102results about "Snow shoes" patented technology

A unique athletic shoe sole that is constructed of two more separate pieces designed to release when a predetermined longitudinally directed force is applied. A releasable athletic shoe sole includes a detachable lower sole; a mechanical release mechanism constructed to release when a predetermined force is applied; and a longitudinal guiding element. The longitudinal guiding element allows the lower sole to detach specifically in a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction of release prevents knee ligament injuries, particularly ACL injuries.

A snowshoe has a pivoted mounting on its boot harness, for rotation about a pitch axis for a first degree of freedom in movement of the user's boot relative to the snowshoe; and provision for a second degree of freedom of motion along a roll axis, allowing the user's boot to tip from side to side, particularly for uneven or sidehill terrain. In both axes the boot preferably is spring-biased toward a neutral position. At the same time, freedom of movement is restricted and essentially prevented between the boot and snowshoe relative to a third axis, the yaw or vertical axis. Several different structural arrangements are disclosed in several types of snowshoes, for achieving the second degree of freedom.

A device is disclosed for a configurable snowshoe and ski device. The device includes a base member having a bottom for traversing over snow and ice covered terrain, a positionable axle rotatably coupling a mounting plate with the base member, and the axle positionable to enable one of a plurality of positions including a first position in which the mounting plate pivots above the plane of the base member and a second position in which the mounting plate pivots through the plane of the base member. The device may also include a plurality of wings coupled to the base member, the wings convertible between a skiing configuration in which the wings from a surface for gliding over snow and a snowshoe configuration in which the wings extend to increase the surface area of the base member.

The snowshoe includes a closed loop frame carrying an intermediate decking attached to the frame. The decking is made from a full sheet of semi-flexible plastic material, and is peripherally attached to the frame. A toe hole is provided at the front end portion of the decking. On its edge rearwardly adjacent to the toe hole, the decking forms an integral first hinge, in the form of an arcuate boss having an upwardly convex upper surface, and a downwardly concave lower surface. A harness is pivotally attached to the decking. The harness has a cradle plate made of semi-flexible plastic material, and a flexible strap attached thereto. The cradle has an upper surface for receiving the foot of the person wearing the snowshoe, and a lower surface which forms an integral second hinge, in the form of an arcuate seat and a pair of cylindrical lugs spacedly adjacent to the arcuate seat. The cradle second hinge is releasably engaged in the decking first hinge, the decking arcuate boss being slidingly engaged between the cradle lugs and the cradle seat, so that the decking supports the cradle.

A binding device for retaining footwear securely to a snowshoe, ski, snowboard, and other apparatuses for traversing mainly over snow and ice covered terrain. The mounting plate includes multiple direct locking features on the mounting plate surface which interact with mating interfaces on a ski device. At least one strap coupled to the mounting plate is disclosed for securing a boot to the mounting plate foot bed. A positional releasable axle pivot pin that may selectively articulate the mounting plate and selectively aid in a locked heel mode directly on the mounting plate is disclosed. A first position wherein the binding may articulate in a walking motion on the axle pivot pin when connected to a ski device and a second position wherein the axle pivot pin and secondary locking feature in the mounting plate may be engaged wherein articulation and the walking motion of the mounting plate is prevented.

A device is disclosed for a configurable snowshoe and ski device. The device includes a base member having a bottom for traversing over snow and ice covered terrain, a positionable axle rotatably coupling a mounting plate with the base member, and the axle positionable to enable one of a plurality of positions including a first position in which the mounting plate pivots above the plane of the base member and a second position in which the mounting plate pivots through the plane of the base member. The device may also include a plurality of wings coupled to the base member, the wings convertible between a skiing configuration in which the wings from a surface for gliding over snow and a snowshoe configuration in which the wings extend to increase the surface area of the base member.

A snowshoe is described in which both a simple toe strap and a simple ankle strap are connected to a single, large claw plate, wherein the heel of the user's foot is maintained on an upper surface of the decking.

A snowshoe / ski that allows a rider to glide and turn going downhill as well as to climb and navigate a variety of terrain in varying snow conditions. At its base is a center ski which operates on hard-pack snow surrounded by an integrated outer ski or hull that creates buoyancy in deep powder preventing the device from sinking. The center ski has a fine scaled traction area under the foot zone that allows it to slide forward but not backwards. The underside of the main body has an exaggerated version of this traction extending a little beyond the foot zone but away from tip and tail granting maximum glide. The top of the device has a convex shape keeping unwanted snow from building up and weighing down the wearer. The present invention thus relates to a hybrid device that combines elements from snowshoes and cross-country and / or downhill skis.

A snowboard boot binding directly securing a user in selective modes to a split ski board device for traversing over snow and ice covered terrain. The snowboard boot binding includes a boot mounting base with multiple direct locking features within the base interacting with mating interfaces on a split ski board touring binding interfaces. An axle axis system is disclosed which is connected to the binding boot base offset or adjacent the boot bed articulating the binding in a walking tour motion on the split ski board touring device. Transition positions including, a first touring free heel walk position over separated ski sections, a second locked heel ride position over joined ski sections, and a third position wherein the mounting base is not coupled to the split ski board during mode transition.

A harness for an item of footwear comprises a foot interface adapted to receive an underside of the item of footwear thereon. Two lateral straps each have opposed ends connected to the foot interface, and each form a continuous hoop between the opposed ends for a portion of the item of footwear to be received in the continuous hoops on the foot interface. Each of the lateral straps has a longitudinal degree of expansion and contraction to increase or reduce a size of the respective continuous hoop. A cable route is on the lateral straps, the cable route having cable housings and / or cable channels. A cable is routed in the at least one cable route. A closure device pulls on the cable to reduce the size of the continuous hoops in the degree of contraction.

A snowshoe includes a lightweight frame that provides traction and maintains the snowshoe's shape when traveling over at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, and a binding to fasten the snowshoe to a boot with a gloved hand. The frame includes a peripheral component having a length, a height orthogonal to the length, and a width orthogonal to the height and at least two times shorter than the height at all locations along the height. The binding includes a strap, and a retention element coupleable with the strap. The retention element includes a body defining a main passage in which the strap is disposed when coupled with the retention element, an access passage through which the strap passes to enter the main passage, and a locking element to secure the strap to the retention element.

A binding device for retaining footwear securely to a snowshoe, ski, snowboard, and other apparatuses for traversing mainly over snow and ice covered terrain. The mounting plate includes multiple direct locking features on the mounting plate surface which interact with mating interfaces on a ski device. At least one strap coupled to the mounting plate is disclosed for securing a boot to the mounting plate foot bed. A positional releasable axle pivot pin that may selectively articulate the mounting plate and selectively aid in a locked heel mode directly on the mounting plate is disclosed. A first position wherein the binding may articulate in a walking motion on the axle pivot pin when connected to a ski device and a second position wherein the axle pivot pin and secondary locking feature in the mounting plate may be engaged wherein articulation and the walking motion of the mounting plate is prevented.

A snowshoe of molded plastic material has a tail section with greater flexibility than the main body section, thereby allowing the tail to give and deform as the snowshoe tail is engaged against the terrain during the gait of the user. At the same time, the tail is stiff enough to provide flotation needed when the full weight of the user is on one snowshoe fully engaged against terrain, such as soft snow.

A device and method are disclosed for a configurable snowshoe and ski device. The device may include a base member having a bottom for traversing over snow, and a plurality of wings rotatably coupled to the member, the wings convertible between a skiing configuration in which the wings form a surface for gliding over snow and a snowshoe configuration in which the wings extend outward laterally. Also, the device may include a first locking device configured to maintain the plurality of wings in the snowshoe configuration, and a second locking device configured to maintain the plurality of wings in the skiing configuration. The method may include rotatating a plurality of wings coupled to a base member outward laterally to form a snowshoe configuration, and rotating the plurality of wings inward to form a skiing configuration in which the wings form a surface for gliding over snow.

A snowshoe of molded plastic material has a tail section with greater flexibility than the main body section, thereby allowing the tail to give and deform as the snowshoe tail is engaged against the terrain during the gait of the user. At the same time, the tail is stiff enough to provide flotation needed when the full weight of the user is on one snowshoe fully engaged against terrain, such as soft snow.

A perfected device for walking on snow or ice consisting of platforms (1) that are fitted on the upper face of the rackets (20) and have a swivel mechanism (6) formed by a spherical or similar piece equipped with axles (22) at the heel end. At the bottom of the platforms (1), they also have housings (24), spikes (8), rackets (20) and, at the heel end, semi-cylindrical parts (23) and (23') equipped with fastening elements (10) and (10').

Provided is a snowshoe with crampons, whose portion equipped with the crampons can be removed from a snowshoe body, and that is compactly portable.A snowshoe with crampons 1 includes: a snowshoe body 10 having a larger area than that of the bottom of the footgear and including an opening 11 located in a toe-side area of the footgear when the footgear is attached to the snowshoe with crampons 1; and an attachable member 50 located in the opening 11 and placed in the snowshoe body 10 so that it can be attached to or detached from the snowshoe body 10 whenever necessary; wherein the attachable member 50 has, on its one surface opposite the other surface to which the footgear is to be attached, crampons protruding in directions generally toward the ground and first engaging members 25A, 25B for engaging with the snowshoe body 10 in such a manner that they can rotate and be attached to or detached from the snowshoe body 10; and when the attachable member 50 has been rotated a specified angle, the first engaging members 25A, 25B release the engagement with the snowshoe body 10 and remove the attachable member 50 from the snowshoe body 10.

An improved snowshoe (49, 138, 220) having a binding (105) attachable to a flotation platform (51). The snowshoe (49, 138, 220) may be adjusted to accommodate to changes in snow conditions and terrain while on a snowshoe excursion. Certain embodiments permit quick removal of the binding (105) from the platform (51) for use as a detached walking crampon (203). Certain platforms (51) may be adjusted in size to present a plurality of footprint sizes to ssnow.

A device and method are disclosed for a configurable snowshoe and ski device. The device may include a base member having a bottom for traversing over snow, and a plurality of wings rotatably coupled to the member, the wings convertible between a skiing configuration in which the wings form a surface for gliding over snow and a snowshoe configuration in which the wings extend outward laterally. Also, the device may include a first locking device configured to maintain the plurality of wings in the snowshoe configuration, and a second locking device configured to maintain the plurality of wings in the skiing configuration. The method may include rotatating a plurality of wings coupled to a base member outward laterally to form a snowshoe configuration, and rotating the plurality of wings inward to form a skiing configuration in which the wings form a surface for gliding over snow.

A device is disclosed that traverses terrain. The device includes a removable axle where the device is configured to traverse terrain, a groove connected with a boot for receiving the axle, the groove is configured to enable the boot to pivot about the axle and securely couple the boot with the axle. The groove may be formed in a boot and configured to receive the axle, or the groove may be formed in a mounting plate removably attachable with the boot and configured to receive the axle.

A take-off board system for a triple or long jump generally includes an elongated frame, an elongated take-off board, and a track material member. The frame includes inwardly-extending flanges defining a chamber therein. The take-off board includes a first portion slidably receivable in the chamber of the frame, and a second portion defining an outer take-off surface. The track material member is disposed on an outer surface of the frame. The take-off board system is disposable in a first position in a cavity in the ground with the outer take-off surface of the take-off board disposed even with a track surface, and the take-off board assembly is disposable in a second position in the cavity in the ground with an outer surface of the track material member disposed even with the track surface.

A molded or plastic composite snowshoe is formed of two assembled sections, in a way that imparts flexibility to the snowshoe, allowing some degree of torsional twisting or warping flexibility so that the snowshoe adapts to uneven terrain. In a principal embodiment the molded snowshoe is divided into forward and aft sections along a line slightly behind the nose area and near the pivot axis in the case of a pitch-pivoting binding. Joints between sections are in narrow rims at left and right, at opposed sides of a large central opening for the crampon / binding and boot. The joints are designed to securely hold the forward and aft molded sections together but to allow a degree of torsion between them when needed. Steel structural traction rails extend across the joints but are constructed and secured to the snowshoe sections in a manner that preserves the desired flexibility.

A binding device for a snowboard boot to rest upon to secure user to a climb and slide device in selective modes including a split ski climbing mode and an attached ski section sliding mode, for traversing mainly over snow and ice covered terrain. A binding device includes a mounting base including multiple direct locking features in the mounting base with which to interact with mating interfaces on a ski shaped touring device binding interfaces. An axle pivot pin axis system is also disclosed that may selectively articulate the mounting plate in a walking motion on the ski touring device. A selective locked heel mode with locking ability directly on the mounting plate is disclosed. A first position wherein the boot mounting base may articulate in a walking motion on an axle pivot pin axis when connected to a ski touring device and a second position wherein the walking motion of the mounting base is prevented while connected to the ski touring device and a third position wherein the mounting base is not coupled to a ski device during mode transition.

A snowshoe has a frame and a pivot axle assembly extending across an opening in the frame for pivotally supporting a boot binding assembly for limited front and rear rotation, a resilient pad is disposed between the pivot axle assembly and the boot binding assembly for permitting frontal plane, side to side movement of the boot binding assembly.

The snowshoe includes an opened U-shaped frame supporting a semi-rigid decking having a toe hole and a harness pivotally attached to the decking near the toe hole. The absence of a rear tail portion on the frame forms a gap that helps prevent the dragging effect of the snowshoe while it trails on the ground during gait. Also, the harness is pivotally attached to the decking by means of a harness attachment that includes an anti-torsion shoulder that will abut on the edge of the decking in the toe hole, to prevent the harness from rotating about an axis that is transversal to the decking.

A snowshoe of the general type as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,630 has an improved spring-loaded suspension system that reduces or eliminates snow flip as the user lifts the boot and advances it forward. In a principal embodiment the footbed and front claw of the binding are positioned on a spring-suspended frame in such a way that the footbed / claw can freely rotate relative to the snowshoe deck beyond a certain degree of pitch angle.

An article of footwear, such as a boot (1), adapted to be removably retained on a sports apparatus (2), the boot (1) including an outer sole assembly (12), an upper (13) and a fastening element (25), the latter being adapted to cooperate with a locking mechanism (5), itself adapted to be affixed to the apparatus (2). The boot (1) includes a connection mechanism adjustable in position, which adjustably connects the fastening element (25) to the outer sole assembly (12).

A binding device for a snowboard boot to rest upon to secure user to a climb and slide device in selective modes binding device comprising a mounting base including multiple direct locking features in the mounting base with which to interact with mating interfaces on a ski shaped touring device binding interfaces. At least one strap coupled to the mounting base is disclosed for securing a boot to the said mounting plate. A first position wherein the boot mounting base may articulate in a walking motion on an axle pivot pin axis when connected to a ski touring device and a second position wherein the walking motion of the mounting base is prevented while connected to the ski touring device and a third position wherein the mounting base is not coupled to a ski device during mode transition.