Patent Publication Number: US-2007096432-A1

Title: Snowboard brake

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/731,647 filed on Oct. 27, 2005. 
    
    
      This invention refers to the area of snowboard braking when stationary and as disclosed consists of a positional maintenance device for snowboards and potentially other snow related sports items to afford locational stability during selected periods of time during use by the sports enthusiast. Locational stabilization is affected by means of a securable, rotatably translatable curved blade extending when actuated under and below the leading edge of the device to be controlled.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Once snubbed by other snow sports enthusiasts like skiers as a fad and a refuge for those untalented with regard to the tradition of that alpine avocation, in recent years snowboarding has blossomed into a world recognized sport enjoyed by millions of young and old alike. Since the inception of the sport, many innovations in the equipment and techniques have evolved. For the first time in the history of the Olympic Winter Games, snowboarding was introduced as an official skiing event with Giant Slalom and Halfpipe featured at the Nagano Games.  
      Snowboarding was developed in the United States in the 1960s as people across the country began to seek out new winter activities. Over the next decade, different pioneers boosted the production of boards and the overall interest in snowboarding. Surfers and skateboarders become involved, and by 1980 snowboarding was a nation-wide activity. Competition was the next logical step.  
      Competition and national and international federation influence began in the 1980s. The United States held its first national championships in 1982 and hosted the first World Championships in 1983. In 1987, a four-stop World Cup tour was established with two stops in the United States and two in Europe. The International Snowboarding Federation (ISF) was formed in 1990 to govern international competition and the International Ski Federation (FIS) followed suit in 1994, making snowboarding an officially sanctioned discipline eligible for the Olympic Games. The FIS pushed for snowboarding&#39;s inclusion in the 1998 Games and remains the International Federation for the sport.  
      Throughout this time many innovations and enhancements have been embraced by snowboarding enthusiasts with resultant evolution of bindings, snowboard construction and appropriate safety accessories like loose board constraints. Many schemes in prior art for the attenuation of forward movement have been proposed and implemented. As shall be seen below, for the most part such approaches deal with the restraint of the snowboard after separation from the rider. Others aim at the continuous reduction of overall speed during use by novices or children. Some approaches deal with active braking during use, most frequently with a paddle shaped contrivances affixed to the rear or center of the board and activated by levers or cams associated with the operator&#39;s foot. Unlike skis which have two long edges to provide friction in snow, snowboards have only one edge usable for this purpose. With few exceptions, the need for a user to have the ability to maintain a specific position in the snow at the user&#39;s choosing such as transitioning to the ski lift, during cell phone use, reviewing map coordinates or GPS positions, standing still on extreme inclines, or just moments of rest has remained unaddressed.  
      For example U.S. Pat. Application No. 20040036257 (Lille et al, 2004) discloses a braking device for slowing a snowboard which is to be used by inexperienced users. The invention is comprised of a blade which is affixed either between the rear boot attachment means and the rear of the snowboard or on the bottom-upturned portion of the rear end of the snowboard. When the blade is in the lowered position, it cuts snow and directs the cut snow upward over the blade. A slot in the snowboard just ahead of the blade allows the snow to pass upward through the snowboard. As is noted, this mechanism is to be deployed at all times during use and only provides speed reduction for the snowboard when in use. The invention is not intended for and does not maintain locational stability.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 20020175497 (Freeman, 2002) describes a safety arrangement for a snowboard brake. This invention relates to devices for modifying the natural pressure distribution of a snowboard and other similar sliding devices over its sliding surfaces in particular and specifically the runaway snowboard. As is indicated, the device is not appropriate for maintaining positional stability when the rider is aboard. It is to be used only in times of disassociation of the snowboard and rider when the braking effect comes into play.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,315 (Barbieri et al, 2004) similarly elaborates methods and apparatus for resisting gliding device runaway. A braking feature is provided that can resist gliding board runaway, i.e., uncontrolled gliding without a rider, or other movement of a gliding board, e.g., a gliding device having no foot bindings. Again, this proposal provides for position maintenance of only the snowboard and only when rider and snow board are separated.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,323 (Backlund, 2004) explains a means of effecting a brake on a snowboard which will adopt a braking position when the rider consciously moves at least one foot from the board. This apparatus is, again, specifically designed to be employed during the uncontrolled moments of a fall by the rider during use and is not intended for maintaining position.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,622 (Weekly, 1998) expresses a design for a device similar to a ship&#39;s rudder, the primary objective of which is to provide a means for a person to slide down sloping terrain such as grass, utilizing ice attached to the vehicle through means of a clamp. A further objective is to allow control of the direction of sliding and braking during the sliding process. Though frictional processes are employed to assist in steering and nominal braking, the system is not designed for use in maintaining positional stability with an engaged rider.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,608 (Luitz et al, 1997) portrays a mechanism for a brake gear for an elongated piece of sports apparatus, in particular a ski, comprising a brake lever pivotable from a rest into a braking position about a pivot preceding the brake level in a direction of forward movement of the elongated piece of sports apparatus. This proposal, actuated by a foot pedal, is intended only for braking purposes during forward movement of the associated sports gear and rider and maintenance of position is not a consideration.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,168 demonstrates a snowboard parking brake apparatus for holding a snowboard at rest specifically during the time a snowboarder is attaching or detaching the snowboarder&#39;s boots to or from the snowboard bindings. This device through means of a blade portion with curved, hinged and locking guide slots extends laterally and below a lower surface of the snowboard member for angular engagement with the snow and/or ice to prevent movement of the snowboard member. A plurality of cams, pins and other encumbrances make this a problematic methodology which will easily jam in the dirt and ice environment encountered by snowboarders.  
      As such there exists a pressing need for a snowboard braking device that is simple to use and operate. Such a device should not easily jam in the harsh environment of ski resorts. Such a device should be easily and voluntarily user employable. Still further, such a braking device should provide the user with relative stability when the user is engaged with the snowboard and wishes to remain substantially stationary on the side of a ski slope.  
      With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components and/or steps set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The various apparatus and methods of the invention herein described and disclosed are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art once they review this disclosure. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
      As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other devices, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the objects and claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      Further objectives of this invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The device disclosed herein is a user deployable snowboard brake for use by a snowboarder wishing to maintain a relatively fixed position while standing on the snowy incline of a ski slope. This is frequently desirable while the snowboarder is fixing the bindings on the snowboard after dismounting the ski lift and for resting.  
      The device features a curved, elongated blade slidably mounted on a mount which is in a fixed engagement to the snowboard adjacent to the leading edge of a snowboard. The mount is best centered on the snowboard between the bindings which hold the rider&#39;s feet. The blade is translatably engaged on a fixed curved upper mounting surface of the mount which is affixed to the snowboard. When in use the blade will translate from a retracted position to a deployed position below the bottom surface of the snow in front of the leading edge of a snowboard. Using this curved upper surface for the blade mount enables the blade to essentially rotate to the deployed position to hold the board in the snow and rotate back to a retracted position when the snowboard is being used to traverse the slopes.  
      Depending on the curve of the top surface of the mount, the blade leading edge will engage into the snow in front of the leading edge of the board and can be rotated to a fully deployed position underneath the board itself and behind the leading edge thereby providing a frictional engagement with the snow covered surface of the ski run.  
      A plurality of apertures formed in the curved planar surface forming the blade reduce weight and also provide a means to vent snow buildup between the blade and the underlying mount. The apertures also provide a means to relieve pressure against the blade in the retracted position while the rider is going down the slope. Means for translatable engagement of the blade to the top surface of the mount is provided in the current preferred mode in the form of a threaded member projecting from the top surface of the mount through an elongated slot in communicating through a center section of the blade. The threaded member is engaged into the mount by employing the use of a winged distal end which provides the user an easy means to twist the threaded member into a threaded aperture in the mount even when wearing gloves. This simple construction also provides for a minimum of associated engaging components that face the ice, snow, and mud of the snowboarding environment.  
      An object of this invention is the provision of an easily deployed and retracted snowboard brake.  
      A further object of this invention is the provision of a snowboard brake which is simple in mechanical operation and therefore not easily jammed in the harsh ski resort environment of ice, snow, and dirt.  
      An additional object of this invention is the provision of a snowboard brake that is easily user activated to a deployed position to hold the user engaged with the snowboard in a relatively stable position on a ski slope.  
      Another object of this invention is the provision of such a user deployable brake for a snowboard that is easily operated while wearing gloves.  
      Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES  
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the device ( 10 ) mounted on a snow board in the deployed position.  
       FIG. 2 . is a top perspective view of the device mounted on a snowboard in the retracted position.  
       FIG. 3 . Is a side cut away view of the device engaged upon a snowboard with the blade in the deployed position with a leading edge below the bottom surface of the board.  
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the top of the mount adapted to engage with a snowboard having a slot perpendicular to the snowboard providing a perpendicular deployment of the blade.  
       FIG. 5  depicts the mount having a slot allowing for an angled deployment of the blade. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-5  disclose the preferred embodiments of the snowboard brake device  10  adapted for engagement to a snowboard  11 . The device  10  as depicted in a favored embodiment in  FIG. 1  shows the device  10  engaged to a snowboard  11  and with the blade  12  in a deployed position.  
      The device  10  features a curved elongated blade  12  which is translatably engaged upon a top surface  19  of a mount  20 . The top surface  19  is curved to be dimensioned substantially similar to the curve of the blade  12 . Of course those skilled in the art will no doubt realize that other shapes of the blade  12  and the top surface  19  can provide for a blade  12  that will translate from a deployed position with the leading edge  21  of the blade  20  below the bottom surface of the snowboard  11 . For example, a substantially planar blade  12  could be slidably engaged on a substantially planar angled top surface  19  and still allow the leading edge  21  to translate below the bottom surface of the snow board  11 . Consequently all such deviations and configurations of blade  12  and top surface  19  are anticipated if they allow a translation of the blade  12  slidably engaged to the top surface  19  into snow below the bottom of the board in the deployed position and out of contact with snow when retracted.  
      However, it has been found through experimentation that a curved blade  12  slidably engaged upon a curved top surface  19  of the mount  20  provides for the greatest projection of the leading edge  21  into the snow and below the bottom surface of the snowboard  11  with the narrowest blade  12  dimension. Consequently, the curved blade  12  with a complimentary curved top surface  19  of the mount  20  is a particularly preferred embodiment of the device  10 .  
      The mount  20  is adapted for engagement on a snowboard  11  in a position adjacent to the leading edge of the snowboard  11 . Currently a plurality of mounting apertures  25  allow the mount  20  to be affixed to the board  11  with screws. It is best if the mount  20  is engaged with a snowboard  11  substantially centered between the bindings  27  which hold the rider&#39;s feet to the snowboard  11  during use.  
      As noted, the blade  12  is translatably engaged to the top surface  19  of the mount  20  using means for translatable engagement. Currently, such means for translatable engagement is provided by a threaded member  14  which engages through an aperture in the blade  12  and an elongated slot  24  with a slidable nut  26  on the opposite side of the top wall of the mount  20 . By placing the slot  24  through the top wall of the mount  20 , the blade  12  need only have a small aperture communicating therethrough. This has been found to provide greater strength to the blade  12  and allow for the use of thinner walled material for the blade  12  to save weight. This arrangement also maintains the slot  24  covered by the blade  12  during use and thereby helps keep dirt and snow from getting into the cavity  28  of the mount occupied by the nut  26 .  
      The blade may translate into the snow below the snowboard  11  either perpendicular to the center axis or side edges of the snowboard  11  using the mount of  FIG. 4  or in a slicing or knife-like translation parallel to the edge of the snowboard that would be provided by the slot configuration of  FIG. 5 . In use by a rider, once affixed to the snowboard  11 , the blade  12  is easily translated back and forth from a retracted position as shown in  FIG. 2  to the deployed position with the leading edge  21  of the blade  12  positioned below the bottom surface  13  of the snowboard  11 . Using the curved configuration of the blade  12  and mount, the leading edge of the blade  21  can actually translate to a position and in front of the leading edge of a snowboard  11  to a position below the snow board  11  and behind the leading edge of the snow board. This fully deployed position is depicted in  FIG. 3 .  
      The blade  12  is held in position either in the retracted position or deployed position shown in  FIG. 3  by employment of means to maintain the blade  12  in a fixed position on top of the mount  20 . Currently, such a means to maintain the blade  12  in a fixed position is provided by means of frictional or compressed engagement of the bottom surface of the blade  12  to the top surface  19  of the mount  20 . This is accomplished by twisting the threaded member  14  such that it translates into the nut  26  and compresses a washer  30  upon the blade  12  by force of the winged distal end  16  of the threaded member  14 . This winged distal end  16  is easily gripped and twisted by the user&#39;s hand, even when wearing gloves and thereby provides an easy means to fix the blade to any position between the retracted position and fully deployed position. Of course other means to maintain the blade in a fixed position anywhere between the deployed position or retracted position can be employed as those skilled in the art will no doubt realize. Any such means to maintain the blade in a fixed position relative to the mount between the fully retracted position and the fully deployed position with the leading edge of the blade at its furthest point below the bottom of the snowboard is anticipated.  
      Also in a preferred mode of the device  10  there are formed a plurality of apertures  22  which communicate through the blade  12 . As noted above, these apertures  22  provide a means to vent snow and relieve pressure against the blade from snow build up during use of the snowboard moving through snow and they also help to reduce total weight of the device  10 . While the device  10  will function without the apertures  22  formed in the blade  12 , inclusion of them as noted has the aforementioned advantages.  
      Although the invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it should be realized that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. While the invention as shown in the drawings and described in detail herein discloses arrangements of elements of particular construction and configuration for illustrating preferred embodiments of structure and method of operation of the present invention, it is to be understood, however, that elements of different construction and configuration and other arrangements thereof other than those illustrated and described, may be employed in accordance with the spirit of this invention. Any and all such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims.  
      Further, the purpose of the attached abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application which is measured by the claims nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.