Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02519333 2005-09-14
WINTER RECREATIONALVEHICLE
This invention relates to a vehicle particularly adapted for use, although not
exclusively,
on snow or ice. More particularly, it relates to a type of winter sports
vehicle which permits the
rider to sit on the vehicle and yet steer as well as brake the same in a
manner similar to the
control that a skier has over skis, while also enabling the user to provide
power to the vehicle
similar that a user would have over a bicycle.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Previous snow bike type vehicles, such as the type described in U.S Patent No.
3,682,495
(Zaimi) can provide for devices able to effect movement across snow or ice
surfaces in a manner
similar to that of a skier. However, devices such as this are designed for
downhill travel along sloped
surfaces, and lack the means for effecting continuous, user controlled
movement of the vehicle
across substantially horizontal surfaces. Thus, there is a need for an
improved self-propelled, bicycle-
like snow type recreational vehicle for use, primarily, in snow or the like,
the motion of which is
controlled in a manner similar to the way a skier may control his motion,
while also enabling the user
to provide power to the vehicle similar that a user would have over a bicycle,
therein overcoming
the abovementioned drawback.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved relatively safe
snow type
recreational vehicle which is usable in snow, or on ice, in the same manner as
skis, or in a manner
similar to a snowmobile or the like, while permitting the user to sit down,
while maintaining
complete control of the vehicle at all times.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved self-
propelled, bicycle-
like snow type recreational vehicle for use, primarily, in snow or the like,
the motion of which is
controlled in a manner similar to the way a skier may control his motion.
CA 02519333 2005-09-14
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a snow-
type recreational
vehicle comprising a frame mounted upon a front ski member and rear ski
members; a steering
assembly connected to the frame, the steering assembly being attached to the
front ski member; a
seat mounted on the frame; and a drive mechanism for effecting propulsion of
the vehicle, the drive
mechanism comprising a front wheel and a rear wheel which are each mounted
underneath the seat
on the frame, the rear wheel being joined by a drive chain to a pedal sprocket
fitted freely about an
axle of the front wheel, said pedal sprocket fitted with a pair of pedals for
use by a user in powering
movement of the vehicle, and an axle of the rear wheel having a plurality of
paddles connected
thereto for engaging a snow surface, whereby when the user effects use of the
pedals, each of the
plurality of paddles rotate about the axle of the rear wheel to sequentially
engage the snow surface
and propel the vehicle across the snow surface.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a snow-
type
recreational vehicle comprising a frame mounted upon a front ski member and
rear ski members,
wherein a front end of the frame is mounted upon the front ski member, and a
rear of the frame is
mounted upon the rear ski members; a steering assembly connected to the frame,
the steering
assembly being attached to the front ski member; a seat mounted on the frame;
and a drive
mechanism for effecting propulsion of the vehicle, the drive mechanism
comprising a front wheel
and a rear wheel which are each mounted underneath the seat on the frame, the
rear wheel being
joined by a drive chain to a pedal sprocket fitted freely about an axle of the
front wheel, said pedal
sprocket fitted with a pair of pedals for use by a user in powering movement
of the vehicle, and an
axle of the rear wheel having a plurality of paddles connected thereto for
engaging a snow surface,
whereby when the user effects use of the pedals, each of the plurality of
paddles rotate about the axle
of the rear wheel to sequentially engage the snow surface and propel the
vehicle across the snow
surface.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a snow-
type
recreational vehicle comprising an elongated frame mounted upon a front ski
member and rear ski
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members, the frame being substantially perpendicular to a snow surface the
vehicle is used upon,
whereby when a user is seated in the vehicle the user will assume a
substantially prone position; a
steering assembly connected to the frame, the steering assembly being attached
to
the front ski member; a seat mounted on the frame; and a drive mechanism for
effecting propulsion
of the vehicle, the drive mechanism comprising a front wheel and a rear wheel
which are each
mounted underneath the seat on the frame, the rear wheel being joined by a
drive chain to a pedal
sprocket fitted freely about an axle of the front wheel, said pedal sprocket
fitted with a pair of pedals
for use by the user in powering movement of the vehicle, and an axle of the
rear wheel having a
plurality of paddles connected thereto for engaging the snow surface, whereby
when the user effects
use of the pedals, each of the plurality of paddles rotate about the axle of
the rear wheel to
sequentially engage the snow surface and propel the vehicle across the snow
surface.
As previously discussed, the advantage of the present invention is that it
provides an
improved relatively safe snow type recreational vehicle which is usable in
snow, or on ice, in the
same manner as skis, or in a manner similar to a snowmobile or the like, while
permitting the user
to sit down, while maintaining complete control of the vehicle at all times.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it easily provides an
improved self-
propelled, bicycle-like snow type recreational vehicle for use, primarily, in
snow or the like, the
motion of which is controlled in a manner similar to the way a skier may
control his motion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In a preferred embodiment, and with reference to Figure 1, the present
invention essentially
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comprises a vehicle 1 for traveling on snow comprised of a frame 3 mounted to
front 5 and rear ski
members 7, a steering assembly 9, a seat 11, a pair of foot pedals 13 and a
drive mechanism 15 for
propulsion. A front end of the bike frame 3 is mounted upon the singular front
ski member 5, and
the rear of the frame 3 is mounted upon dual rear ski members 7.
In a preferred embodiment, a vertical post 17 is mounted upon each of the rear
ski members
7, the posts being attached underneath the rear of the frame 3. In one
alternative embodiment, the
frame 3 is attached to the rear ski members 7 by suspension means. To
accommodate the size of a
user, it is also preferable that the frame is a frame of the elongated
variety. An upper end of the
steering assembly 9 terminates in handlebars 19 to permit steering of the
vehicle by the user.
A drive mechanism 15 is used for effecting propulsion of the vehicle 1, the
drive mechanism
15 comprising a front wheel 21 and a rear wheel 23 which are each mounted
underneath the seat on
the frame, the rear wheel being joined by a drive chain to a pedal sprocket
fitted freely about an axle
of the front wheel. The pedal sprocket is fitted with a pair of pedals 13 for
use by a user in powering
movement of the vehicle, and an axle of the rear wheel possesses a plurality
of paddles 25 connected
thereto for engaging a snow surface, whereby when the user effects use of the
pedals, each of the
plurality of paddles rotate about the axle of the rear wheel 23 to
sequentially engage the snow surface
and propel the vehicle across the snow surface.
In use, the present invention provides that, when the user effects use of the
pedals, the
plurality of paddles rotate in a circular axis about the axle of the rear
wheel, whereby, as the user
continues to effect use of the pedals, each of the plurality of paddles
sequentially engage the snow
surface to propel the vehicle across the snow surface. Of course, it is also
possible that other means
could be utilized instead of a plurality of paddles to propel the vehicle
across the snow surface. For
example, spikes or vanes, or other means apparent to one skilled in the art,
could be utilized instead.
In another embodiment, the front wheel and a rear wheel could each be joined
by a ribbed tread, the
ribbed tread being mounted about the rims of the front and the rear wheel,
whereby when the user
effects use of the pedals, the ribbed tread rotates about the front wheel and
a rear wheel to engage
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the snow surface and propel the vehicle across the snow surface.
In one embodiment, an upper surface of each of the pair of foot pedals can
each include an
abrasive foot engaging surface, so as to inhibit slippage of the user's foot
from the pedals.
In a preferred embodiment, the forward and rear ski members have a width two
or more times
a width of a normal recreation ski. It is also preferable that the front and
rear ski members have a
same width. Of course, it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art
that variations to this could
be effected. It is also to be understood that the rear ski members are dual
ski members.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the frame of the
vehicle can be
designed so as to be more spread out and compact, and thus closer to the
surface of the snow. In this
manner, the weight of the user while on the vehicle, and the vehicle itself,
is spread out over a greater
surface area on the snow, thus inhibiting any sinking of the vehicle into the
snow and enabling the
vehicle to be less likely to flip over while turning, for example.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred
embodiments.
However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of
variations and
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
described herein.
There are numerous variations and modifications thereof that will also remain
readily apparent to
others skilled in the art, now that the general principles of the present
invention have been disclosed.
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