US 5,509,683 AGranted

Brake assembly for snow skis and snow boards

OwnerDorce L. Danielinventor

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Abstract

A ski brake assembly (21, 21a) for snow skis (24) or snow boards (24a). The ski brake assembly includes a framework (22) to which a snow-engaging braking blade assembly (26, 26a) is mounted for movement between a retracted position and a plurality of braking positions. The braking blade (26, 26a) is driven by an electric motor (36) through a blade drive assembly (51) formed to displace the blade (26, 26a) in response to operation of the motor (36). The drive assembly (51) and motor (36) are formed to hold the braking blade (26, 26a) in a selected one of a plurality of braking positions against the snow when the manually-operated switch assembly (42, 42a) is released. The control circuit (39) is coupled to the switch assembly (42, 42a) so as to switch polarity of the motor (36) for driving the motor (36) in opposite directions. Moreover, the electrical circuit (39) terminates operation of the motor (36) substantially immediately on release of the switch (42, 42a) so that, in combination with a wormgear drive (52) and reduction gears (62), the braking blade (26, 26a) is stopped immediately and held at virtually any selected braking position.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A brake assembly for snow skis and snow boards comprising:

a framework formed for mounting to a body of a ski or snow board proximate a rear end thereof;
a snow-engaging braking blade mounted for movement between a retracted position in which said braking blade is out of contact with the snow and a plurality of distinct braking positions in which said braking blade is in contact with the snow and oriented to effect braking;
an electrical motor;
a battery electrically connected to said electrical motor;
a switch assembly and electrical circuit electrically coupled to control operation of said motor by manual gripping and operation of said switch assembly by a user while skiing;
and
a blade drive assembly mounted to said framework and coupled between said electrical motor and said braking blade to displace said braking blade between said retracted position and said plurality of braking positions in response to operation of said motor, said drive assembly and electrical motor actuated to displace said braking blade from said retracted position to a selected one of said plurality of braking positions and providing an assembly to hold said braking blade in said selected one of said plurality of braking positions against reaction braking forces upon termination of said electrical motor by a release of the switch assembly by the user.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.