Patent Publication Number: US-6341786-B1

Title: Ski board apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to ski boards and more particularly pertains to a new ski board apparatus for ski boarding down a slope. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of ski boards is known in the prior art. More specifically, ski boards heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,816; U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,324; U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,753; U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,810; U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,233; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 391,613. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new ski board apparatus. The inventive device includes a board for supporting a user. The board has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a back edge, a first side edge and second side edge. Two pairs of elongate runners each have a tapered end portion. Each of the tapered end portions is turned upwards out of a plane of the runners. A pair of mountings mount the runners to the board. One pair of runners is located in front of a second pair of runners such that one of the runners from a front pair of the runners generally shares a longitudinal axis with one of the runners of a rear pair of the runners, wherein a front pair of runners and a back pair of runners are defined. 
     In these respects, the ski board apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of ski boarding down a slope. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of ski boards now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new ski board apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for ski boarding down a slope. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new ski board apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the ski boards mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new ski board apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art ski boards, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a board for supporting a user. The board has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a back edge, a first side edge and second side edge. Two pairs of elongate runners each have a tapered end portion. Each of the tapered end portions is turned upwards out of a plane of the runners. A pair of mountings mount the runners to the board. One pair of runners is located in front of a second pair of runners such that one of the runners from a front pair of the runners generally shares a longitudinal axis with one of the runners of a rear pair of the runners, wherein a front pair of runners and a back pair of runners are defined. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one 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 arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. 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 the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing 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. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new ski board apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the ski boards mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new ski board apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art ski boards, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new ski board apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new ski board apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new ski board apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such ski board apparatus economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new ski board apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new ski board apparatus for ski boarding down a slope. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new ski board apparatus which includes a board for supporting a user. The board has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a back edge, a first side edge and second side edge. Two pairs of elongate runners each have a tapered end portion. Each of the tapered end portions is turned upwards out of a plane of the runners. A pair of mountings mount the runners to the board. One pair of runners is located in front of a second pair of runners such that one of the runners from a front pair of the runners generally shares a longitudinal axis with one of the runners of a rear pair of the runners, wherein a front pair of runners and a back pair of runners are defined. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new ski board apparatus that uses two pairs of skis for better stability and ease of use. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a new ski board apparatus according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a foot holder of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the bracket of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along  5 — 5  of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the foot holder of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new ski board apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the ski board apparatus  10  generally comprises a board for supporting a user. The board  12  has a top surface  13 , a bottom surface  14 , a front edge  15 , a back edge  16 , a first side edge  17  and second side edge  18 . The portion of the board adjacent to the front edge is tapered such that the front edge has a width smaller than a width of the back edge of the board. 
     A pair of foot holders  20  hold the feet of the user to the board. Each of the foot holders has a base  21  portion. Each of the base portions has a front edge  22 , a back edge  23 , a top surface  24 , a bottom surface  25  and a pair of opposite edges  26 . A wall  27  extends upwardly from and is integrally coupled to the front  22  and back edges  23  for resisting movement of a boot rested on the top surface  24  of the base portion  21 . Each of the foot holders  20  has a securing means thereon for securing the feet of a user in the foot holders. The securing means comprises a strap  28 . The strap has a pair of opposite ends  29 . Each of the ends  29  of the strap  28  is fixedly coupled to the top surface of the base portion. Each of the ends of the strap  28  are located generally adjacent to one of the opposite edges  26  of the base portion  21  such that the strap  28  extends across the top surface  24  of the base portion. The strap  28  is preferably made from elastic material. 
     A first bore  30  in each of the first and second foot holders  20  are for coupling the foot holders to the board  12 . Each of the first bores is generally located in a central portion of the base portions of the first and second foot holders. 
     A second bore  31  is in each of the first and second foot holders. The second bores  31  are in the base portions  21  of the foot holders  20 . The second bores  31  are located generally adjacent to the back edges  23  of the first and second foot holders. 
     A pair of bores  32  extend through the board  12 . Only one filled with a pivot bar is seen for reasons which will soon be apparent. One of the bores is located generally adjacent to a back edge  16  of the board. The other of the bores is located generally adjacent to the front edge  15  of the board. Both of the bores are generally located along a longitudinal axis of the board  12 . 
     A pair of pivot bars  33  allow the foot holders  12  to rotate with respect to the board  12 . Each of the pivot bars  33  is mounted in one of the bores  32  in the board and in one of the first bores  30  in the first and second foot holders. 
     A pair of slots  35  in each of the boards  12  has a generally arcuate shape. Each of the slots  35  extend along a line forming a circle centered on the pivot bars  33 . Each of the slots  35  has a side wall with a plurality of notches  36  therein. Each of the slots  35  is located generally adjacent to the first side edge  17  of the board  12 . Ideally, each of the slots  35  has an angular measurement between one and two radians. 
     A pair of pawls  37  selectively engage the notches  36 . Each of the pawls  37  is mounted in one of the second bores  31  of the first and second foot holders  20 . Each of the pawls  37  is urged toward the notches  36  in the slots by a spring  38 . 
     Two pairs of elongate runners  40  each have a tapered end portion  41 . Each of the tapered end portions  41  is turned upwards out of a plane of the runners  40 . 
     A pair of mountings  44  mount the runners to the board. Each of the mountings  44  has a saddle  45 . The saddle is fixedly coupled to the bottom surface  14  of the board  12 . The saddle  45  has a first bore  46  and a second bore  47 . The second bore  47  is adapted for receiving a boss. 
     A yoke  50  has a central column  51  having an upper end  52  and a lower end  53 . The upper end  52  forms a boss. The boss is inserted into the second bore  47  of the saddle  44 . An arm  54  is fixedly coupled to and extends away from the central column  51 . The arm  54  is located generally between the upper  52  and lower  53  ends of the central column  51 . The arm  54  has a bore  55  therethrough. The bore  55  has an axis oriented generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the central column  51 . The lower end  53  of the central column has a bore  56  therethrough. The bore  56  in the lower end has an axis generally oriented perpendicular to the arm  54 . 
     A pin  57  connects the yoke  50  to the saddle  45 . The pin  57  has a distal portion  58  and a proximal portion  59 . The distal portion  58  is threaded. The distal portion  58  is adapted to be releaseably inserted into the first bore  46  in the saddle  45 . The pin&#39;s  57  proximal end  59  has a head thereon. The pin  57  is inserted through the bore  55  in the arm  54  of the yoke  50 . 
     A pair of bearings  60  are on each pin  57 . Each of the bearings is on one side of the arm  54  of the yoke  50 . Preferably, each of the bearings  60  is made from elastomeric material. 
     A securing means holds the bearings  60  on the pin  57 . The securing means is between one of the bearings  60  and the saddle  45 . Ideally, the securing means is a nut  61 . 
     A post  64  secures the yoke  50  to the runners  40 . The post  64  has a first end  65  and a second end  66 . The post  64  extends through the bore  56  in the lower end  53  of the central column  51 . 
     A pair brackets  68  secures the post  64  to the runners  40 . Each of the brackets comprises two plates  69 ,  70  fixedly secured to each other. The plates are generally oriented at a ninety degree angle towards each other. A first of the plates  69  of each of the brackets has a bore  71  therethrough for receiving an end of the post  64 . A second  70  of the plates has a generally rectangular shape. The second plate  70  has four bores therein. Each of the bores is adjacent to a corner of the second plate. 
     A fastening means fastens the brackets  68  to the runners  40 . The fastening means is inserted through the bores in the second plates and into the runners. The fasteners are preferably screws  72 . 
     One pair of runners  40  is located in front of a second pair of runners such that one of the runners from a front pair of said runners generally shares a longitudinal axis with one of the runners of a rear pair of the runners so that a front pair of runners and a back pair of runners are defined. Tilting the board  12  causes the front pair of runners to be directed to one side of the longitudinal axis of the board and the back pair of the runners to be directed to the other side of the longitudinal axis of the board. 
     In use, the user places their boots in the foot holders  20  with the straps  28  around the boots. The user then glides down a slope and maneuvers by leaning one direction or the other. The boots can be adjusted to orient them into a comfortable position in relation to the board  12 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.