It is known that conventional skis are usually 1.5 to 2 metres long. The length of the ski is usually selected such that it coincides with the length of the user, or is a few centimetres larger.

Recently, what is called short skis were developed. These are advantageous in that one has to have little technique to be able to εki, that one makes progress fast and that they are easy to carry and to convey, because they can be carried among others in the boot of a passenger car.

A known embodiment of a short ski is described in the international patent application WO 91/19549. The ski described herein has a relatively broad ski lath whose middle part is strongly "cut in", whereby said ski lath further has a shape which shows much comparison with an enlarged foot print.

This known embodiment is disadvantageous in that, given its width, no standard binding elements can be applied. The relatively large width in the front and the rear part moreover makes it difficult to use such a ski, as the feet cannot be put close enough together when parallel skiin .

The invention aims a εki, in particular what is called a

short εki, which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The invention also aims a εki which is significantly more advantageous than the existing short skis, especially in its use. In particular, the invention aims to offer a ski which, thanks to its specific characteristics, offers a better versatility, makes it possible to obtain higher speeds as it is more capable to absorb the vibrations arising thereby, is suitable for all sorts of slopes, also slopes with deep snow, and is comfortable in use as it makes it possible to use normal safety bindings.

To this aim, the invention concerns a ski, in particular a short ski, consisting of a εki lath provided with binding elements for a ski booth, characterized in that the ski lath has the shape of an arrow as seen rom above and in that the ski lath, in the case of an adult's ski, has a total length which is smaller than 120 cm and has a bearing face with a length of minimally 60 and maximally 80 cm, whereby the ski lath, at its bearing face, is smaller than or equal to 8 cm over at least a 1/4 of the length- of this bearing face, measured from the back side of the bearing face.

By the shape of an arrow is meant hereby that the ski lath consists of a head and a part situated behind it which extends from this head towards the back in a lean way and which narrows somewhat at least towards the back.

In the above-mentioned combination of characteristics, the feature of the ski lath having the shape of an arrow as seen from above, in combination with the fact that a short ski is concerned, is an important detail which contributes to the improvement of short ski qualities.

It should be noted that with conventional skis, in order to be able take a curve, the skis must be slightly "cut in" in the middle, whereas with short skis, as described for example in WO 91/19549, the "cut in" form had to be even more pronounced to maintain this versatility.

Against all expectations, the inventor found that considerably better εki properties could be obtained with short skis when this strongly "cut in" shape is abandoned in favour of the above-mentioned arrow shape.

Further, the ski according to the invention can be optimized by applying one or several of the specific characteristics, among others as far as dimensions and proportions are concerned, as described hereafter in the detailed description.

Each of these additional characteristics, which are also part of the claims, can be combined, either or not with one another, and each contribute to the above-mentioned op i ization.

In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiment is described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a side view of a ski according to the invention; figure 2 shows the ski of figure 1 as seen from above.

As is represented in figures 1 and 2, the invention concerns a short ski 1.

As usual, this sk l consists of a ski lath 2 upon which are provided binding elements, a front binding element 3 and a rear binding element 4 respectively, to fix a ski booth 5.

The ski 1 is special in that the ski lath 2 has the shape of an arrow as seen from above and in that, in the case of an adult's ski, it has a total length LI which is smaller than 120 cm and it has a bearing face 6 with a length L2 of minimally 60 and maximally 80 cm, whereby the ski lath 2, at its bearing face, has a width Bl which is smaller than or equal to 8 cm over at least a 1/4, and better still 1/3 of the length L2 of the bearing face 6, measured from the back side of the bearing face 6.

According to a preferred embodiment, the total length LI is smaller than or equal to 90 cm. Better still, it amounts to maximally 85 cm.

By the above-mentioned bearing face 6 is meant the part of the bottom side of the ski lath 2 which makes contact with the snow when used at a normal ski-run, at rest and with a normal load.

According to a preferred embodiment, the length L2 thereof will be 65 to 70 cm.

Preferably, the middle Ml of the seating 7 for the ski booth 5 of the rear binding element 4 is situated, in the most backward shifted position of said binding element 4, at a distance L4 from the back side of the bearing face 6 which is smaller than 20 cm, and the middle M2 of the bearing face 6 is situated between the εeatingε 7-8 of the two binding elements 3-4, for every adjustable position thereof.

As mentioned above, the width Bl will be smaller than or equal to 8 cm, which offers the advantage that it is no problem to use standard binding elements, in other words that a binding element 4, with brake arms 9-10 and standard dimensions, can be used without the εki lath 2 hampering the movement of the brake arms 9-10. Moreover, this restriction of the width Bl contributes greatly to a supple skiing style.

The εki lath 2 is made such that it narrows continuously from the head 11 towards the back, as seen from above.

Moreover, it preferably has side edges 12-13 which extend straight or almost straight over at least 2/3 of the total length LI.

The side edges 12-13 have an average gradient in relation to the longitudinal direction which is preferably situated between 1/45 and 1/65.

when unloaded, the bearing face 6 is flat at the bottom side or very slightly bent, with a hollow shape.

Preferably, the rear side of the bearing face 6 coincides with the rear side of the ski lath 2, or the bottom side tapers off with a small gradient as indicated by the line 15. This is advantageous in that when the user bringβ his weight to the back, his legs' will not slip forward, which is a serious danger when using the known short skis.

Although the above-mentioned characteristic is of major importance, it is not strictly necessary according to the basic idea of the invention. Also, deviations thereof, such as for example the bent shape which is indicated

with the dashed line 16, are not excluded.

In order to further improve the above-mentioned effect, also the rear edge 17 of the ski lath 2, as seen from above, is preferably mainly straight and extends at right angles to the longitudinal axis 18 of the ski.

The head 11 of the ski lath 2 is formed of, provided with respectively, an upward directed flexible point. This flexible point allows for vibrations to be easily absorbed, so that the εki 1 is also appropriate for high speeds.

The point preferably tapers off sharply to the front and is provided with a small rounding 19 at the front.

It should be noted that by the above-mentioned shape of an arrow is understood that the ski lath 2 has a thicker head and a lean, preferably narrowing rear part which is connected onto it. However, the concept of the arrow shape does not exclude that the point can be rounded, for example as indicated by means of the dashed line 20.

The ski lath 2 preferably has a thickness DI, from the back side of the bearing face 6 up to near the head 11, in this case over the length L5, which is at least twice the thickness D2 of the ski lath 2 at the height of the head 11 of the ski 1, whereby the transition between the two thicknesses occurs in a transition part 21 which extends over a distance L6 of less than 10 cm.

The thicknesε DI is preferably 10 to 20 mm, in particular 12 mm. The thickness D2 of the head 11, the point respectively, is 3 to 7 mm and better still 6 mm.

The width B2 indicated in figure 2 is preferably 8.5 to 9.5 cm and better still 9 cm. The width B3 is preferably 6 to 8 cm, and better still 7.5 cm.

In the case of a child's ski, the above-mentioned dimensions will have to be adjusted proportionally

The ski lath consists of the usual materials such as synthetic material, wood, metal and in particular aluminium or a combination of two or several of these materials.

All the above-described additional characteristics can occur either separately or in a combination of two or several thereof.

It is clear that the invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described above and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a ski according to the invention can be made in various forms and dimensions while still remaining within the scope of the invention.