Monoski

Abstract

The invention relates to a monoski, consisting of a front and a back board connected to each other by means of a hinge, in which the hinge is constructed in such a way that the back board can be folded over the front board through which a less large package is created and also the two board parts can be moved in a horizontal plane in a limited angle. During skiing the skier stands with one foot on the front board and the other on the back board. During skiing, the skiers feet are not fixed to the boards. In order to keep sufficient contact with the ski, a foldable supporting instrument is mounted on the front board part. The back board part has a surface relief at the bottom to track better.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/549,067, filed on Aug. 14, 2006, which is the national phase of international application PCT/NL2004/000173 filed Mar. 9, 2004, which designated the U.S.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the possibilities to go downhill when skiing, is snowboarding with a monoski. In order to turn about the snowboarder must balance him/herself on the board. Losing balance is a danger. From snowboarding the requirement arose to get the board more under control and to be able to steer better.

The Austrian patent document AT 2329421 describes a long, narrow monoski, halfway constructed with a hinge joint in the horizontal plane and provided with a foldable steer and sit facility. The American publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,446 shows a two-part board, in which the parts can make limited movements in relation to each other. The European document EP 0 378 859 describes a foldable ski, consisting of two parts, in which the hinge can be constructed in several ways. The Dutch patent document NL 1007750 shows a monoski which is provided with a springy supporting instrument on the top side and which is adjustable in height.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to improve the above mentioned devices, especially by improving the board's steerablity and transportablity, as well as making the board easier to ski, without requiring the skiers' feet to be fixed, as on a snowboard or monoski.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred construction of the invention will be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the bobski;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the bobski in folded position;

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the bobski in folded position;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the free movements of the supporting instrument and ski parts in relation to each other; and

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the steering possibilities of the back board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to give the so called snowboarding an even more active and sporty look or image, and make sharp turns when going downhill, the device 1 consists of two parts, being a front and back board part 2 and 3, connected to each other by means of a hinge 4. The hinge operates in two planes, through which the board parts 2 and 3 hinge in the horizontal plane as well as the vertical plane. Going downhill, the skier stands with one foot on the front board 2 and with the other foot on the back board part 3. The skier steers the device 1 by moving his or her weight and turning the position of the feet. For a good balance and in order to make even better steering of the device possible, a hinging support instrument, which is constructed from several parts has been applied on the front board part 2. This supporting instrument 5 is provided with a springy and shock absorbing element 8. The springy and shock absorbing element 8 is connected with the front board part 2 by means of a rapid coupling element 9. With this the springy and shock absorbing element 8 can be disconnected from the board part 2 and the supporting instrument together with the board part 3 can be folded into a small, easy transportable package. Due to the fact that the parts of the supporting instrument are hingeably connected, the height of the supporting instrument 5 adjusts itself automatically to the position of the skier. Also, the supporting instrument enables the skiers' feet to keep sufficiently in contact with the ski, even though his or her feet are not fixed to the board, as on monoskis and snowboards. The springy and shock absorbing element 8 makes it possible that, during skiing, roughness in the terrain can easily be absorbed by the skier.

If when going downhill and whether required or not, a change in course is necessary, it must be executed in a safe way and in such a way that drifting of the device 1 is avoided. In order to stay better in track, some surface reliefs have been applied on the bottom of the back board 3. In an embodiment this could be two parallel mounted surface sections, constructed of a metal or a wear-resistant plastic, but in another embodiment the back board part 3 have a surfaced relief at the bottom.

After using device 1, it can simply be folded by uncoupling the coupling element 9 from the supporting instrument 5, into a handy flat and easily transportable package 7.

Finally it has to be emphasized, that the above description constitutes preferred embodiments of the invention, but that further variations and modifications are still possible without departing the scope of this patent document.

Claims

1. A skiing device including a two-part board and a supporting instrument, wherein said two board parts are hingeably connected.

2. The skiing device of claim 1 wherein said two-part board includes a front board and a back board and further wherein said supporting instrument is coupled to said front board and includes several parts that are hingeably connected to each other.

3. The skiing device of claim 2, further comprising a spring and shock absorbing element mounted between said front board and said supporting instrument.

4. The skiing device of claim 3, wherein said springy and shock absorbing element is connected to said front board a rapid coupling element.

5. The skiing device of claim 1, wherein said hinge allows movement in the horizontal plane, so that said two board parts can be swiveled in relation to each other under a limited angle.

6. The skiing device of claim 1, wherein said hinge allows movement in the vertical plane, so that said back board can easily be folded over said front board.

7. The skiing device of claim 1, wherein, one or both board parts includes a foot support.

8. The skiing device of claim 1, wherein said two-part board includes a front board and a back board wherein said back board is provided with surface reliefs at the bottom.

9. The skiing device of claim 8 wherein, the surface reliefs at the bottom of said back board are disposed parallel in relation to each other and lengthwise of said back board.

10. The skiing device of claim 8 wherein said surface reliefs have an elongated shape.

11. The skiing device of claim 8 wherein said surface reliefs are constructed of metal or a wear-resistant plastic, and are integrated in said back board.