GB2545888A

GB2545888A - Ski lift adaptor

Info

Publication number: GB2545888A
Application number: GB1519933.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Boyes Jeffrey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-11-11
Filing date: 2015-11-11
Publication date: 2017-07-05
Also published as: GB201519933D0

Abstract

The ski lift adaptor has a first element worn by a user around their lower body and a second with a rigid receptacle having a front portion 4c which is adjustably linked to a rear portion 4a, movable between a retracted (fig.14) and an extended (fig.13) position, in use, for attaching the adaptor to a button of a drag lift. The rigid receptacle may have a tapered slot, in the front portion, for guiding a stem of the lift into the receptacle, which is at an acute angle to the users leg. And the front portion may be formed as a skeletal frame. Preferably, the front portion is attached to the rear portion by a pair of parallel, curved arms 20 which may slide within a mounting slot on the rear portion; multiple retracted positions are provided for by positional sockets 35b along the arm with a latching pin 34 or mechanism to lock the front portions position. The front portion may be hinged on the arms both inwardly, for compact storage, and outwardly, limited by an end stop, with a locking screw 32 provided to maintain the required position. Preferably, the first element has a first strap (fig.5,2) for the users thigh and a second strap for lower down the users leg and a panel 1 which extends up the leg; the second element is demountable from the first element, the elements having sliding buckle parts to engage on another.

Description

Ski Lift Adaptor

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns improvements in and relating to adaptors for coupling to ski lifts. Primarily, the invention concerns adaptors for use with surface/ drag ski lifts such as those known as button lifts to better adapt the lifts for use by snow-boarders.

Background of the Invention

Whereas aerial cable-cars and chairlifts are used in ski resorts to provide mass transit covering high ascents and large spans up mountainsides the surface ski lifts (drag/ tow lifts) such as T-bars and button lifts (also known as platter or Poma lifts) are the work horses that are used extensively throughout ski resorts and at dry ski slopes as a relatively low cost means of getting skiers and snow-boarders repeatedly up to the top of a particular favoured slope or run.

Like cable cars and chairlifts, draglifts generally comprise a cable loop that spans from the bottom to the top of the run and which passes around a wheel or drum at each end of the run and is driven to cycle, normally substantially continuously. The cable is normally at a modest height above ground level, often of the order of between 1m to 2m, and has a series of arms or tethers hanging down from the cable that the standing skier or snow-boarder engages to be dragged sliding up the slope on their skis or board.

Button lifts are among the most common drag lift nowadays and have a pivoting platter or button at the lower end of the hanging arm pole that is shaped to pass between a skier’s legs so that the button fits as a seat behind them to pull them up the slope in relative comfort. For snow-boarders, however, to use a drag lift such as a button lift is nowhere near so comfortable since they cannot lean back on the button with weight on the tail of their snow board while being dragged by the lift since they will lose steering control. They must lead with one leg and thus have only one thigh pulled by the lift, balanced by gripping the lift pole by their leading hand. For many snowboarders despite alternately shifting the load strain of their own body weight between their leading hand and leading leg they can suffer considerable thigh pain from the button digging in and drag lifts are for that reason detested by many snow-boarders and only used where no other options exist. A number of ski lift adaptors have been proposed to address this problem but all have their drawbacks and limitations. Swiss patent applications CH683487 (Tempelmann) and CH682886 (Lienhard), European patent applications EP1564099 (Dalichau), EP1222003( Perin de Jaco), EP1832489 (Leopoldselder) and German utility model DE19529266U all propose a harness for use with draglifts, generally T-bar drag lifts, that comprises a loop that can be fitted onto the handlebar of the T-bar to pull the ski-boarder and a harness that is worn around the ski-boarder’s waist or leg and with a panel that pulls against the back of the boarder’s waist or trailing leg to more evenly distribute the pulling forces and support the users body weight. In Andresen German patent application DE29520372 the loop to couple to the T-bar may be replaced by a hook. These adaptors all can provide a far more comfortable ride for the ski-boarder, better approximating the skiers experience of the draglift, but they are mostly completely unsuitable for button lifts and are awkward to deploy, potentially dangerous to use and have to have an emergency release for the harness in case the boarder fails to decouple in time at the top of the run.

Ski Lift adaptors have been specifically proposed for button type drag lifts for use primarily by skiers and comprise use of a waist band/ belt with a short strap shaped to pass around a button of the lift and with a quick release buckle frontally positioned to secure it in place as disclosed in FR2999173 (Pedron) or with a hollow moulded circular disc body having an open bottom edge to mount over the top half only of the button as disclosed in WO0997543 (David Michel). These do not suit use by snow boarders. UK patent GB2460692 (Loughead) proposes an adaptor for use by snow boarders that uses a thigh band and has a stiff curved fabric loop structure to pass over the top half only of the button and shaped to hold the adaptor to the button. These adaptors suffer similar problems to all of the preceding art, lacking versatility and generally being awkward to use in practice on a moving draglift. They are unsuitable for coupling to T-bar or other draglifts and are all rather awkward to couple and uncouple and risky to use.

There remains a need for a more effective ski lift adaptor that better couples to and adapts button draglifts for safe and easy use by snow-boarders. There is also a need for a more versatile ski lift adaptor that is thereby relatively cost efficient to manufacture, providing multi-functionality allowing use on different types of drag lift and/ or addressing additional problems faced by snow boarders when using ski lifts and rendering the adaptor more useful to the snow boarder and economically more viable than the prior proposed adaptors which have for the most part been commercially unsuccessful.

There is also a need for a ski lift adaptor that is relatively compact and unobtrusive for the wearer and yet strong, robust and reliable in use.

It is an object of the present invention to address these limitations of the existing ski lift adaptors, providing greater versatility/ functionality and ease of use and safety of use and at less cost than many of the prior art adaptors.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a ski lift adaptor that is assembled to a button drag lift in use and which comprises: a) a first element worn by a user around the user’s leg or lower body (eg waist or hips); and b) a second element coupled in use to a button of the button drag lift and having the form of a substantially rigid receptacle having a front portion that engages the button and a rear portion adjacent the first element and wherein the front portion is adjustably linked/ articulated to the rear portion whereby it is movable between an extended operative position spaced from the rear portion whereby the receptacle can accommodate the button therein and a retracted or collapsed position closer to the rear portion rendering the adaptor relatively unobtrusive.

The retracted position is preferably an inoperative position, where the receptacle is in a stowed state or it may be a less protruding operative position. Indeed, there may be two or more retracted positions to provide increasingly retracted states.

Preferably the extended position of the front portion is substantially plane-parallel to the plane of the rear portion and the retracted position of the front portion is the same or similarly angled relative to the plane of the rear portion but closer to it.

Preferably the front portion is coupled to the rear portion by at least one arm (preferably a pair of mutually parallel arms). Preferably the at least one arm is a rigid bar or rod. Preferably the at least one arm is a curved rigid bar or rod. Preferably the at least one arm is held within a mounting slot/ socket of the rear portion and moves slidingly therein between the extended operative position and the retracted position. Preferably the mounting slot/ socket is curved for the curved arm whereby the retracting motion follows a curve.

The adaptor preferably has a locking/ latching member or mechanism to lock or latch the front portion at the chosen position, extended or retracted. The locking/ latching member or mechanism may comprise a plunger, preferably a resiliently biased/ spring-loaded plunger. The plunger is preferably selectively engageable with a selected positional socket. The positional socket is preferably an aperture or recess on a said arm at a fixed point along the arm. Preferably the arm has two or more positional sockets spaced apart along its length.

The front portion of the receptacle preferably is hinged to the at least one arm whereby the front portion can pivot closer in towards the rear portion for stowing as compactly as possible. Preferably the hinge has an end stop so that it is restricted to not be able to pivot outwardly substantially beyond (more than 20 degrees beyond) plane parallel to the rear portion so that the hooking engagement onto the lift button or bar is secure. A screw adjustment or other locking/ latching adjustment may be provided at the hinge to lock/ latch/ tighten it at a desired or required angular position. In the preferred embodiment this comprises a bolt having a rotary knob whereby it is manually turned to tighten the hinge.

Preferably the receptacle has open sides whereby it has the form of a hook preferably such as to be able to hook behind the button and/or over a T-bar.

Preferably the receptacle has a lower, in use, opening mounting over the disc part of the said button receiving the disc part of the button slotting into the receptacle, the receptacle having a slot for the stem of the button that extends upwardly from a lower edge of the receptacle for guiding the stem upwardly and the disc thereby inwardly into the receptacle so that substantially greater than the upper half of the disc part of the button is held in the receptacle and

Preferably the slot is a tapered slot which is elongate and broad at the lower in use end narrowing towards the upper in use end for guiding the stem to slide upwardly therealong and the disc thereby farther inwardly into the receptacle.

The slot substantially facilitates the docking of the button draglift’s button in the receptacle and enhances stable and secure coupling while still allowing the user to readily decouple at will.

Preferably the slot of the second element is provided in the front wall of the second element. In use it preferably is not totally plane parallel to the first component/ user’s leg but inclined at a small acute angle (less than 20 degrees).

The front portion of the second element is suitably a rigid substantially planar body and is preferably formed as a skeletal frame.

Particularly preferably the first element is a harness that comprises a band that embraces the user’s thigh in use as best suits use by snow boarders. Preferably the first element further has a band that embraces the user’s leg below the thigh. Each band is suitably a user-adjustable strap that may be tightened and loosened to comfortably and securely fit to the user.

The second element may be fixed or integral to the first element. In preferred embodiments the first element comprises a panel, plate or pad that is worn by the user and onto which the second element is fixed.

In other preferred embodiments the second element is demountably coupled to the first element and in a preferred embodiment it slidingly couples to the first element by complementary sliding coupling means on the first element and second element. In the preferred embodiment the sliding coupling means of the first element comprises a pair of parallel channels into which opposing lateral edges of a said panei slidingly co-operatively engage.

Particularly preferably the second element/ shoe is substantially rigidly fastened in use to the user’s body and preferably is on a substantially rigid panel that extends up the user’s leg. The panel preferably is substantially planar at least on its front/ outer face (face that faces away from the user’s body).

The panel may be adapted to carry and display a user’s ski lift pass in use. Where the second element slidingly couples to the first element there is suitably provided a support panel (suitably having a transparent pocket for the pass) to carry the user’s ski lift pass and that can slidingly couple to the first element by the same sliding coupling means.

The receptacle has open sides whereby it has the form of a hook, as evident in side elevation, to be able to hook over a T-bar. The perimeter of the slot for the stem of the button is the primary means that constrains the button against lateral displacement from the receptacle in use.

By having the button coupling receptacle formed as a hook, the coupling receptacle can be used to hook over a T-bar to reliably couple to T-bar draglifts as well as for straightforwardly, safely and reliably coupling to button draglifts.

The coupling bracket of the adaptor is thus versatile. It can be used for different types of draglift. It can also be multi-functional.

In a preferred further aspect of the present invention the receptacle of the adaptor can not only serve as a coupling to a drag lift but when demounted from the first element and instead coupled to a snow board can also double as an auxiliary binding/ loose socket for the snow boarder’s second (eg trailing leg) foot by receiving the toe of their second leg’s ski boot on the snowboard when travelling by chair lift, to thereby allow the boarder to readily use both feet to support the board while travelling through the air on the chairlift.

This function of the receptacle helps snow boarders since chairlifts are designed for skiers and for practicality and safety snow boarders are not permitted to engage their boots into both bindings (sockets) on the board while on the chairlift. It is generally not possible for snow boarders to have both of their boots in their respective normal bindings on the board while riding a conventional chairlift and they can only use one binding and thus one foot to hold the board. By providing a further binding for the ski-boarder’s second foot that is closer to the binding for the user’s first foot (leading edge foot) and a loose sliding fit for the boot the user can now relatively comfortably and safely use both of their feet to support the board while travelling through the air on the chairlift.

Preferably the receptacle is slidingly demountably mountable to the snow board.

Complementary sliding coupling means are preferably provided on the receptacle and the snowboard. The coupling means on the snowboard preferably comprises a pair of parallel channels into which opposing lateral edges of the receptacle slidingly co-operatively engage.

The present invention thus addresses limitations of the existing ski lift adaptors, providing a versatile, compact adaptor that greatly facilitates use of ski lifts by snow boarders compared to existing ski lift adaptors.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 11 show the features of the ski lift adaptor covered by the present applicant’s earlier UK patents and features of which can be incorporated in the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention, comprising the provision of the collapsible hooking configuration of the adaptor, will be more particularly described below by way of example with reference to Figures 12 to 17 of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic general assembly diagram of a ski lift adaptor;

Figure 2 is a first perspective view of the adaptor configured as in either of two preferred modes of use and showing in relationship to a user’s snowboard from the leading end of the board and frontally to the user (but with the draglift’s components and user omitted);

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the adaptor’s receptacle as in use showing the disc part of a button lift engaged in the receptacle and with the lower end of the pole of the button lodged at the apex of the front slot of the;

Figure 4 is a front elevation view of the adaptor’s receptacle, and with the lower end of the pole of the button shown in transverse section;

Figure 5 is a front view of the adaptor with the adaptor receptacle removed while not required and replaced with a camera mount carrying a protected camera;

Figure 6 is a front elevation view of the camera mount part only of the Figure 5 assembly (thigh mounting bands and plate not shown), showing simply the camera mounting plate with swivel mount and camera attached;

Figure 7 is a detail view of the camera mounting plate (camera removed) slidingly engaged in the thigh mounting plate and secured in place there by a side release buckle;

Figure 8 is a detail view of the preferred variant of thigh mounting plate shown in Figure 7, having the socket/ female part of the side release buckle;

Figure 9 is a perspective view from below of the preferred variant of thigh mounting plate having the socket/ female part of the side release buckle and being used to secure in place a corresponding version of the button receptacle that has a side release buckle male part at its lower end ;

Figure 10 is a front elevation view corresponding to Figure 9 ; and

Figure 11 is a side elevation view corresponding to Figure 9 and showing the receptacle in use to couple to the button of a button draglift.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the ski lift adaptor of the present invention, wherein the second coupling element that fits onto the ski-lift button is a hook-shaped receptacle where the front portion and rear portion of the receptacle are linked by arms that allow the front portion to be selectively collapsed against the rear portion on the first coupling component (leg-mounted harness) rendering the adaptor completely unobtrusive, the adaptor hereshown as being of the de-mountable type;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a version of the first preferred embodiment hereshown as of the fixed in place type, adapted to be fixedly mounted to the first coupling component (leg-mounted harness);

Figure 14 is a perspective view similar to Figure 13 but showing the front portion of the hook-shaped receptacle retracted/ collapsed against the rear portion;

Figure 15 is a further perspective view corresponding to Figure 13 of the front portion of the hook-shaped receptacle extended to operative state; and

Figure 16 is a perspective view similar to Figure 15 but again showing the front portion of the hook-shaped receptacle retracted/ collapsed against the rear portion.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, the illustrated ski lift adaptor comprises a first coupling element 1- 3 that attaches to the body of the user and a second coupling element 4 that comprises a receptacle 4 for the button B of a button drag lift.

The first coupling element 1-3 that attaches to the body of the user has firstly a panel 1 that is arranged to mount to the user’s upper leg. The panel 1 is a stiff cushioned front panel 1a that attaches securely to the upper and lower thigh of the user’s leading leg by an upper adjustable band/ strap 2 and a lower adjustable band/ strap 2 (see Figure 2). The bands/ straps 2 each have an adjustment buckle and are broad and serve to distribute the stress loading from the draglift over a wide area of the rear of the user’s leg in use, avoiding the painful localised pressure caused by use of the button alone on the user’s thigh.

The stiff cushioned front panel 1 is adapted to lie substantially flat against the front of the user’s thigh and carries on its front, facing forwardly, a rigid mounting plate 3 for slidingly demountably mounting to it the second coupling element/ receptacle 4. The mounting plate 3 fixed to the front panel 1 has a pair of opposing side walls defining opposing lateral channels 3a, 3b to slidingly receive and co-operatively engage the corresponding opposing side edges of the receptacle 4. In the illustrated embodiment the side edges are each enlarged/ extended to form a respective lateral flange 14a, 14b to run in the opposing lateral channel 3a, 3b of the mounting plate 3.

The second coupling element/ receptacle 4 is a rigid moulding/ casting suitably of nylon and that defines an open-sided shoe like bracket of three plate portions 4a, 4b, 4c. It may be reinforced to be rigid. It has a flat rear plate portion 4a that is adapted to slidingly fit to the first element’s mounting plate 3, being of slightly lesser dimensions than the mounting plate 3 and with opposing side edges that are configured to engage in the opposing lateral channels 3a, 3b of the mounting plate 3. At the upper in use end of the receptacle 4 is an end wall defined by a top plate portion 4b of the receptacle 4 and which projects substantially orthogonally to the rear plate portion 4a to provide a stand-off from the rear plate portion 4a. The stand-off/ height of the end wall 4b is greater than the thickness of the disc/ button part B1 of a button draglift B (see Figure 3). The stand-off/ height of the top/end wall 4b is preferably also slightly greater than the maximum expected thickness of the toe of a snowboarders boot so that the receptacle can alternatively serve as an auxiliary loose binding for the user’s snow board when not serving its primary role as a receptacle for the button draglift’s button B1.

The receptacle end wall / top plate portion 4b at its edge outermost/ forward-most from the rear plate portion 4a transitions into a front plate portion 4c of the receptacle 4 that extends approximately plane parallel to the rear plate portion 4a ( and hence also to the surface of the user’s leg) but at a slight incline (suitably at an angle Θ of the order of 5° to 15°) whereby the ‘chamber/ internal volume of the receptacle is largest at the lower end opening and tapers/reduces towards the upper end wall 4b. From the side elevation view of Figure 4 it can be seen that the open-sided receptacle 4 with its rear plate portion 4a, top plate portion 4b and front plate portion 4c defines the form of a hook. It thereby is able not only to couple to a button of a button type draglift but can alternatively hook over the T-bar of a Τ'-bar draglift. As noted above, the spacing between the rear plate portion 4a and front plate portion 4c is largest at the lower end opening and tapers/reduces towards the upper end wall 4b.

For weight reduction the front plate portion 4c of the receptacle 4 is formed with large through apertures so that it is more a skeletal framework than a plate and most notably it has a slot 5 in its lowermost in use edge. The slot 5 is adapted to accommodate the stem B2 of the button draglift’s button B. The slot 5 extends up the front plate portion 4c for approximately half the length of the receptacle 4 and allows the button’s disc part B1 to be substantially wholly lodged within the receptacle 4, accommodating substantially all of the upper and lower halves of the disc part B1. This helps to ensure that the button B securely and reliably couples into the adaptor even when the user is not perfectly positioned relative to the button draglift when initially approaching it to couple to it. The slot 5 has an inverted V-shaped form that tapers from a broad point of entry at the lower edge of the receptacle 4 to a narrow upper apex so that the stem B2 of the button draglift’s button B is guided deeper up into the slot 5 (see Figures 3 and 4) and the disc part B1 of the button B is thus guided deeper, centrally and more securely into the receptacle 4.

As referred to above, the receptacle 4 by virtue of its shape, dimensions, strength, substantial rigidity and coupling features can be used not only as the means to couple the user to the button draglift B but also, when not in use for that purpose, can be fitted instead to the user’s snow board SB to serve as an auxiliary/ third binding for the snow board SB. (Figure 2 for convenience shows the receptacle 4 in both modes of use in one diagram, though in practice the user will have one receptacle 4 in one use at a time).

When the user needs to travel on an aerial ski-lift/ chairlift he/ she can simply demount the receptacle 4 from the mounting panel 1 on their leg by slidingly disengaging the flanges 14a, 14b of the side edges of the receptacle 4 from the mounting plate 3. They can then move the receptacle 4 down onto the snow board SB and use those side flanges 14a, 14b to slidingly co-operatively engage with corresponding opposing channels on the snow board SB to mount the receptacle 4 to the snow board SB. There the receptacle 4 can be used as an auxiliary/ third binding for the snow board SB that is closer to the first/ leading foot binding of the snow board SB so that the user insert the toe of their second/ trailing leg boot into the receptacle 4 and thereby can relatively comfortably use both their feet to support the snow board SB when travelling on the aerial ski-lift/ chairlift. Indeed, the sliding fit of the auxiliary/ third binding for the snow board SB allows it to be used not only during the aerial travel but also safely used when disembarking from the chairlift.

The channels on the snow board SB are suitably formed by sidewalls of a snow board mounting plate 30 that may be a duplicate of, or substantially the same as, the thigh mounting plate 3 and that is secured to the snow board SB at the desired position. The snow board mounting plate 30 may be made as an integral feature of a snow board but preferably is provided in a kit with the rest of the ski lift adaptor and is suitably fixed to the chosen position on the snow board by a strong adhesive.

With the thigh mounting plate 3 empty the user can, if desired, use the mounting plate 3 to hold a ski-lift pass or other document by inserting a different type of panel/ receptacle 6 in the mounting plate 3. The ski-lift pass panel/ receptacle 6 can be a duplicate of, or substantially the same as, the rear panel 4a of the ski-lift button receptacle 4, having equivalent side edge flanges 16a, 16b whereby the ski-lift pass panel/ receptacle 6 slidingly fits to the thigh mounting plate 3. The ski-lift pass panel/ receptacle 6, instead of having top and front panels 4b, 4c like the ski-lift button receptacle 4, suitably is simply fronted by a transparent pocket to receive the lift pass.

Turning to Figures 5 to 8, these show a yet further facility, a camera mount facility 7, that may be used with the thigh mounting assembly 1-3 when it is not in use by the draglift coupling receptacle 4 or the lift pass/ document mounting receptacle 6. Here the camera mount facility comprises a pivoting screw-threaded camera mount 7a that is integrated with a mounting plate 7. The mounting plate 7 can be a duplicate of, or substantially the same as, the rear panel 4a of the ski-lift button receptacle 4, having equivalent side edge flanges 17a, 17b whereby the camera mount panel 7 slidingly fits to the thigh mounting plate 3’.

In Figures 5 to 8, the thigh mounting plate 3 is slightly different from the thigh mounting plate 3 of Figures 1 to 3 in that it has at its lower in use end an integral side release buckle socket 18 that co-operatively engages with a corresponding male buckle 19 that is integral to the lower in use end of the camera mounting plate 7. The side release buckle is suitably of the type as used widely on outdoor equipment such as rucksacks. The provision of the side release buckle 18, 19 at this location allows the user to securely latch the camera mount panel 7 to the thigh mounting plate 3, thereby preventing inadvertent detachment and loss (or opportunistic theft) of the camera from the thigh mount.

The digital camera DC illustrated has a snow-proof and shockproof casing and has a tilt stand with a threaded socket that screws onto the pivoting screw-threaded camera mount 7a.

The use of a buckle to secure the camera mount plate 7 to the thigh mounting plate 3 can be extended to all of the plates that slidingly engage in the thigh mounting plate 3, including the document carrying plate 6 and the button-coupling receptacle’s plate 4a. The provision of a male buckle part 19 that is integral to the lower in use end of the button-coupling receptacle’s plate 4a is illustrated in Figures 9 to 11 and it can securely engage with the integral side release buckle socket 18 of the thigh mounting plate 3. Following on from this, a similar provision may also be made on the snow board mounting plate 30, ie to include a female buckle part 18 to securely couple with the male buckle part 19 of receptacle 4.

In Figures 9 to 11 it will also be noted that the first coupling element 1- 3 that attaches to the body of the user has broader bands/ straps 2 and each of the bands/ straps 2 is adjusted and tightened to the user’s thigh by a respective side release buckle. The stiff cushioned front panel 1 thus here has three female side release buckle parts, two for securing the pair of thigh straps 2 and the third being for securing the button-coupling receptacle’s plate 4a, document carrying plate 6 or camera mounting plate 7.

The first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 12 to 15 and shares much in common with the ground-breaking ski lift adaptor designs illustrated in Figures 1 to 11. Common reference numbers between all Figures correspond to features that are common.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the second coupling element 4 that fits as a hook-shaped receptacle 4 onto the ski-lift button B1 has the front portion/ front panel 4c and rear portion/ rear panel 4a of the receptacle 4 linked by a pair of mutually parallel curved bar arms 20 that allow the front portion 4c to be selectively collapsed against the rear portion 4a on the first coupling component (leg-mounted harness) 1 rendering the adaptor completely unobtrusive and without compromising the rigidity and reliability of the ski lift adaptor.

The adaptor as shown in Figure 12 is of the de-mountable type in which the second coupling element 4 slidingly fits and fastens into the grooves 3a, 3b of sidewalls of the thigh mounting plate 3 of the first coupling element 1.

The adaptor as shown in 13 to 15 is of the fixed in place type in which the second coupling element 4 is formed integral with the thigh mounting plate 3 of the first coupling element 1. The views in Figures 13 to 15 show best the manner of articulated linking of the front portion/ front panel 4c of the receptacle 4 to the rear portion/ rear panel 4a by the arms 20. An equivalent articulated link, hinged and or slidingly collapsing, is also applied in the embodiment of Figure 11, although not shown in detail there.

As can be seen in Figures 13 and 14, the pair of mutually parallel curved bar arms 20 that allow the front portion 4c to be selectively collapsed against the rear portion 4a on the first coupling component (leg-mounted harness) 1 are slidingly received in sockets/ channels within sidewalls 30a, 30b of the fixed rear portion/ rear panel 4a. The fixed rear portion/ rear panel 4a here is integral with the thigh mounting plate 3 of the first coupling element 1 and the sockets/ channels 3a, 3b within the sidewalls 30a, 30b are curved with a curve that corresponds closely to the curvature of the curved bar arms 20.

The sockets/ channels 33a, 33b within the sidewalls 30a, 30b are shaped and dimensioned to closely accommodate the arms 20 to securely and steadily hold them and the front portion 4c whether the latter is in its retracted state as in Figures 14 and 16 or in its operative fully extended state as in Figures 13 and 15 or transitioning between those states.

The front portion/front panel 4c is hingedly attached to the outer/ front ends of the arms 20 by a hinge/ pivot pin 31 that allows the front portion/front panel 4c to be adjusted in incline relative to the rear portion/rear panel 4a / thigh mounting plate 3. The adjustability of incline is only within a limited range of movement of the order of up to about 20 degrees enabling the front portion/front panel 4c to be angled slightly forwardly at its tip relative to the rear portion/rear panel 4a / thigh mounting plate 3 when extended for use to facilitate engaging the lift’s button. It is after use able to be tilted back to plane parallel or even inclined in toward the rear portion/rear panel 4a to be stowed as seen in Figure 16. In this state it is extremely unobtrusive. The hinge 31 is able to be tightened at its chosen angle by turning of a rotary knob 32.

The primary collapsing or extending movement of the front portion/front panel 4c is substantially orthogonal to the plane of the rear portion/rear panel 4a / thigh mounting plate 3 and the rear portion/rear panel 4a, being by the sliding of the arms 20 into or out from their sockets 33a, 33b When the front portion/front panel 4c is at its chosen position, extended or retracted, it can be locked at that position by a spring-loaded plunger/bolt 34 extending through sidewall 30a of the rear panel 4a / thigh mounting plate 3 to engage one or another of receiving apertures 35a, 35b in the arm 20. The plunger is biased by its spring to project into the arm aperture 35a or 35b but can be withdrawn by pulling on pull ring 36. The arm 20 as shown has two locking positions 35a, 35b for extended or retracted state, respectively. Additional intermediate locking positions may be provided if desired, eg to provide increasingly retracted states to suit different sizes of draglift button or bar.

Claims

1. A ski lift adaptor for coupling to a drag lift and that is assembled to a button drag lift in use and which comprises: a) a first element worn by a user around the user’s leg or lower body (eg waist or hips); and b) a second element coupled in use to a button of the button drag lift and having the form of a substantially rigid receptacle having a front portion that engages the button and a rear portion adjacent the first element and wherein the front portion is adjustably linked/ articulated to the rear portion whereby it is movable between an extended operative position spaced from the rear portion whereby the receptacle can accommodate the button of the button drag lift therein and a retracted or collapsed position closer to the rear portion rendering the adaptor relatively unobtrusive.

2. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retracted position is an inoperative position, whereby the receptacle is in a stowed state.

3. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the front portion has two or more retracted positions to provide increasingly retracted states.

4. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the extended position of the front portion is substantially plane-parallel to or at an incline angle of less than 20 degrees to the plane of the rear portion.

5. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the retracted position of the front portion is the same or similarly angled relative to the plane of the rear portion but closer to it.

6. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the front portion is coupled to the rear portion by at least one arm.

7. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the front portion is coupled to the rear portion by a pair of mutually parallel arms.

8. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the at least one arm is a curved rigid bar or rod.

9. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the at least one arm is held within a mounting slot/ socket of the rear portion and moves slidingly therein between the extended operative position and the retracted position.

10. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mounting slot/ socket is curved for the curved arm whereby the retracting motion follows a curve.

11. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the adaptor has a locking/ latching member or mechanism to lock or latch the front portion at the chosen position, extended or retracted.

12. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 6 and 11, wherein the locking/ latching member or mechanism comprises a pin or plunger that is selectively engageable with a selected positional socket at a fixed point along the arm.

13. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the front portion of the receptacle is hinged to the at least one arm to pivot within a limited angular movement.

14. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the front portion can pivot closer in towards the rear portion for stowing as compactly as possible.

15. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the front portion can pivot outwardly at the hinge but has an end stop so that it is restricted to not be able to pivot outwardly substantially beyond plane parallel to the rear portion.

16. A ski lift adaptor as claimed in claim 13 or 14 or 15, wherein the hinge has a screw adjustment or other locking/ latching adjustment at the hinge to lock/ latch/ tighten it at a desired or required angular position.

17. An adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the slot is a tapered slot which narrows toward the upper in use end for guiding the stem to slide upwardly therealong and the disc thereby farther into the receptacle.

18. An adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the slot is provided in the front portion and which is not plane parallel to the users leg when the adaptor is worn on the user’s leg but inclined at an acute angle.

19. An adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the front portion of the second element is formed as a skeletal frame.

20. An adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first element comprises a first band or strap that embraces the user’s thigh in use.

21. An adaptor as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first element has a second band or strap that embraces the user’s leg below the first band or strap in use.

22. An adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second element is demountably coupled to the first element.

23. An adaptor as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second element slidingly couples to the first element by complementary sliding coupling means on the first element and second element.

24. An adaptor as claimed in claim 23, wherein the sliding coupling means of the first element comprises a pair of parallel channels into which opposing lateral edges of the second element slidingly co-operatively engage.

25. An adaptor as claimed in claim 24, wherein the first element has a first buckle part to co-operatively engage with a second buckle part on the second element.

26. An adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first element comprises a panel that extends up the user’s leg in use.

27. A ski lift adaptor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.