Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4170367?dq=6721967
Timestamp: 2016-05-27 02:41:13
Document Index: 660045370

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 2']

Patent US4170367 - Sliding base - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsThe disclosed device is for transporting a person or other load down a snow slope. The frame is made up of upper and lower outer layers with structural foam sandwiched between them. A handle is provided at the front. A transverse hinge permits folding of a rear portion of the frame into a bottom pocket...http://www.google.com/patents/US4170367?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4170367 - Sliding baseAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4170367 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 05/912,313Publication dateOct 9, 1979Filing dateJun 5, 1978Priority dateJun 8, 1977Also published asCA1089515A, CA1089515A1, DE7816760U1Publication number05912313, 912313, US 4170367 A, US 4170367A, US-A-4170367, US4170367 A, US4170367AInventorsThomas RickenbacherOriginal AssigneeThomas RickenbacherExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (13), Referenced by (13), Classifications (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetSliding base
US 4170367 AAbstract
The disclosed device is for transporting a person or other load down a snow slope. The frame is made up of upper and lower outer layers with structural foam sandwiched between them. A handle is provided at the front. A transverse hinge permits folding of a rear portion of the frame into a bottom pocket extending from the front to about half the length. Guide runners can be provided as profiling in the bottom or by separate attachment members. Snap fasteners can be provided for maintaining the folded condition.
1. A sliding base for transporting a load over a frozen surface, said base being of the type having a handgrip and a sliding part, wherein said sliding part is improved and comprises the combination of:an upper sheet of flexible material; a lower sheet of flexible material spaced from said upper sheet and attached at its edges to said upper sheet; a sheet of resilient foam material sandwiched between said upper and lower sheets; means defining a transverse hinged portion for permitting folding of said sliding part, and a plurality of runner-like contouring inserts extending parallel to the direction of travel of said base and fastened between said sheet of foam material and the inside of said lower sheet. 2. A sliding base according to claim 1, wherein said runner-like inserts are adhered to the bottom of said sheet of foam material.
3. A sliding base according to claim 1, and further comprising at least one snap fastener on said upper sheet and on the bottom of said handgrip for maintaining said sliding base in the folded state.
The invention relates to a sliding base for at least one person for sliding on frozen surfaces, such as snow and ice slopes.
Various constructions of sliding bases are known for sliding on snow and ice slopes. In a first sled type, sled frame supports are constructed as fixed supports made from various materials, e.g. wood, metal or plastics. Runners are either non-detachably connected to the supports or are pivotable relative to the supports, so that steering is possible during travel.
In a second sled type, essentially dimensionally stable, there are used tub-like frames which are generally made from plastic material which is processed into a dimensionally stable structure.
Both groups of sleds have the disadvantage that their manufacture is time-consuming and costly and requires expensive molds for the manufacture thereof. In addition, such sleds, particularly those of the first type, require a relatively large amount of space, so that their transportation is made more difficult.
Yet another type is known in which the support structure comprises essentially cushions. To prevent sliding sideways on starting, such cushions have runner-like structures on the bottom. The person generally sits on the cushion or lies on his stomach and by holding on to a hand grip connected to the cushion can to a certain extent steer the sliding cushion. This construction is relatively inexpensive, but requires a relatively large amount of space during transportation.
It would be desirable to so construct a sliding base of the above-indicated type so that it makes possible to satisfactorily travel on snow and ice slopes, while taking up little space during transportation.
In a novel sliding base in accordance with the present invention the sliding part is constructed as a double sheet between whose upper sheet and lower sheet is placed a foam sheet with the sliding part having a transverse fold.
The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter relative to two embodiments and with reference to the drawings, which show:
FIG. 1 a bottom plan view of the sliding surface of a sliding base according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 a longitudinal section of the sliding base of FIG. 1 in the direction of travel along line II-II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 a bottom plan view of a further embodiment of a sliding base in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 a longitudinal section of the sliding base of FIG. 3 in the direction of travel along line IV--IV of FIG. 3.
The sliding base shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, particularly in the latter, is constructed as a double sheet and has an upper part 2 and a lower part 3. Lower part 3 only has approximately half the length of upper part 2 and is connected to the upper part 2 at its lateral edges 7. Thus, lower part 3 forms a pocket 4, whose opening 5 is directed counter to the direction of travel indicated by arrow 6. The portion of upper part 2 projecting beyond lower part 3 can be forced through opening 5 into pocket 4 for transportation purpose. For this purpose, immediately at opening 5 of pocket 4 a transverse fold 8 is provided, being indicated in the drawings by the broken line. It is also possible to provide further folds (not shown), preferably longitudinal folds in the direction of travel 6, in order to obtain further foldability of the sliding base 1.
A hand grip 10 is provided at the front end 9 of upper part 2 to be used by the person using the sled for either holding purposes or for steering the sliding base 1. Optionally, hand grip 10 can have a fold in the vicinity of the front end 9 of upper part 2, so that it can be folded back during transportation. On further folding, hand grip 10 is covered by upper part 2. Sliding base 1 then forms a relatively small package, which can optionally be introduced into an additional pocket and consequently remains in its folded position. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the upper part 2 is constructed as a double sheet having an upper sheet 11 and a lower sheet 12 which are interconnected at their edges. Between the two sheets 11 and 12 it is possible to place an insert in the form of a further sheet 13, e.g. a foam sheet. Advantageously, sheet 13 is interrupted at fold 8 in order to facilitate folding.
To ensure that the direction of travel can be maintained, even if transverse forces act on sliding base 1, runner-like thickened portions 14 are provided in the direction of travel 6, three runners 14 being shown on lower part 3 and three runners on the bottom of the rear portion of upper part 2. Advantageously, thickened portions 14 are removed in the vicinity of transverse fold 8, so that ease of folding is ensured. However, for longitudinal folds, which are advantageously positioned alongside thickened portions 14, no special measures need be taken, although the foam sheet 13 may be provided with further breaks, similar to fold 8, in order to further facilitate the folding of sliding base 1.
Sliding base 1 is advantageously made from plastic material. For example, a polyethylene sheet is suitable as the material for double sheet 2, 3. If a foam sheet 13 is used, this can for example comprise a polyethylene foam.
Although the sliding base 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is relatively easy to manufacture and can be easily transported, it can, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, be further simplified and improved. The sliding base 1 according to FIGS. 3 and 4 has an upper sheet 11 and a lower sheet 12, which form a closed inner space into which is inserted a foam sheet 13, advantageously polyethylene foam. In the vicinity of the sheet 13, the two sheets 11 and 12 are unprofiled, as opposed to the construction of FIGS. 1 and 2, where the thickened portions 14 are provided in this area. Such thickened portions additionally stress the lower sheet and are therefore omitted in the construction of FIGS. 3 and 4. However, in all cases a device for guiding the sliding base 1 is required. In the construction according to FIGS. 3 and 4, this problem is solved by placing shallow contouring members 15, such as plastic ribs in the inner space of sheets 11 and 12 between the foam sheet 13 and the lower sheet 12, so that the lower sheet 12 conforms to them. The contouring members are fixed to the foam sheet 13, but are completely separate from the lower sheet 12. Nevertheless, the guidance of sliding base 1 through said contouring members 15 is achieved in the same way as with the thickened portions in the construction of FIGS. 1 and 2. The contouring members 15 are indicated in the FIG. 3 by broken lines, but because they are so shallow are not made visible in the FIG. 4.
The sliding base 1 of FIGS. 3 and 4 can also have a transverse fold 8, so that it can also be folded and easily transported. To further facilitate transportation, it is possible to place on upper sheet 11 and the bottom of hand grip 10 a snap fastener 17 which maintains sliding base 1 in the folded state. Marginal portions 16 can be provided on the sides of sliding base 1. These merely comprise parts of the two sheets 11 and 12, with no intermediate foam sheet. On folding the sliding base, marginal portions 16 are first folded around the edges and then the sliding base is folded.
It is important that the said sliding bases 1 have a relatively thin construction with no voluminous parts. Nevertheless, a highly satisfactory sled is formed, which in the folded state can be inexpensively and easily transported to the sledding area, where it can be unfolded and used for sledding. When sledding is at an end, sliding base 1 can be folded again equally easily and can either be placed in pocket 4 or held together with the fastener 17. Longitudinal folds can be provided in addition to the transverse folds 8, 9.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS2270598 *Mar 4, 1940Jan 20, 1942 Eat govesUS2673744 *Jan 21, 1952Mar 30, 1954Johnson Venner GFoldable portable sledUS3143748 *Mar 24, 1961Aug 11, 1964Manning Charles HCombination container and cushionUS3372944 *May 31, 1966Mar 12, 1968Norman R. LauritzenSnow sledUS3455571 *Apr 15, 1968Jul 15, 1969Giancarlo DalleraInflatable sledUS3484801 *Mar 8, 1968Dec 16, 1969Carlin Eunice ARoll-type tobogganUS3583722 *May 15, 1969Jun 8, 1971Isidor R JacobsonCollapsible bobsledUS3625533 *Sep 15, 1969Dec 7, 1971Bernard T Mcmanus And Gordon SEasily carried tobogganlike structureUS3693849 *Sep 30, 1971Sep 26, 1972Knabenbauer Melvin KCombination back pack and pack sledUS3799566 *Oct 17, 1972Mar 26, 1974Meadowbrook Mfg CorpSectional tobogganUS3879775 *Dec 5, 1973Apr 29, 1975Iwata MotokoCushionUS4046393 *Mar 4, 1976Sep 6, 1977Kenneth VadnaisPortable sledCA759355A *May 23, 1967William B MccreadyToboggan* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4561666 *Jan 3, 1984Dec 31, 1985Aumann James POpen sleigh that disassembles to a generally flat storage position and assembles into an interlocked operating positionUS4609201 *Jul 21, 1980Sep 2, 1986Flachsmann J PSliding-vehicle, particularly for sliding on snow and iceUS4718684 *May 23, 1986Jan 12, 1988Djordje RabaticFoldable sledUS5401048 *Jul 2, 1992Mar 28, 1995S & T Promotions, Inc.Seat for sliding on snow and iceUS7503568Sep 17, 2004Mar 17, 2009Wham-O, Inc.Sled board with tracking bottomUS8091937Jan 10, 2012MC Inventors, Inc.Sliding tarpaulin for hauling materialUS20030227145 *Jun 11, 2002Dec 11, 2003Kane Christopher T.Flexible foot-board for jumping devicesUS20050017463 *Aug 24, 2004Jan 27, 2005Kane Christopher T.Flexible foot-board for jumping devicesUS20050035564 *Sep 17, 2004Feb 17, 2005Charles MehrmannSled board with tracking bottomUS20060038365 *Oct 28, 2003Feb 23, 2006Halfacree Graeme SRecreational boardUS20070290464 *Aug 20, 2007Dec 20, 2007Robert MastromattoTarpaulinUS20130270783 *Apr 12, 2013Oct 17, 2013Kaj GyrSteerable foam sliderWO1981000698A1 *Jul 21, 1980Mar 19, 1981Poly Patent AgLuge or similar,particularly for snow and ice* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification280/18, 280/20International ClassificationB62B13/16, B62B13/00Cooperative ClassificationB62B13/16European ClassificationB62B13/16RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services