SNOW-SURF BOARD

This invention relates to a snow-surf board, that is a board which can be used on snow or ice in a manner similar to a surf board on water.

A two-level snowboard without bindings is known in which a deck is mounted above a base which is adapted to slide over the snow. The deck is secured to the base by means of two spaced mountings, known as trucks.

The base turns on the snow by flexing. That is, the user the position at which and/or manner in which weight is applied to the deck to cause the deck to flex. Flexure of the deck is transmitted to the base through the trucks and in turn causes the base to bend and flex, allowing the user to control the speed and radius of turns of the board.

Known trucks are arranged equidistant forward and rearward of the centre point of the base and are fixed to the base by an arrangement of inserts. The overall length of the truck system is about 550 to 600 mm and this results in a corresponding length of the base that is effectively rigid and unable to bend or flex. The extent of the rigid length of the base significantly impairs the performance characteristics of the base.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a snow-surf board which overcomes or at least ameliorates this disadvantage.

According to the present invention there is provided a snow-surf board comprising a base, a deck and a truck assembly interconnecting the base and the deck, wherein the deck is mounted on the truck assembly by first and second releasable locking means, one of the locking means being releasable by relative rotation between the deck and the truck assembly.

The relative rotation is preferably in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the deck.

The deck may have a length substantially shorter than the base.

The other of the locking means may incorporate plunger means for engaging with a housing on the underside of the deck. The other locking means may be biased into engagement with the housing. The other locking means may incorporate a release mechanism for withdrawing the locking means from the housing.

The other locking means may incorporate a further mechanism for limiting movement between the deck and the base substantially beyond an in-line configuration.

The truck assembly may be of substantially l-shaped cross-section.

Resilient spacing means may be provided between the truck assembly and the base.

The truck assembly may be secured to the base by way of a ski brace secured to the base. The ski brace may be formed with a key-hole shaped opening. The key-hole shaped opening may have an undercut under the narrower part of the opening.

The deck may be secured to the base by way of a locking pin passing through a bore formed in the truck assembly. The locking pin may have a head at that end thereof adjacent to the base, the head being adapted to pass through the wider portion of the key-hole shaped opening and to bear against the underside of the material surrounding the narrower portion of the key-hole shaped opening.

The locking pin may have a transverse pin in the region thereof adjacent to the deck. The transverse pin may engage a camming surface adapted to tighten the locking pin as the deck is rotated relative to the base towards an in-line configuration relative to the base.

A spring may be provided to bias the locking pin in a direction towards the deck.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a snow-surf board according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of part of the snow-surf board shown in Figure 1 showing the deck and the truck in more detail;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a ski brace for attaching to a base in the form of a ski;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the snow-surf board shown in Figure 1 in a partially exploded configuration;

Figure 5 is an exploded side-elevational view of part of the snow-surf board shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a view from above of an upper deck of the snow-surf board shown in

Figure 1 ; and

Figure 7 is a view from beneath of part of a locking mechanism forming part of the snow-surf board of Figure 1.

The figures show a snow-surf board in the form of a lower board or base 1 which is essentially in the form of a single ski and an upper deck 3 which is essentially in the form of a skate board and is substantially shorter than the base. The deck is spaced above the board by a truck assembly 5.

The truck assembly 5 includes a ski brace 7 which is shown in more detail in Figure 3. The ski brace is an elongate component, having a length of about 140 mm, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the base 1 and is secured thereto by a plurality of fastenings, such as metal screws, which pass through the brace 7 and are secured in inserts positioned within the base 1. The ski brace is made of a suitable material, such as aluminium. A key-hole shaped opening 9 is formed in the upper surface of the brace 7 with the narrower elongate portion of the hole extending in the longitudinal direction of the base. An elongate recess is formed in the lower face of the brace 7 having a width corresponding substantially to the diameter of the circular portion of the key-hole shaped opening 9. This allows a member of suitable diameter mounted at the end of a rod of diameter somewhat smaller than the width of the elongate portion of the opening 9 to be inserted through the circular opening of the opening 9 and to the moved in the longitudinal direction of the base 1 to a position where the member cannot be removed from the opening 9. The arrangement of the member will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

A truck 11 of the truck assembly is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and comprises a spacer member made of aluminium or other suitable material having a generally l-shaped cross-section. The material of the truck is chosen to resist low temperatures, water and corrosion. The truck may be formed by extrusion, but may be machined subsequently to reduce weight and for aesthetic purposes. The truck has a length of about 300 mm and a width less than the width of the base 1 and of the deck 3. The truck has a generally planar lower surface with

a channel-shaped recess extending longitudinally there of to accommodate the ski brace 7. The truck also has a generally planar upper surface to support the deck 3. Both the lower and upper surfaces taper towards the free end thereof and each end of the central web is cut-away to form a generally concave configuration at each end. A cylindrical bore extends between the upper and lower surfaces to receive a locking pin 13 as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

Positioned beneath each side of the truck 11 is a resilient spacer 15, for example of moulded urethane material of other material that is resistant to low temperatures, water and ultraviolet radiation, which is formed with upwardly extending protrusions 17 that engage with corresponding apertures 19 formed in the truck 11. The spacers 15 reduce the risk of damage to the snow-surf board from impacts or when the board is used at high speed. The spacers may be provided in differing thicknesses and/or with differing elastic properties for users having differing weights and abilities and/or for use in differing conditions or on differing terrains. Moreover, alternative arrangements of the spacers are possible. For example, the spacers may be integral and may be secured to the lower region of the truck 11 before the truck is secured to the base 1.

The upper deck 3 is formed with a central region 21 of greater thickness relative to the end regions thereof. A quick-release housing 23, for example of aluminium or other suitable material that is resistant to low temperatures, water and corrosion, is secured in an aperture passing through the central region of the

deck 3 with the upper surface of the housing 23 substantially flush with the upper surface of the deck 3. The housing is generally in the form of a hollow cylinder closed at its upper end and formed with a flange 25 at the upper end thereof and is secured to the deck 3 by means of a plurality of metal screws passing through apertures formed in the flange and secured in threaded inserts mounted in the deck 3. Two further apertures are formed in the closed end of the quick-release housing through which metal screws pass to secure a quick-release head 31 within the quick-release housing.

The quick-release head 31 has a central aperture of substantially circular cross- section and a transverse slot extending from the lower face towards the upper face of the quick-release head, but terminating short of the upper face. At a distance from each of the lower and upper faces there are formed two lateral recesses which communicate with the transverse slot and extend radially outwardly, but stop short of the outer surface of the head 25. The recesses each have a circumferential extent of about 90 degrees. At least the lower surface of each lateral recess is inclined upwardly as the circumferential distance from the transverse slot increases. The function of the inclined surfaces provide a camming action which will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

The locking pin 13 is made of stainless steel or other suitable material that is resistant to low temperatures, water and corrosion and passes through the cylindrical bore formed in the truck 11 and is formed at its lower end with an annular recess forming a head at the lower end of the locking pin. The lower

end of the locking pin is inserted through the substantially circular portion of the key-hole shaped opening 9 and can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the board with the head of the locking pin moving in the elongate recess formed in the lower face of the brace 7 and the recess formed around the locking pin passing along the narrower portion of the key-hole shaped opening. In this way the locking pin 13 can be moved to a position in which the pin is securely retained in the key-hole shaped opening 9.

The upper end of the locking pin 13 is provided with a transverse grab pin 33 of stainless steel or other suitable material that is resistant to low temperatures, water and corrosion. The grab pin is dimensioned to pass through the transverse slot formed in the quick-release head 31 and to be received in the lateral recesses formed in the head. In this way, when the quick-release head is rotated relative to the grab pin in a direction away from the transverse slot, the inclined lower surfaces of the lateral recesses draws the deck towards the base to securely lock the components of the board together.

The upper end of the locking pin 13 is formed with a shoulder for retaining a spring 34, of stainless spring steel or other suitable material, which biases the locking pin in an upward direction whereby the locking pin is retained in the cylindrical bore through the truck 11 and the lower head of the locking pin urged against the lower surface of the material surrounding the key-hole shaped opening 9.

Positioned around the quick-release housing 23 is a guide ring 35 which is made of aluminium or other suitable material that is resistance to low temperatures, water and corrosion. The guide ring 35 assists in ensuring correct engagement between the deck 3 and the truck 11 and guides pivoting movement as the deck 3 is secured to the base 1 as will be explained in more detail hereinafter. The guide ring 35 also assists in stabilising the locking pin 13 and the quick-release head 31 thereby reducing stress and acts as a seal around the quick-release assembly when the board is in its assembled state. The guide ring 35 is seated in a cylindrical recess formed in the upper surface of the truck 11 and in a cylindrical recess formed in the lower surface of the deck 3 and extends around the quick-release housing 23.

Longitudinally offset from the quick-release housing 23 is a locking mechanism 37 for maintaining the relative configurations of the components of the board during use. The locking mechanism is generally offset to the rear of the quick- release housing by about 110 mm.

The locking mechanism includes a quick-release lock housing 39 which is secured in a recess formed in the underside of the deck 3 by way of three screws which pass through the deck. The lock housing 39 is made of aluminium or other suitable material that is resistant to low temperatures, water and corrosion. The lock housing 39 is formed with a substantially central aperture 41 which is of substantially square configuration and a cut-away edge region 43. The cut-away region provides a stop that prevents relative rotation of the deck

and board beyond a configuration in which they are aligned. The cut away region is stepped in that, when the lock housing is secured to the deck 3, there is an undercut portion between the lower region of the lock housing and the underside of the deck.

Secured to the rear of the truck 11 , for example by threaded engagement, is a brace lock 45. The brace lock slides into and engages with the quick-release lock housing 39 to prevent over-rotation between the base 1 and the deck 3, the brace lock being formed with an annular recess below the head thereof such that the head is received in the undercut portion of the lock housing 39.

A quick-release lock 47 (or plunger) is also provided at the rear of the truck 11 , between the brace lock 45 and the quick-release housing 23. The quick-release lock extends through a portion of the truck 11 and is formed in two parts, both of which may be made or aluminium or other suitable material. An upper part is provided with a domed head adapted to engage in the substantially square aperture 41 formed through the lock housing 39 and a lower outwardly extending flange 51 which functions as a release mechanism for withdrawing the lock 47 from the housing 39. Both the domed head and the flange have a greater dimension that the aperture in the truck 11 through which the lock 47 passes.

The two parts are conveniently threadingly engaged, with the flange being formed with a cut-away portion adapted to abut substantially against the truck 11 to inhibit rotation of the lock. A spring 49, for example of stainless steel, is positioned between the truck 11 and the underside of the domed head of the

lock so as to bias the lock upwardly into engagement with the aperture 41 with a plunger motion.

The snow-surf board is assembled by securing the ski brace 7 to the base 1. The locking pin 13 is already in position in the truck 11 and the truck is engaged with the ski brace with the head of the locking pin being inserted into the cylindrical portion of the key-hole shaped opening 9 and being moved in a longitudinal direction to engage between the sides of the opening.

With the truck 11 in position on the base 1 , the deck 3 is lowered onto the truck with the deck substantially transverse to the base. Further downward movement, guided by the guide ring 35, which slides over the outside surface of the quick-release housing 23 and fits into a groove in the underside of the deck, causes the quick-release housing 23 and the quick-release head 31 to engage with the grab pin 33 such that the grab pin enters the transverse slot. The deck

3 can then be rotated relative to the base 1 until the rear end of the deck approaches the base.

The rotational movement generates a camming effect on the inclined surfaces of the quick-release head 31 and causes the locking pin 13 to be moved upwardly so as substantially to eliminate any free play between the components at the forward end of the truck. At the rear end of the truck, the quick-release lock 47 is urged downwardly as it engages with the lock housing 39 and the rotational movement is completed such that the quick-release lock 47 moves

upwardly to enter the aperture 41 and lock the rear end of the deck 3 relative to the truck 11. At the same time, the brace lock 45 engages with the cut-away edge of the quick-release lock housing 39.

Thus the deck is securely fastened to the base byway of a single truck assembly which is of relatively short length compared with the base. That is, the truck assembly can be of a similar length to a ski boot. Therefore the present invention provides a snow-surf board incorporating a single truck assembly which allows the user greater opportunities to use his or her weight to flex the deck and the base, thereby improving speed, performance and control. The truck assembly is able to absorb shocks and stresses and results in improved turning, jumping and manoeuvring of the board. No tools are required to assemble and disassemble the three main components of the snow-surf board which allows the user quickly and easily to replace worn or damaged components or interchange components to adapt the board to suit snow and weather conditions, different levels of difficulty and steepness of terrain and to allow the user to access all aspects and areas of the mountain. Further, the snow-surf board can be disassembled for transportation or storage.