SKI MAT AND TILE MEMBER FOR FORMING THE SKI MAT FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an artificial snow-skiing surface, and particularly to a tile member for joining with like tile members for forming the surface. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Snow skiing, including free-form snow skiing and snowboarding, are very popular. In addition to traditional flat, downhill ski slopes, half pipes and terrain parks have become popular with skiing enthusiasts.

Many skiing enthusiasts would like to ski year-round. But most skiers cannot afford to travel during the summer months to reach skiing facilities thousands of miles away.

Artificial snow skiing surfaces have been developed to enable skiing during the summer months. One such conventional snow skiing surface has an appearance similar to a shag carpet. The carpet is laid out and skiers ski on top of the carpet. The carpet must be kept wet for skiing to reduce friction between the carpet and the skis to enable skiing. Even when the carpet is wet, however, friction generates high drag on skis or snowboards, impairing the skiing experience.

Thus there is a need for an improved artificial snow skiing surface for slopes, half pipes, and terrain parks. The improved surface should be inexpensive and easy to assemble,

and provide a realistic snow skiing experience without being wet .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is an improved artificial snow skiing surface for slopes, half pipes, and terrain parks. The improved surface is inexpensive and easy to assemble, and provides a realistic snow skiing experience without being wet.

An artificial snow skiing surface in accordance with the present invention is formed as a mat placed on a substrate (such as the ground or the walls defining a half pipe) to form an artificial skiing surface. The mat includes a base comprising upper and lower sides. A number of rigid, spaced- apart projections extend from the upper side of the base and away from the base to free end portions for bearing against skis or snowboards. The projections are spaced sufficiently close together so that a number of end portions simultaneously engage and support a ski or snowboard on the upper surface of the mat to provide an artificial snow skiing surface.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the skiing mat is formed from a number of like tile members that join together to form the skiing surface.

Each tile member is preferably made using a nylon resin for inherently low friction without the need for wetting the

surface for use. The tile member is manufactured by injection molding for high volume production at low per-tile cost.

The tile members preferably join together using a hook- andrail structure that permits the sides and ends of adjacent tiles to rotate relative to each other. This enables the tiles to cover a non-planar surface, such as the transition walls of a half-pipe or moguls on a ski slope.

An artificial skiing surface formed with the tile members of the present invention is easily assembled on the ground or other substrate. Tiles can be pre-assembled into easily handled four-foot by eight-foot sheets to reduce on-site assembly.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying six drawing sheets illustrating two embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment tile member for forming the ski mat of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the tile member;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the tile member taken along line 3-3 Of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a first sectional view of the tile member taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a second sectional view of the tile member taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 6 is a partial front view of the tile member shown in FIG. 1 attached side-by-side to a second tile member;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the tile members shown in FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating pivoting of one tile member relative to the other tile member;

FIG. 9 is a partial front view of the tile member shown in FIG. 1 attached end-to-end to a second tile member;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the tile members shown in FIG. 9 taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 illustrating pivoting of one tile member relative to the other tile member;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the two tiles full length and side-by-side attachment of a third tile at two alternative locations along the two tiles;

FIG. 13 is a front view of six tile members assembled together to form a portion of the ski mat;

FIG. 14 is a front view of tile members assembled to form a larger portion of the ski mat;

FIG. 15 illustrates a portion of the ski mat forming a skiing surface for a uniform downhill grade;

FIG. 16 illustrates a portion of the ski mat forming a skiing surface for a half-pipe; and

FIG. 17 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 of a second embodiment tile member. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figures 1-5 illustrate a first embodiment tile member 10 for forming a ski mat or artificial snow skiing surface in accordance with the present invention. Member 10 is an elongate body having a base 12 and a number of spaced apart projections 14 extending away from the base. The projections 14 form part of the skiing surface as will be explained in greater detail below. Side hooks 16 are spaced along the base 12 for side-by-side attachment to an adjacent tile. An end hook 18 is located at one end 20 of the tile for end-to-end attachment to an adjacent tile.

Base 12 includes two spaced apart, parallel longitudinal rails 22, 24 that extend along opposite sides of the base. As best seen in Figure 4, each rail 22, 24 has a circular cross section. An end rail 26 located at the other end 28 of the base extends between the two rails 22, 24 and has a circular cross section identical to rails 22, 24. A number of spaced- apart rungs 30 also extend between the rails 22, 24. Member 10 is open between the rungs 30. The rung adjacent base end 28 is spaced from end rail 26. The rung adjacent base end 26 is

located at that end of the base. Each rung 30 has a thickness equal to the rail diameter.

Projections 14 extend from the upper sides of rungs 30, with each projection 14 extending from a respective rung 30. The projections 14 are shaped like a portion of a hemisphere with the base of the projection on the rung 30 and a convex outer surface 31 extending to an upper end or upper surface 32.

Each side hook 16 is formed on the upper side of a rung 30 and extends from the projection 14 outwardly to a free end spaced outwardly away from side rail 24. A throat 34 is formed in hook 16 to capture and retain the side rail of the adjacent tile member. Endhook 18 is formed on the upper side of the rung adjacent base end 26 and extends from projection 14 outwardly to a free spaced outwardly away from base end 20. Endhook 18 includes a throat 36 to capture and retain the end rail of an adjacent tile member.

Illustrated tile member 10 is about twelve inches long and one inch wide. The base 12 is approximately one-eighth inch thick, and each of the eight projections 14 extends about a quarter- inch above the base.

Tile 10 is preferably made as a homogeneous, integral, one-piece member by injection molding using a polyamide (nylon) resin. A suitable resin is Material 2150T3U2 Wt-103

available from Technical Polymers, Buford, Georgia. This is a polyamide resin having friction-reducing additives. The molded tile 10 has good toughness, low friction, and does not plastically compress under load when used as a ski mat. A conical hole 34 is molded into each rung and projection to improve cooling of the molded part and reduce material costs.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate portions of two like tiles 10a, 10b attached side-by-side to one another for forming a ski mat. Rail 24 of tile 10a is adjacent rail 22 of tile 10b, with the projections 14 on the same side of the mat. Side hooks 16 of tile 10a are between the rungs 30 of tile 10b. Side rail 22 is snapped into hooks 16 as shown in Figure 7 to connect the two tiles.

Rail 22 can rotate within the hooks 16 to form pivot joints between tiles 10a, 10b that permit pivoting of tile 10b with respect to tile 10a about rail 22. Figure 8 illustrates tile 10b in phantom in two different pivot positions.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate two like tiles 10c, 1Od attached end-to-end to one another for forming a ski mat. End 20 of tile 10c is adjacent end 26 of tile 1Od, with the projections 14 on the same side of the mat. End hook 18 of tile 10c is centered over end rail 28 of tile 1Od. End rail 28 is snapped into the throat of end hook 18 as shown in Figure 10 to connect the two tiles.

Rail 28 can rotate within hook 18 to form a pivot joint that permits pivoting of tile 10c with respect to tile 1Od about rail 28. Figure 10 illustrates tile 1Od in phantom in two different pivot positions.

Figure 12 illustrates the assembly 36 formed by joining tiles 10c and 1Od end-to-end. The side hooks 16 and rungs 30 are uniformly spaced along the length of the assembly. This enables another tile 10 to attach to the side of the assembly anywhere along the length of the assembly. Figure 12 illustrates in phantom a portion of a tile 1Oe attached to the side of assembly 36 at two different locations. As shown in the figure, tile 1Oe can span the joint between tiles 10c, 1Od.

Tiles 10 are attached end-to-end and side-by-side to form a ski mat of the desired size to cover the substrate. Figure 13 illustrates eight tiles 10 connected as four rows 38a-38d of two tiles joined end to end. Tiles are joined side-by-side with the side hook nearest the end rail of one rail attached between the rung and end rail of the adjacent tile. Other attachment patterns can be used to stagger joints differently if desired. The ability of adjacent tiles to pivot relative to one another along their sides and ends, and the inherent flexibility of the tiles themselves enables the ski mat formed

from the tiles to closely conform to curves, changes in slope or curvature, or other surface irregularities.

The tiles shown in Figure 13 cover an area of about four feet by four inches. Figure 14 illustrates a preassembled mat 40 formed from tiles 10. Mat 40 is about four feet wide and eight feet long, and can be rolled up for storage. A number of mats 40 are made up prior to installation, transported to the job site, and then unrolled for use. Adjoining mats 40 are connected end-to-end and side-by-side as described above to cover the entire ski surface.

Figure 15 illustrates a ski mat 110 formed from a number of like tiles 10. Mat 110 is placed or assembled directly on the ground or other substrate 112, such as plywood with projection surfaces 32 forming the upper surface of the mat. The mat can be kept in place by friction between the base of the tiles 10 as shown, or mechanical fasteners, such as adhesives or U-shaped nails/staples can mechanically fasten the rails 22, 24 to the substrate. The openings in tiles 10 between rungs 30 enable rainwater to quickly drain off the mat .

Figure 16 illustrates ski mat 210 like mat 110 covering a portion of the floor 212 and transition wall 214 of a half pipe. Tiles 10 can be mechanically fastened or glued to the substrate of the half pipe.

When skiing on a ski mat 110 or 210 formed from interconnected tiles 10, the skis, snowboard, toboggan or the like simultaneously bears against a number of the surfaces 32 forming the upper surface of the mat. The surfaces 32 are sufficiently close together to provide practically uniform support of the ski, snowboard, toboggan, or the like. The surfaces 32 are essentially point surfaces, so parasitic drag is reduced. The user experiences downhill performance very similar to that experienced on snow. In addition, the edges of skis or snowboards can push against the sides 31 of the projections 14 for making turns or other changes in direction.

Ski mats 110, 210 are formed from like tiles 10. In other embodiments the tiles forming the mat can be different sizes. For example, shorter- length tiles can be used to cover moguls or sharper discontinues. The denser joint spacings may make it easier to conform portions of the mat to the substrate than when using a uniform tiling.

Figure 17 illustrates a second embodiment tile 310. Tile 310 is similar to tile 10 so only differences will be discussed. Webs 312 are formed between the rungs 330 and extend between the side rails 322, 324 along the bottom of the base. The webs 312 close the gaps between rungs 330 to provide additional fastening surfaces to attach the tiles to a substrate. Openings or perforations can be formed in webs 312

for water drainage. The outer end of side hooks 316 and the end hook extend to just above the plane of the webs.

Illustrated tiles 10, 310 are rectangularly shaped to permit a regular, periodic arrangement of tiles to cover a substrate. Other periodic tiling shapes are known and can be adapted for use with the present invention. The size, number, spacing, and shape of projections carried by the tile can also vary in other embodiments. Other connecting structures can be used instead of hooks and rails.

In yet other embodiments a ski mat in accordance with the present invention can be formed as a one-piece, integral unit.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood that these are capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.