Personal Transportation Device and Method

A personal transportation device typically for use on a riding surface in snow conditions comprising:

• first and second foot boards, each foot board comprising:
• a length and a width, the length being longer than the width;
• the length being no greater than 32 inches;
• a top side and an underside;
• a circumferential edge joining the top side and the underside, the circumferential edge comprising first and second end edges, extending in the direction of the width, connected by first and second side edges, extending in the direction of the length;
• the end edges being generally convex edges and the side edges being generally concave edges;
• and
• a shock absorbing bumper along at least one of the end edges of at least one of the first and second foot boards;
• and
• a boot binding assembly at the top side of each foot board.

A personal transportation device typically for use on a riding surface in snow conditions comprising:

• first and second foot boards, each foot board comprising:
• a length and a width, the length being longer than the width, the length being no greater than 32 inches;
• a top side and an underside;
• a circumferential edge joining the top side and the underside, the circumferential edge comprising first and second end edges, extending in the direction of the width, connected by first and second side edges, extending in the direction of the length;
• each foot board having a reverse or zero camber with the underside having a generally flat or convex central portion and upwardly and outwardly extending end portions extending from the central portion to the first and second end edges, said reverse camber acting to lift the end portions off of the riding surface during use thereby improving performance of the personal transportation device;
• the underside comprising a weight bearing region, the central portion effectively constituting the entire weight bearing region;
• a shock absorbing bumper along at least one of the end edges of at least one of the first and second foot boards;
• a riding-surface-engaging projection extending from the circumferential edge when in a use condition, the projection being selectively placeable in the use condition, whereby walking-type travel is enhanced by the projection being engageable with the riding surface;
• at least one rib extending from the underside and oriented generally parallel to the length;
• and
• the side edges being generally concave side edges, the generally concave side edges comprising convex, grip-enhancing regions;
• and
• a boot binding assembly at the top side of each foot board.

A method for moving over different riding surfaces under different snow conditions comprising:

• selecting a downhill stance for a first snow condition of a first riding surface;
• securing a foot to the top side of first and second foot boards, each foot board having a length and a width with the length greater than the width, so each of the rider's feet is generally aligned with the length of the foot board in the downhill stance;
• moving over the first riding surface in the downhill stance with the rider's feet pointed generally parallel to the length;
• selecting a side-facing stance for a second snow condition of a second riding surface;
• securing each foot to the top side of the first and second foot boards so each of the rider's feet is generally aligned with the width of the foot board in the side-facing stance;
• and
• moving over the second riding surface in the side-facing stance with the rider's feet pointed generally parallel to the width.

A method for moving over different riding surfaces under different snow conditions comprising:

• selecting a downhill stance for a first snow condition of a first riding surface;
• securing a foot to the top side of each of the first and second foot boards, each foot board having a length and a width with the length greater than the width, so each of the rider's feet is generally aligned with the length of the foot board in the downhill stance;
• moving over the first riding surface in the downhill stance with the rider's feet pointed forwardly generally parallel to the length and laterally outwardly, the rider's feet moving rearwardly and laterally outwardly in a generally ice skating type motion;
• selecting a side-facing stance for a second snow condition of a second riding surface;
• securing a foot to the top side of each of the first and second foot boards so each of the rider's feet is generally aligned with the width of the foot board in the side-facing stance;
• the second securing step being carried out with the first and second foot boards having generally concave side edges extending generally parallel to the length and generally convex end edges extending generally parallel to the width, and each foot board having a reverse or zero camber with the underside having a generally flat or convex central portion and upwardly and outwardly extending end portions extending from the central portion to the end edges;
• moving over the second riding surface in the side-facing stance with the rider's feet pointed generally parallel to the width by alternatingly turning the rider's heels toward one another and the rider's toes towards one another thereby causing movement in the general direction of the width;
• and
• absorbing any impacts between opposed end edges of the first and second foot boards by a shock absorbing bumper along at least one of said end edges.