Patent Publication Number: US-7213827-B2

Title: Slider with brake plate

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This is a continuation-in-part application of the U.S. Ser. No. 11/108,451 application, filed on Apr. 18, 2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,623. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to a slider, and more particularly to a slider with a brake plate. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A conventional slider has a braking effect that is achieved by a sharp turning action of the slider. Thus, the braking effect is limited by a variety of fields and skills of a rider. 
   Various techniques for the braking effect to a slider are employed. One conventional technique is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,683, which discloses a ski brake assembly including a snow-engaging braking blade. The braking blade is driven by an electric motor through a blade drive assembly. Another conventional technique can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,007, which discloses a ski brake comprising plow means. 
   A further conventional brake device for a slider is disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 530682. The brake device mainly comprises a pedal with a flat plate mounted on the slider. The flat plate is relative to the snow ground and provided for contacting with the snow ground so as to generate the braking effect. However, when the pedal is stamped on to cause the flat plate to contact with the snow ground, the flat plate is easily slipping on the snow ground. Accordingly, the braking effect is limited. 
   Therefore, it would be advantage of providing a simplified braking system to a slider without a need of extra power system. Additionally, it would also be advantage of providing a braking system to a slider that is easy to assemble and effective in brake. 
   From the foregoing descriptions, it will be seen that room exists for improvements in the slider with a brake device. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a slider with a brake plate so that a rider of the slider can control the brake plate to stop the slider easily and conveniently. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide the brake plate, which is simple in structure and is easy to be assembled to a slider, such as a snowboard or a snow sled. At the same time, the brake plate is easy to operate and effective in brake. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide a slider with a brake plate, which has a shovel portion with plural drain holes. When the shovel portion of the brake plate is shoveled into a snow ground, the snow shoveled by the shovel portion is drained outward from the drain holes so as to provide with special visual effects to viewers. 
   More particularly, the slider of the present invention comprises a main board and a brake plate. The main board has a bottom face facing to and movable on a snow ground, and has a rear end raised to an angle relative to the snow ground. The brake plate has a connecting portion connected with the bottom face of the main board at the rear end of the main board, and a shovel portion protruding from the connecting portion for shoveling into the snow ground. Additionally, the shovel portion has plural drain holes formed thereon for draining the snow shoveled by the shovel portion. 
   Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of a brake plate of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the brake plate of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention, showing the brake plate in use. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 to 4  show a slider  1  as a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , the slider  1  comprises a main board  10  and a brake plate  11 . The main board  1  has a bottom face  100  facing to and movable on a snow ground “S”, and has a rear end  101  raised to an angle relative to the snow ground “S”. Additionally, the brake plate  11  is fixed to the main board  10 , and has a connecting portion  110  and a shovel portion  111 . The connecting portion  110  is connected with the bottom face  100  of the main board  10 , at the rear end  101  of the main board  10 . The shovel portion  111  protrudes from the connecting portion  110  and has plural drain holes  112  formed thereon. The shovel portion  111  is provided for shoveling into the snow ground “S”. Furthermore, the drain holes  112  are provided for draining the snow shoveled by the shovel portion  111 . 
   In the present invention, the main board  10  is preferably made of expanded foam-based board or any suitable board used to slide over a snow covered surface. The brake plate  11  is preferably made of resilient and flexible material, such as PE materials. 
   In practice, when a rider is seated on the main board  10  and is sliding on the snow ground “S”, the rider can simply use his/her hand to press the rear end  101  of the main board  10  so as to have the brake plate  11  inserted into the snow ground “S” for the purposes of stopping the sliding movement of the slider, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Alternatively, the rider also can lean back his/her body to have the brake plate  11  inserted into the snow ground “S” so as to stop the slider. 
   Furthermore, as shown in  FIGS. 2–3 , the brake plate  11  further has plural reinforced members  12  for connecting between the connecting portion  110  and the shovel portion  110  so as to prevent the shovel portion  110  from snapping under operations of the brake plate  11 . 
   In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the brake plate  11  of the present invention further has plural assembly units  13  formed on the connecting portion  110  for fixing into the main board  10 . Additionally, the main board  10  has through holes formed thereon, and the assembly units  13  are positioned in the through holes so as to fix the connecting portion  110 . In the present invention, the assembly units  13  can be any suitable connecting members as known in the present art, such as snap rivets, bolts and the like. Additionally, the shovel portion  111  of the brake plate  11  is preferably formed in an arch shape so as to provide a better braking effect. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the shovel portion  111  of the brake plate  11  has a bottom face formed with plural guiding curves  113  connected with the drain holes  112  respectively for guiding the snow shoveled by the shovel portion  111  into the drain holes  112 . 
     FIG. 4  further shows that the brake plate  11  is in use. When the brake plate  11  is pressed toward the snow ground “S” by the rider, the shovel portion  111  is inserted into the snow ground “S” to shovel the snow accordingly, so as to generate a resistance to stop the slider  1  gradually. Meanwhile, the snow shoveled by the shovel portion  111  is guided by the guiding curves  113  and is drained out via the drain holes  112 , which can not only provide for preventing the shoveled snow from being gathered in the shovel portion, but also generate a spray effect to attract viewers. 
   Numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed out in appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially, in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts, materials and the combination thereof within the principle of the invention, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.