GB2392846A

GB2392846A - An adapter for connecting scooter to a ski

Info

Publication number: GB2392846A
Application number: GB0221017A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip John Wright; Geoffrey Young
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-09-11
Filing date: 2002-09-11
Publication date: 2004-03-17
Also published as: GB0221017D0

Abstract

An adapter 14 can be used for connecting a scooter 10 to a ski 11 with front and rear bindings 12,13. The adapter has a body 23 with front and rear ends 24,25, a toe portion 26 which is engaged with the front end 24 of the body 23, and a heel portion 27 which is engaged with the rear end 25 of the body 23. The toe and heel portions 26,27 are adapted to engage with the front and rear bindings 12,13 of the ski 11. The toe portion 26 has a toe connector for connecting the toe portion 26 to the scooter 10 and the heel portion 27 has a heel connector for connecting the heel portion 27 to the scooter 10. Also disclosed is an assembly of the adapter, a scooter and a ski.

Description

An adapter The present invention relates particularly, though not

exclusively, to an adapter for connecting a scooter to a ski.

The skiing industry has expanded quite rapidly over recent years in particular through the influence of snow-boarding and other so-called extreme sports. There has also been a push to expand the range of sports which are available particularly to keep children occupied whilst adults ski or when the slopes have closed. As skiing or snow-boarding can be relatively difficult disciplines to master manufacturers have tended to produce devices which allow users either to sit down or to have some form of hand support which helps them to distribute their weight whilst travelling downhill.

:.: For example, there exists a device known as the Snowscoot À: which comprises a frame similar in construction to a bicycle frame. This device has two separate snow pads: a rear one which is fixed relative to the frame and a front pad which is À...

secured to a front fork and a set of handlebars. This device....

is therefore steerable with the user standing upright with their feet secured in loops on the upper surface of the rear À '.

pad. These devices are relatively expensive and bulky.

There also exists the Winter X-bike. This takes the form of a conventional mountain-bike frame or BMX frame from which the wheels have been removed. Two specially adapted skis can be secured to the forks. The X-bike is steerable and allows the user to sit down giving the feeling of simply riding a bike.

However, the specially designed skis are also relatively expensive which adds to the considerable cost of a mountain bike or BMX bicycle. This particular device requires the user to take a mountain bike or BMX and the skis to the piste. This adds substantially to the load that would have to be carried to a ski resort.

- - Moreover, scooters, in particular those known as micro-

scooters, which have until very recently been popular are now becoming somewhat less prevalent and almost obsolete. These scooters which comprise two or more wheels secured to the underside of a flat board. The board supports the user and is connected to a foldable and/or extensible handle portion which the user grips in use. Many of these micro-scooters were produced and sold over the last few years and their popularity was such that they were treated as a gadget object or "fad" by many. Nevertheless, literally millions of the scooters are in existence world wide; many of which are now no longer being used. An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cheap and compact skiing device.

e.e A further object of the present invention is to provide a À suitable alternative use for micro-scooters.

À:e À Àe The present invention seeks to meet some or all of the objects À. :..

stated above.....

:: À À According to a first aspect of the present invention there is À À.

provided an adapter for connecting a scooter to a ski, the ski having front and rear bindings, the adapter comprising: a body having front and rear ends; a toe portion engaged with the front end of the body; a heel portion engaged with the rear end of the body; the toe and heel portions being adapted to engage with the front and rear bindings respect very, wherein the toe portion compr ses a toe connector for connecting the toe portion to the scooter; and the heel portion comprises a heel connector for connecting the heel portion to the scooter.

The adapter enables scooters such as micro-scooters to be connected to a ski using conventional bindings provides a

-3 skiing device which enables travel over snow yet which is less demanding than skiing itself. This adapter opens up the uses of skis and provides a use for micro-scooters which are becoming redundant.

Preferably, at least one of the toe and heel portions comprises a ledge on an external surface for engagement with the respective binding.

Conveniently, the separation of the toe and heel portions can be varied. Varying the separation of the toe and heel portions enables the adapter to be fitted to the bindings of adult skis or childrens skis.

In preferred embodiments, at least one of the toe and heel portions is slidably engaged with the body. A.

À::: Preferably, the adapter further comprises a threaded connecting bar extending between the toe and heel portions, À À. the connecting bar being interengaged with a corresponding À...

threaded surface of at least one of the toe and heel portions....

arranged so as to vary the separation of the toe and heel portions on rotation of the connecting bar. A connecting bar À.

provides a simple means for adjusting the separation of the toe and heel portions. In preferred embodiments, the adapter further comprises a locking nut which can be used to secure the toe and/or heel portion in position on the connecting bar.

Conveniently, the connecting bar is threadingly engaged with threaded surfaces on the toe and heel portions, the threaded surfaces being of opposite handedness. Preferably, one or more locking nuts may be used to secure the toe and/or heel portion on the connecting bar.

Preferably, at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises a connector arm upstanding therefrom, the connector arm having an aperture extending between opposite faces.

In preferred embodiments, at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises parallel first and second side arms upstanding therefrom so as to define a U-shaped recess for receiving a portion of the scooter, each of the arms having an aperture extending between opposite faces, the apertures being coaxial. Provision of a u-shaped recess to receive a portion of the scooter provides for more stable attachment of the scooter to the adapter and hence to the ski.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly comprising: a scooter having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel located at separate ends of a scooter body; a ski having a front binding and a rear binding; an adapter for connecting a scooter to the ski, the adapter comprising....: a body portion having front and rear ends; À a toe portion engaged with the front end of the body; À: a heel portion engaged with the rear end of the.

body;.... the toe and heel portions adapted to engage the front and rear bindings respectively; À À.

wherein the toe portion comprises a toe connector which connects the toe portion to the scooter; and the heel portion comprises a heel connector which connects the heel portion to the scooter.

The assembly expands the uses of skis which are relatively expensive and provides a skiing device which is cheap and compact. The assembly also includes micro-scooters which until recently have been very popular but are becoming increasingly obsolete. Preferably, at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises a connector arm upstanding therefrom, the connector

- s - arm having an aperture extending between opposite faces of the arm. In preferred embodiments, at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises parallel first and second side arms upstanding therefrom so as to define a U-shaped recess for receiving a portion of the scooter, each of the arms having an aperture extending between opposite faces, the apertures being coaxial. Conveniently, the assembly further comprises one or more connecting apertures in the scooter body, the or each connecting aperture being aligned with the or each aperture on the toe or heel portions, the assembly further comprising a threaded member inserted through the aligned apertures to secure the adapter to the scooter.

Provision of simple apertures on the toe or heel portions and in the scooter body allow the scooter to be readily connected..

together using a threaded member such as a nut and bolt. À.

Preferably, the assembly further comprises a support block, the support block having a support surface which rests on an upper surface of the ski and at least one support arm upstanding therefrom, the support arm having a support aperture extending between opposite faces of the support arm.

The support block provides further stability for the assembly acting as a spacer between the ski and scooter body.

In preferred embodiments, the assembly further comprises a support block, the support block having a surface which rests on the upper surface of the ski and comprising parallel first and second side support arms upstanding therefrom so as to define a U-shaped recess which receives a portion of the scooter, each of the support arms having a support aperture

- - extending between opposite faces, the support apertures being coaxial. A support block having a u-shaped recess reduces the risk that the scooter will slip laterally with respect to the ski. The support block provides further engagement with the scooter body thereby enhancing the stability of the overall assembly.

Conveniently, the scooter comprises a scooter body aperture which is aligned with a support aperture, such that a threaded member is inserted through the aligned apertures to secure the support block to the scooter.

In a preferred embodiment, a friction pad may be disposed on an upper surface of the scooter body. The fiction pad affords better grip to one or both of the feet of the user. The Àe friction pad may be integral with the upper surface of the À..

scooter body. Alternatively, the friction pad may can be.

À.e separate from the scooter body. The friction pad may be..

secured to the upper surface of the scooter body by an À..

adhesive or screws. À.

À À À À The adapter may be made from aluminium or a lightweight metal alloy. Conveniently, the adapter is made from a plastics or resin material. Making the adapter from a plastic or a resin allows the adapter to made easily in a mould. Preferably, the adapter is made from polyethylene. More preferably the adapter is made from Surlyn. Surlyn is a preferred material due to its resistance to impact and stability at low temperatures.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures in which:

Figure 1 shows an assembly according to the present invention in exploded view; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an adapter and support block according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows a side view of a further embodiment of the adapter; Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the present invention in which toe and heel portions of the adapter are connected together by a connecting bar; Figure 5 shows a connecting bar as indicated in Figure 4; Figures 6A, 6B and 6C show a heel portion, a toe portion and support block of one embodiment of the present invention; and À À Figures 7A, 7B and 7C show a heel portion, a toe portion and.

support block of another embodiment of the present invention. À..

Figure 1 shows a scooter 10, a ski 11 having conventional..

À.e front and rear bindings 12, 13 and an adapter 14 in accordance..

with the present invention. The scooter 10 has a scooter body 15, a front wheel 16 rotatably secured to a front fork 17 and a pair of rear forks 18 from which the rear wheel (not shown) has been removed exposing rear wheel bearings 19. The scooter body 15 has an aperture 20 towards the rear and a scooter body aperture 21 towards the front.

Figure 2 shows the adapter 14 and support block 22 of Figure 1 in greater detail. The adapter 14 has a body 23 having front and rear ends 24,25. The front and rear ends 24,25 have respective toe and heel portions 26, 21 which are adapted to engage with the front and rear bindings 12, 13 respectively of the ski 11. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 the toe and heel portions 26,27 each include a ledge 28,29 which can engage the front and rear bindings 12,13 of the ski 11.

- - In the embodiment in Figures 1 and 2 the upper part of the toe portion 26 has a pair of parallel side arms 30 which define a u-shaped channel 31 which can receive a portion of the scooter 10. The side arms 30 each have a coaxial aperture 31. The side apertures 31 can be brought into alignment with the aperture 20 towards the rear of the scooter body 10 and a threaded member 32 inserted therethrough to secure the adapter 14 to the scooter 10. Similarly, the heel portion 27 has an upstanding connector arm 33 provided with an aperture 34. The connector arm aperture 34 can be brought into alignment with a connector aperture on the scooter body, in the example shown the rear wheel bearings 19 provide the connector aperture and a further threaded member 35 inserted therethrough to further secure the adapter 14 to the scooter 10.

The support block 22 may be positioned forward of the adapter 14 between the ski 11 and the scooter body 15. The support.

block 22 has a base or support surface 36 which rests on the ski 11 and a pair of upstanding support arms 37 each having a..

support aperture 38 which are coaxial. The support apertures À..

38 can be brought into alignment with the scooter body..

aperture 19 towards the front of the scooter 10 and another threaded member 39 inserted therethrough to secure the support block 22 to the scooter 10.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 the body 23 takes the form of a u-shaped channel member having two pairs of parallel elongate slots 40. In this embodiment, the toe and heel portions 26, 27 sit inside the channel member and are provided with adjustment apertures (not shown). This allows the toe and heel portions 26,27 to be moved relative to the channel member and relative to each other. The toe and heel portions 26, 27 can be secured at the desired separation by a pair of adjusting bolts 41.

In a further embodiment shown in Figure 3 the body 23 takes the form of a u-shaped channel member having two pairs of

- - parallel elongate slots 42. The toe and/or heel portions have recesses A,B into which the body 23 can be slid. The toe and heel portions 26, 7 can then be secured at the desired separation by a pair of adjusting bolts 41. In an embodiment (not shown) the body 23 may be a solid member having two elongate slots cut out of it.

In another embodiment shown in Figure 4 the toe and heel portions have recessed threaded surfaces 43 which can threadingly engage opposite ends 44, 45 of a connecting bar 46. In this embodiment, the connecting bar 46, shown in detail in Figure 5, has threads of different handedness 47,48 on opposite ends. A gripping portion 49 is provided near the centre of the connecting bar 46 to enable it to be screwed into and out of the threaded surfaces 43 more easily..

:. Figures 6A, 6B and 6C show a heel portion 27, a toe portion 26 À and support block 22 for use with a type of scooter known as a "Microscooter". In this particular embodiment the toe portion..

26 and support block 22 have respective threaded holes 50, 51 À.

on an upper surface to enable securement to the scooter 10,'' through an upper surface of the scooter body 15. Moreover, the À.

connector arm 31 comprises a single upstanding block as does the support arm 37 on the support block 22.

Figures 7A, 7B and 7C show a heel portion 27, a toe portion 26 and support block 22 for use with a type of scooter known as a "Quick-step". The means by which the adapter 14 and support block 22 of this embodiment are secured to the scooter 10 are similar to that described above for the embodiment in Figures 1 and 2.

In alternative embodiments (not shown), an upper portion of the scooter body 15 may be provided with a friction pad (not shown)on which the user can rest one or both of their feet.

The friction pad offers a better grip to the feet of the user.

Claims

- to Claims:

1. An adapter for connecting a scooter to a ski, the ski having front and rear bindings, the adapter comprising: a body having front and rear ends; a toe portion engaged with the front end of the body; a heel portion engaged with the rear end of the body; the toe and heel portions being adapted to engage with the front and rear bindings respectively, wherein the toe portion comprises a toe connector for connecting the toe portion to the scooter; and the heel portion comprises a heel connector for connecting the heel portion to the scooter.

2. An adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of.

the toe and heel portions comprises a ledge on an external, surface for engagement with the respective binding.

3. An adapter as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the.,, separation of the toe and heel portions can be varied.,

4. An adapter as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least one of the toe and heel portions is slidably engaged with the body.

5. An adapter as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a threaded connecting bar extending between the toe and heel portions, the connecting bar being interengaged with a corresponding threaded surface of at least one of the toe and heel portions arranged so as to vary the separation of the toe and heel portions on rotation of the connecting bar.

6. An adapter as claimed in claim 5, wherein the connecting bar is threadingly engaged with threaded Surfaces on the toe and heel portions, the threaded surfaces being of opposite handedness.

-

7. An adapter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises a connector arm upstanding therefrom, the connector arm having an aperture extending between opposite faces.

8. An adapter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises parallel first and second side arms upstanding therefrom so as to define a U-shaped recess for receiving a portion of the scooter, each of the arms having an aperture extending between opposite faces, the apertures being coaxial.

9. An assembly comprising: a scooter having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel located at separate ends of a scooter body; a ski having a front binding and a rear binding; an adapter for connecting a scooter to the ski, the adapter comprising: a body portion having front and rear ends;.:.

a toe portion engaged with the front end of the..

body; a heel portion engaged with the rear end of the À.^ body; À Àe the toe and heel portions adapted to engage the front and À.. rear bindings respectively; À.

À. wherein the toe portion comprises a toe connector which À.

connects the toe portion to the scooter; and the heel portion comprises a heel connector which connects the heel portion to the scooter.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises a connector arm upstanding therefrom, the connector arm having an aperture extending between opposite faces of the arm.

11. An assembly as claimed in claims 9 or 10, wherein at least one of the toe and heel connectors comprises parallel first

- - and second side arms upstanding therefrom so as to define a U-

shaped recess for receiving a portion of the scooter, each of the arms having an aperture extending between opposite faces, the apertures being coaxial.

12. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 10 to 11 further comprising one or more connecting apertures in the scooter body, the or each connecting aperture being aligned with the or each aperture on the toe or heel portions, the assembly further comprising a threaded member inserted through the aligned apertures to secure the adapter to the scooter.

13. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 9 to 12 further comprising a support block, the support block having a support surface which rests on an upper surface of the ski and at least one support arm upstanding therefrom, the support arm having a support aperture extending between opposite faces of the support arm.

À e

14. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13 further..

comprising a support block, the support block having a surface which rests on the upper surface of the ski and comprising À.

parallel first and second side support arms upstanding:.

therefrom so as to define a U-shaped recess which receives a portion of the scooter, each of the support arms having a À support aperture extending between opposite faces, the support À À.

apertures being coaxial.

15. An assembly as claimed in either of claims 13 or 14 wherein the scooter comprises a scooter body aperture which is aligned with a support aperture, such that a threaded member is inserted through the aligned apertures to secure the support block to the scooter.

16. An adapter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

-13

17. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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