IN THE UNITED STATES RECEIVING PATENT COOPERATION TREATY APPLICATION

TITLE: SKI BRAKE

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to Provisional Application No. 61/027,274 filed on February 08, 2008 the content of which is incorporated by reference herein and the benefit of that filing date is claimed for this application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to snow skis and more particularly to apparatus for slowing and/or stopping the skis from moving.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Skis are quite familiar items comprising basically a planar, fairly rigid board with an upturned forward end. Skis come in various widths and lengths as is well known. Skis typically have a boot harness attached to the upper surface of the ski for securing the skier's boot to the ski. A skier usually uses the familiar ski poles to aid in balancing and controlling the motion of the skis.

A seasoned skier has little trouble in stopping forward motion adapting various body movements and/or snow plow positions to this end. Stopping the motion of the skis or at least slowing down the motion is more difficult for beginners.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention a ski brake is fastened to the ski and operated by the skier to produce drag by moving a barrier into the surface of the snow. The position of the barrier is controlled by the skier by, conveniently, a bicycle brake-type implementation which may be attached to the skier's leg or to a ski pole or by a wireless implementation. The brake mechanism support is conveniently attached to the top surface of a ski.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig 1 is a side view of a ski with a ski brake attached to the ski in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is perspective view of a ski brake illustrating the position of the ski brake engaging the snow beneath the ski;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view with the brake in an elevated position and not engaging the snow;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of this invention:

Fig. 5 is a side view of the ski brake of Fig. 4 attached to a ski in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of the ski brake equipped for wireless operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THEIS INVENTION

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a portion of a ski 10 where a ski boot is located when in use. The ski boot is designated by the numeral 11 and is attached to the ski by a harness 12 as is well understood. The ski brake 18 comprises three portions, an attachment portion for attaching it to a ski, a movable portion for operation to provide the braking function and a control portion to enable a user to operate it. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a ski brake 18. In accordance with an embodiment of this invention the attachment portion comprises an attachment member 20 located to the rear of the harness that provides a supporting base for the movable portion. The attachment member 20 may be attached to the ski 10 (Fig. 1) independently of the boot harness 12 or as an extension of the harness 12. The attachment member 20 has first and second upstanding, spaced apart posts 21 and 22 on which the movable portion is mounted. Each of posts 21 and 22 has an opening through which a shaft 24 extends. Shaft 24 extends beyond, that is outboard of each side of each of the posts 21 and 22and provides an axle on which brake arms 25 are attached. The brake arms 25 are connected to shaft 24 illustratively via a quick connect locking arrangement indicated at 26 so that they rotate together with rotation of the shaft 24.

A brake pad 27 is connected to the bottom of each of the brake arms 25. Together the brake arm and pad is referred to as a brake portion. The brake arms 25 and brake pad 27 are configured to engage the snow beneath the ski 10 when shaft 24 is rotated and the brake pad 27 moves below the bottom surface of the ski 10, a position indicated in Fig. 2. In this

connection, the term brake "pad" is defined as including any mechanism for applying drag to the forward motion of a ski.

The angular position of the shaft 24 and, thus, of the brake arms 25 along with the pads 27 is determined by the skier operating the control portion. The control portion illustratively includes a lever arm or cable mount 28 connected to the shaft 24. A cable is connected to the cable mount 28, as shown in Fig. 2, and extends through a spaced-apart guide 29. The cable is designated 30 in Figs 1 and 2 and is connected at the other end, illustratively, to a ski pole 31 as indicated by dashed line in Fig. 1. The cable has an activating wire element that is attached to the cable mount 28 and to the hand grip 32. The activating wire element rides in a cable sheath attached at one end to the guide 29 and at another end to a grip assembly at the end of the ski pole 31. Thereby, the cable sheath establishes a fixed distance that permits the activating wire to be pulled similar to the action of a bicycle brake.

The rotational position of shaft 24 is determined by squeezing grip 32 (of Fig. 1) against the handle of the ski pole 31. This operates much as does a bicycle brake and draws cable 30 in a manner to move cable mount 28 in a direction indicated by arrow 40 in Fig. 2. In the position shown in Fig. 2, brake pad 27 would be engaging the snow to apply drag resulting in a reduction in the forward motion of the ski. When the skier relaxes the hand grip, shaft 24 returns to a position which elevates the brake arms 25 and pads 27 as shown in Fig. 3. Each of upstanding posts 21 and 22 includes a torsion spring (not shown) which biases shaft 24 to a default position for elevating the brake arm as shown in Fig. 3. The squeezing of grip 32 against the ski pole handle overcomes the bias to achieve the braking action.

A brake arm illustratively is connected to shaft 24 via a quick release connector so that it can be removed for storage or if it desired not to use it or replaced if damaged or worn out. Further, a brake arm can be connected to a single end or to each end of shaft 24 depending on the user's skill. One or two brake arms can be attached as described to each ski. In this case, attention is paid to the operation of the brakes to produce like operation so as to avoid uneven braking when a brake is installed at each ski.

Each support 29 of Fig. 2 may be adapted to include a motor and screw assembly (not shown) connected to cable mount 28, responsive to a wireless signal generated by a user squeezing grip 32 against ski pole 31.

Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of this invention in which the ski brake 18 may assume a position offset with respect to the ski axis. Fig. 4 specifically shows an

embodiment of this invention wherein the ski brake base 100 slips over the rear of the ski. In this embodiment, the brake is adjustable to conform to skis (or ski boards) of different widths. To this end, the brake is assembled from first and second upstanding members 121 and 122 which are secured to the base 100 at the rear of the ski 123 to the right and left respectively as viewed. A spacing member 124 is connected between members 121 and 122 in a manner to permit the assemblage to receive the ski as shown.

The movable portion in this embodiment comprises a shaft 126 acting as an axle, which is rotatably fitted to the upstanding members 121 and 122. The offset feature is achieved by having a portion of the shaft 126 extend outboard of one of the upstanding members such as outboard of upstanding member 121 in Fig. 4. In this illustration, the ski in Fig. 4 is designated as the left ski so the shaft extends outboard to the skier's left. Accordingly, on the other ski, the shaft will extend outboard on the opposite side, to the skier's right.

A pair of brake arms 125a and 125b are fitted in which a first brake arm 125a is fitted between the upstanding members 121 and 122 and second brake arm 125b is fitted outboard of upstanding member 121. The brake pad 137 is fitted across the ski axis onto the brake arms 125a and 125b.

On the right ski, the opposite assembly will have a first brake arm between the upstanding members and the second brake arm outboard to the skier's right with the brake pad fitted to them. This accomplishes the offset feature so that the brake pad 137 on each ski is offset from the ski axis, outboard. This will allow better control and stability for a skier once the use of the ski brake has been learned. This is called an "outer offset" and will tend to have the skis pivot so the tips spread, which can be controlled by a skilled skier to slow down while keeping the skis parallel. The offset could be reversed so that the first brake arms are still between the upstanding posts while the second brake arms are inboard, on the inside of the skis (left ski offset to its right and right ski offset to its left), this is called an "inner offset". This will cause the skis to tend to pivot the tips together which is the common position for slowing down.

Now the control portion will be described for this embodiment. The position of the ski brake movable portion is controlled by a cable 130 connected to lever arm 128a, through guide 129a, illustratively, to a ski pole mounted cable hand controller. The control cable has an outer sheath and an inside wire as described above. The outer sheath is fixed on its ends, one end to the guide member and the other end to the ski pole. The wire is attached to hand

controller. In this way, pulling the wire by operating the hand controller will cause the brake arm to pivot downward so that the pad will drop into the snow. Alternatively, a wireless control may be implemented as indicated in Fig. 5. The ski pole is designated 131 and the hand control is designated 132 in Figs 4 and 5.

As is clear from Fig. 4, showing the left ski, there are two guide members 129a and 129b. The cable 130, as shown, goes through an aperture in the right guide member 129a for the outer offset position shown. The right guide member 129b as viewed in Fig. 4 is used for the inner offset position. Of course the right ski is set up oppositely in each case as described above.

A spring 135 is connected between lever arm 128 and the top of the left guide post 129a as viewed. When the hand grip is squeezed, the ski brake lowers ski pad 137 into contact with the snow to provide the requisite braking action. The spring operates to raise the brake when hand grip 132 is released.

Fig. 6 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the type shown in Figs. 4 and 5 with a wireless control. In a wireless embodiment, guide 129 (of Fig. 4) includes a motor (not shown) and the cable is connected to a take up wheel driven by the motor. The motor is connected to a wireless receiver to activate the motor under a user's control. A signal generator is connected, illustratively, to the ski pole 131 as indicated in Fig. 6. The signal generator and receiver are designated 144 and 145 respectively in Fig. 6. Signal generator 144 is responsive to the position of the hand grip 132 to signal receiver 145 to activate the motor. The motor turns the take-up reel thus lowering the ski brake to provide the desired amount of drag.

What has been described is considered merely illustrative of the invention herein and it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to devise various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as encompassed by the following claims.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above. Modifications and additional embodiments, however, will undoubtedly be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts or connections might be reversed or otherwise interchanged, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of other features. Consequently, the exemplary embodiments should be considered illustrative, rather than inclusive, while the appended claims are more indicative of the full scope of the invention.

The foregoing Detailed Description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the law. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form or forms described, but only to enable others skilled in the art to understand how the invention may be suited for a particular use or implementation. The possibility of modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. No limitation is intended by the description of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances, feature dimensions, specific operating conditions, engineering specifications, or the like, and which may vary between implementations or with changes to the state of the art, and no limitation should be implied therefrom. This disclosure has been made with respect to the current state of the art, but also contemplates advancements and that adaptations in the future may take into consideration of those advancements, namely in accordance with the then current state of the art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims as written and equivalents as applicable. Reference to a claim element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated. Moreover, no element, component, nor method or process step in this disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or step is explicitly recited in the Claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S. C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase "means for . . . " and no method or process step herein is to be construed under those provisions unless the step, or steps, are expressly recited using the phrase "comprising step(s) for . . . "