WO2007123469A1

WO2007123469A1 - A method to drive an equipment, a drive mechanism for an equipment and a propelled equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2007123469A1
Application number: PCT/SE2007/000393
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tony Wiberg
Original assignee: Lindstedt, Thomas
Priority date: 2006-04-24
Filing date: 2007-04-24
Publication date: 2007-11-01
Also published as: SE0600898L; SE529354C2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method to propel an appliance in the shape of a snow board (1) over the ground. The invention is characterized in that an engine (3) is attached on the board be¬ tween the positions for the ski bindings (11) for a user's boots, that a pendulum arm (7) carrying propelling means (8) is arranged at the rear end of the board with the propelling means and the pendulum arm free to perform a swinging move¬ ment, that the propelling means is propelled by an engine through a drive line (5, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a) having a drive wheel at the engine, a chain or belt propelled of the drive wheel at the engine, a drive wheel at an intermediate shaft in connection to the pendulum shaft of the pendulum arm, and furthermore a drive wheel on said intermediate shaft and a chain or a belt propelling said propelling means (8), and spring means (9) attached at the board and exerting a pressure of the pendulum arm (7) and the propelling means (8) towards the ground.

Description

1 U O -UO- £UU/

A method to drive an equipment, a drive mechanism for an equipment and a propelled equipment

The present invention relates to a method to propel an appliance, a propelling mechanism for an appliance and a propel able appliance of the kind referred to in claims 1, 3 and 6.

It is previous known to use different kind of appliances for going downhill on snow. Among these there are skies and snow boards, the later in form of a mainly flat board with raised forward and rearward edge portions, in the following mentioned as "snowboard". Snowboards have in the latest 20 years become very popular as a winter sport activity, mostly among young people. Snow boards call for a very special user's behaviour being different compared to what is valid for ordinary skies as both the feet are fixed to the board. Here, as in other body incorporated and body controlled activities, it is necessary to transform or train the body related reflex behaviours to also be valid incorporating the use of the appliance/board. Some brain scientists have said that this training of body reflex behaviours to work together with an appliance is very important for the development of the brain, as new synaptic patterns and a myeliniza- tion of these patterns are necessary to have said new activity work in a reflexive way, i.e. in an automatic senso-motoric way.

Snow boards call for mountains and ski establishments to be able to use. On those places there exists the prerequisite by prepared tracks and foundations. Not to mention the lift facilities transporting the skier and the board upwards such that the fall of height will be the potential energy used to propel the board and the skier on their way downwards.

There are proposals for motor propelled snow boards. Some of them use the snow scoter principle for propelling, i.e. they are propelled by caterpillar tracks. Most of the motor propelled snow boards have largely changed properties compared to conventional snow boards. It is very seldom, not to say never possible to use normal manoeuvring behaviours, i.e. learnt reflexes and reactions used at conventional boards to manoeuvre any of the existing proposed motor propelled boards.

The main purpose with the present invention is to obtain a method and a propelling mechanism making it possible to propel a snow board without using the potential energy and where already trained board manoeuvring behaviours are valid.

An other purpose is to obtain an appliance allowing a broader use of snow boards as well as the competence and skill as many have developed to handle these boards.

Yet an other purpose with the invention is to obtain a motor propelled appliance which can be used to train and develop conventional snow board use and wherein a possible fear for steep hills can be eliminated in such a way that basic behaviours can be trained during low speeds and on a not inclined surface.

The objects stated above together with others which will be obvious of the description below will be obtained by the invention having the characterizing clauses mentioned in the claims. 2 U O -Ud- LUUf

The propelling motor is attached to the board by a bridge or a bracket leaving the board free to flex during use, i.e. the bracket is placed on a distance above the upper side of the board, and on which bracket the attachment means for the user's shoes are arranged.

A pendulum arm having a propelling means, preferably a wheel with a coarse- patterned and maybe studded rubber wheel is arranged at the rear end and with the propelling means and the pendulum arm free to perform a swinging movement also to positions below the lower side of the board. For certain purposes the propelling means can be arranged as caterpillar track means with a profiled drive band. The propelling means is driven by the engine through a transmission, preferably comprising a chain wheel and one or more chains. An option is the use of a combination of a chain and a cardan. The engine is positioned between the legs of the user, i.e. on the middle of the board. A spring loaded link arrangement attached to the board will execute a pressure towards the ground of the pendulum arm and propelling means to increase the possibility to an efficient power transfer between the propelling means and the ground.

Besides using a spring exerting a pressure of the propelling means towards the ground a chock absorber is preferably arranged between the board and den pendulum arm. The reasons for this are the same as for an of road motor bike, i.e. to as much as possible decrease the time as the propelling means is positioned above the ground and out of propelling engagement.

The propelling mechanism according to the present invention is attached to or in connection to a frame which in turn is attached to the board with a certain distance above its upper surface. The attachment points between the frame and the board are preferably those used for the ski bindings at a conventional board, i.e. with a c/c distance of 540 mm. An engine is arranged in connection to the frame as well as a pendulum arm carrying a propelling means attached to the rear end of the board with the propelling means and the pendulum arm free to perform a swinging movement. The choice of a propelling means, often a tire equipped wheel, where the tire comprising a soft rubber mixture and having a convex outer form, takes place depending of the characteristics wanted of the board and to a certain degree onto which ground it is supposed to be used. The rubber tire preferred is of a low pressure type, i.e. the tire has a capability to be deformed against the ground to that extent that it will have an almost plane contact surface towards the ground. The unavoidable heat development taking place by the deformation of the tire can be accepted and is manageable as the cooling of the tire is very effective. A transmission, as simple as a chain wheel and one or more chains will transfer all power from the engine to the propelling means. If the chain transmission is divided, i.e. consists of two chains, one from the engine to an intermediate shaft at the same time being the swing shaft for the pendulum shaft, any arrangement to keep the chain (chains) tightened can be excluded irrespective of how much the propelling means carrying pendulum arm swings. A spring arrangement is attached between the board and the pendulum arm and exert a pressure of the propelling means towards the ground. Preferably, besides of the spring arrangement there is also a chock absorber arranged by reasons mentioned earlier. Besides of chock absorbing means between the frame/bridge and pendulum arm there is also the possibility to have chock absorbing means between the frame/bridge and the board to as efficient as possible absorb and reduce the stresses between the ground and the user's feet/legs. The ratio between the length of the pendulum arm and the diameter of the propelling means is between 1,2 : 1 and 3,5 : 1, preferably 2 : 1. The diameter of the propelling means include the wheel including the mounted tire. The tire is preferably of a soft rubber, i.e. a rubber mixture not getting hard in cold temperatures and having a specially designed pattern easily forming grip on a snowy and/υricy ground. The contact surface of the tire is arc shaped preferably - of the motor bike type, and has, besides of stubs, also notches between the stubs being self cleaning.

The length of the pendulum arm or the swing depends of the rim and the tire dimension, and of the wanted depth for propelling, i.e. how soft the ground is. In this connection it is important to mention the influence of the tire properties to obtain an effective driving force.

Adjustable chock absorbers give a possibility to an increase of the efficiency of the driving force and is partly dependent of the length of the swing, the weight and the skill of the user, but mostly of the characteristics of the ground.

The invention will be described below in connection to the shown embodiments on the attached drawings, where,

Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing of a diagrammatic model of a snow board built according to the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2a is a view from above of the board shown in fig. 1,

Fig. 2b is a view from above of a variant with a thinner board, otherwise identical with the embodiment shown in fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the transmission using an intermediate shaft at the same time being the pendulum shaft for the pendulum arm,

Fig. 4 shows explicit the transmission at the board in accordance with the invention, and where

Fig. 5a and 5b shows a couple of views of an alternative to air filled rubber tires as active propelling means, i.e. a propelling wheel comprising a rim and a screw able propelling track delivered in running metres.

In fig. 1 the snow board is generally shown at 1 with a built on bridge or frame, generally shown at 2. A propelling engine 3 is fixed to the frame 2 propelling a propelling means 4 by a gear wheel 5. The gear wheel acts on a chain 5 a having a roller bearing on an intermediate shaft 6, which shaft simultaneously is the swing shaft for the pendulum arm 7, the other end of which rot ably has a propelling wheel 8. The propelling of the wheel 8 is here shown taking place by a chain transmission having a chain wheel 6a and a chain 7a together with a chain wheel 8a in connection to the wheel 8. A solid mounting 10 at the outer end of the pendulum arm 7 carry one end of a spring/chock absorber 9, the other end of which is attached to the board/frame. It is also possible to arrange the attachments 11a and 1 Ib for the skiing boots on their own frame parts or bridges, i.e. fully free from the frame carrying the propelling mechanism. Then these frame portions can bridge over the frame of the propelling mecha- nism and being fixed at the edge portion of the board (vertically and/or horizontally in this). This arrangement decreases the transmission of vibrations from the engine to the board and to the feet of the user.

Fig. 2a is a view from above of the board shown in fig. 1 with propelling means according to the invention. Here it is shown how the width of the board exceeds the width of the frame, but in fig. 2b the board is shown thinner than the frame, which in turn require a certain speed to establish a stability for the user, i.e. this embodiment require a more skilful user and where the use must take place on a harder ground compared to what is the case for the embodiment shown in fig. 2a.

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the transmission using an intermediate shaft 12 at the same time forming the swing shaft for the pendulum arm. Here a transmission is shown using synchronous drive belts which theoretically can be possible for certain uses, even if chin wheels and chain are the transmission components necessary for most of the cases.

In fig. 4 is shown how the pendulum arm 7 is suspended from the rear end of the board 1 to let the pendulum arm be free to swing during the use of the board 1 also below beneath the gliding plane of the board 1. The width of the engine device can be about 330 mm, i.e. then extending somewhat outside the long sides of the board. The height of the frame 2 above the ground is preferably between 70 and 110 mm. The distance between the ski bindings is preferably about 550 mm. In fig. 4 is shown the propelling mechanism with a pendulum arm 7, mounting 10, spring arrangement 9 and a chock absorber. Arrangements can be made to adjust the attachment point of the spring arrangement 9 and for the chock absorber. The attachment point is always situated in front of the swing shaft 6/12 for the pendulum am 7.

Fig. 5a shows a side view of an alternative to air filled rubber tires as active propelling means, i.e. a propelling wheel comprising of a rim with an on screwable drive track of rubber and previously delivered in running metres.

Fig. 5b shows a view from ahead of the propelling wheel according to fig. 5a showing the convex form of the rim track and a couple of examples of the pattern of the propelling track. In this connection it can be mentioned that the diameter of the rim and the wheel is maximum about 200 mm while the active length of the pendulum arm is about 250 mm, i.e. the protruding pendulum arm with tire is about 350 mm. The length of the board from the attachment of the pendulum arm to the front edge of the board is about 900 mm.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown on the drawings, but modifications can be made within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

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1. A method to propel an appliance in the shape of a snow board (1) over a ground, characterized in that an engine (3) is attached on the board between the positions for the ski bindings (11) for a user's boots, that a pendulum arm (7) carrying propelling means (8) is arranged at the rear end of the board with the propelling means and the pendulum arm free to perform a swinging movement, that the propelling means is propelled by an engine through a drive line (5, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a) having a drive wheel at the engine, a chain or belt propelled of the drive wheel at the engine, a drive wheel at an intermediate shaft in connection to the pendulum shaft of the pendulum arm, and furthermore a drive wheel on said intermediate shaft and a chain or a belt propelling said propelling means (8), and spring means (9) attached at the board and exerting a pressure of the pendulum arm (7) and the propelling means (8) towards the ground.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that besides a spring exerting a pressure of the propelling means towards the ground, a chock absorber is also arranged between the board (1) and the pendulum arm (7).

3. Propelling mechanism to propel an appliance in the shape of a snow board (1) over a ground, characterised in an engine (3) at the middle of the board between the legs of a user, a pendulum arm (7) carrying propelling means (8) at the rear end of the board with the propelling means (8) and the pendulum am (7) free to perform a pendulum movement, in a drive line (5, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a) comprising a first drive wheel which by a belt or a chain transmits power from the engine (3) to the propelling means (8) through an intermediate shaft in connection to the rear end of the board, and on the intermediate shaft arranged second and third drive- wheels, where the second drive wheel is connected to the first drive wheel and where the second drive wheel and where the third drive wheel, by a drive belt or a chain, propels the propelling means (8), and that a spring arrangement (9) attached at the board (1) and which by a pendulum arm (7) pressure the propelling means (8) towards the ground.

4. Propelling mechanism according to claim 3, characterised in that the relation between the length of the pendulum arm (7) and the diameter of the propelling means (8) is in the range of 1,2 : 1 and 3,5 : 1, preferably 2 : 1.

5. Propelling appliance in the form of a snow board (1), comprising a flat disk like main body having suitable end parts, and binding means (11) to hold the feet of an user of the appliance towards the board (1) and an engine (3) attached to the board, characterized in that the binding means (11) are arranged in connection to the board (1) and that the engine (3) is positioned between the binding means (11), that a pendulum arm (7) is pivotally attached to a frame (2) at the rear end of the board (1), that a propelling means (8) is arranged at the outer end of the pendulum arm (7) and is propelled by the propelling means by a drive line (5, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a).

6. Appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that a spring arrangement (9) is attached between the pendulum arm (7) and the board (1) and exerts a force toward the board contacting ground.

7. Appliance according to claim 6 or 7, further characterized in a yoke (10) by which a chock absorber is arranged between the pendulum arm (7) and the board (1).

8. Appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that the chock absorber is adjustable.

9. Appliance according to any of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the propelling means (8) is a wheel, preferably a pneumatic rubber tire.

10. Appliance according to any of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the propelling means (8) is a wheel, comprising a track and tread surface of rubber, preferably attached directly on the convex periphery of the wheel by screws or rivet joints.