspension system is configured in order to make the sled body inch provide 50% resistance that must overcome from zero deflection to 0.25 at least, and remaining resistance is provided by the sled body.

46, as the suspension system of claim 44, wherein, described suspension system is configured in order to make the sledge body inch provide 100% resistance that must overcome from zero deflection to 0.25 at least.

47, as the suspension system of claim 2 or 10, wherein, described suspension system is configured to make and need applies downward force greater than 15 pounds in the vertical centre of sled body, when being placed on the flat horizontal face pressurized not with box lunch from 0.3 inch in the central authorities of the shape deflection sled body of sled body.

48, as the suspension system of claim 47, wherein, described suspension system is configured to make and need applies downward force greater than 20 pounds in the vertical centre of sled body, the sled body flattened become vertical conllinear shape so that overcome hard flat surfaces.

49, a kind of suspension system that is used for sled comprises:

Supporting construction, with its central authorities vertical 1/3rd who is attached to the sled body, this installation system is got rid of sideslip and the rolling movement between supporting construction and the sled body basically by installation system;

Wherein, described installation system comprises and is configured to allow along vertical and longitudinal direction and around the element of the elastic movement of pitch axis between supporting construction and sled body.

50, as the suspension system of claim 49, wherein, described supporting construction and installation system are configured to from least 2 inches arch up to just deflecting to few 2 inches from vertical smooth conllinear state, allow sled body natural torsion and are not stoped by suspension system basically.

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