The aim of the present invention is to create a ski or similar skating device, by which in addition to maintaining the benefits resulting from already known solutions also the torsional deformability of the forward portion should be essentially reduced without any additional or even disturbing supplements, so that on the one hand deflecting of the ski edges arranged adjacent to the running surface and herewith their sliding-down or the so called chattering could be avoided, and moreover on the other hand also vibrations resulting from said deformability could be essentially reduced.

The skis and similar skating devices are mainly treated and also manufactured as essentially flat, elongated and flexible beams having essentially flat rectangular cross-section. The forward portion of the ski, which is ordinary dominant with respect to the width, is provided by a tip on its end part and is ordinary rounded.

The rearward portion, the so called tail, is ordinary essentially narrower than the forward portion, but on the other hand its width shall be at least slightly greater than the width of the central portion, which is foreseen for mounting appropriate binding means, which serve for attaching ski boots and herewith for establishing appropriate connection between the skis and the skier. The bottom surface of the ski is the so called running surface, which is in its transversal direction ended by two edges extending each on its side of the said surface along the whole ski between the rearward portion (tail) and the forward portion (tip) thereof. On the forward portion of the ski said edges are bent in both directions, namely in a direction one towards another and also in a direction from the ground away.

Moreover, the edges are especially by skis also slightly bent respectively slightly arcuated along the whole length of the ski, which depends on the difference among the width of the forward, central and the rearward portion of the ski. Thanks to said curved line of bending, which is known to those skilled in the art e.g. under the expression "turning edge", during maneuvering or turning by the ski and when slightly rotating the ski around its longitudinal axis (x) appropriate running of the ski along a non-linear trajectory may be achieved, which is defined as mainly circular movement by appropriate radius of curvature. This may be especially effective when the width of the ski or similar skating device - when observing it in the plane parallel to the ground - in the central portion of the ski and therefore in the area of arrangement of the ski boot is essentially smaller than the width of the other portions of the ski.

In the ideal conditions the radius of curvature of the curved running line of the ski or similar skating device might be exactly determined with regard to the angle of rotation or deviation of the ski around its longitudinal axis. However, in the reality the ground is never quite flat. In order to ensure easier and more efficient controlling of the skis or similar skating devices during maneuvering, some manufacturers were occupied by a serious problem of determination appropriate flexibility respectively stiffness of the skis. Namely, it would be desirable that the edge cooperating with the ground shall be always in appropriate contact with the ground if possible along its complete length. However, with respect to discrepancies in e.g. weight of different users using certain skis and moreover with regard to continual changing of physical conditions on the ground it is quite impossible to expect, that a complete edge of the ski could always be in appropriate contact with the ground. This circumstance had unavoidable to be taken into account at the one hand by manufacturers and at the other hand also by skiers, so that in the last years in parallel to several improvements of physical characteristics of skis also the skiing technique as such has to be essentially improved.

It is known that running-down or the so called chattering, where the ski or similar skating device is uncontrolled running away from the determined sliding direction, is mainly a consequence of vibrations involved during turning respectively maneuvering the ski i.e. by sliding of the edge in its transversal direction during maneuvering in the area of the forward portion. Here, the expression turning respectively maneuvering shall be understood as moving or sliding or gliding on the skis or similar skating devices along a non-linear trajectory. To this aim, several attempts (US 4,896,895 or e.g. EP 0 437 172 Al or e.g. US 5,242,188 or e.g. EP 0 574 640) were described, which were based on the problem of reduction of vibrations, which are transferred from the skis to the legs of the skier, in order to keep the skier from overloading or even injuries or just to save his energy for further turning or maneuvering.

On the other hand it has been discovered that especially by skis extremely intensive running-down or chattering of the forward portion may be a consequence of non-uniform stiffness or elasticity of the ski when observing it in its longitudinal direction. That is mainly a consequence of attaching the ski boot on the ski, which is quite unavoidable, if a desired connection between the ski and the user shall be obtained. Again, there were several attempts in order to solve this problem (e.g.

US 5,413,371 or e.g. US 5, 344,176 or e.g. WO 92/22361), where the ski boot shall be mounted by appropriate binding means on a special plate, namely on the so called platform, which is mounted on the ski in such a manner, that relative movement between the plate and the ski in longitudinal direction is allowed. In such a manner appropriate deformability of the ski shall be achieved around the transversal axis perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the ski and simultaneously parallel to the ground, which shall be mainly independent from the way or mode of mounting a ski boot on the ski. Such a measure can of course also result some benefits in course of less intensive sliding-down or chattering during maneuvering and herewith sliding away from a determined direction. However, the problem of torsional deformability of the ski, which is no doubt also an important if not the main reason for sliding-down or chattering, still remains quite concealed.

It will be understood to people skilled in the art that even slight rotations of the forward portion of the ski around the longitudinal axis thereof may have important influence to the shape and position of the ski edges with respect to the ground.

Each deflection of the current ski edge line from a correctly determined or desired edge line unavoidable results more or less irregular running of ski during turning or maneuvering. Ignoring these facts may result not only decrease of preciseness by running the skis, but also occurring undesired vibrations. If not anywhere, that is especially important in competition skiing, where excellent results and for example also certain commercial benefits bound thereto may depend mainly on extremely precise running and/or sliding the skis.

In the sense of the before mentioned problem concerning torsional deformability, a new construction of skis was created where in common all benefits resulting from the known solutions are maintained. On the other hand and especially thanks to surprisingly simple measure and moreover without any additional supplements a ski was achieved, by which possible torsional deformations of the forward portion around the longitudinal axis thereof are essentially reduced, and where moreover such a solution may be no doubt applied also by other skating devices, e.g. by snow-boards and similar articles. Namely, a ski or similar skating device according to the invention is in common an elongated flat elastic body having essentially flat rectangular cross-section, where the forward portion thereof except the tip has - when observing it in a plane parallel to the ground - the width, which is smaller than the width of the rearward portion respectively the tail except the narrowed end portion thereof. Here, the forward portion is to be understood as a portion available between the forward end part of the ski, the so called tip, and the central portion of the ski or similar skating device, where a ski boot can be mounted. The forward portion is preferably for at least 3% - 70% , more preferably for approximately 3% - 20% narrower than the rearward portion or the so called tail of the ski or similar skating device except of the end of the narrowed rearward portion thereof. On such a basis appropriate torsional deformability of the ski or similar skating device, especially of the forward portion thereof, may be essentially reduced, so that also during turning or maneuvering the ski edge line is much more accommodated to the ideal or theoretical line desired by running along certain trajectory having certain radius of curvature, where running of the forward part of the ski away from the desired line during maneuvering can be mainly eliminated and where moreover occurring of vibrations can also be avoided.

An embodiment of the ski or similar skating device according to the invention will be now described in more detail on the basis of the enclosed drawing, where Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ski or similar skating device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a top view of the ski or similar skating device according to the invention.

As shown in the Fig. 1 and 2, the ski or similar skating device is a flat, elongated and flexible body having essentially flat rectangular cross-section.

There are three main areas on the ski or similar skating device, namely - a forward portion 1, the end part 1' of which is formed as a tip 1', which is by the shown embodiment rounded and bent in a direction from the ground away; - a central portion 3, which is foreseen for mounting and attaching appropriate binding means (not shown) for appropriate ski boot (also not shown) and for establishment of appropriate connection between the ski or similar skating device and the user thereof; as well as - a rearward portion 2 or the so called tail having narrowed end part 2'.

Moreover, a ski or similar skating device comprises appropriate running surface 4, which is arranged on the bottom side of the ski or similar skating device adjacent to the ground. Said running surface 4 has to be treated in appropriate manner so as to enable either as such or even by means of certain additional coatings placed thereon as easy as possible sliding of the ski or similar skating device in all directions over the ground. However, in order to enable controlled sliding of the ski or similar skating device in appropriate direction, two edges 5, 6 are available, where each of them is arranged on the one side of the running surface 4, and where each of them extends from the rearward portion 2 respectively from the tail 2' to the forward portion 1 respectively to the end part 1' or the tip thereof. Thereby, each edge 5, 6 is bent in accordance with the appropriate flank line of the ski, i.e.

with the so called turning edge as mentioned before and therefore along the portions 1, 2, 3 having different widths, and is on the forward portion 1 of the ski moreover bent in two directions, namely in a direction from the ground away as well as in a direction towards the other edge 5, 6, of course in correspondence with narrowing of the end part 1' of the forward portion 1 respectively the tip of the ski or similar skating device.

As shown in the Fig. 2, the forward portion 1 of the ski or similar skating device, e.g. of a snow-board, is created in such a manner, that the width (a) thereof - when observing it in a plane parallel to the ground - is smaller than the width (b) of the rearward portion 3. Other features of the ski or similar skating device remain thereby mainly unchanged or are similar to those used by skis or similar skating devices known from the prior art, so that any other technical benefits resulting from known solutions may also be completely maintained.

Thanks to essentially narrowed forward part 1 of a ski or similar skating device by quite unchanged other features thereof an important phenomena is achieved, where a torsional deformability of the forward portion 1 of the ski around the longitudinal axis (x) is essentially reduced, which has important benefits during maneuvering, especially turning. In such a manner each edge 5, 6 being in contact with the ground in that time, is firmly held in its position, as the reduced torsional deformability of the ski in its forward portion prevents its deflecting and herewith its sliding-down or the so called chattering thereof. Accordingly, possibility of chattering or sliding the ski in an incorrect direction is herewith essentialy reduced and at the same time also the main reason for resulting vibrations is eliminated, whereby said vibrations especially during turning or maneuvering may result inappropriate running of the ski or similar skating device and herewith also sliding a ski in an incorrect direction.