WO2007003014A1

WO2007003014A1 - Traction device for a snow ski

Info

Publication number: WO2007003014A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/000954
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vince Talese
Original assignee: Vince Talese
Priority date: 2005-07-06
Filing date: 2006-07-06
Publication date: 2007-01-11

Abstract

A snow ski (12) is adapted to prevent rearward sliding of the ski over a snow or ice surface and to allow free forward sliding movement thereof. The ski includes a body (14) and front and rear traction devices, (16, 18). Each traction device has elongated spike members (28, 30, 32) pivotally connected to the body at a first location thereof, and spring biasing means in the form of a coil spring (34) connected to the body at a second location thereof. The coil spring (34) is adapted to urge the spike members to pivot downwardly when the ski is elevated from the surface to assume a traction ready position whereby the spike members may achieve traction when the ski initially contacts the surface or starts to slide rearwardly. The spike members assume a flush position with the body when the ski is at rest or sliding forwardly.

Description

TRACTION DEVICE FOR A SNOW SKI FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to snow skis and, in particular, to a traction device for skis. The invention has particular application to snow skis which, whilst they can be used in the normal course of skiing, provide improved traction and prevent rearward sliding when a skier climbs a snow or ice covered slope or traverses flat terrain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The normal approach of a skier to climbing a snow covered hill or slope is to sidestep up the hill or use herringbone techniques for hill climbing. These are time consuming and require considerable effort, as well as placing stress and strain on the legs and knees.

Items referred to as "ski skins" may be secured to skis for hill climbing but these require time and effort to fit and remove, and create friction during the forward sliding movement of the skis.

Various mechanical traction devices for snow skis are disclosed in US Patent Nos. 6,722,687; 2,120,363; 2,077,660; 2,756,063; 3,582,101; 2,358,213; 4,674,764; and 4,363,497. However, none of these traction devices have the combined benefits of being flush with the lower surface of the ski main body when the ski is resting or sliding forward on the snow surface so that there is no frictional interference to the forward sliding movement of the ski, and of being able to automatically assume a traction ready state only when the ski is lifted or elevated from the snow surface so that traction is achieved at the initial downward contact of the ski with the snow surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a snow ski having a traction device that is characterized by the aforementioned benefits. According to the invention, there is provided a snow ski adapted to prevent rearward sliding of the ski over a snow or ice surface and to allow free forward sliding movement thereof, the ski including a body and at least one traction device, the traction device comprising:

(a) elongated spike means pivotally connected to the body at a first location thereof, and

(b) spring biasing means connected to the body at a second location thereof and adapted to urge the spike means to pivot downwardly when the ski is elevated from the surface to assume a traction ready position whereby the spike means may achieve traction when the ski initially contacts the surface or starts to slide rearwardly, the spike means assuming a flush position with the body when the ski is at rest or sliding forwardly.

In a preferred form, the ski further includes recess means formed in the body for receiving the spike means flush with a lower surface thereof when the sld is at rest or sliding forwardly.

Preferably, the elongated spike means comprises a flap portion at a first end thereof and a spiked portion at a second end thereof, the spring biasing means being adapted to urge against the flap portion of the spike means.

It is preferred that the spring biasing means is connected to an upper surface of the body.

The spring bias means is preferably a coil spring.

In a preferred form, the traction device is partly enclosed in a housing, and the housing may be removably secured to the upper surface of the body.

Preferably, the spiked portion comprises a plurality of parallel spaced apart spike members. SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of a preferred pair of snow skis according to the present invention, each of which includes front and rear fraction devices, one of which is shown without a housing, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a broken away part of a ski of Fig. 1, showing the unhoused traction device in detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Each of the snow skis 10,12 shown in Fig. 1 are identical and are adapted to prevent rearward sliding of the respective ski over a snow or ice surface and to allow free forward sliding movement thereof.

Referring only to sld 12, that ski includes a body 14 of conventional structure, including a binding (not shown) for a snow boot, and front and rear traction devices 16,18. Rear traction device 18 is shown without a housing but, in use, each traction device 16,18 is partly enclosed within an aerodynamic housing 20 for protection against damage. The number of traction devices per ski may vary according to user requirements.

As shown in detail in Fig. 2, the traction device 18 includes elongated spike means 22 which are pivotally connected to a first location of the body 14, the spike means 22 having a flap portion 24 at a first end thereof and a spiked portion 26 at a second end thereof (opposite the first end). The spiked portion 26 has, in this instance, three parallel spaced apart spike members 28,30,32 with wedge shaped free ends.

The traction device 18 also includes spring biasing means which, in this instance, is a coil spring 34 that is connected to an upper surface of the body 14 at a second location proximal to the first location. The spring biasing means may alternatively be a leaf spring arrangement or a polymer structure with "springy" memory characteristics or other suitable structure. The coil spring 34 is adapted to urge against the flap portion 24 of the spike means 22 and cause the spiked portion 26 to pivot downwardly when the ski is elevated from a snow or ice surface to assume a traction ready position as shown in Fig. 2. In this position, the spike members 28,30,32 may achieve traction when the ski initially contacts the surface. The spike members provide traction and prevent rearward sliding by digging their wedge shaped ends into the surface as the skis start to slide rearwardly. The number of spike members per device and their length may vary according to user requirements. For instance, longer spike members provide better traction in softer snow.

The ski 12 also includes recess means formed in the body 14 which, in this instance, are three open slots 38,40,42 that each receive respective spike members 28,30,32 flush with a lower surface of the body 14 when the ski is at rest or undergoing forward sliding movement. The open nature of the slots 38,40,42 allows any snow or ice lodged therein to be pushed upwardly and outwardly of the slots when the spike members 28,30,32 are received therein. A button 44 or similar pressure responsive member may be mounted on each housing for operating a mechanism that causes the flap portion 24 to pivot downwardly against the spring biasing means to an extent where the spike members, by thus being caused to pivot upwardly, push any snow or ice out of the slots.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art of snow skis that various modifications may be made in details of design and construction of the above described snow skis and traction device therefor without departing from the scope or ambit of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A snow ski adapted to prevent rearward sliding of the ski over a snow or ice surface and to allow free forward sliding movement thereof, the ski including a body and at least one traction device, the traction device comprising:

(c) elongated spike means pivotally connected to the body at a first location thereof, and

(d) spring biasing means connected to the body at a second location thereof and adapted to urge the spike means to pivot downwardly when the ski is elevated from the surface to assume a traction ready position whereby the spike means may achieve traction when the ski initially contacts the surface or starts to slide rearwardly, the spike means assuming a flush position with the body when the ski is at rest or sliding forwardly.

2. The snow ski of claim 1 and further including recess means formed in the body for receiving the spike means flush with a lower surface thereof when the ski is at rest or sliding forwardly.

3. The snow ski of claim 1 wherein the elongated spike means comprises a flap portion at a first end thereof and a spiked portion at a second end thereof, the spring biasing means being adapted to urge against the flap portion of the spike means.

4. The snow ski of claim 1 wherein the spring biasing means is connected to an upper surface of the body.

5. The snow ski of claim 4 wherein the spring bias means is a coil spring.

6. The snow ski of claim 4 wherein the traction device is partly enclosed in a housing.

7. The snow ski of claim 6 wherein the housing is removably secured to the upper surface of the body.

8. The snow ski of claim 3 wherein the spiked portion comprises a plurality of parallel spaced apart spike members.