Ski with improved three-dimensional running surface
AssigneeTrak Incorporated
InventorsWilliam D. Danner, Hans Woitschatzke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ski with an improved, three-dimensional, running surface with a plurality of protuberances inclined with respect to the bottom plane of the running surface by rising towards the rear end of the ski, and the surface further characterized by a longitudinal pattern comprising: a gliding region beginning near the front end of the ski, wherein the protuberances terminate in convexly shaped, drop-off edges; a transition region, wherein the protuberances terminate in straight, drop-off edges, followed by a kick region roughly in the center of the ski's camber, wherein the protuberances terminate in concavely shaped, drop-off edges, followed by a second transition region; and a rear-glide region extending to near the rear end of the ski.
Claims20
A ski for use by a skier on snow or ice surfaces, said ski having a front end and a rear end and a three-dimensional, bottom, running surface, which surface comprises a plurality of protuberances which are inclined with respect to the bottom plane of said running surface by rising towards said rear end of said ski before dropping off, and which running surface is further characterized by a longitudinal pattern in the shape of said protuberances, said ski comprising:
- (a) a kick region, wherein said protuberances terminate in concavely shaped, rear, drop-off edges, said region being located substantially beneath the skier's foot along said running surface, where a substantial portion of the skier's locomotive force is transmitted to said snow or ice surface;
- (b) transition regions generally proximate to, and on both sides of, the kick region, extending forward and rearward from the kick region, and wherein said protuberances terminate in substantially straight, rear, drop-off edges;
- and
- (c) glide regions generally proximate to the transition regions and extending from the transition regions toward the ends of the ski, wherein said protuberances terminate in convexly shaped, rear, drop-off edges, said gliding regions being located along said running surface, so as to bear a portion of the skier's weight while gliding, thereby providing a ski with enhanced gliding and kicking properties.
A cambered ski for use by a skier on snow or ice and constructed so as to arch away from the snow or ice at its center, said ski comprising:
- a front end, a rear end and a three-dimensional, bottom, running surface, said running surface carrying a groove longitudinally in its center and comprising a plurality of rows of protuberances on both sides of said groove, each of said rows being longitudinally misaligned with respect to the immediately preceding and following rows of protuberances, said protuberances being inclined with respect to the bottom plane of said running surface by rising towards said rear end of said ski before dropping off, and which running surface is further characterized by a longitudinal pattern in the shape of said protuberances, said ski comprising:
- (a) a front gliding region beginning near the front end of the ski, wherein said protuberances terminate in convexly shaped, rear, drop-off edges, and wherein the protuberances nearest to said front end are elongated longitudinally and have shallow, rear, drop-off edges;
- (b) a front transitional region immediately following said front gliding region, wherein said protuberances terminate in straight, rear, drop-off edges, are shortened longitudinally and have deeper, rear, drop-off edges;
- (c) a kicking region immediately following said front transition region, wherein said protuberances terminate in concavely shaped, rear, drop-off edges, are also shortened longitudinally, and have drop-off edges that are deeper than those found in either the gliding or transitional region, said kicking region being further defined as being located directly above said camber of said ski, and wherein the skier's locomotive forces are transmitted via the running surface to the snow or ice;
- (d) a rear transitional region immediately following said kicking region, wherein said protuberances are substantially similar to the protuberances of the front transitional region;
- and
- (e) a rear gliding region immediately following said rear transitional region, wherein the protuberances are substantially similar to the protuberances of the front gliding region, and wherein the protuberances nearest to said rear end are elongated longitudinally and have shallow, rear, drop-off edges.
A plastic, base material adapted to be secured to or employed as the running surface of a ski, which base material comprises a thermoplastic material having, on its surface, a plurality of protuberances which are inclined with respect to the bottom plate of said running surface by rising towards the rear end of said ski before dropping off, said protuberances being further characterized by a longitudinal pattern in the shape of said protuberances, said base material comprising:
- (a) a front gliding region beginning near the front end of the ski, wherein said protuberances terminate in convexly shaped, rear, drop-off edges;
- (b) a front transitional region immediately following said front gliding region, wherein said protuberances terminate in straight, rear, drop-off edges;
- (c) a kicking region immediately following said front gliding region, wherein said protuberances terminate in concavely shaped, rear, drop-off edges;
- (d) a rear transitional region immediately following said kicking region, wherein said protuberances terminate in straight, rear, drop-off edges;
- and
- (e) a rear gliding region ending near the rear end of said ski, and wherein said protuberances terminate in convexly shaped, rear, drop-off edges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.