WO2004062752A1

WO2004062752A1 - Combinatory snowshoe for skis and footwear

Info

Publication number: WO2004062752A1
Application number: PCT/NO2004/000006
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sven Arne RØNNINGEN
Original assignee: Roenningen Sven Arne
Priority date: 2003-01-14
Filing date: 2004-01-14
Publication date: 2004-07-29
Also published as: NO20030175D0; NO318960B1

Abstract

A snowshoe that may be secured to the underside of a ski will provide a combination of rapid movement on snow as well as stability in loose or high snow.

Description

Combinatory snowshoe for skis and footwear.

The present invention concerns a snowshoe device to be fitted to a ski as well as to footwear wherein the device comprises a plate- or platform-shaped snowshoe part including securing devices for the footwear to the plate- or platform-shaped snowshoe part and a snowshoe sole being present on the snowshoe part in connection to the securing devices for the footwear, wherein the device is characterized in the plate- or platform-shaped snowshoe part further comprising at least two securing devices for securing a ski onto the plate- or platform-shaped snowshoe part. Especially the invention concerns a combinatory snowshoe that may be fitted to both a ski and to the footwear of a person. The combinatory snowshoe according to the invention comprises a movable binding complex for footwear, preferably at least one friction-providing securing device at the front end and one at the rear end of the pate- or platform-shaped snowshoe part, e.g. straps, rubber bands, mechanical clamps, etc. wherein parts for adjustment to the height and width of the ski to be secured onto the snowshoe device are present. According to the invention the ski will preferably rest on a distance- providing knob or knobs in a selected area to avoid any damage to the binding material, in a preferred embodiment providing an area corresponding to the bottom of the ski and running through a take-out area at the front part of the snowshoe. The combinatory snowshoe according to the invention including the mounting devices or equipment for securing footwear and the ski to the snowshoe part, is preferably made from a material (plastic, aluminium, wood, etc.) that is suitable for its intended use, and may be selected according to the knowledge of the person skilled in the art .

Persons involved in winter hunting have previously been restricted to use either skis or snowshoes when moving in the wilderness. There have previously been attempts to solve this drawback, e.g. through FR patents 2.749.521 and 2.634.658, US patent 5.966.844, or NO patent 156.397, but none of these devices are without flaws or satisfy the requirements for correct equipment demanded in such activities as mentioned supra. If only skis are selected, the hunting becomes more risky. The freedom of movement and balance becomes poorer since the possibility of slipping against the ground is present. The use of skis is not suitable in high and/or loose snow either. During winter hunting staves are not used since the rifle or gun has to be carried in the hunter's hands. Hunting requires very strict security, and a stable and good grip on the ground is necessary for this.

A good and correctly designed snowshoe will be able to cover several of the items indicated supra, but when it comes to rapid movement it is not possible to obtain the same speed with snowshoes as with skis if the terrain and the state of the snow allows the use of skis. Ideally, one should carry both sis and snowshoes during winter hunting, but this is experienced as very uncomfortable and cumbersome, and is obviously a very poor practical solution by carrying the skis in the backpack or on other arts of the body when the snowshoes are equipped. Snowshoes may, on the other hand be barriers comfortably in a backpack or in other ways, e.g. strapped to the persons belt, on the persons chest with straps or in other ways. As mentioned supra, there are known different types of snowboots/skis, but none of them cover the properties of the combinatory snowshoe according to the present invention. Many of these previously known devices provide a poor grip and poor load- carrying properties since the ski is placed below the snowshoe part. An impairment of the ski construction is clearly also present in these previously known devices since the existing vertical pressure arising during use, is directed against the securing points/devices being present at the middle section of the ski. The intention of the present invention is thus to provide a combinatory snowshoe that makes it possible to avoid removing the skis to change to snowshoes when the relevant activity demands a secure and stable grip against the ground. It is also an intention with the present invention to provide a device that will allow the daily travelled distance to be increased significantly because it will be possible to use the properties of the skis where this is wanted and/or possible. The ski binding may substitute the movable snowshoe binding sole when these parts are used in combination. According to the invention it will also be possible to achieve greatly increased carrying properties as well as an increased grip against the ground with a snowshoe secured under the gliding device/ski. Optionally the combinatory snowshoe binding may be used in combination with the ski binding. If not, the binding straps of the snowshoe may advantageously be secured to themselves between the ski and the snowshoe sole to create a sense of tidiness. According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a distance for this through the use of the properly located distance-providing knobs mentioned supra .

The advantage of the device according to the present invention is its flexibility of use it will provide though its possibilities to be used as a conventional snowshoe without a ski, and through it not being required to provide additional parts on the ski/gliding device to be able to use the combinatory snowshoe. Furthermore it must be regarded as an advantage that the grip towards the ground becomes optimal since the snowshoe part according to the invention is mounted to the underside of the ski/gliding device. The distance between the underside of the ski and the plate/platform part should be as little as possible, and preferably zero at their rear and front ends when standing on a flat surface since this will provide an optimal cooperation between the snowshoe part and the ski when striding. The device according to the invention will be explained further infra with reference to the embodiment shown in the accompanying figure depicting a snowshoe device mounted to a ski .

The device according to the invention comprises a snowshoe part 1 and at least one regularly selected friction- providing and adjustable mounting/securing mechanism 7a, 7b (e.g. straps, clamps etc.) for the ski/gliding unit 3 corresponding to elevated knobs/areas 6,11. The open area/section 4 may be provided as a slot at the front part 13 of the snowshoe part, or as a split opening at the front 12a, 12b of the snowshoe if the front part of the snowshoe is elevated. The embodiment shown in the figure indicates the ski 3 with a binding 5 secured to the securing mechanism 7a, 7b of the snowshoe 1, and running over the binding sole 8 on elevated knobs 6,11 through an aperture 4 in the elevated front 13 of the snowshoe 1. The straps 2a, 2b; 9a, 9bl0a, 10b of the snowshoe part run from the sole 8 and may function as securing devices for the use's footwear, or the binding of the ski may also provide an alternative securing for the footwear. These straps may be secured to each other or to themselves. Securing devices for the straps used in the present invention may include any known locking device, e.g. a slideable friction lock or "Velcro". Furthermore, the location of the securing devices (7a, 7b) for the ski (3) may be moved on the snowshoe part (1) .

From the embodiment being explained with the basis in the accompanying figure, it is evident that the combinatory snowshoe device according to the invention has a large number of variations that will distinguish them from the specific illustration without departing from the principle behind the invention.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. Snowshoe device suitable for being secured to a ski as well as to footwear comprising a plate-formed snowshoe part

(1) with securing devices (2a, 2b; 9a, 9b; 10a, 10b) for the footwear to the plate-formed snowshoe art (1), and a snowshoe sole (8) being present on the snowshoe part in connection to the securing devices (2a, 2b; 9a, 9b; 10a, 10b) for the footwear; c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate-formed snowshoe part (1) further comprises at least two securing devices (7a, 7b) for securing a ski (3) onto the plate- formed snowshoe part (1) .

2. Snowshoe device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate-formed snowshoe part (1) comprises an elevated front part (13) including a slot or opening (4) through which opening (4) a ski (3) may be passed.

3. Snowshoe device according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate-formed snowshoe part (1) comprises at least two elevated areas (6,11) preferably in the form of knobs with an optional friction-providing material, and being present in the line between the securing devices (7a, 7b) for the ski (3).

4. Snowshoe device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the securing devices (7a, 7b) for the ski (3) comprises step-less regulatory straps, e.g. straps with a slideable friction lock or with Velcro.

5. Snowshoe device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the securing devices for the footwear (2a, 2b; 9a, 9b; 10a, 10b) comprise regulatory straps such as straps a slideable friction lock or with Velcro.

6. Snowshoe device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the location of the securing devices (7a, 7b) for the ski (3) may be moved on the snowshoe part (1) .