Patent Publication Number: US-6217071-B1

Title: Ski lift ski rest

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to ski equipment and, more particularly, to an apparatus for supporting a skier&#39;s skis while riding a ski lift. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Among the many wintertime outdoor recreation and leisure activities that many people enjoy, skiing still remains one of the all time favorites. It can be enjoyed by people of all skill levels and all ages. One activity usually associated with skiing is that of riding a ski lift to the top of a ski run. This is often a relaxing procedure and gives the riders an opportunity to wave to friends, enjoy the scenery and watch other skiers. However, on those ski lifts without an integral foot rest, it can turn into a painful experience for many. The constant tension of the skis, the boots, and clothing pulling down on ones legs without any support can cause pain, stress, and tension in the leg, knee, and back muscles. This fact may keep some people from enjoying skiing altogether and at the very least keeps people from skiing longer. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which the comfort of a foot rest can be provided to ski lift chairs without an integral foot rest. The development of the ski lift ski rest fulfills this need. 
     In the related art, there exists several patents for devices for supporting the skier&#39;s feet and skis while riding a ski lift chair. Most of these devices support the feet and skis by providing a support suspended from a single cord or line connected to a strap that is secured to the user&#39;s waist or to the ski lift chair. However, when a support strap is secured to a user&#39;s waist, the user bears the weight of the feet and skis, which can be very uncomfortable. The devices in the patents wherein the strap is connected to the ski lift chair can be cumbersome and difficult to attach to the ski lift chair for support. The present invention eliminates all of these problems by providing a ski lift ski rest that is supported by the safety rail of the ski lift and not by the user and is connected via convenient quick release clamps. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Pat. No. 
                 Inventor 
                 Issue Date 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 5,653,467 
                 Griffin et al. 
                 Aug. 5, 1977 
               
               
                 4,940,255 
                 Donine 
                 Jul. 10, 1990 
               
               
                 5,261,699 
                 Marston 
                 Nov. 16, 1993 
               
               
                 4,358,138 
                 Laughlin et al. 
                 Nov. 9, 1982 
               
               
                 4,341,400 
                 Morgan 
                 Jul. 27, 1982 
               
               
                 4,299,409 
                 Gedicks 
                 Nov. 10, 1981 
               
               
                 4,844,547 
                 Adkins 
                 Jul. 4, 1989 
               
               
                 4,556,252 
                 Serex 
                 Dec. 3, 1985 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an improved ski lift ski rest which is easily and quickly attached to the ski lift safety rail and is not supported by the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a foot rest for ski lift chairs not equipped with one. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide riders a place to rest the feet. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to reduce strain, stress, and tension on the back, leg and knee areas. 
     It is yet still another object of the present invention to allow riders to ski longer. 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide an improved nylon strap that attaches to the safety bar, arm rest or just about anything on ski lift chair. 
     It is another feature of the present invention to provide an improved nylon strap that attaches quickly and easily with a quick release clamp. 
     It is yet another feature of the present invention to be easily removed at the top of ride. 
     It is yet still another feature of the present invention to provide a folding foot rest that folds small for compact storage in jacket pocket. 
     It is an advantage of the present invention that it can be used on all styles of ski lifts. 
     It is an advantage of the present invention that it can be rented to skiers or purchased. 
     It is a benefit of the present invention that it makes for a more enjoyable outing. 
     It is another benefit of the present invention that an alternate preferred embodiment can be used to support the feet of a snowboard. 
     Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ski lift ski rest, as its name implies, is an apparatus that serves as a foot rest for ski lift chairs. It is designed to take stress off of the leg and back areas of the rider by providing them a place to rest their feet. The user simply fastens a nylon strap with a quick release buckle around the safety bar or arm rest of the ski lift chair. From the nylon strap, a nylon cord hangs down where it connects to a “Y” shaped harness. The ends of the harness connect to each side of a foldable foot rest extension. Each extension folds thru an arc to provide a flat foot rest area that is approximately ten inches long. Each foot rest extension is connected thru its pivot point with a long screw. The screw, along with washers and nuts, also serves to fasten the abovementioned harness. The user then rests his or her ski boot and ski on the foot rest for the ride to the top of the ski slope. At the top, the rider quickly removes the invention, folds it up, and secures it in a pocket for the ski trip back down. The use of the invention removes the stress and strain on ones legs and feet hanging in mid-space without support for long time periods. Such support is a relief to one&#39;s back, leg, ankle, and knee areas. The use of the ski lift ski rest provides foot support on ski lifts that are not equipped with foot rests in a temporary manner that is quick, easy and effective. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ski lift ski rest, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a ski lift ski rest, in the intended usage with a skier on a ski lift, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a ski lift ski rest in the intended usage with a skier on a ski lift, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a foot rest from a ski lift ski rest, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a foot rest from a ski lift ski rest, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of a foot rest from a ski lift ski rest, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of a foot rest from a ski lift ski rest in the folded configuration, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a carrying case for a ski lift ski rest, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a side perspective view of a ski lift ski rest being carried in a carrying case around the waist of a skier, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a snow board foot rest, according to the preferred alternate embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the strap pad portion located along the bottom edge of the suspension harness of the snow board foot rest, according to the alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       10  Ski Lift Ski Rest 
       15  Foot Rest 
       15   a  Left Foot Rest 
       15   b  Right Foot Rest 
       15   c  Foot 
       15   d  Aperture 
       15   e  Hub 
       16  Bolt 
       17  Washer 
       18  Nut 
       20  Harness 
       30  Cord 
       30   a  Upper Loop 
       30   b  Lower Loop 
       31  Safety Cord 
       31   a  Belt Clip 
       40  Support Strap 
       40   a  Clamp Clip 
       40   b  Clamp Socket 
       50  Carrying Case 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within the Figures. 
     1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a ski lift ski rest is shown, according to the present invention, for use on a conventional ski lift to provide a support where a skier may rest their skis and feet while riding a ski lift. The device  10  is designed to be portable and carried in a special carrying case around the skier&#39;s waist. When a skier enters a ski lift chair the device  10  is removed from the carrying case. The foot rest  15  is unfolded so that the right foot section  15   a  and left foot section  15   b  are linearly aligned. Right foot section  15   a  and left foot section  15   b  are pivotally connected together at one end by a hub  15   e  formed on the end of right foot section  15   a  and left foot section  15   b . Hub  15   e  has an aperture  15   d  formed in the center for receiving a bolt  16  which holds the two hubs  15   e  and  15   d  together as well as acting as a pivot pin. Before bolt  16  is inserted into apertures  15   d , a washer  17  is placed on bolt  16  followed by loop on the first end of harness  20 , followed by another washer  17 . Harness  20  can be any linearly elongated cord having a loop secured to both a first end and a second end. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, harness  20  is fashioned from small link chain and the loop at each end at the end link of the chain. Bolt  16  is now inserted through apertures  15   d  with the threaded end now receiving a washer  17  followed by loop from the second end of harness  20 , another washer  17 , and finally nut  18 . Nut  18  is of the self locking type to prevent it from unbolting during use. A cord  30  is connected to the center of harness  20  by a second loop  30   b  on the lower end of cord  30 . Cord  20  is generally a high strength nylon cord or equivalent. The upper end of cord  30  is formed into a loop  30   a  for receiving the lower end of supporting strap  40 . Supporting strap  40  is a nylon or fabric web strap as is commonly found with sporting equipment and the like. A safety cord  31  is also attached to loop  30   a  for the purposes discussed herein below. The upper end of support strap  40  is secured to the safety rail of the ski lift  5  by wrapping the webbing around the safety rail and securing the ends by inserting clamp clip  40   a  into socket  40   b  of quick release clamp  40 . Quick release clamp  40  is of the type for securing web strapping together and allowing the length of the webbing to be adjusted. Foot rest  15  is now suspended from the ski lift safety rail via harness  20 , cord  30 , and support strap  40 . Safety cord  31  is secured to skier&#39;s belt around the waist of skier  6  via a belt clip  31  a as shown in FIG.  3 . Should support strap  40  fail, safety cord  31  will prevent foot rest  15  from plunging to the ground below. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 6, a foot rest  15  is shown comprised of a right foot  15   a  and a left foot  15   b . Right foot  15   a  and left foot  15   b  are pivotally connected together at one end via a hub  15   e  formed on right foot  15   a  and left foot  15   b . A foot  15   c  is formed on the opposite end of right foot  15   a  and left foot  15   b . Foot  15   c  is to provide a guide to prevent the skier&#39;s ski from slipping off the  15  ends of right foot  15   a  and left  15   b . Right foot  15   a  and left foot  15   b  are generally elongated rectangular shaped pieces of lightweight aluminum or plastic formed and cut as described. Right foot  15   a  and left foot  15   b  are approximately 5″ in length although the final dimensions may vary upon further testing and design. All materials and dimensions are merely suggestions and in no way imply any limitation on the final specifications of the device  10 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, shown is the foot rest  15  in the folded configuration for ease of storage and transport. Right foot  15   a  folds over on top of left foot  15   b  so that the feet on the opposite ends face each other. The device  10  along with harness  20 , cord  30  safety cord  31 , and support strap  40  are then inserted into carrying case  50 . Carrying case  50  is a leather or vinyl zippered case with a carrying strap for securing carrying case  50  around the waist of the user as shown in FIG.  9 . 
     In an alternate preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 10-11, foot rest  15 , harness  20 , and cord  30  are replaced with a snow board support harness  35 . One end of the snow board support harness  35  is connected to the lower end of support strap  40 . A safety cord  31  is attached at a first end to loop  35   a . Connected to the second end of safety cord  31  is a belt clip  31   a  for attaching safety cord  31  to the belt of the snow boarder. In this fashion, should support strap  40  break snowboard harness  35  and the snow board resting thereon will not plunge to the ground below. Support strap  40  is secured to the safety rail of the ski lift as heretofore described. Snow board support harness  35  is constructed from the same webbing material as support strap  40 . Snow board support harness  35  is generally triangular in shape and is adjustable in size via an adjustable quick release clamp  36 . Quick release clamp  36  also allows one side of the snow board support harness  35  to be temporarily separated to allow for easier storage as well as for inserting the snow board into the interior therein. Located along the bottom leg portion of the triangle shaped snow board support harness  35  is a strap pad  38  for providing a surface wherein the snow board may be rested upon as well as functioning as a stiffener of the bottom leg portion of snow board support harness  35 . Strap pad  38  is of a rectangular cross section having a hollow interior wherein the webbing of snow board support harness  35  is threaded therethrough. Strap pad  38  is adjusted so that it lays on the bottommost central portion of snow board support harness  35 . 
     2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
     To use the present invention, a skier normally enters and seats themselves on the chair of a ski lift. The safety bar of the chair is lowered if so equipped. The ski poles are then slid under the skier&#39;s legs to free their hands. The invention is then removed from the carrying case. The carrying case is normally strapped to the front of the waist of a skier for convenience, ease of use and transport. A special support strap is unwound and then held tight by the skier. A safety cord connected to the skier&#39;s belt, and a support strap is placed around the ends of the ski poles. While holding the strap, the attached foot support is unfolded and allowed to dangle between the user&#39;s skis. The foot support is then placed beneath the skis and then the pulled upward by the skier via the strap. The strap is then secured to the safety rail of the ski lift with the quick release clamps provided. Slack is removed from the strap by adjusting the length of the strap through adjustments on the quick release clamp. One end of a cord is connected to the support strap while the opposite end is connected to a harness which is connected to the foot rest. In this fashion, the weight of the skis can be supported by the rail of the ski lift through the harness, cord, and supporting strap. A safety cord connected to the cord prevents the foot rest from falling to the ground should the support strap fail. The safety cord is secured to the belt of the skier through the use of a special belt clip. Once at the top of the hill, the support strap is released from the safety bar via the quick release clamp and the safety cord disconnected from the belt of the skier by the belt clip. The foot rest is folded together and the entire assembly is replaced in the carrying case. 
     The alternate preferred embodiment snow board attachment is utilized in a similar fashion. As before, the support strap is secured to the safety rail via quick release clamps. However, a special snow board support harness is attached to the support strap instead of a cord and a folding foot rest. The supporting harness has a single bar wherein the snow board may be inserted and supported. Once the skier places the snow board onto the bar, slack may be taken up in the support strap via adjustments in the quick release clamps and the support strap secured. The weight of the snow board is now supported by the support strap and harness. 
     The foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.