Snow jet generating device for snowboard

Abstract

A device (2) for generating a flow of snow during movement. The device (2) comprises a diversion member (24) mounted in use on a snowboard (4) or a veneer. The diversion member (24) has an inlet located above or below the snow line (V) during use. The entrance opens into an upwardly inclined channel and into an exit above the snow line (V), whereby the snowboard (4) or veneer moves on the snow line (V) causing snow to enter the channel and be pushed upwardly out of the exit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device that can be attached to a ski or snowboard or integrated into the base design of a ski or the binding of a boot, for generating snow jets and / or serving as a braking mechanism for skiers, especially beginners, during forward movement or downhill skiing.

[0002] The device can either be retrofitted onto a ski or snowboard or integrated into the base design of a ski or snowboard. Background Art

[0003] Skiing is a sport and recreational activity participated in by millions of people every year. With the increase in the number of people on ski slopes, the safety and visibility of ski slopes are of crucial importance. In addition, people always hope to increase the skiing pleasure to encourage new skiers to enter the ski slopes.

[0004] Traditionally, ski manufacturers have been cautious about improving ski designs, especially for recreational purposes. Manufacturers recommend not drilling holes in skis because this may affect the structural integrity of the skis. It is also not recommended to attach additional components to the skis using glue because the skis may be damaged if the components need to be removed.

[0005] The present invention relates to a device for generating a snow jet or snow mist. The device is designed to be attached to the rear of a ski or snowboard, and its main purpose is to generate a snow jet when the skier is skiing downhill.

[0006] The device provides a detachable attachment mechanism that neither damages the ski surface nor requires permanent modification. The device is easy to disassemble and reattach, facilitating any necessary maintenance or sanding of the ski base without being hindered by the device. In addition, if the user chooses not to ski with the device, the device can be easily disassembled without tools.

[0007] The device provides universal compatibility with skis from various manufacturers, adapting to differences in the width, thickness, and upward curvature of the rear end of the skis. The device provides adjustment and adaptability related to the height relative to the snow line to ensure effective jet generation while remaining firmly fixed to the ski to resist the three main forces acting on it: vertical lift, backward drag, and lateral torque. Summary of the Invention

[0008] According to a first aspect, there is provided a device for generating a snow flow during movement, the device including a flow guiding member that is mounted on a ski or snowboard during use, the flow guiding member having an inlet that is above or below the snow line during use, the inlet leading to an upwardly inclined channel and an outlet located above the snow line, whereby the movement of the ski or snowboard on the snow line causes snow to enter the channel and be pushed upward out of the outlet.

[0009] Preferably, the surface of the channel has a concave curve.

[0010] Preferably, the deflector member is located at the side edge of the ski or snowboard.

[0011] Preferably, the deflector member is mounted on the front foot binding or forms part of the front foot binding.

[0012] Preferably, the deflector member is mounted on the brake assembly or forms part of the brake assembly.

[0013] Preferably, the deflector member is located at one end of the ski.

[0014] Preferably, the device further comprises: a first clamping member which is fixed to the surface of the ski or snowboard during use; an upper body member which can be attached to the upper side of the first clamping member; and a second clamping member which can be attached to the upper body member; wherein, the deflector member is fixed to the second clamping member.

[0015] Preferably, the second clamping member is shaped to fit onto the end of the ski.

[0016] Preferably, the deflector member comprises a snow jet generator and a discharge member.

[0017] Preferably, the snow jet generator comprises a flexible torsion bar connected to the upper body member and a blade member extending downward therefrom.

[0018] Preferably, the blade member comprises a semi-circular member.

[0019] Preferably, the blade member can be detached from the torsion bar.

[0020] Preferably, the upper body member is made of a flexible material.

[0021] Preferably, the upper body member is made of a rubber material.

[0022] Preferably, the device comprises two deflector members which are longitudinally adjacent and in opposite orientations.

[0023] Preferably, the device comprises two deflector members, one located on each side of the ski or snowboard.

[0024] According to a second aspect, there is provided a ski or snowboard having a device for forming a snow jet when moving on the ground, the snow jet forming device comprising a groove extending inwardly from at least one longitudinal edge of the ski or snowboard, the groove having a laterally extending wall which slopes upwardly. Description of the Drawings

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 Shows a snow jet generating device constructed according to the present invention and mounted on a ski during use;

[0027] Figure 2 Is Figure 1 An exploded view of the shown snow jet generating device;

[0028] Figure 3 Shows the device clamping member separated from the main body;

[0029] Figure 4 Shows a side view of the clamping member;

[0030] Figure 5 Is a side cross-sectional view of the assembled device mounted on a ski;

[0031] Figure 6 Is a partial exploded view of the device;

[0032] Figure 7 Is a side cross-sectional view of the device, showing its position relative to the snow line;

[0033] Figure 8 Is a side cross-sectional view of the device, showing the direction of the snow jet;

[0034] Figure 9 Is a detailed view of the device;

[0035] Figure 10 Shows a snow jet generating device constructed according to a second embodiment of the present invention and mounted on a ski during use;

[0036] Figure 11 Is Figure 10 A detailed view of the shown device;

[0037] Figure 12 Is Figure 10 And Figure 11 An exploded view of the shown device;

[0038] Figure 13 Shows a ski having a snow jet generating device constructed according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 14 Is Figure 13 A detailed view of the shown device;

[0040] Figure 15 Shows a front foot holder assembly including a snow jet generating device;

[0041] Figure 16 Is Figure 15 A side view of the shown front foot holder;

[0042] Figure 17 Shows a ski brake assembly including a snow jet generating device;

[0043] Figure 18 Shows the ski brake assembly in use Figure 17 The ski brake assembly shown;

[0044] Figure 19 Shows a snowboard including a snowboard jet generating device constructed according to the present invention;

[0045] Figure 20 Is Figure 19 A detailed view of the device shown;

[0046] Figure 21 Shows the directional flow of the snow jet when the snowboard moves in a first direction; and

[0047] Figure 22 Shows the directional flow of the snow jet when the snowboard moves in a second direction. Detailed Description

[0048] Figure 1 Shows a snow jet generating device 2 mounted on a snowboard 4.

[0049] Now refer to Figure 2 Describe the components of the device 2.

[0050] The clamping member 6 is bonded to the surface of the snowboard 4 by several segments of ultra-high adhesion double-sided tape 8.

[0051] The upper side body member 10 having a shape matching the clamping member 6 can be attached to the clamping member 6 in use. The upper side body member 10 is made of polyurethane rubber or a similar semi-flexible material and has a groove for receiving the C-shaped clamping member assembly 12. The C-shaped clamping member 12 is made of rigid plastic. The clamping assembly 12 includes a base 14 having a U-shaped end formed with a groove for fitting over the rear end 16 of the snowboard 4. Arms 18 extend from opposite sides of the base 14 to extend above the upper side body member 10 of the assembly in use to connect the clamping member 12 thereto. The central arm 20 extends between the two outer arms 18 and is received in a mating-shaped groove 22 formed on the back of the upper side body member 10.

[0052] The snow jet generator device 24 and the snow jet discharge member 26 are interconnected and connected to the rear of the clamping assembly 12. The fixing pin 28 fixes the snow flow jet discharge member 26 and the jet generator 24 to the clamping member 12.

[0053] Figure 3 Shows the clamping member 6 attached to the rear of the snowboard 4. The upper side body assembly 10 can be detached from the clamping member 6.

[0054] The upper body member 10 has a hole 30 through which a plug 32 formed on the clamping member 6 is received to position the upper body member 10 on the clamping member 6.

[0055] The base of the rear section of the clamping member 6 has a plurality of laterally extending slots 34 that serve as hinge portions. This allows the base of the clamping member 6 to accommodate skis with different arcuate end profiles.

[0056] As Figure 4 shown, a series of raised ridges or teeth 36 are also provided on the base of the rear section of the clamping member 6, which extend through slots 38 formed on the underside of the flexible rubber portion of the main body 10 during use to prevent lateral movement S of the upper body 10 relative to the clamping member 6.

[0057] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the assembled component is shown. The upper body 10 is deformed to extend over the clamping member 6. The plug 32 extends through the hole 30 to prevent the device from moving in the direction R relative to the base of the ski 4.

[0058] Figure 5 Also shown is a clamping member assembly 12 assembled on the end 16 of the ski to prevent the device from moving in the direction P relative to the ski 4. When connected, the teeth 36 extend into the slots 38, leaving a gap to allow the ski 4 to bend and deform. In addition to the teeth 36, the flexibility of the rubber upper body 10 also allows for bending to accommodate the curvature.

[0059] Figure 6 Shown is a snow jet generator device 24 that forms part of the assembly. The device 24 includes a body that forms a flexible torsion bar 40. The bottom surface of the torsion bar 40 includes a blade 42 in the form of a downwardly extending semi-circular flange. The blade 42 is made of plastic material. The device 24 is attached to the C-shaped clamping member 12 by a keyway 44 that extends from the upper surface of the torsion bar 40. The keyway projection 44 can be positioned in a mating groove 46 formed at the rear of the central arm 20 of the C-shaped clamping member 12.

[0060] The torsion bar 40 acts like a suspension unit, allowing the rigid plastic blade 42 to move in the direction P and rotate about the keyway 44 in the direction R, thereby minimizing the forces acting on the device 2 that could cause the assembly to disengage from the rear of the ski 4.

[0061] Figure 7 Shown is the blade 42 below the snow line V. If the assembly is mounted on a ski and the curvature of the ski causes the ski end 16 to be too high for the blade 42 to penetrate the snow, the blade 42 can be removed from the torsion bar 40 and replaced with a blade having a larger ring to ensure that the blade 42 is above or below the snow line V.

[0062] The flexibility of the torsion bar 40 allows the blade 42 to move to accommodate any hard surface at or below the snow line V without exerting excessive force on the upper body member 10 that could cause it to disengage from the snowboard 4.

[0063] The discharge member 26 has an annular body 48 and is also designed to be located above or below the snow line V. The discharge member 26 is made of a flexible material such as polyurethane to allow it to bend up and down to accommodate any hard surface.

[0064] Figure 8 The blade 42 is shown shoveling snow along direction P from below the snow line V. The discharge member 26 then smooths the flow and controls the height of the outlet. The angle of the resulting snow jet 50 can be changed by adjusting the height of the discharge member 26.

[0065] By replacing the torsion bar with one of increased stiffness to increase the downward force of the blade 42 into the ice, the assembly can act as a brake for skiing on ice.

[0066] As Figure 9 shown, the upper body member 10 includes a protrusion 52 that can be pulled in direction P to disconnect the body 10 from the snowboard clamping member 6 and the snowboard 4.

[0067] Figures 10 to 12 Another embodiment of the present invention is shown. These figures show a snow jet generating assembly 54 mounted at the rear of the snowboard 4. The assembly includes a plate-like body 56 made of a flexible rubber material. As Figure 2 shown, the rear of the snowboard 4 has a fixture 58 to which the plate-like body 56 can be fixed using a fixing screw 60.

[0068] When the snowboard 4 is vertically placed on a hard surface during transportation or storage, the rear edge 62 of the plate-like body 56 also acts as a snowboard protector. The blade 64 is formed by upwardly curved groove channels formed on both sides of the plate-like body 56. When the snowboard moves forward, the blade 64 acts to shovel the surface snow and push it upward to create a snow flow or snow jet.

[0069] In another embodiment (not shown), the back of the plate 56 has a flange suitable for fitting over the end of the snowboard to allow the user to disengage the assembly simply by bending the flange away from the snowboard.

[0070] Figure 13 and Figure 14 Another embodiment of the snow jet generating assembly is shown. In this embodiment, opposing inwardly extending grooves 66 are formed in the rear of the snowboard, the inner surface 68 of which is curved upward to form a blade for shoveling snow and projecting it upward.

[0071] Figure 15 Another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Here, the snow jet generating blade 70 is formed as an upwardly curved concave surface located on both sides of the front foot holder assembly 72. Figure 16 Shows how the blade 70 can scoop up snow from the ground plane L and project it upward in the direction M.

[0072] Figure 17 and Figure 18 Another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Here, the snow jet generating blade 74 is formed as an upwardly curved concave surface located on both sides of the ski brake assembly 76. Figure 17 Shows the brake assembly in the closed position, but the blade 74 is still engaged with the snow plane L to generate a snow jet in the direction d. This braking position is the position when the ski boot is inserted into the holder 78. Figure 18 Shows the ski brake assembly 76 in the fully lowered position, which occurs when the ski boot is not inserted into the boot holder 78. In this mode of operation, the ski braking effect is fully enabled.

[0073] Figures 19 to 22 Another embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the double blade snow jet generator 80 is mounted on both sides of the snowboard.

[0074] As Figure 20 shown, the blades 80 include upwardly curved concave surfaces that are oppositely oriented on both sides of the snowboard 82. Snowboarders and some alpine skiers can travel in both directions on the snowboard or ski, so a double blade snowboard jet device can be used.

[0075] Figure 20 Shows the double blade assembly 80 mounted on the snowboard 82 traveling in the direction s causing a snow jet in the direction t.

[0076] Figure 21 Shows the snowboard 82 traveling in the direction u causing a snow jet in the direction v.

[0077] All of the described embodiments utilize a blade that extends below the snow line or into the snow to lift the snow stream. The snow stream is then controlled and shaped by guiding it through the discharge pipe, resulting in a smooth snow jet that makes the snowboard appear to be rocket or jet propelled. From the above description, it can be readily understood that the present invention is capable of providing adaptability to different snowboard geometries while maintaining the optimal position of the blade relative to the snow line. All of these adjustments should be made without affecting the anti - detachment performance of the device, taking into account the three main forces acting on the device.

[0078] Users can compete to see who can produce the highest or largest snow jets. The device can also be used to indicate to skiers to properly "carve" turns rather than just skid the skis during turns. By producing snow jets 5 to 30 meters high, the device can be used to indicate the presence of young skiers, thus warning adults not to ski too close and to maintain a recognized minimum distance of 15 meters behind children.

[0079] A range of interchangeable blade lengths can be provided to accommodate the different rear-end heights of snowboard designs from different manufacturers. This ensures that the blades can penetrate sufficiently into the snow. Additionally, the discharge components are also interchangeable, allowing for various jet heights and effects from high jets to low jets and even bifurcated jets.

[0080] The discharge member can have a fixed or interchangeable shaped housing. By way of a few examples, for instance, it can take on the appearance of a rocket, a jet engine, or a lion's head.

[0081] While the embodiments show the snow jet generating device having upwardly curved concave surfaces, these surfaces can also have only an inclined angle without curvature.

Claims

1. A device for generating a snow flow during movement, the device comprising a flow guide member mounted on a ski or a snowboard when in use, the flow guide member having an inlet located above or below the snow line during use, the inlet leading to an upwardly inclined channel and to an outlet located above the snow line, whereby the movement of the ski or snowboard over the snow line causes snow to enter the channel and be pushed upwardly out of the outlet.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a surface of the channel has a concave curve.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deflecting member is located at a side edge of the ski or snowboard.

4. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deflecting member is mounted on or forms part of a forefoot binding.

5. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow guiding member is mounted on or forms part of a brake assembly.

6. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The flow guiding member is located at one end of the snowboard.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a first clamping member fixed to the surface of the ski or snowboard during use; an upper body member attachable to the first clamping member; as well as a second clamping member attachable to the upper body member; The flow guiding member is fixed on the second clamping member.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second clamping member is shaped to fit over an end of the snowboard.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the flow directing member comprises a snow jet generator and a discharge member.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the snow jet generator comprises a flexible torsion bar connected to the upper body member and a blade member extending downwardly therefrom.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the blade member comprises a semi-annular member.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the blade member is detachable from the torque rod.

13. A device according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the upper body member is made of a flexible material.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the upper body member is made of a rubber material.

15. A device according to any preceding claim, comprising two flow-guiding members adjacent to each other in longitudinal direction and oriented oppositely.

16. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising two deflecting members, one on either side of the ski or snowboard.

17. A ski or snowboard having means for forming a snow jet when moving over the ground, the snow jet forming means comprising a groove extending inwardly from at least one longitudinal edge of the ski or snowboard, the groove having transversely extending walls which are inclined upwardly.

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