Patent ID: 6390491
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: A63C

Abstract:
A downhill ski, comprising:a downhill ski body comprising an upwardly curved nose and an elongated first member extending rearwardly from said nose at least generally along a first reference axis and which defines a longitudinal extent of said downhill ski body, wherein said downhill ski body comprises opposing upper and lower surfaces, wherein a reference plane is associated with said lower surface and is disposed in at least generally parallel relation with said lower surface, and wherein said downhill ski body further comprises first and second side surfaces which define a lateral extent of said downhill ski body; a downhill ski binding disposed on said upper surface which comprises first and second binding members spaced along said first reference axis, wherein said first binding member is disposed between said nose and said second binding member, and wherein said downhill ski binding further comprises a latch trip member; and a traction device which comprises: a traction device mount disposed on said upper surface of said downhill ski body and attached to said downhill ski body; a traction arm carrier pivotally interconnected with said traction device mount and pivotable between at least first and second traction ann carrier positions; a first traction arm mounted on said traction arm carrier, wherein at least a portion of said first traction arm is disposed beyond said first side surface of said downhill ski body and extends at least generally in a direction of a rear end of said downhill ski body at least when said traction arm carrier is disposed in said second traction arm carrier position, wherein said first traction arm further comprises a free end which is longitudinally spaced from said traction arm carrier in a direction of said rear end of said downhill ski body at least when said traction arm carrier is disposed in said second traction arm carrier position, wherein said free end of said first traction arm does not extend below said reference plane when said traction arm carrier is in said first traction arm carrier position, and wherein said free end of said first traction am is disposed below said reference plane when said traction arm carrier is in said second traction arm carrier position; a traction arm carrier biasing member, wherein said traction arm carrier biasing member biases said traction arm carrier at least toward said second traction arm carrier position; and a latch movably interconnected with said traction device mount and which is movable between first and second latch positions, wherein said traction arm carrier is retained in said first traction arm carrier position by said latch when said latch is in said first latch position, wherein said traction arm carrier is disengaged from said latch when said latch is in said second latch position such that said traction arm carrier biasing member is then able to remove said traction arm carrier at least toward said second traction arm carrier position, wherein said latch trip member of said binding engages said latch in a manner so as to dispose said latch in said second latch position when a downhill ski boot in disposed out of said binding such that said latch disengages said traction arm carrier and said traction arm carrier biasing member is then able to move said traction arm carrier at least toward said second traction arm carrier position to in turn dispose said free end of said first traction arm below said reference plane associated with said lower surface of said downhill ski body such that said traction device functions as a downhill ski brakes wherein said latch trip member of said binding is sufficiently disengaged with said latch when said downhill ski boot is positioned in said binding in a manner so as to allow said latch to be in either of said first and second latch positions, wherein said latch comprises means for manually moving said latch from said first latch position to said second latch position while the downhill ski boot is disposed within said binding such that said latch disengages said traction arm carrier to allow said traction arm carrier biasing member to then move said traction arm carrier at least toward said second traction arm carrier position to in turn dispose said free end of said first traction arm below said reference plane associated with said lower surface of said downhill ski body such that said free end of said first traction aim is disposed in an orientation to provide traction when an operator of said downhill ski exerts a rearwardly directed force on said downhill ski so as to advance another downhill ski being used by the operator in a forward direction, and wherein said latch further comprises means for manually moving said latch from said second latch position to said first latch position while the downhill ski boot is disposed within said binding such that said traction arm carrier may be moved back to said first traction arm carrier position and be retained in said first traction arm carrier position by an engagement of said latch to in turn dispose said free end of said first traction arm so as to not extend below said reference plane associated with said lower surface of said downhill ski body to allow said first downhill ski to be used for normal downhill skiing operations.