Abstract:
A snowboard support device for use in lift assist transport. The device may have a base, an extension shaft and a handle member or the like. In one embodiment, the handle serves as a housing to cover the extension shaft in its closed position and provides an engagement surface for non-fixed, gravity-based engagement of a chair lift seat.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of earlier filed U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/672,624, filed Apr. 19, 2005, and having the same title and inventor as above. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to snowboards and like devices and more specifically to a compactable or retractable mechanism for bearing weight from the board during a chair lift ride. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Snowboarding is a relatively new and growing winter recreational activity. The experience is somewhat similar to a skateboarding experience, though, among other differences, in snowboarding a user&#39;s feet are fixedly attached to a board during use. After a run, a user releases one foot, normally the rear foot, and pushes with that foot to maneuver through chair lift lines and onto a chair lift. During the chair lift ride, the board dangles unbalanced and uncomfortably from the permanently attached foot. Upon exiting the chair lift, a user reattaches his or her free “foot” before descending a run. 
   A need exists to alleviate the awkward and uncomfortable situation of having a board dangle from a user&#39;s foot during a chair lift ride. Several prior art devices are known that address this problem. They include the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.: 6,349,968 issued to Owen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,048 issued to Slaughter; U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,729 issued to Gomez; U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,722 issued to Ritchie; U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,159 issued to Butterfield; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,728 issued to Verville. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,968 to Owen teaches a cord with a releasable carbiner type clamp. This device is disadvantageous for several reasons including that if there is any problem with release, due to operator error or mechanical failure, the user is unreleasably coupled to the moving chair lift, potentially resulting in serious injury at unloading and/or stoppage of the lift apparatus. Also the extended cord does not lend itself to ready and secure stowage. 
   Various other know devices, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.: 5,090,722 to Ritchie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,159 to Butterfield and U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,728 to Verville, illustrate positive engagement devices provided on boards, bindings or boots where the “free” foot is temporarily coupled to the board through the positive engagement device. These devices tend to be disadvantageous in that they may be difficult to use particularly in winter conditions where parts may frequently be clogged with snow or ice and cold fingers may loose the dexterity required for operation. Also, device reliability is questionable due in part to fouling or inherent design limitations in the devices or the object to which they attach, etc. Furthermore, while they may balance weight more evenly over two feet, the weight of the board and boots, etc., is wholly supported by the legs not permitting leg muscles to rest more fully before the next run. 
   A need thus exists for a mechanism for better supporting a snowboard or like device during chair lift or related transport. This need may include the need for a device that more evenly balances weight, can mount to a lift chair or other structure in a supportive, secure manner which is readily and inherently separable from the chair or structure, is readily and securely stowable when not in use and/or directly supports board weight permitting legs to rest, among other needs. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide these and related features or functionality. The attainment of these and related features and advantages should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention taken together with the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a snowboard support device in accordance with the present invention is shown. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the device of  FIG. 1  in a stowage position, while  FIG. 3  illustrates the device in an extended position. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  perspective views the device of  FIG. 1  at different levels of extension, while  FIG. 6  is side elevation view of the device in the extended position. 
       FIGS. 7-8  are exploded perspective views of the device of  FIG. 1  and the top extension shaft of that device, respectively. 
       FIGS. 9-10  are a top plan view and a side elevation view illustrating cam-based positioning of the handle and shaft, respectively, of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a snowboard support device  50  in accordance with the present invention is shown.  FIG. 1  illustrates device  50  in an extended position with handle/housing (“handle”)  23  resting on a chair lift seat  60 . Device  50  is preferably mounted to a snowboard  70  or other device through an extension  71  of binding plate  1  (shown in other figures) or other suitable means. Extension shaft  52  may be pivotally coupled to base  4  through a shuttle  6  movably mounted on shuttle shaft  5 . Extension shaft  52  may have a telescoping configuration and include a lower, middle and upper section  9 , 14 , 22 , respectively. Handle  23  may be pivotally coupled to upper section  22  and configured to not extend substantially past 90 degrees. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates device  50  in a stowage position compactly contracted within handle  23 .  FIG. 3  illustrates device  50  in an extended position. The base  4 , shuttle  6  and extension shaft  52  are visible in this view. The binding plate  1  and disk  2 , pivot arm  13 , release latch  24  and other features are also shown. 
   Device  50  is preferably biased towards the extended position. To contract it, a user applies a downward force in the direction of arrow C to compress the shaft and then in the direction of arrow B to move the orientation of shaft  52  toward horizontal. Movement in the direction of arrow B causes the lower section of shaft  52  to pivot about pivot arm  13  and move via movement of shuttle  6  on shuttle shaft  5  (see  FIG. 4 ) in the direction of arrow D. Handle  23  is moved generally downward in the direction of arrow A until it mounts on and “clicks” into base  4 . To extend the device, latch release mechanism  24  is actuated by a user which releases handle  23  from base  4  and permits a user to extend the handle to the extended position for resting on a chair lift seat as shown in  FIG. 1  (and the handle is preferably biased towards this extended position). It should be recognized that by merely resting on the chair lift seat (as opposed to positively attaching such as with a clip or carbiner), the present invention is much less likely to become inadvertently attached to the chair lift. 
     FIGS. 4-6  are three perspective views illustrating embodiments of device  50  at three different levels of extension.  FIGS. 7-8  are two exploded perspective views that illustrate the various components of the embodiments of device  50  of  FIGS. 4-6 . 
   The mounting of a binding plate  1  to a board is known. For device  50 , an exterior region  71  is provided with binding plate  1  and clips  3  are used to mount base  4  to the binding plate. Shaft  5  is provided within the structure of base  4  and shuttle  6  is preferably configured for movement along shaft  5 . Spring  20  biases housing  6  away from a contracted position causing shaft  52  to rise up in response to a release of latch mechanism  24  (described below). Axle  7  facilitates pivotal coupling of shaft  52  to shuttle  6 . 
   Pivot arm  13  is coupled to a pivot member  11  into which shuttle shaft  5  is inserted. These items are held in place by firmly secured base  4 . Pivot arm  13  is coupled to lower shaft section  9 . 
   Extension shaft sections  9 , 14 , 22  telescope within each other. See, for example,  FIG. 6 . A spring tempered anchor  36  is preferably provided in top section  22  to absorb shocks and some lateral movement. 
     FIG. 8  illustrates details of the handle  23  and top shaft section  22 . Latch actuator  24  is movably coupled through pin  25  to handle  23  and further to internal latch  29 . Cam spring  28  biased latch  29  towards engagement. When handle  23  is pressed onto base  4  the teeth  30  of latch  29  hook underneath ledge  38  of base  4  (see  FIG. 7 ). To release the handle from the base, latch actuator  24  is pushed forward causing the internal latch  29  to rotate such that teeth  30  disengage ledge  38 . Lock knob  27  in the straight up position blocks movement of latch  24 . 
   Anchor  36  may include an axial screw  35  that mounts cam  32  and spring  33  to top shaft section  22  adjacent pin  31 . The spring and cam serve to center top shaft section  22  and provide some flexibility and shock absorption. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate features of the functionality of device  50 . The bottom two shaft sections are preferably configured such that they do not turn (though they may be configured otherwise without departing from the invention). The top shaft section  22  is preferably coupled through a cam arrangement that permits turning, but recenters in the absence of a turning force as discussed above with reference to  FIG. 8 , and shown in  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 10  illustrates that the extension shaft may be provided with shuttle  6  and cam spring  20  ( FIG. 7 ) such that the shuttle is biased towards vertical with a certain amount of play. 
   Components may be made of metal, plastic or other suitable materials. 
   While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.