Wearable Back Sled with Wrist and Ankle Controls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Many individuals are unable to enjoy ski mountains due to a lack of balance or skill in skiing or snowboarding, leading to wasted time and effort in learning.

Innovation Solution

A wearable and steerable sled with a back plate, wrist controls, and ankle controls that allows users to descend slopes by laying on the sled, with the controls aiding in steering and speed control, providing a secure and intuitive way to navigate sloped surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional skiing or snowboarding is used, then users can enjoy ski mountains, but users need extensive balance and skill practice

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of useVSAvoidtime to learn

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a sled as an intermediary device between the user and the snowy slope. This sled requires no balance or skill to operate - the user simply sits on it and controls direction with their hands, eliminating the learning curve of traditional skiing or snowboarding while still enabling enjoyment of ski mountains

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The sled is designed to be self-stabilizing and self-steering through its blade mechanism that automatically follows the slope's gradient. The user only needs to apply minimal steering input with hand controls, and the sled's geometry and blade design handle all balance and directional control automatically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If traditional skiing or snowboarding equipment is used, then users can descend slopes, but users need extensive balance and skill practice

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of useVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sled is divided into distinct functional segments: a wearable back plate for positioning, hand controls for steering, and integrated blades for propulsion and stabilization. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sled combines multiple functions into a single device: it provides seating, steering control, speed regulation, and automatic balance stabilization all in one unit. The hand controls serve both steering and braking functions, while the blades simultaneously provide propulsion and directional control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9216756B1Wearable and steerable snow sled

Publication Date: 2015.12.22 GIBSON WARREN MICHAEL

AI summary

Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a wearable and steerable sled for descending a sloped surface. The wearable and steerable sled may include a wearable back sled having blades extending therefrom, a pair of wrist controls, and a pair of ankle controls. The wearable back sled may attach to a user's back. The wrist controls may strap to a user's wrists. The ankle controls may strap to a user's angles. The wearable back sled may allow a user to descend a sloped surface by laying on the sloped surface with the wearable back sled positioned between the user and the sloped surface, wherein the wrist controls and the ankle controls may aid the user in steering and controlling speed at which the user descends the sloped surface.