FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a roller ski comprising an improved roller ski brake system controllable via a ski pole activation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roller skis is a popular form of skis used on dry land in summertime and is used both for amateurs as well as competing athletes doing cross-country skiing. It is evident that the experience of using roller skis on dry land compared to using real skis on snow is a different experience. However, if you want to train and improve your skills on skis also in summer on dry land the roller skis may be used if they to some extent can emulate the feeling of running on snow.

Another difference between roller skis and real skis on snow is the ability to brake when one needs to stop or in need of reducing the speed of the ride. The common technique when skiing on snow is to form the skis as a plough, for example, which is used when turning or when the speed needs to be reduced as known in prior art.

Since roller skis have fixed wheels in both ends of a roller ski body forming two roller ski bodies into a plough is difficult. A same problem is also present with roller skates.

Therefore, there are examples in prior art related to roller ski and roller skate brakes. For example, US 5232231 A disclose a brake for roller skates comprising a simple, lightweight mechanism which multiplies the force exerted by the skater into a substantial braking force. The force is exerted by the skater by pushing downward with the heel, which rotates the boot with respect to the frame of the skate. That force is transmitted with leverage to braking shoes or pads that impinge on brake drums adjacent to the wheels. Adjustment for brake wear is provided by a screw that compensates for the shortening of the brake shoe as normal wear occurs. A detent mechanism locks the boot and frame together during normal skating. With respect to roller skis, a foot activated brake as disclosed above would be difficult on a roller ski, for example when skating with the roller skis. Such a skiing technique requires that the skier pushes with his whole foot firmly towards a roller ski body surface respective feet of the skier is attached. Then a non-intended activation of a brake system as disclosed above may happen.

NO 20210352 Al disclose a brake system for roller skis comprising: - two brake arms (11) arranged to be attached to the roller ski and to abut on separate sides of a wheel of the roller ski, - a friction element (2) attached to an inside of each of the brake arms (11); and - a tightening mechanism arranged to be activated by a user of the roller ski so that the brake arms are pressed towards each other, whereby the friction elements are arranged to be brought into contact with brake discs on the wheel of the roller ski.

CH 609868 A5 disclose a braking device mounted on a roller ski which comprises a foot plate (1) with wheels (3, 4) and a cross-country binding (2). The brake block (11) which acts on one of the wheels is connected to a braking lever (10) which is mounted on the foot plate, is constructed in the form of a member-on bow (12) and can be actuated0665 by pulling with a ski stick (15) which is provided with a member device (16).

DE 102012021808 dislose a baking system for roller skies, wherein braking is activated vi a cable or rope connetcd to a skiers leg and when the skiers is leaning backwards the attached cable or rope is stretch activating connected brake shoes. In an example of embodiment a brake shoe is an adapted protruding element that is engaging a roller ski wheel with a centered grove in the midle of the wheel surface.

US 4102541 A disclose a roller ski braking system compising a fender extending over the front wheel (15) constituting a resilient brake bracket (16). This brake bracket (16) is attached at one end, at location (17), in any appropriate manner, for instance by rivets, to the tread or support board (11) and at the other end there is formed a substantially spoon-shaped, upwardly open cup or cup- like member (18). For braking purposes the operator can engage, by means of the tip of the ski pole, the cup member (18) and by exerting pressure can apply the brake bracket (16) at the tyre (14), thereby braking the front wheel (15). CH 590665 disclose similar braking system as the system disclosed in US 4102541.

Brakes are known in other technical fields like bikes and cars etc. One aspect of brakes is a surface area of a brake element connected to a wheel. The braking force is related to the size of the surface area of the brake, for example the size of a brake disc as known in prior art. It is also known that uneven braking may occur, for example when a disc brake surface is worn out. A consequence may be that the wheel the brake is acting on starts to wobble. On a roller ski such an event would be difficult, and a skier may fall due to the induced wobbling.

Therefore, there is a need of an improved roller ski brake system providing a larger braking force, and in addition stabilizing a wheel when the bake is acting on a wheel of a roller ski.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative to the prior art.

In particular, it may be seen as an object of the present invention to provide a brake system providing larger brake forces as well as stabilizing roller ski wheels when a brake is activated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the above-described object and several other objects are intended to be obtained in a first aspect of the invention by providing a roller ski brake system comprising a roller ski wheel fender-cover 11 attached in a second end to a roller ski body, wherein a first end of the wheel fender-cover is facing away from the roller ski body, wherein the wheel fender-cover is arranged with a first bowlshaped brake activating member, wherein an opening of the bowl-shaped brake activating member facing towards a skier position on the roller ski body is configured to receive a ski pole used for activating a braking operation, wherein the wheel fender-cover is arranged to be rotatable around the second end of the wheel fender-cover, a second brake activating member is arranged as a hole in an extended bottom part of the first bowel-shaped brake activating member, wherein the hole of the second brake activating member is located closer to the second end relative to the first brake activating member.

Respective aspects of the present invention may each be combined with any of the other aspects. These and other aspects of the invention will be disclosed and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 illustrates parts of a prior art roller sk.

Figure 2 illustrates further aspects of the prior art roller ski illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates an example of embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates the example of embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 viewed from a different angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

Although the present invention is disclosed in connection with specific examples of embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples. The accompanying claim set defines the scope of protection of the present invention. In the context of the claims, the terms "comprising" or "comprises" do not exclude other possible elements or steps. Further, the mentioning of references such as "a" or "an" etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, combining individual features mentioned in different claims may possibly be advantageously, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.

Figure 1 disclose a prior art roller ski comprising a roller ski body 10 and a wheel 14 attached to the roller ski body 10. The roller ski wheel is further illustrated in Figure 2. As illustrated in Figure 2 the outer wheel surface is arranged with an indent 13 dividing the wheel into two parallel running parts connected in a bottom surface of the indent 13.

A wheel fender-cover 11 is attached to the roller ski body 10 such that the wheel fender-cover 11 is partly located above the wheel surface of the wheel 14.

A second end lid of the wheel fender-cover 11 is attached to the roller ski body 10 via bolts Ila, 11b. A first end 11c located opposite the end lid is pointing away relative to the roller ski body 10.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a downwardly pointing indent 12 pointing in a direction towards the wheel 14 may be arranged on the surface of the wheel fender-cover 11 such that the indent 12 is running in parallel with the indent 13 on the surface of the wheel 14 when the wheel is mounted.

Figure 3 illustrates an example of embodiment of the present invention. According to an aspect of the present invention it is possible to use a wheel fender-cover 11 as a braking element wherein the inner surface of the wheel fender-cover 11 is brought in contact with an outer surface of a roller ski wheel 14 arranged inside the wheel fender-cover 11 when activated. It is also within the scope of the present invention to arrange a coating on the inside surface of the wheel fendercover 11 facing towards the wheel 14, which may enhance a braking effect of the brake system according to the present invention.

Moving the wheel fender-cover 11 towards a wheel 14 inside the wheel fender cover 11 may be achieved by a skier using one of his ski poles to push the wheel fender-cover 11 towards a wheel 14.

On an outer surface of the wheel fender-cover 11 there is arranged a first bowlshaped brake activating member 15. The first bowl shaped brake activating member 15 is arranged with an opening facing towards a skier using the roller skis. This is the case when the wheel fender-cover 11 is located on a wheel 14 arranged at a back end of a roller ski body 10, and/or is arranged in a front end of the roller ski body 10. The bottom surface of the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15 is extending sideways forming sideways protruding wings 16. The bottom surface extends towards the second end lid of the wheel fender cover 11 and ends in a tip 15a. The bottom surface of the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15 is adapted in shape to fit inside the indent 12 as illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 3.

With reference to Figure 2, the indent 13 of a wheel 13 is then adapted to receive a part of the braking surface defined by the protruding indent 12 of the wheel fender cover 11 when the brake is activated. The effect of this arrangement is that the braking surface is increased. Further, the position of the downward protruding indent 12 of the wheel fender-cover 11 when resting inside the indent 13 of a wheel 14 enables an improved stabilisation of the wheel 14, for example mitigating wobbling of a wheel during braking.

The activation of the roller ski brake may be done via the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15 or via a second brake activating member 16a. The braking is achieved when a skier inserts one of his ski poles into for example the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15. When the skier pushes the ski pole towards the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15 the body of the wheel fender-cover 11 will be bent downwards towards the wheel surface of the wheel 14. With reference to Figure 3 a second end lid of the wheel fender-cover 11 serves as a rotation point while a first end 11c of the wheel fender-cover 11 will be forced towards an outer surface of a wheel 14 arranged inside the wheel fender-cover 11 when a skier pushes one of his ski poles backwards towards the first bowl-shaped activating element 15, i.e., positions his ski pole inside the bowlshaped part of the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15.

The first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15 comprises further sideways protruding wings 16 covering a larger part of an outer surface of the wheel fender-cover 11. The effect is that the force onto the first bowel-shaped brake activating member 15 is distributed over a larger surface of wheel fender-cover 11 and consequently on to a larger part of an upper wheel surface of a wheel 14 arranged inside the wheel fender-cover 11. A ski pole inserted into the bowl-shaped part of the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15 forms an angle with the body of the roller ski. Therefore, not all the force applied by a skier via the ski pole provides a breaking force. It is only a component of the force that will push the wheel fender-cover 11 towards a surface of a wheel 14.

According to an aspect of the present invention, this arrangement allows for a softer braking operation which makes the braking activation from a ski pole more controllable.

However, emergency braking may also be necessary. Therefore, a second brake activating member 16a is arranged as a hole in the bottom surface of the first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15. The hole 16a is typically arranged in between the opening of the bowl-shaped part and the end tip 15a. Refer Figure 3.

If the hole 16a is not arranged as a through hole, the tip of the ski pole will deliver most of the force form the ski pole into a limited spot on the wheel surface. If the force is hard enough the rubber like material of the wheel will be compressed and will provide a quick stopping action.

When a tip of a ski pole is inserted into the hole 16a, the angle of the ski pole relative to the roller ski body 10 is steeper which allows a larger portion of the force from the ski pole to be applied as a breaking force.

Figure 4 illustrates the example of embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 as seen from the second end lid towards the first end 11c.

According to an example of embodiment of the present invention, a roller ski brake system may comprise a roller ski wheel fender-cover 11 attached in a second end lid to a roller ski body 10, wherein a first end 11c of the wheel fender-cover 11 is facing away from the roller ski body 10, wherein the wheel fender-cover 11 is arranged with first bowl-shaped brake activating member 15, wherein an opening of the bowl-shaped brake activating member 15 facing towards a skier position on the roller ski body 10 is configured to receive a ski pole used for activating a braking operation, wherein the wheel fender-cover 11 is arranged to be rotatable around the second end lid of the wheel fender-cover 11. According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, a second brake activating member 16a may be arranged as a hole in an extended bottom part of the first bowel-shaped brake activating member 15, wherein the hole of the second brake activating member 16a is located closer to the second end lid relative to the first brake activating member 15.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, the wheel fender-cover 11 may be arranged with an indent 12 running in a longitudinal direction on a surface of the wheel fender-cover 11 such that the indent 12 is pointing towards an outer wheel surface of a wheel 14 mountable to a roller ski body 10.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, the wheel 14 mountable to the roller ski body 10 may be arranged with an indent 13 dividing the wheel 14 into two parallel running parts connected in a bottom surface of the indent 13.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, the indent 12 of the wheel fender-cover 11 is configured to fit the indent 13 of a wheel 14 when a ski pole is pushing the wheel fender-cover 11 towards a wheel 14.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, a bottom surface of the first brake activating member 15 is adapted to fit inside the indent 12 of the wheel fender-cover 11.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, a bottom surface of the first brake activating member 15 extends towards the second end lid of the wheel fender-cover 11.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above the first brake activating member 15 is arranged with side wings 16 protruding sideways out from the indent 12 of the wheel fender-cover 11.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above a surface of the wheel fender-cover 11 facing towards a wheel 14 is arranged with a coating improving an effect of a braking operation. According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, wherein when the indent 12 of the wheel fender-cover 11 is positioned inside the indent 13 of a wheel 14, the indent 12 is configured to stabilize rotations of the wheel 14 when a braking operation is conducted.

Reference numerals:

10 roller ski body

11 roller ski wheel fender-cover

11a roller ski attachment bolt lib roller ski attachment bolt

11c first end of roller ski wheel fender-cover lid second end of roller wheel fender-cover

12 indent of roller ski wheel fender-cover body

13 indent of roller ski wheel

14 roller ski wheel

15 first bowl-shaped brake activating member

15a end of first bowl-shaped brake activating member

16 sideways protruding wings

16a second brake activating member