Patent Publication Number: US-5249816-A

Title: Ski board

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to ski board construction. 
     In the last few years the sport of ski boarding has experienced a rapid rise in popularity. Ski boards typically include a single platform wide enough to permit the user&#39;s feet to be angularly disposed on the board in a fore and aft manner. Turning forces are imparted to the board by leaning toward one side or the other of the board. Holders or bindings are provided on the board to accomodate the user&#39;s footwear. Typical snow boards in use are intended for direct contact with the snow surface. Considerable skill is required especially to execute short radius turns. 
     Of collateral interest are skate boards which are equipped with front and rear trucks each including a resilient component to permit steering of the trucks by rocking of the skate board about its longitudinal axis. 
     In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,128 discloses a ski board having a platform supported by front and rear skis coupled to one another at their respective tail and nose by a resilient coupling. The fore and aft portions of the ski board are coupled to the front and rear skis respectfully by couplings which permit angular movement of the skis in response to lateral rocking of the platform. The coupling attaching the tail of one ski to the nose of the other includes a resilient member and serves to limit pivotal movement of the skis about horizontal and vertical axes to limit the range of ski travel. A toe rope is attached to the forward edge of the board or platform. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention is embodied within a ski board having independent fore and aft skis with the forward ski carried in cantilever fashion. 
     The present ski board includes a platform with holders for reception of the user&#39;s feet in a generally transverse position. In place on the underside of the present ski board is a cantilever or arm having a base attached to the board underside at a point intermediate the foot holders. The cantilever projects from said base and has a forward end equipped with a coupling assembly which permits steering of a front ski about a verticle axis. A frame of H-shape in place on the forward ski includes a cross member which serves as part of the resilient coupling assembly. Similarly, a rear ski includes a like frame having a cross member which constitutes part of a rear coupling assembly. Both coupling assemblies translate rolling motion of the ski board about its longitudinal axis into movement of the skis in opposite directions about separate verticle axes. The ski attached frames include longitudinal members for attachment lengthwise of the ski. Provision is made for attaching a tow bridle to a cantilever of the present ski board at a point near the boards center of gravity which is intermediate the foot holders to permit towing of the board over a variety of surfaces such as snow, water and sand in a stable manner as opposed to attachment of a tow rope to a platform front end. 
     Important objectives of the present ski board include the provision of a ski board having fore and aft skis with the forward ski supported in place by a cantilever provided at its distal end with a resilient coupling permitting steering of the ski; the provision of a ski board in which a cantilever is provided with an attachment point for a tow rope to the cantilever at a point near the board center of gravity to permit board use on a variety of surfaces including vehicular towing of same on sand. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present ski board. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3 and showing a cantilever fragment and a coupling assembly; 
     FIG. 5 is the view similar to FIG. 4 but showing a rear coupling assembly associated with the rear ski of the ski board; and 
     FIG. 6 is a verticle sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 1 to show a ski cross section. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With continuing attention to the drawings wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly hereinafter identified, the reference numeral 1 indicates an elongate platform of the present ski board having a curved forward end 2 and a trailing end 3. 
     Fore and aft foot holders are at 4 and 5 and may be equipped with suitable straps or binding components (not shown) for retention of the user&#39;s feet. A longitudinal board axis is at LA. A bottom surface 1A of the board may include integral stringers at 7. Front and rear skis are at 8 and 9. 
     A cantilever 10 projects forwardly in a downwardly inclined manner from its base 11 secured as by fasteners to the board bottom surface 1A intermediate foot holders 4 and 5. The cantilever or arm 10 may be of channel section. The distal end of the cantilever serves to carry a first resilient coupling assembly generally at 14 which includes a retainer 15 shown as a bolt assembly having a head 16 confined in a hexagonal recess with the bolt shank projecting downwardly through the distal end of the cantilever to receive resilient grommets or bushings 17-18 above and below a flange 19 of a bracket cross member 20. Cross member 20 is a component of an H-shaped bracket which additionally includes fore and aft orientated members 22. Cross member 20 has a centrally disposed apex 23 which is confined within a socket 24, in the distal end of the cantilever, in a loose manner permitting limited universal movement of cross member 20. Movement about a vertical axis A is imparted to the cross member and hence forward ski 8 upon rocking of the ski board and cantilever 10 to swing flange 19 about axis A with retainer 15 and the grommets subsequently returning the ski 8 to a neutral position. 
     A second coupling assembly is indicated generally at 26 and includes a base plate 27 secured to the underside of board 1. The second coupling assembly is reversed from coupling assembly 14. A retainer 28 shown as a bolt assembly includes a head 30 received within a hexagonal recess in the base plate with the retainer shank extending through grommets or bushings 31 and 32 both of a resilient material. A cross member 33 of a rear bracket includes an apex 34 which projects upwardly into a socket 35 in base plate 27 in a loose manner. Cross member 33 has a forwardly directed flange 36 which is apertured to receive the shank of retainer 28. Bracket cross member 33 terminates at its end in longitudinally orientated bracket members 37 to comprise a rear bracket similar to the earlier described bracket associated with the forward ski. Both of the front bracket and the rear bracket are secured to their respective skis by threaded fasteners 40. 
     Movement of board 1 about its longitudinal axis will impart opposite movement to cross member 20 and 33 about vertical axes A and B to impart steering movement to the skis. In both coupling assemblies 14 and 26 the cross members 20 and 33 automatically return to a neutral position, upon board 1 being parallel to a ground surface, to locate their respective skis parallel to the board axis by the action of the resilient bushings and the retainers extending therethrough. 
     In FIG. 6, a section of one of the skis is typical of most skis in that multiple parallel ridges 8A are provided on the ski bottoms to minimize skidding of the skis during turning of the ski board. The skis are preferably formed from an abrasion resilient high density synthetic plastic to permit use on a variety of ground surfaces including snow, sand, grass and water. The cantilever provides shock absorption as it is attached to the board at a point intermediate the front and rear foot holders and permits flexure of the board portion forward of the cantilever base. The forward coupling assembly, generally at 14, and the cantilever provide additional shock absorption. 
     Adjustment of the retainers 15 and 27 of the coupling assemblies by their nut elements to vary grommet compression will alter the steering action of the front and rear coupling assemblies. 
     A bridle at 41 is attached to cantilever 10 at a point 42 intermediate the foot holders 5 and 6 and near the ski board center of gravity midway between the holders. Use of the cantilever permits the bridle attachment point to be located near the board center of gravity located intermediate the foot holders. The bridle receives a tow rope (not shown) pulled by a vehicle, that type determined by the surface on which the ski board is being used. Accordingly, control of the ski board attitude or pitch is maintained by the fore and aft shifting of the rider&#39;s weight. 
     While I have shown but one embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.