Patent Publication Number: US-3879047-A

Title: Ice ski

Description:
United States Patent 11 1 MacDonald [451 Apr. 22, 1975 1 ICE SKI [76] Inventor: John D. MacDonald. 1424 North Crescent Heights. Los Angeles. Calif. 90046 [22] Filed: Jan. 17, 1974 [21] -Appl. No.: 434,092  
 [52] US. Cl. 280/l1.l2;280/11.13 A; 280/28 [51] Int. Cl. A63c 1/00 [58] FieldofSearch ..280/11.13 A,1l.13 R,  
  280/1l.13 Z, 11.13 S, 11.1 R, 11.1 ET, 28, 12 AA, 12 B, 18, 12 H, 11.12; D34/14 D,70  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 966.821 8/1910 Gaw 280/1 1.1 R 1.886.650 ll/1932 Davies ct a1. 280/1 1.13 A  
 2.946.599 7/1960 Hunsbcdt 280/1 1.13 A  
 3.134.992 6/1964 Tyll 280/1 1.13 S 3.628.804 12/1971 Carrciro 280/1 1.13 S X Dl79,367 12/1956 Allen ct a1. 280/1 1.13 S X Primary E.\&#39;aminerDavid Schonberg Assistant E.\&#39;aminerDavid M. Mitchell Attorney, Agent, or FirmFulwider. Patton. Rieber. Lee &amp; Utecht [57] ABSTRACT An ice ski consisting of an elongated body having an ice contacting lower surface and bindings for securing the ski to the users foot. The elongated body defines a toe portion. a heel portion and an intermediate portion extending between the heel and toe portion. An adjustable elongated, laterally extending blade member is carried at the heel portion of the body which is normally out of contact with the ice surface but which is brought into contact with the ice surface for braking and turning the body responsive to weight shifts of the user. The lower surface of the body is provided with a transverse fulcrum adjacent the heel portion and a pair of longitudinally extending fulcrums along the intermediate portion of the body for rocking the body around axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body and around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body. By controlled rocking of the body by the user. the blade member is controllably brought into contact with the ice surface.  
 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ICE SKI BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an ice ski and has particular reference to the configuration of the ice contacting surface thereof.  
  A developing winter sport involves the provision of either a sloping ice surface down which the participant moves, much in the nature of downhill skiing. This sport involves many of the skills involved in downhill skiing but requires a much smaller area and can be conducted indoors on an artificial ice surface. An alternative form of the sport is carried out on a substantially level ice surface over which the participant is towed by a suitable vehicle such as for example a snowmobile.  
  To maintain the thrill of the sport and to require of the participant a level of skill which will maintain the participants interest and satisfaction in the sport, an improved ice ski is required. Conventional ice skates are not satisfactory for use in the sport because of the nature of the contact between the substantially narrow blade and the ice surface does not provide the thrill and require the degree of proficiency normally associated with downhill skiing. Other prior art devices which are adapted for use on both ice and snow are deficient for use in the sport either because the ice contacting surface is not configured for the necessary degree of control to allow the participant to turn and to stop or be- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in a novel ice ski having a lower surface which is configured to provide a broad area of contact with an ice surface and which is configured so that by a shift of weight the user is able to change direction on the ice surface and to stop his forward movement. The ice ski of the present invention requires of the user many of the same skills a downhill skier would utilize when skiing on a snow surface and it is believed that a high degree of pleasure and satisfaction is derived from the use of the device of the present invention on an inclined ice surface or while being towed across a substantially level ice surface.  
  In the preferred embodiment of the ice ski of the present invention, the ski comprises an elongated body defining an upper surface and a lower, ice contacting surface. The body further defines a toe section, a heel section and an intermediate section extending therebetween. The lower surface of the heel portion is inclined upwardly with respect to the lower surface of the intermediate portion so as to define a fulcrum about which the body can be rocked to bring the heel portion into contact with the ice surface. The heel portion of the body carries a blade member which extends beyond the lower surface of the heel portion but which is normally out of contact with the ice surface until the heel portion of the body is rocked toward the ice surface. The blade member is utilized for steering and braking the forward movement of the ice ski.  
  The upper surface of the ice ski of the present invention is substantially planer and means are provided for securing the foot of the user to the upper surface of the ice ski.  
 In its more detailed aspects, the ice ski of the present invention is adapted for rocking about its longitudinal axis responsive to a weight shift by the user by the outer edges of the lower surface of the intermediate portion being inclined upwardly toward the edge of the body to define a pair of longitudinally running fulcrums spaced between a substantially broad central area of the lower surface.  
  The blade member, carried by the heel portion of the ice ski of the present invention, extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the ice ski and depending on the degree of contact between the blade member and the ice surface is used for turning the ski or for braking the forward movement thereof. The blade member is adapted for adjustment of the amount of extension below the lower surface of the heel portion and depending on the degree of skill of the user can be raised for the highly skilled user or lowered for the less skilled user.  
  In its preferred embodiment, the body of the ice ski is only slightly longer than the foot of the user thereby to provide maximum maneuverability to the ski on an ice surface. The ski of the present invention is utilized in a pair, with a ski being worn on each foot of the user.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a pair of ice skis in accordance with the present invention.  
  FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the ice ski in accordance with the present invention.  
  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.  
  FIG. 4 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the ice ski of the present invention.  
  FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale fragmentary view, partially in section, taken through are 5 of FIG. 2.  
  FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view, partially in section, of the blade member of the ice ski of the present invention.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the ice ski of the present invention, indicated generally as 10, is designed to be utilized as a pair, with one of the skis 10 worn on each foot of the user while sliding down an inclined ice surface or while being towed behind a suitable vehicle, not shown. The ski has an elongated body 11 which generally defines an ellipitical plinth and which conforms generally to the dimensions of the users foot. The body 11 comprises a substantially flat upper surface 12 for containing the foot of the user, and a lower ice contacting surface 13 which is configured for rocking the body about its longitudinal axis and about an axis perpendicular to its longitudinal axis for control of the ski 10. The rearward portion of the body 1 1 carries a laterally extending blade member 14 which is normally out of contact with the ice surface but which can be brought into contact by the shifting of the users weight for controlling the direction and forward motion of the ski while traveling over the ice surface. Bindings are carried by the upper surface 12 of the body 11 for securing the foot of the user to the body 11 of the ski 10 during use.  
  As is more specifically shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the body 11 defines a toe portion 15 at the forward end, a  
 heel portion 16 at the rearward end, and an intermediate portion 17 extending thercbetween. The lower surface 13 of the heel portion 16 is inclined rearwardly upwardly beginning at the juncture of the heel portion 16 and the intermediate portion 17 to define a transversely extending fulcrum 18. By concentrating weight over the heel portion 16 the user causes the body 11 to rotate on the fulcrum 18 about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body 11 to cause the blade member 14 to be brought into contact with the ice surface. By a forward shift of weight, the blade member 14 is raised away from the ice surface.  
  The lower surface 13 at the intermediate portion 17 is normally in contact with the ice surface when making a straight run, and is longitudinally downwardly inclined away from the upper surface 12 from the toeportion 15 to the heel portion 16 so that as the body 11 is supported on a surface the upper surface 12 is provided with a slight forward tilt to prevent unintentionally rocking the body 11 about the transverse fulcrum 18.  
  As shown more specifically in FIG. 3 the lower surface 13 of the intermediate portion 17 is provided with a substantially broad, flat central area 19 which is normally in contact with the ice surface and upwardly, outwardly inclined edge areas 20 which extend longitudinally along the length of the intermediate portion 17. The transverse dimension of each inclined edge area 20 is preferably about one-quarter of the total transverse dimension of the body 11 with the central area 19 comprising about one-half of the transverse dimension of the body 11. The juncture of the inclined edge areas 20 and the central area 19 define a pair of longitudinally extending fulcrums 21 allowing rotation of the body 11 about axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body 11 responsive to lateral shifts in weight by the user.  
  As is more specifically shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the blade member 14 is carried at the heel portion 16 adjacent the rear edge of the body 11 and extends laterally across substantially the entire width of the lower surface 13 of the heel portion 16. The blade member 14 is normally out of contact with the ice surface and responsive to a rearward shift in weight, the body 11 is rotated about the transverse fulcrum 18 to bring the entire width of the blade member 14 in contact with the ice surface for slowing or stopping forward progress. For turning, the weight is shifted rearwardly and laterally in the direction of the turn to cause the body 11 to rock about the longitudinal fulcrum 21 in the direction of the turn and about the transverse fulcrum 18 so that only a corner portion of the blade member 14 in the direction of the turn contacts the ice to cause the body 11 to turn in the desired direction.  
  The blade member 14 (FIG. 6) comprises a generally rectangular body having a substantially planer front face 22, a lower blade edge 23 and a rear face 24 provided with a pair of spaced apart rearward extensions 25 which define between them a threaded semicylindrical surface 26.  
  The blade member 14 is adjustably mounted in the heel portion 16 so that the blade edge 23 of the blade member 14 can be extended a greater or lesser amount depending upon the desires and skills of the user.  
  Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a slot 27 conforming to the plan configuration of the blade member 14 extending between the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 is provided in the heel portion 16 adjacent the rear edge of the body 11. The blade member 14 is slidably contained in the slot 27 and the threaded semicylindrical surface 26 is threadably engaged with a knurled threaded shaft 28 which is journaled in the rear edge of the body 11. A portion of the knurled threaded shaft 28 extends beyond the rear edge of the body 11 for manual rotation of the shaft which, in turn, raises and lowers the blade member 14 in the slot 27. In the fully raised position, the upper surface of the blade member 14 is contained in substantially the same plane as the upper surface 12 of the body 11.  
  In the preferred embodiment, the body 11 of the ski 10 is substantially the same length and width as the foot of the user. A binding 29 is carried on the upper surface of the body 11 for securing the body 11 to the foot of the user. Strap type binders can be employed to secure the body 11 to the boot or shoe of the user, or binding which entirely enclose the users foot can be employed, which eliminates the necessity of the user wearing a shoe or a boot. In such a case, the interior of the binding is lined with felt or foamed insulative material to provide padding and warmth.  
  As is more specifically illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the binding includes a toe stirrup 30 for surrounding and containing the forward portion of the users foot and a heel piece 31. The toe stirrup 30 is affixed to the sides of the intermediate portion 17 and around the periphery of the toe portion 15 by a laterally extending member 32 formed on the lower edge of the toe stirrup 30 and contained within an inverted T-shaped channel 33 in the body 11. The toe stirrup is preferably formed from a resilient, substantially water repellant material, such as for example, neoprene. The heel piece preferably comprises a double layer of the neoprene material for additional strength and is secured around the periphery of the heel portion 16 by screws or bolts, not shown.  
  An open space 34 between the heel piece 31 and the toe stirrup 30 is provided to aid in inserting the foot in the binding. The open space 34 may be covered bya flexible, water resistant material to additionally protect the users foot.  
  From the foregoing, it will be evident that the present invention provides an ice ski having an ice contacting surface and controlling means which allow a user wearing a pair of skis of the present invention to maneuver over an ice surface in much the same manner as in downhill skiing. The body of the ski may be readily fabricated from anodized cast aluminum, which can be provided in a variety of attractive colors. Binding means are provided along the upper surface for securing the body of the ski to the users foot, and the binding can be provided to eliminate the need for the user to wear a boot or a shoe while wearing the ski of the present invention.  
  It will be evident that, while a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
 I claim:  
 1. An ice ski comprising:  
 an elongated body, the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of which are substantially the same dimensions as the foot of a user having a front end defining a toe portion, a rear end defining a heel portion, an intermediate portion extending between the toe portion and the heel portion, and further including;  
 a substantially flat upper surface for carrying one foot of a skier;  
 a planar lower surface, for contacting an ice surface, at least a portion of said lower surface of the heel portion of said body being longitudinally inclined rearwardly, upwardly to define a fulcrum on said lower surface at the juncture of the heel portion and the intermediate portion about which said body is rocked to move the heel portion relative to the ice surface;  
 and means on said lower surface of the heel portion for engaging the ice surface to control the direction and speed of said ice ski responsive to the position of the plane of said lower surface of the heel portion in relation to the plane of said ice surface.  
  2. The ice ski as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for engaging the ice surface comprises a laterally disposed depending blade member carried by the heel portion of said body and extending beyond said lower surface at the heel portion. said blade member being normally out of contact with the ice surface and being moved into engagement therewith as said heel portion is rocked toward the ice surface.  
  3. The ice ski as defined in claim 2 wherein said depending blade member comprises a rectangular body having a substantially planar front face, a rear face provided with a pair of spaced-apart rearward extensions defining therebetween a threaded semi-cylindrical surface disposed perpendicularly to said upper surface of the heel portion and a blade edge extending beyond said lower surface of the heel portion of said body;  
 an elongated slot in the heel portion of said body located rearwardly of said transverse fulcrum, said elongated slot communicating between said upper surface and said lower surface and conforming to the shape of said blade member for slidably containing said blade member therein; and  
 a threaded shaft journaled in the heel portion of said body, said threaded shaft engaging the threaded semi-cylindrical surface of said rear face of said blade member for adjusting the extension of said blade edge with respect to said lower surface.  
  4. The ice ski as defined in claim 2 further including means for vertically adjustably carrying said depending blade member at said heel portion of said body.  
  5. The ice ski as defined in claim 1, wherein said lower surface at the intermediate portion of said body is longitudinally downwardly inclined with respect to said upper surface in a direction toward the heel portion.  
  6. The ice ski as defined in claim 1, wherein said lower surface of the intermediate portion of said body in a cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis defines a substantially flat central area and edge areas inclined outwardly, upwardly with respect to said upper surface to form a pair of longitudinally extending fulcrums at the junction of said central area and said edge areas for rocking said body about axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body responsive to a weight shift by the skier.  
  7. The ice ski as defined in claim 1, wherein said body in plan configuration defines an elliptical plinth.  
  8. The ice ski as defined in claim 1 further including a binding for securing the upper surface of said body to the foot of a user.