Snowshoe-ski kit and method of adjusting the effective traction coefficient on a snowshoe-ski

A snowshoe-ski kit comprising a hybrid snowshoe-ski comprising a main body defining a bottom surface operative for moving over snow and having a snowshoe-ski traction coefficient, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface. The hybrid snowshoe-ski further comprises a binding attached to the main body for attachment to a person's foot atop the top surface. The kit also comprises a first removable and reversible sheet-like skin having opposite first and second surfaces each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient. The first skin is removably attachable to the snowshoe-ski main body with either one of the first and second surfaces bearing against the bottom surface and the other one of the first and second surfaces being exposed, for allowing the snowshoe-ski to be operatively used either alone or with the first skin installed with either one of the first and second skin surfaces exposed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hybrid snowshoe-skis, and more particularly to a snowshoe-ski kit that includes a hybrid snowshoe-ski that has a traction coefficient, and a pair of skins each having two surfaces with respective traction coefficients, with the skins being reversible and attachable to the snowshoe-ski each on either side such that the snowshoe-ski can be used alone or with the skins with either side exposed for providing different selectable effective traction coefficients to the snowshoe-ski.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Regular snowshoes are difficult to use as skis because they are inherently built for traction on snow and as such they will not slide on snow easily as is expected from skis. While climbing is easier with snowshoes, moving along flat ground or downhill is only about as efficient as walking uphill.

Skis, on the other hand, have the opposite characteristics: they slide well which facilitates some displacements on flat ground and which makes sliding downhill easier in some circumstances also such as in man-made ski trails, but provide little traction such that climbing hills is more difficult. However, even when moving downhill, such as in off-trail situations, sliding is sometimes not desirable especially on steep slopes where a controlled descent is desired.

It is known to provide skins for skis, for example made of seal skins, with the naturally inclined fur of the skin being oriented towards the rear of the ski such that it will not hinder forward sliding movement of the ski bottom surface on the snow, but will provide traction during backward movement of the ski along the snow, consequently providing traction for forward movement on ground of any inclination, but being mostly useful when climbing; while not hindering forward movement and sliding downhill. However such skins are not adapted for providing traction for enhanced control during downhill movement, notably. Control during downhill movement with skis is usually obtained by means of the longitudinal steel edges that are provided on each side of the skis through controlled lateral deportation of the skis.

Hybrid snowshoe-skis are known that allow both skiing and walking as snowshoes. However, known hybrid snowshoe-skis either slide too much if they are closer to skis in their parameters, or provide too much traction if they are closer to snowshoes in their parameters.

The problem is ultimately that the terrain type that is being travelled over will vary, from uphill to downhill to flat ground, from steep to mild slopes, from one type of snow to another, from open ground to clustered forests, and so on. One type of ski, snowshoe or snowshoe-ski might be adapted for or advantageously used in one terrain type, but it will inevitably fall short of being efficient or pleasant on another terrain type. Even using skins such as seal skins described above does not offer the thusly equipped skis with enough versatility to adapt to the vast diversity of winter terrain that can be encountered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a snowshoe-ski kit comprising:a hybrid snowshoe-ski comprising a main body defining a front end, a rear end, a bottom surface operative for moving over snow and having a snowshoe-ski traction coefficient, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, said hybrid snowshoe-ski further comprising a binding attached to said main body for attachment to a person's foot atop the top surface; anda first removable and reversible sheet-like skin having opposite first and second surfaces each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient; wherein the first skin is removably attachable to the snowshoe-ski main body with either one of the first and second surfaces bearing against the bottom surface and the other one of the first and second surfaces being exposed, for allowing the snowshoe-ski to be operatively used either alone or with the first skin installed with either one of the first and second skin surfaces exposed.

In one embodiment, the main body comprises a frame and a decking carried by the frame, the binding being attached to one or both of the decking and the frame and the first skin being removably attachable to one or both of the decking and the frame.

In one embodiment, the snowshoe-ski traction coefficient is lower than the traction coefficients of the first skin first and second surfaces for allowing sliding on snow when the snowshoe-ski is used without the first skin and for allowing a selectable enhanced traction when said snowshoe-ski is equipped with the first skin with either one of its first and second surfaces being exposed.

In one embodiment, the first skin is flexible and can conform to the shape of the bottom surface of the decking.

In one embodiment, the snowshoe-ski kit further comprises a second removable and reversible sheet-like skin having opposite first and second surfaces each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient, wherein the second skin is removably attachable to the snowshoe-ski main body with either one of the first and second surfaces bearing against the decking bottom surface and the other one of the first and second surfaces being exposed, for allowing the snowshoe-ski to be operatively used either alone, or with one or both the first and second skins being installed, with each of the first and second skins that is installed having one of their respective first and second skin surfaces exposed.

In one embodiment, said first and second skins are attachable to said snowshoe-ski in spaced apart configuration respectively frontwardly and rearwardly of the binding.

In one embodiment, the snowshoe-ski comprises a keel member on the bottom surface and the first skin is attachable at least partly to the keel member.

In one embodiment, the snowshoe-ski kit further comprises a first clip that is releasably attachable to both the first skin and the decking to attach the first skin to the decking.

In one embodiment, the decking comprises at least one decking opening to accommodate the first clip that is resiliently engageable within the decking opening, and the first skin comprises at least one first skin opening to accommodate the first clip that is resiliently engageable within the first clip opening.

In one embodiment, the first clip can be releasably connected to the first skin independently of the decking such that the first skin and first clip can be manipulated as a unit before the first skin is releasably attached to the snowshoe-ski.

In one embodiment, the snowshoe-ski comprises a keel member on the bottom surface and the first skin and second skins are attached at least partly to the keel member.

In one embodiment, the snowshoe-ski kit further comprises first and second clips that are releasably attachable to the decking and respectively to the first and second skins.

In one embodiment, the decking comprises decking openings to accommodate the first and second clips that are resiliently engageable within the decking openings, and the first and second skins comprise respective first and second skin openings to accommodate the first and second clips that are resiliently engageable within the first and second clip openings.

In one embodiment, the first and second clips can be releasably connected respectively to the first and second skins independently of the decking such that the first skin and the first clip can be manipulated as a first unit, and the second skin and the second clip can be manipulated as a second unit, before the first and second skins are releasably attached to the snowshoe-ski.

In one embodiment, the keel member comprises two spaced apart keel segments located on the decking bottom surface in spaced-apart configuration respectively frontwardly and rearwardly of the binding, with the first and second skins being attachable to a respective one of the first and second keel segments.

The present invention also relates to a method of adjusting the effective traction coefficient on a snowshoe-ski with a first sheet-like skin, the snowshoe-ski comprising a main body defining a front end, a rear end, a bottom surface operative for moving over snow and having a snowshoe-ski traction coefficient, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, the snowshoe-ski further comprising a binding attached to the main body for attachment to a person's foot atop the top surface, the skin having opposite first and second surfaces each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient, the first skin being removably attachable to said snowshoe-ski with either one of the first and second skin surfaces bearing against the bottom surface and the other one of the first and second surfaces being exposed, the method comprising:selecting whether to install the first skin on the snowshoe-ski;if it is selected not to install the first skin to the snowshoe-ski, the snowshoe-ski is operatively used alone, wherein the effective traction coefficient is the snowshoe-ski traction coefficient; andif it is selected to install the first skin to the snowshoe-ski, the method further comprising:selecting which of the first and second surfaces of the first skin will bear against the bottom surface; andremovably attaching the first skin to the snowshoe-ski main body with the selected one of the first and second surface bearing against the bottom surface and with the other one of the first and second surfaces consequently being exposed, wherein the effective traction coefficient is influenced by both that of the exposed one among the first and second surfaces of the first skin and by the snowshoe-ski traction coefficient.

In one embodiment, the traction coefficients of the first and second surfaces of the first skin are higher than the snowshoe ski traction coefficient.

In one embodiment, during the step of selecting whether to install the first skin on the snowshoe-ski, the method further comprising selecting whether to install on the snowshoe-ski a second removable and reversible sheet-like skin having opposite first and second surfaces each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient, and if is selected to install the second skin to the snowshoe-ski, the method further comprising:during the step of selecting which of the first and second surfaces of the first skin bears against the bottom surface, selecting which of the first and second surfaces of the second skin bears against the bottom surface; andduring the step of removably attaching the first skin to the snowshoe-ski main body, removably attaching the second skin to the snowshoe-ski main body with its selected one among the first and second surfaces bearing against the bottom surface and with its other one of the first and second surfaces consequently being exposed, wherein the effective traction coefficient is additionally influenced by that of the exposed one among the first and second surfaces of the second skin.

In one embodiment, during the steps of removably attaching the first skin to the snowshoe-ski main body and of removably attaching the second skin to the snowshoe-ski main body, said first and second skins are attached in spaced apart configuration respectively frontwardly and rearwardly of the binding.

In one embodiment, the snowshoe-ski comprises a keel member having two keel segments on the bottom surface, and wherein during the steps of removably attaching the first skin to the snowshoe-ski main body and of removably attaching the second skin to the snowshoe-ski main body, the first skin is attached to said snowshoe-ski partly to one keel segment and is further releasably secured to the snowshoe-ski main body with a first attachment clip, and the second skin is attached to said snowshoe-ski partly to the other keel segment and is further releasably secured to the snowshoe-ski main body with a second attachment clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-3show a snowshoe-ski kit18comprising a hybrid snowshoe-ski20and front and rear skins22,24. Front and rear skins22,24can be installed on snowshoe-ski20or not, and if no skin22,24is installed on snowshoe-ski20, the latter can be used alone, as detailed hereinafter. The kit20,22,24can be sold with the skins22,24installed to or separate from the snowshoe-ski20.

Snowshoe-ski20comprises a main body26defining a front end28, a rear end30, a bottom surface32operative for moving over snow and having a snowshoe-ski traction coefficient, and a top surface34opposite the bottom surface32. Main body26more particularly comprises a U-shaped frame36and a decking38carried by the frame by means of loops40that are formed integrally with decking38and that project sidewardly therefrom to be engaged by the tubular frame36, and by means of tongues42,44,46that are riveted to frame36near the snowshoe-ski's front end28. Loops40not only have the purpose of attaching decking38to frame36, but also provide some traction to the snowshoe-ski20against backward movement while minimizing impediment to frontward sliding, due to them being inclined from the top and front towards the bottom and rear.

A binding48is attached to main body26, and more particularly to decking38by means of a flexible live hinge50, for attachment to a person's foot atop the top surface34. It is understood that binding48could be attached to one or both of the decking38and the frame36.

Snowshoe-ski20also comprises a keel member52on the bottom surface32of main body26. More particularly keel member52comprises two aligned keel segments54,56riveted to decking38in spaced-apart configuration respectively frontwardly and rearwardly of the binding48. Keel member52is used to limit lateral shifting of the snowshoe-ski20, especially when sliding at higher speed.

It is understood that other snowshoe-ski configurations could be envisioned, including but without being limited to ones where the frame is not U-shaped but rather forms a closed loop, where the decking has a different configuration, where the shape and relative size of the frame and decking differ, there the binding is different or is attached differently to the main body, where the keel member differs, and so on.

As further shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B, front skin22is removable, reversible and sheet-like and has opposite first and second surfaces58,60each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient. More particularly the first and second surfaces58,60have respective corrugations, ribs, grooves, patterns in relief, bosses, holes, apexes, bumps, ridges, or any other design or intrinsic material parameters that allow for a desired traction coefficient to be obtained. This traction coefficient can be quantifiable or not, in that a certain skin surface or material that promises or proves to provide certain traction characteristics does not need to have a specific number associated to its traction to allow one to differentiate it from the traction coefficient of a different type of surface. Front skin22also defines an elongated central slot61.

The front skin22is removably attachable to the snowshoe-ski main body26, and more particularly to decking38, with either one of the first and second surfaces58,60bearing against the bottom surface34and the other one of the first and second surfaces58,60being exposed, for allowing the snowshoe-ski20to be operatively used either alone or with the front skin22installed with either one of the front and rear skin surfaces58,60exposed, as will be detailed hereinafter. Front skin22is flexible and can conform to the shape of the bottom surface34of the decking38: it can be seen that although decking38curves upwards towards the snowshoe-ski front end28, and although it further undulates near the positions of tongues40, front skin22snugly conforms to this curving and undulating shape of decking38due to its flexibility.

As further shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, rear skin24is also removable, reversible and sheet-like and also has opposite first and second surfaces62,64each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient. The respective traction coefficients of the first and second surfaces62,64of rear skin24can respectively be identical, similar or different from the traction coefficients of the first and second surfaces56,58of front skin22. Like with the front skin22, rear skin24is removably attachable to the snowshoe-ski main body26with either one of the first and second surfaces62,64bearing against the decking bottom surface32and the other one of the first and second surfaces62,64being exposed, for ultimately allowing the snowshoe-ski to be operatively used either alone, or with one or both the front and rear skins22,24installed, with each of the front and rear skins22,24that is installed having one of its respective front and rear skin surfaces56,58and62,64exposed, as detailed hereinafter. Rear skin24also defines an elongated central slot66.

Rear skin24is flexible and can conform to the shape of the bottom surface34of the decking38like front skin22, however in the embodiment shown in the drawings rear skin24is installed on a flat portion of decking38.

Front and rear skins22,24are attachable to snowshoe-ski20in spaced apart configuration respectively frontwardly and rearwardly of the binding48, in a manner that will now be described. Reference is further made toFIGS. 6A-6Ewhere the installation of read skin24is sequentially shown. Front and rear skins22,24are attachable by engaging front keel segment54within front skin slot61and rear keel segment56within rear skin slot66and by tilting and/or bending the flexible front and rear skins22,24and then sliding the front and rear skins rearwardly such that the front and rear keel segments54,56will extend over the frontward edge of the front and rear skins22,24. Then front and rear skins22,24are tilted or bent against the main body bottom surface34and releasably attached to snowshoe-ski20with clips68,70.

More particularly, snowshoe-ski kit18comprises first and second clips68,70that are releasably attachable to decking38and respectively to the front and rear skins22,24. More particularly, decking38comprises decking openings in the form of holes72and slots74to accommodate first and second clips76,78that are resiliently engageable within the decking openings72,74. The front and rear skins22,24also comprise respective front and rear skin openings in the form of holes80and slots82to accommodate the first and second clips76,78that are also resiliently engageable within the front and rear skin openings80,82. Each clip76,78, for example clip78shown inFIGS. 3, 5A, and 5B, is generally U-shaped and has two legs84,86with hooked front extremities88,90that are engageable in holes72and80and a bended M-shaped web portion92that can engage with two apexes94,96the slots74and82. The legs84,86of the U-shaped clips76,78will resiliently deform when web portion92is forced down to push apexes94,96into slots74,82to allow a resilient snap-fit engagement of clips76,78with skins22,24on the one hand, and with decking38on the other hand.

Furthermore, first and second clips76,78can be releasably connected respectively to the front and rear skins22,24independently of the decking38in a first step, such that the front skin22and the first clip76can be manipulated as a first unit, and the rear skin24and the second clip78can be manipulated as a second unit, before the front and rear skins22,24are releasably attached to the snowshoe-ski20with clips76,78. This allows a much easier carrying, storage and, most importantly, installation of skins22,24to decking38as the manipulation of each skin/clip unit22,76and24,78can easily be done manually even with a pair of winter gloves or mittens, without use of any tool whatsoever.

In use, the present invention relates to a method of adjusting the effective traction coefficient on snowshoe-ski20with a first sheet-like skin that can be either one of front and rear skins22,24. The method comprises first selecting whether to install the first skin22or24on the snowshoe-ski20. If it is selected not to install the first skin22or24on the snowshoe-ski20, the snowshoe-ski20can and will be operatively used alone, that is to say that the snowshoe ski main body's bottom surface34is operative for use in sliding on snow without any skin attached thereto. The effective traction coefficient is then, of course, the snowshoe-ski traction coefficient itself.

If it is selected to install the first skin22or24to the snowshoe-ski, the method further comprises selecting which of the first and second surfaces58,60,62or64of the first skin will bear against the main body's bottom surface34; and then removably attaching as detailed above the first skin22or24to the snowshoe-ski main body with the selected one of the first and second surface58,60,62or64bearing against the bottom surface34and with the other one of the first and second surfaces58,60,62or64consequently being exposed. The effective traction coefficient is then influenced by both that of the exposed one among the first and second first skin first and second surfaces58,60,62or64and by the snowshoe-ski traction coefficient itself, since the selected skin22or24does not cover the entire snowshoe-ski bottom surface34.

According to the method of the invention, during the step of selecting whether to install the first skin on the snowshoe-ski, one can further select whether to install on the snowshoe-ski20a second skin22or24. In other words, either one, or both, skins22,24can be installed on snowshoe-ski20. If it is selected to install the second skin to the snowshoe-ski, the method further comprises, during the step of selecting which of the first and second surfaces58,60,62or64of the first22or24skin bears against the bottom surface, also selecting which of the first and second surfaces58,60,62or64of the second skin22or24bears against the bottom surface; and during the step of removably attaching the first skin22or24to the snowshoe-ski main body26, removably attaching the second skin22or24to the snowshoe-ski main body26with its selected one among the first and second surfaces58,60,62or64bearing against the bottom surface34and with the other of the first and second surfaces58,60,62or64of the second skin22or24consequently being exposed. The effective traction coefficient is then additionally influenced by that of the exposed one among the first and second surfaces58,60,62or64of the second skin22or24.

As can be seen in the drawings, during the steps of removably attaching the first skin22or24to the snowshoe-ski main body26and of removably attaching the second skin22or24to the snowshoe-ski main body26, the first and second skins22,24are attached in spaced apart configuration respectively frontwardly and rearwardly of the binding48.

Concerning the snowshoe-ski traction coefficient, it is determined by that of the main body's lower surface34that is itself influenced by the lower surface of the decking38, including loops40, and of the frame36. According to a preferred embodiment, the snowshoe-ski traction coefficient is lower than the traction coefficients of the first and second skin first and second surfaces58,60,62,64. This allows sliding on snow when the snowshoe-ski is used without the first and second skins22,24and further allows a selectable enhanced traction when snowshoe-ski20is equipped with a single first skin22or24, or with both the first and second skins22and24; each with either one of their first and second surfaces58,60,62or64being exposed. This offers a wide variety of different effective traction coefficients, depending on whether snowshoe-ski20is used alone, with front skin22alone, with rear skin24alone, with both the front and rear skins22,24, and then in each of these combinations, whether each skin22,24is used with its first or second surface58,60,62or64exposed. The snowshoe-ski kit18consequently allows snowshoe-ski20to become efficiently usable over a wide variety of snowy terrain.

According to the invention, snowshoe-ski kit18is advantageous because skins22,24are small, light-weight and flexible, which makes them easy to carry in a small backpack or even in large coat pockets. With the clips76,78being attachable to the skins22,24to form skin/clip units22,76and24,78that can be manipulated as such, it becomes easy to install or remove the skins22,24while the user is outside in cold temperatures, without removing his gloves or mittens. Indeed, the snap-fit resilient installation and removal of clips76,78from decking38does not require simultaneous installation and removal of clips76,78from skins22,24.

One particular use of snowshoe-ski kit18is for winter trekking on rolling hill terrain, with no or few steep slopes. In such terrain, the configuration of snowshoe-ski20with a low traction coefficient allows sliding over snow on flat ground and mild downhill slopes. On uphill slopes or steeper downhill slopes, skins22,24can be installed with a selected surface58,60,62,64exposed depending on the type of terrain and snow composition.