US 6,279,925 B1 · Sled with independent steerable skis that simultaneously move in three distinct directions

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a sled having independently steerable skis is provided. The apparatus provides a sled having skis that move in three distinct directions in response to a single control input. Each of the skis is independently controlled, and can be used in combination or individually to control the movement of the sled. The sled may be provided with a seat for carrying a human occupant, or alternatively may be remotely controlled using extended levers, or servo motors operated remotely, such as by a radio frequency remote controller. The method of the present invention comprises controlling a sled by providing a control input to a first ski of a sled, wherein the control input simultaneously pushes down the ski in relation to the frame, rotates a forward end of the ski towards the center of the sled, and rotates the ski about its longitudinal axis such that an outside edge of the ski moves towards the frame of the sled and an inside edge of the ski moves away from the sled. The method of the present invention also includes providing such a control input to a second ski of the sled, or providing control inputs to the first and second skis simultaneously.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A sled, comprising:

a frame;
a support platform interconnected to said frame for holding an object;
a first and a second ski;
a first steering means interconnected to said frame on a first end and to an upper surface of said first ski at a second end at a position proximate to a midpoint of said first ski;
a second steering means interconnected to said frame on a first end and to an upper surface of said second ski at a second end at a position proximate to a midpoint of said second ski;
a first control input means interconnected to said first steering means, wherein said first control input means is movable within a first plane;
and
a second control input means interconnected to said second steering means, wherein said second input means is movable within a second plane, wherein when a force is applied to one of said steering means from actuating one of said control input means by moving said one of said control input means within a corresponding one of said first or second planes, a corresponding one of said skis makes three separate but simultaneous motions, including rotation in a plane substantially parallel to that of the ground, rotation about the longitudinal axis of the ski, and movement downward in relation to the position of said frame.

5 more elements

A sled with steerable skis, comprising:

a frame;
a first and a second ski;
a first push shaft slidably and rotatably interconnected to said frame at a first end and to an upper surface of said first ski at a second end;
a second push shaft slidably and rotatably interconnected to said frame at a first end and to an upper surface of said second ski at a second end;
a first radius arm interconnected to said frame at a first end and to said first push shaft at a second end;
a second radius arm interconnected to said frame at a first end and to said second push shaft at a second end;
a first tilt control rod interconnected to said frame at a first end and to said first ski at a second end;
a second tilt control rod interconnected to said frame at a first end and to said second ski at a second end;
a first control member interconnected to said first push shaft and movable between first and second positions;
and
a second control member interconnected to said second push shaft and movable between first and second positions, wherein when a one of said first and second control members is moved from a first position to a second position, a corresponding one of said first and second push shafts is moved downward in relation to said frame, wherein said downward movement is accompanied by a rotation of said push shaft introduced by a corresponding one of said first and second radius arms, wherein said rotation of said push shaft is accompanied by a rotation of a corresponding one of said first or second skis, and wherein said downward movement is accompanied by a tilting of said one of first and second skis introduced by a corresponding one of said first and second tilt control rods.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sled with independent steerable skis that simultaneously move in three distinct directions

Life of this patent

Sled with independent steerable skis that simultaneously move in three distinct directions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19