GB2508025A - Ski maintenance tool with two parallel grinders and a heating element - Google Patents

Abstract

A maintenance tool comprising a housing supporting at least two parallel grinders 2 mounted to define an elongate lacuna of variable width, wherein at least one of the grinders is displaceable; and a heating element arranged to heat matter (for example, wax) inserted into and contained within a compartment (5, Fig. 1) of the housing; and dispensing means 3 arranged to dispense heated matter (for example, molten wax) into the lacuna. The tool may be provided in a unitary housing and/or allow the grinders to be adjustable, so as to perform grinding at user preferred angles.

Description

MAINTENANCE TOOL

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a maintenance tool, more particularly but not exclusively a portable maintenance tool for a ski or snowboard or the like.

Background

Ski and snow boards require regular sharpening and waxing in order to achieve maximal performance on the slopes. Traditionally these processes were carried out manually wherein a user had a number of specific tools prepare their ski or board.

Although the desired effect is achieved it can be timely and labour intensive.

Electronic devices have been developed to carry out these services, however such devices are often intended for shop or manufacturer use being large, heavy and expensive therefore not always suitable for personal use and not easily ortabIe from one place to another.

Some handheld electronic devices are also available however, they can be expensive and often such devices often only carry out one role for example sharpening or waxing therefore multiple pieces of equipment are still required.

The present invention arose to overcome the problems associated with portable sharpening and waxing of ski's by providing a combined tool that carries out both services wirelessly.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: Granted European patent EP 1 708 849 (WAGNER et al) discloses a device for finishing a steel edge of a ski with at least one grinder consisting of a cup-shaped grinding wheel driven by a motor with an axis of rotation extending transversely to the feed direction with a bearing block arranged on a setting carriage which forms a pendulum axis for the grinder extending transversely to the feed direction and perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel, with a guide for the setting carriage which is held so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the feed direction in a transverse carriage which can be moved transversely to the feed direction1 and with an adjusting device for the angular position of the guide of the setting carriage, characterised in that the adjusting device for the angular position of the guide of the setting carriage comprises an adjusting drive which is adapted to be controlled with the aid of a control device in dependence upon the position of the grinding engagement in relation to the length of the ski.

Granted Finnish patent Fl 115 896 (KINNUNE et al) discloses a method for waxing a ski by using a band-like multi-layer waxing product comprising a paper-like band material layer and a waxing material layer, the waxing of the ski being performed by placing the band-like waxing product against the ski bottom so that the waxing material layer of the product lies against the ski bottom, the waxing material layer being transferred and adhered to the ski bottom by heating the waxing product and the ski bottom by means of a heat source placed against the band material layer of the waxing product, characterized in that the waxing product has a special coating layer over the paper-like band material layer and at least two waxing material layers arranged over the special coating layer; a glide waxing material layer and a basic waxing material layer, said layers containing exactly predetermined quantities of waxing material, and, after the application of heat, the band material and special coating layers are removed together by tearing them off from the waxing material layers adhering to the ski bottom.

International patent application WO 8 001 879 (THOMPSON) discloses a portable ski wax applicator which comprises: a container having heat-conductive walls defining a wax-receiving well and a removable cover rendering the container substantially splash-proof in normal use, said walls including a flat bottom wall and an end wall extending obliquely from said bottom wall and having an orifice extending therethrough, valve means extending through said orifice and projecting outwardly from said end wall, spring means resiliently urging said valve means outwardly to close said orifice, whereby pressure exerted on the outer end of said valve means serves to meter liquid wax from said well through said orifice and to the exterior of said end wall, an electrical heating element mounted on said container for heating the walls and liquefying wax contained in said well when energized, and a handle connected to said container and adapted to be grasped manually for moving the applicator along a ski surface with said end wall generally parallel to the surface while pressing the outer end of said valve means against the surface to deposit liquid wax thereon, and then for moving the appUcator along the surface with said bottom wall adjacent to and generally parallel to the surface for spreading the deposited wax on the surface.

In contrast the present invention provides a combined and portable solution to maintenance of skis and snow boards.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a maintenance tool for a ski comprising: a housing supporting at least two parallel grinders mounted to define an elongate parallel lacuna of variable width, wherein at least one of the grinders is displaceable; and a heating element arranged to heat matter inserted into and contained within a compartment of the housing; and a dispenser means arranged to dispense heated matter into the lacuna.

Preferably, wax is inserted into the compartment of the housing to be heated by the heating element More particularly the housing is unitary and supports a pair of sprung cars that in use are envisaged to hold a ski or snowboard and a pair of levers to open the cars, a pair of grinders mounted within the car to accept a drive shaft and provide rotary grinding, a drive wheel to drive or propel the ski along the tool, and a waxing system including a wax compartment, a heating element, and a dispenser including a dispensing gate and a spreader with resiliently deformable properties.

The tool accordingly provides a simultaneous means of sharpening and waxing a ski or snowboard, herein referred to as the ski having a top surface, a base, a pair of side edges and a bottom edge coplanar with the base. In preferred embodiments the tool is placed on the ski's base wherein the cars are aligned with each edge of the ski so as to perform sharpening and waxing of the ski.

Preferably both cars are mounted inline on opposite sides of the housing underside so as to be positioned either side edge of the ski. Ideally at least one of the cars is mounted on a spring within the housing wherein spring-bias positions the cars at a narrowest selling so that the cars are biased together.

Ideally wherein both cars are sprung both springs may be compressed by use of the levers, so as to spread the cars apart and enabling the housing to span the ski width.

When the levers are released the springs compress the cars so the cars clamp around the ski.

Typically opening and closing of the cars is controlled by a pair of levers or a single lever mounted on the housing upper, so that the housing may be held from above and placed over the ski when upturned.

Ideally the car clamps around or about the ski so as to hook under the ski edge, preventing the ski from dropping out in use. Preferably the car does not extend more than 5mm over the ski top surface so as not to interfere with ski brakes or bindings enabling the tool to freely travel the ski length.

Tpiällthe cars may be atleast O7iñiihiength and ideally at last 0.2 m in length so as to securely hold the ski in position.

It is envisaged that the car may include a smooth padded layer so as to protect the ski and so as to allow the car to be slid, propelled or driven along the ski by the drive wheel.

Advantageously the grinders are mounted within the car so as to be positioned to contact the ski when the ski is engaged. Typically the grinder is attached to the drive shaft run by the motor so as to enable rotary grinding when active.

In preferred embodiments the cars are adjustable so as to perform grinding at user-preferred angles. The grinder angle may be altered by pivoting of the drive shaft through a universal joint or pivot so as to alter camber of the grinder in relation to the ski with a pivot angle therefore enabling the grinding angle, and consequently the ground ski edge, to be varied from perpendicular.

Advantageously the adjustable cars also allow the tool to be able to service different shaped skis such as carving skis.

It may be envisaged that the pivot angle may be adjusted manually typically by releasing the pivot, changing the angle and re-securing the pivot.

In some embodiments the cars may include visual guides to indicate the grinder angles so that the tool may be preset to a predetermined angle for particular skis or snowboards.

In preferred embodiments the cars include a sprung roller that is depressed when the ski is clamped in position by the cars. The act of depressing the sprung roller enables the grinder to rotate when switched on. If the ski is removed and the sprung roller is released the grinder is deactivated, even where running, acting as safety means to prevent tool activation without presence of the ski.

For example when the length of the ski has passed through the roller it is released and in turns stops the grinder from running preventing unnecessary rotation of the grinder.

It may be envisaged that in some embodiments the drive wheel is also powered, so as to move the tool along the ski. Ideally the drive wheel is formed from rubber so as to grip to the ski when clamped in the tool. It is envisaged that the drive wheel spans the housing width so as to accommodate all ski sizes so the wheel will be in touch with ski base to ensure the tool moves uniformly along the ski.

In some embodiments two conical, arcuate or otherwise drive wheels with offset internal facing may be provided, wherein said offset urges movement towards a central midpoint, wheels placed on each side of the car, so as to grab and hold the ski in position whilst in use.

Ideally the motor includes two drive shafts one for the grinder and a second for the wheel. Preferably the motor is run by a rechargeable battery so as to allow the device to be portable, not requiring a wired power supply for operation.

In some embodiments the grinding wheels may be independently powered by separate high speed motors for example housed within the cars, rather than being powered by the main motor.

In preferred embodiments the waxing system is positioned within the housing so that the waxing system is positioned behind the grinders in order that when the ski is passed through the tool the skis are edged before being waxed if both services were operated at the same time.

Preferably the housing upper includes a loading aperture through which the wax is loaded, accepted or inserted into the compartment. Typically the aperture is covered by a lid so as to prevent a user coming into contact with the heating element in use.

Ideally the wax used may be varied depending upon snow conditions and ideally the wax is supplied in standard format blocks, which blocks are anticipated and accepted by the aperture. The wax is added through the aperture and placed within the compartment wherein the heating element is located between the compartment and dispenser means.

Ideally the heating element is powered by a gas canister so as to provide rapid heating-when-activate-ti.

Ideally the waxing system includes the gate to keep the wax from dispensing even when heated and molten and disposed to exit through the dispenser, until the gate is triggered, wherein the gate opens to release wax.

Preferably the gate comprises a plurality of dividers that retract as the ski passes through. Retraction of the dividers opens the dispenser means, only releasing wax where the ski is present and in some embodiments in relation to where a particular divider is depressed, reducing molten or heated wax overspill and limiting irregular builds up of wax on the ski base.

Typically the gate may be formed from a soft material such as sponge or foam so as to be in contact with the ski without scratching.

Preferably the spreader is subsequently mounted on the housing's underside behind where the heated wax is dispensed to spread the wax and remove excess.

In addition or the alternative to dispensing the wax into the lacuna and in use onto a pie-determinable or user-definable region of the ski the spreader may be arranged with an integral scraping means, or quantity adjustment mechanism that serves to regulate and/or smooth the wax by scraping away wax in order to achieve a predetermined thickness on the base of the ski. Alternatively a separate scraper may be provided for scraping wherein said scraper follows the lacuna or dispenser in use and smoothes out the dispensed mailer orwax as or after the wax is dispensed.

It is envisaged that a system may include a drip tray to collect any wax overspill.

Advantageously in some embodiments the system may also include a brush or plurality of brushes situate after the spreader and/or scraper to enhance the wax's finish.

Ideally the tool includes a management panel that controls activation of the grinding and waxing enabling simultaneous, contemporaneous or individual operation. It is envisaged that the panel may include.lights to indicate when on and off, when the heating element is ready for waxing and may also reveal power levels remaining. In some-embodiments-the-tool-may-have-audible-aje--nrto adViW1he user when for example the battery is low.

In further embodiments the tool may include sensors to monitor condition of the grinders, for example if there are excessively worn and amount of wax remaining so that the wax compartment may be refilled before it is completely empty.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the tool; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figures 3 show side views of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figures 4 show top and bottom views of the embodiment of Figure 1; and Figure 5 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Detailed Description of Figures

With reference to the figures, the maintenance tool for a ski comprises: a housing supporting at least two parallel grinders 2 mounted to define an elongate parallel lacuna of variable width. Levers 1 pull the grinders 2 in around a ski (not picture).

A heating element is arranged to heat wax inserted into the tool through hinged aperture 5.

The gate is formed by a plurality of dividers 3, through which molten wax is released when depressed, and which is spread by a spreader 4. In total the dividers 3, and spreader form the dispensing means in the pictured embodiment.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form! function and manner of operation assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, failing within the scope of the invention.