EP0114861B1 - Self-sustaining water ski - Google Patents

Self-sustaining water ski Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0114861B1
EP0114861B1 EP83902452A EP83902452A EP0114861B1 EP 0114861 B1 EP0114861 B1 EP 0114861B1 EP 83902452 A EP83902452 A EP 83902452A EP 83902452 A EP83902452 A EP 83902452A EP 0114861 B1 EP0114861 B1 EP 0114861B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
float
bottom portion
receiving chamber
foot receiving
water ski
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP83902452A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0114861A1 (en
Inventor
Hendrik Lenten
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from NL8203090A external-priority patent/NL8203090A/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to AT83902452T priority Critical patent/ATE32832T1/en
Publication of EP0114861A1 publication Critical patent/EP0114861A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0114861B1 publication Critical patent/EP0114861B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B34/00—Vessels specially adapted for water sports or leisure; Body-supporting devices specially adapted for water sports or leisure
    • B63B34/50—Body-supporting buoyant devices, e.g. bathing boats or water cycles
    • B63B34/56—Body-supporting buoyant devices, e.g. bathing boats or water cycles for use in a standing position, e.g. water shoes, water walking devices or buoyant skis

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a self-supporting water ski, comprising an inflatable generally cigar-shaped float of flexible sheet material enclosing a single air chamber, the air chamber surrounding a foot receiving chamber which is accessible from the upper side of the float and has flexible walls and a flexible bottom portion as well as a flange surrounding the access opening and being connected to an upper portion of the float; the flexible walls of the foot receiving chamber in the inflated condition of the float bulging inward to hold the ankle of a user, the water ski further comprising a footboard.
  • Such a water ski is known from GB-A-1044899.
  • the known water ski has a footboard extending under and beyond the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber and lying on the bottom sheet of the inflatable float.
  • This footboard therefore is sandwiched partly between the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber and the bottom sheet of the float, and simultaneously acts as a kind of stiffening member, though both ends of the footboard are pivotally connected to the middle part of the footboard.
  • the footboard of the known water ski cannot be easily bonded in a reliable manner to the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber nor to the bottom sheet of the float.
  • the known footboard does not provide for any protection of the bottom sheet of the float.
  • the present invention has as an object to provide an improved self-supporting water ski, wherein the drawbacks of the known water ski have been avoided, and more generally envisions a safe and reliable self-supporting water ski of a relatively simple construction.
  • a self-supporting water ski of the type described above is characterized in that the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber at least around its circumference is connected directly to the inside surface of a bottom portion of the float; that the footboard is placed on the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber and has substantially the same dimensions as the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber; and that on the underside of the float at least two parallel stiffening members extending in the longitudinal direction of the float are connected to the float by means of eyes affixed at the exterior to the bottom portion of the float, the distance between the at least two stiffening members being such thatthe weight of the user via the footboard is transmitted to the at least two stiffening members.
  • the self-supporting water ski is further characterized in that the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber is formed by an inwardly extending flange connected to the inside surface of the bottom portion of the float.
  • the self-supporting water ski is further characterized in thatthe longitudinal sidewalls of the foot receiving chamber in the inflated condition of the float abut each other over a substantial portion of the height of said walls.
  • a self-supporting water ski which does have on its underside longitudinal stiffening members.
  • this known water ski comprises separate front and rear floats, between which a foot entry space is formed having vertical walls extending a considerable distance above the upper level of the air chambers.
  • this known water ski is of a rather different type.
  • stiffening members connecting and keeping in line the floats are also needed at the top surface of the water ski.
  • the footboard of this known water ski is slidably carried by the bottom stiffening members and therefore in use could glide fore and aft, which is rather impractical.
  • the drawing shows a self-supporting water ski comprising an inflatable float 3 having an incorporated foot receiving chamber 6, which is accessible from the top of the float.
  • the foot receiving chamber has flexible walls 2, which along the top edge portion thereof are fixedly connected all around to the upper part of the float.
  • the foot receiving chamber further has a bottom portion which is bonded to the bottom of the float.
  • the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber is entirely closed.
  • the walls of the foot receiving chamber are surrounded by the single air chamber of the float and therefore in the inflated condition of the float will bulge inwardly so that the foot and ankle of the user are firmly retained in place, but on the other hand can be easily withdrawn.
  • the walls of the foot receiving chamber in the inflated condition of the float are in longitudinal abutment against each other over a substantial portion of their height, while receding relatively to each other towards the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber.
  • the foot and ankle of the user will be entirely surrounded and gripped by the walls of the foot receiving chamber.
  • a footboard (1) is placed in the foot receiving chamber on the bottom thereof.
  • the stiffening members may have the form of rods, sticks, tubes or laths. Two or more stiffening members may be used.
  • the stiffening members are tubes, which are inserted through eyes 5 affixed to the exterior of the bottom portion of the float.
  • the eyes 5 as well as the rest of the float preferably are made of synthetic plastics material.
  • the tubes 4 may be thin-walled aluminum tubes sealed at both ends with a cap.
  • the location of the eyes 5, and therefore of the stiffening members 4, is chosen in such manner, that the weight of the user will be directly transferred onto the stiffening members via the footboard 1.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Road Paving Structures (AREA)
  • Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
  • Control Of Motors That Do Not Use Commutators (AREA)
  • Diaphragms For Electromechanical Transducers (AREA)
  • Preparation Of Compounds By Using Micro-Organisms (AREA)

Abstract

A self-sustaining water ski, comprising an inflatable float (3) provided with an incorporated foot entry space (6) and with rods, sticks, tubes or laths (4) which are connected as stiffening members in longitudinal direction to the exterior of the bottom portion of the float (3), said foot entry space (6) being formed as a chamber of flexible material accessible from the top of the float (3), the longitudinal walls (2) of said chamber, in operative condition of the float, being in abutting relationship against each other over a substantial portion of the height thereof, but receding relatively to each other towards the bottom portion of the float (3), while the stiffening members (4) in the form of rods, sticks, tubes or laths are attached to the bottom portion of the float by means of eyes (5) affixed at the exterior to said bottom portion of the float (3).

Description

  • The invention relates to a self-supporting water ski, comprising an inflatable generally cigar-shaped float of flexible sheet material enclosing a single air chamber, the air chamber surrounding a foot receiving chamber which is accessible from the upper side of the float and has flexible walls and a flexible bottom portion as well as a flange surrounding the access opening and being connected to an upper portion of the float; the flexible walls of the foot receiving chamber in the inflated condition of the float bulging inward to hold the ankle of a user, the water ski further comprising a footboard.
  • Such a water ski is known from GB-A-1044899. The known water ski has a footboard extending under and beyond the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber and lying on the bottom sheet of the inflatable float. This footboard therefore is sandwiched partly between the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber and the bottom sheet of the float, and simultaneously acts as a kind of stiffening member, though both ends of the footboard are pivotally connected to the middle part of the footboard. Because of its location the footboard of the known water ski cannot be easily bonded in a reliable manner to the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber nor to the bottom sheet of the float. Also the known footboard does not provide for any protection of the bottom sheet of the float.
  • The present invention has as an object to provide an improved self-supporting water ski, wherein the drawbacks of the known water ski have been avoided, and more generally envisions a safe and reliable self-supporting water ski of a relatively simple construction.
  • Therefore, according to the present invention a self-supporting water ski of the type described above is characterized in that the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber at least around its circumference is connected directly to the inside surface of a bottom portion of the float; that the footboard is placed on the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber and has substantially the same dimensions as the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber; and that on the underside of the float at least two parallel stiffening members extending in the longitudinal direction of the float are connected to the float by means of eyes affixed at the exterior to the bottom portion of the float, the distance between the at least two stiffening members being such thatthe weight of the user via the footboard is transmitted to the at least two stiffening members.
  • In one embodiment of the present invention the self-supporting water ski is further characterized in that the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber is formed by an inwardly extending flange connected to the inside surface of the bottom portion of the float.
  • In a further embodiment of the present invention the self-supporting water ski is further characterized in thatthe longitudinal sidewalls of the foot receiving chamber in the inflated condition of the float abut each other over a substantial portion of the height of said walls.
  • It is observed that in FR-A-996251 a self-supporting water ski is disclosed which does have on its underside longitudinal stiffening members. However this known water ski comprises separate front and rear floats, between which a foot entry space is formed having vertical walls extending a considerable distance above the upper level of the air chambers. Thus this known water ski is of a rather different type. Also, because of the separate floats, stiffening members connecting and keeping in line the floats, are also needed at the top surface of the water ski. The footboard of this known water ski is slidably carried by the bottom stiffening members and therefore in use could glide fore and aft, which is rather impractical.
  • The invention will now further be explained with reference to the accompanying drawing of one embodiment of the invention.
    • Fig. 1 is a top view of a self-supporting water ski having a foot entry space according to the invention;
    • Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the self-supporting water ski; and
    • Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line III-III of Fig. 2.
  • The drawing shows a self-supporting water ski comprising an inflatable float 3 having an incorporated foot receiving chamber 6, which is accessible from the top of the float. The foot receiving chamber has flexible walls 2, which along the top edge portion thereof are fixedly connected all around to the upper part of the float. The foot receiving chamber further has a bottom portion which is bonded to the bottom of the float.
  • In the shown embodiment the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber is entirely closed.
  • However, it is also possible to omit the central portion of said bottom, reckoned from a given distance to the two sides. Care should be taken then that the distance to the two sides is sufficient to guarantee a proper attachment, e.g. by glueing, of the foot receiving chamber to the bottom portion of the float.
  • As may be seen from the drawings the walls of the foot receiving chamber are surrounded by the single air chamber of the float and therefore in the inflated condition of the float will bulge inwardly so that the foot and ankle of the user are firmly retained in place, but on the other hand can be easily withdrawn.
  • In the shown embodiment the walls of the foot receiving chamber in the inflated condition of the float are in longitudinal abutment against each other over a substantial portion of their height, while receding relatively to each other towards the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber. Thus in use the foot and ankle of the user will be entirely surrounded and gripped by the walls of the foot receiving chamber.
  • As shown in Fig. 3 a footboard (1) is placed in the foot receiving chamber on the bottom thereof.
  • At the underside of the float stiffening members (4), extending in the longitudinal direction of the float, have been provided. The stiffening members may have the form of rods, sticks, tubes or laths. Two or more stiffening members may be used. In the shown embodiment the stiffening members are tubes, which are inserted through eyes 5 affixed to the exterior of the bottom portion of the float. The eyes 5 as well as the rest of the float preferably are made of synthetic plastics material.
  • The tubes 4 may be thin-walled aluminum tubes sealed at both ends with a cap.
  • The location of the eyes 5, and therefore of the stiffening members 4, is chosen in such manner, that the weight of the user will be directly transferred onto the stiffening members via the footboard 1.
  • The substantial advantage of this attachment construction according to the invention is that now there is obtained not only a proper stiffening in longitudinal direction of the float, but also damage to the bottom of the float is avoided. In this manner, the risk of leakage is minimized. True, the stiffening members and the synthetic plastics eyes may be damaged when the skier walks over land or touches the ground in skiing over the water, but these parts are much less vulnerable than the inflatable float body.

Claims (3)

1. A self-supporting water ski, comprising an inflatable generally cigar-shaped float (3) of flexible sheet material enclosing a single air chamber, the air chamber surrounding a foot receiving chamber (6) which is accessible from the upper side of the float and has flexible walls (2) and a flexible bottom portion as well as a flange surrounding the access opening and being connected to an upper portion of the float; the flexible walls (2) of the foot receiving chamber (6) in the inflated condition of the float bulging inward to hold the ankle of a user, the water ski further comprising a footboard (1), characterized in that the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber (6) at least around its circumference is connected directly to the inside surface of a bottom portion of the float (3); that the footboard (1) is placed on the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber (6) and has substantially the same dimensions as the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber (6); and that on the underside of the float (3) at least two parallel stiffening members (4) extending in the longitudinal direction of the float (3) are connected to the float (3) by means of eyes (5) affixed at the exterior to the bottom portion of the float, the distance between the at least two stiffening members (4) being such that the weight of the user via the footboard (1) is transmitted to the at least two stiffening members (4).
2. A self-supporting water ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom portion of the foot receiving chamber (6) is formed by an inwardly extending flange connected to the inside surface of the bottom portion of the float (3).
3. A self-supporting water ski according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the longitudinal side walls (2) of the foot receiving chamber (6) in the inflated condition of the float (3) abut each other over a substantial portion of the height of said walls.
EP83902452A 1982-08-03 1983-08-02 Self-sustaining water ski Expired EP0114861B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT83902452T ATE32832T1 (en) 1982-08-03 1983-08-02 SELF-PROPELLED WATER SKI.

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL8203090 1982-08-03
NL8203090A NL8203090A (en) 1982-08-03 1982-08-03 Self-sustaining water ski - has stiffening struts secured to base and foot entry spaced formed by separable walls
NL8301233 1983-04-07
NL8301233 1983-04-07

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0114861A1 EP0114861A1 (en) 1984-08-08
EP0114861B1 true EP0114861B1 (en) 1988-03-09

Family

ID=26645795

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83902452A Expired EP0114861B1 (en) 1982-08-03 1983-08-02 Self-sustaining water ski

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0114861B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS59501577A (en)
AU (1) AU1825883A (en)
DE (1) DE3375880D1 (en)
NO (1) NO154295C (en)
NZ (1) NZ205131A (en)
WO (1) WO1984000500A1 (en)

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL8100093A (en) * 1981-01-09 1982-08-02 Lenten Hendrik Buoyant water ski has two inflatable buoyancy members - connected by rods with foot support between them having hinged plate on underside

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR996251A (en) * 1949-09-26 1951-12-17 Water skis
GB1044899A (en) * 1963-06-26 1966-10-05 Mitsui Shipbuilding Eng Shoes for walking on water
FR2481939A1 (en) * 1980-05-07 1981-11-13 Comparon Jean Floats for walking on water - consist of two separate foot sections each made of rigid framework with inflatable U=shaped floats

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL8100093A (en) * 1981-01-09 1982-08-02 Lenten Hendrik Buoyant water ski has two inflatable buoyancy members - connected by rods with foot support between them having hinged plate on underside

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO154295C (en) 1986-08-27
AU1825883A (en) 1984-02-23
JPS59501577A (en) 1984-09-06
DE3375880D1 (en) 1988-04-14
NO154295B (en) 1986-05-20
JPS6254513B2 (en) 1987-11-16
NO841306L (en) 1984-04-03
EP0114861A1 (en) 1984-08-08
NZ205131A (en) 1986-10-08
WO1984000500A1 (en) 1984-02-16

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