Ski Training Device with Ankle Reins for Balance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhill ski training devices disrupt a skier's upper body balance with direct force manipulation, limiting the trainee's ability to independently develop balance and control during maneuvers.
Innovation Solution
A ski training device with reins that allow an instructor to independently control the trainee's ankles or ski tips, enabling guidance in balance and direction without disrupting the upper body, using adjustable and resilient connections to facilitate learning and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an instructor directly manipulates the trainee's upper body using torso harnesses, then control over the trainee's direction and speed is improved, but the trainee's upper body balance is disrupted and independence in finding balance is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control mechanism from the upper body (torso) and relocates it to the lower body (ankles) or equipment (ski tips). This allows the instructor to maintain control over direction and speed while leaving the trainee's upper body free to independently develop balance, thus resolving the contradiction between control and balance independence
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces reins as an intermediary mechanism that connects the instructor to the trainee's ankles or ski tips rather than directly to the torso. This intermediary allows control to be transmitted without direct upper body manipulation, preserving the trainee's ability to independently find balance while still providing instructor guidance
2Ease of operation
If torso harnesses are used to provide steering control, then directional guidance is improved, but the harness tends to urge the skier's upper body backwards which interferes with training
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful effect of upper body disruption is eliminated by extracting the control attachment point from the torso and relocating it to the ankles or ski tips. This removes the source of the harmful backward urging force on the upper body while preserving the steering control function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of lower body restraint into a benefit by using the ankle or ski tip connection points to provide stable control while allowing upper body freedom. The lower body restraint becomes advantageous because it prevents disruption to upper body balance and independent balance development
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device are provided that allow a competent skier to train and/or assist a trainee downhill skier with the acquisition of basic downhill skiing techniques. The trainee skier is tethered to an uphill instructing skier by a pair of reins attached to the trainee at the ankles, ski tips, or to the ski tips via ski tip handles. The instructing skier has substantially independent control over each tethering point to assist or train the novice skier to execute turns, control speed, and promote proper balance and stance for the maneuver and terrain at hand. The method and device may also comprise the use of adjustable ski tip couplers that limit divergence, and optionally convergence, of the trainee's ski tips. Handicapped skiers may be assisted and guided in downhill skiing using this method and device.