Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION: HYBRID SNOWSHOE-SKI
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present inventions relates to snowshoes that can be also used to slide
over snow in a manner similar to skis.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hybrid sporting equipment that can be used both as skis and snowshoes is
known. Most of the prior art comprises devices that are ski spinoffs intended
to be used as
both skis and snowshoes. They comprise a rigid hull having a flat underside.
The hull is wider
and shorter than that usually found on skis to allow the hull to float over
snow in the more
static snowshoe use; and its flat underside allows the ski-snowshoe to slide
over snow like
skis.
However, these prior art hybrid devices are both very poor skis and very
poor snowshoes. As skis, they are short and wide and their hydrodynamics
consequently do
not allow efficient sliding over snow.
As snowshoes, the smooth hulls of most of these devices lack gripping
action. Also, the rigid hulls are not as efficient as the semi-rigid deckings
that most
snowshoes have. Further, snowshoes typically include openings on the decking
to prevent
the snow from accumulating on the decking where the weight of the snow hinders
use of
the snowshoe since it becomes more difficult to lift during gait; and under
the foot where
the snow hinders the foot's pivotal movement when the foot pivots down against
the
decking. The snow is shovelled by the snowshoe itself to land on the snowshoe
due to it
being cyclically pushed down and out of the snow during gait so snow
accumulation on top
of the decking is not only frequent, it is inevitable. The rigid, uniform
hulls of the prior art
devices are devoid of openings that allow the evacuation of snow. Finally, the
gripping
elements provided on the hulls are often suboptimal, for example in the form
of fins that will
either not provide suitable gripping for the snowshoe operation, or too much
resistance for
the ski operation, to work properly. These fins on the underside of the hull
may be in the
form of one or more thin blades that protrude downwardly away from the hull,
that allow a
limited gripping action when the foot pushes rearwardly when walking, for
example, up a
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slope. The fins are either retractable to then allow the hull to slide on the
snow unhindered
when in ski mode, but then manipulation is required to remove the fin. Or, the
fins are
permanent, and are oriented rearwardly away from the hull, to offer limited
resistance to
the sliding of the hull when sliding down a slope. Still, the resistance
remains important.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hybrid snowshoe-ski defining front and
rear ends, first and second sides and a topside and an underside, comprising :
= a rigid frame;
= a decking attached to said frame;
= a binding attached to one of said decking and said frame;
wherein said decking comprises undulations that each extend between said first
and second
sides.
In one embodiment, said decking comprises a main body and a number of
tongue members extending from said main body and peripherally spaced-apart
about said
main body such that gaps are formed between successive tongue members, with
said
decking being attached to said frame with said tongue members.
In one embodiment, said undulations define apexes oriented towards said
topside of said hybrid snowshoe-ski and bottoms oriented towards said
underside of said
hybrid snowshoe-ski, said decking defining a foot-bearing area on said topside
of said hybrid
snowshoe-ski for receiving a foot attached to said hybrid snowshoe-ski with
said binding,
with corresponding gaps being located in alignment with said foot-bearing area
for
evacuating snow located on said foot-bearing area towards said first and
second sides.
In one embodiment, said binding is pivotally attached to said decking on one
of said apexes located frontwardly of said foot-bearing area.
In one embodiment, said apexes of said undulations each extend between a
pair of corresponding said tongue members.
In one embodiment, said tongue members include attachment loops
attached to said frame, said attachment loops being inclined so as to define
upper frontward
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portions oriented towards said apexes and lower rearward portions oriented
towards said
bottoms.
In one embodiment, apexes of said undulations are aligned with a top
portion of said frame and said bottoms of said undulations are aligned with a
bottom
portion of said frame.
In one embodiment, said undulations are located frontwardly and
underneath said foot-bearing area.
In one embodiment, said decking comprises non-undulated portions located
between said undulations and said front end of said hybrid snowshoe-ski and
between said
undulations and said rear end of said hybrid snowshoe-ski, said non-undulated
portions
being aligned with said bottoms of said undulations.
In one embodiment, said foot-bearing area is located approximately midway
between said front and rear ends.
In one embodiment, said binding pivots entirely above said decking.
In one embodiment, said binding comprises a live hinge member with a rigid
blocker plate.
In one embodiment, said undulations are rounded.
In one embodiment, said frame is opened at said rear end.
In one embodiment, said decking is semi-rigid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the annexed drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a person shown schematically in outline,
using a pair of hybrid snowshoes-skis of the present invention and a pair of
poles;
Figure 2 is a front, top perspective view of the hybrid snowshoe-ski of figure
1 with the binding pivoted downwards against the decking;
Figure 3 is a rear, top perspective view of the hybrid snowshoe-ski of figure
1
with the binding pivoted upwards away from the decking;
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Figure 4 is a rear, bottom perspective view of the hybrid snowshoe-ski of
figure 1 with the binding pivoted downwards against the decking; and
Figures 5 and 6 are cross-section views taken along lines V-V and VI-VI of
figure 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 shows a person walking with a pair of hybrid snowshoes-skis 10, 10
according to the present invention and a pair of conventional cross-country
ski poles P.
Figures 2-6 show that each hybrid snowshoe-ski 10 defines front and rear
ends 10a, 10b spaced along a longitudinal axis 100, first and second sides
10c, 10d spaced
along a lateral axis 102 and a topside 10e and an underside 10f spaced along a
transversal
axis 104.
Snowshoe-ski 10 comprises a rigid frame 12 that is generally U-shaped.
Frame 12 comprises a curved front segment 12a at front end 10a and two
straight side
segments 12b, 12c at first and second sides 10c, 10d. In an alternate
embodiment (not
shown), frame 12 could be a closed loop and comprise an additional rear
segment (not
shown) linking both side segments 12b, 12c at the hybrid snowshoe-ski's rear
end 10b.
Snowshoe-ski 10 also comprises a semi-rigid decking 14 attached to frame
12 in a manner detailer hereinafter. A binding 16 is pivotally attached to
decking 14,
although in an alternate embodiment (not shown), binding 16 could be pivotally
attached to
frame 12 instead. Binding 16 is pivotally attached to one of decking 14 and
frame 12 in a
manner that allows a user's foot to be pivotally attached to hybrid snowshoe-
ski 10 so as to
allow the person to walk or slide with hybrid snowshoe-ski 10, as detailed
hereinafter.
Decking 14 comprises a main body 18 and a number of tongue members 20
extending from main body 18 and peripherally spaced-apart about main body 18
such that
gaps 22 are formed between successive tongue members 20. Decking 14 is
attached to
frame 12 with tongue members 20.
Tongue members 20 include a number of attachment loops 24, namely eight
attachment loops 24, although a different number could also be used. Each
attachment loop
is integrally formed with main body 18 and extends outwardly therefrom towards
frame 12,
with frame 12 extending through loops 24.
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Tongue members 20 further include a number of attachment tabs 26,
namely five attachment tabs 26, although a different number could also be
used. Each
attachment tab 26 is a flat extension of main body 18 that is fixed, e.g.
bolted, to the
underside of frame 12. One pair of attachment tabs 26 is located rearwardly of
attachment
5 loops 24, one
pair of attachment tabs 26 is located frontwardly of attachment loops 24 and
one attachment tab 26 is located at the front end 10a of snowshoe-ski 10.
A pair of attachment straps 28, 28 are also provided on either side 10c, 10d
of snowshoe-ski 10, centrally between attachment loops 24, tensioning and
further
attaching decking 14 with respect to frame 12.
Decking 14 comprises undulations 30 that each extend between first and
second sides 10c, 10d of snowshoe-ski 10, parallel to lateral axis 102. More
particularly,
undulations 30 each define apexes 30a oriented towards topside 10e and
extending
between a pair of corresponding loop members 24; and bottoms 30b oriented
towards the
underside 10f of hybrid snowshoe-ski 10. The tongue members 20 that are in the
form of
attachment loops 24 are inclined and decking 14 is consequently naturally
formed so that
the top frontward portions of the attachment loops 24 are aligned with the
apexes 30a of
undulations 30 and the bottom rearward portions of the attachment loops 24 are
aligned
with the bottoms 30b of undulations 30. Also, openings 22 are longitudinally
located
between apexes 30a of undulations 30, to allow snow evacuation.
Decking 14 defines a foot-bearing area 32 on topside 10e of hybrid
snowshoe-ski 10 for receiving the load of a foot attached to said hybrid
snowshoe-ski with
binding 16, when binding 16 and the foot pivot and rest against decking 14.
Foot-bearing
area 32 overlies an area of decking 14 that comprises corresponding gaps 22
for evacuating
snow located on foot-bearing area 32 towards the first and second sides 10c,
10d of hybrid
snowshoe-ski 10. More particularly, as the foot and binding 16 are pivoted
towards decking
14, they will contribute to push snow towards the gaps 22 that are aligned
with foot-bearing
area 32.
As noted above, binding 16 is pivotally attached to decking 14. More
precisely, binding 16 is pivotally attached to decking 14 on one of the apexes
30a of the
undulations 30 located frontwardly of foot-bearing area 32. Moreover, binding
16 and foot-
bearing area 32 are located approximately midway between the front and rear
ends 10a,
10b of hybrid snowshoe-ski 10. Undulations 30 are located frontwardly and
underneath of
foot-bearing area 32, and decking 14 comprises non-undulated portions 34
located between
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undulations 30 and the front 10a of hybrid snowshoe-ski 10 and between
undulations 30
and the rear 10b of hybrid snowshoe-ski 10.
In use, snowshoe-ski 10 can be used to walk as one would with regular
snowshoes, and can also be used to slide or glide over snow, as one would with
cross-
country skis for example. As shown in figure 1, ski poles P are advantageously
used to help
the user to move forward and maintain balance. Snowshoe-ski 10 is particularly
adapted for
flat terrain or mild slopes, generally referred to as rolling hill terrain.
Snowshoe-ski 10 is
close to a snowshoe in its design, and as such descending steep slopes with
it, while not
impossible, will not necessarily be easy.
When walking as with regular snowshoes, the inclined loop members 24 will
provide positive gripping action when the user pushes to move forward. Ski
poles P will
further help to move forward, as will the limited friction of decking 14 on
the snow. The
surfaces of undulations 30 that are inclined will also help by providing
limited gripping action
in the snow.
When the user wants to slide forward on the snow, the fact that undulations
30 are rounded reduces friction of snowshoe-ski 10 in this sliding action. The
inclined
orientation of loop members 24 also contributes to minimize resistance to this
forward
sliding.
In practice, snowshoe-ski 10 will allow the user to both walk and slide
cyclically during gait. Indeed, when pushing forward with his foot, the
traction of snowshoe-
ski 10 obtained through the combined action of inclined tongue members 24,
undulations 30
and the limited friction of the decking underside, will allow snowshoe-ski 10
to remain still;
while when snowshoe-ski is pulled forward it will not be required to lift
snowshoe-ski 10
above ground as with regular snowshoes, instead allowing snowshoe-ski to slide
along the
snow. This "sliding gait" movement obtained with the present invention is very
advantageous.
It is noted that undulations 30 have a height equal to the thickness of frame
12, such that apexes 30a of undulations 30 are aligned with a top portion of
frame 12 and
bottoms 30b of undulations 30 are aligned with a bottom portion of frame 12;
and the non-
undulated portions 34 of decking 14 are aligned with the bottoms 30b of
undulations 30.
This allows the formation of a sliding surface formed by the non-undulated
portions 34 of
decking 14, the bottom portion of frame 12 and the bottoms 30b of undulations
30. Having
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binding 16 located on an apex 30a of one undulation 30 also allows the semi-
rigid decking 14
to flex in an area that is not the sliding surface of decking 14 and thus not
in load-bearing
contact ¨ or in very limited load-bearing contact ¨ with the snow.
Front and rear keels 37, 38 are advantageously provided on the lower
surface of decking 14, to avoid lateral deportation during use.
In the embodiment shown in the attached drawings, binding 16 pivots
entirely above decking 14, i.e there is no toe hole in decking 14 through
which the front
portion of binding would pivot. This is preferable to avoid the toe portion of
the binding to
hinder the sliding of snowshoe-ski 10. The hinge member 36 of binding 16 is a
live hinge
member, i.e. it is a flexible band of fabric that is attached to decking 14
allowing some
measure of tilting to the binding for increased comfort and control. The live
hinge member
includes a rigid blocker plate limiting the pivotal movement of binding 16 to
allow the foot
and binding to push the snowshoe-ski 10 forward. Other types of bindings and
hinge
members (not shown) could alternately be used.
