ICE SLEDDING DEVICE
An ice sledding device includes a blade mounted on a main body support. The main body support of the ice sledding device is formed with an inclined top surface for supporting the player during the normal user of the ice sledding device.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/412,704 which was filed on Nov. 11, 2010.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention generally relates to a sporting device. More specifically, the invention relates to a winter sporting device combining the features of both winter skating sports and winter sliding sports. This invention provides an ice sledding device and a new winter sport.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe most popular ice sports nowadays are ice hockey, ice skating, speed skating, figure skating, ski, ice sledding, bobsleigh, luge, ice hockey sleigh. Most of these winter ice sports require a flat rink and move on the flat ice rink, but cannot do the down-hill movement. For example, skating requires a flat-rink and cannot do down-hill movement.
On the other hand, an ice sled requires a well-formed down-hill course. Ice sled cannot move on a flat rink. For example, Bobsleigh requires a well-designed ice course. Bobsleigh can only do the down-hill movement, but cannot move on a flat rink.
A new utility that combine the skating and ski together can be a new interesting winter sport.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe embodiments described below provide an ice sledding device and a new winter sport. More specifically, the Ice Sledding Device can have a blade mounted on a main body support. The main body support of the Ice Sledding Device can be formed with an inclined-top surface for supporting the player during the normal use of the Ice Sledding Device.
The following description is set forth in connection with the attached drawing figures, which are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawing figures:
The Ice Sledding Device of the present invention combines the features of winter skating sports and winter sliding sports (such as ski, Bobsleigh, luge, or Skeleton) to provide a new winter sport. This is accomplished with a unique design of an Ice Sledding Device described below.
The main body support 1 of the Ice Sledding Device 100 can be configured in various forms to support a player 27 (see
In the example shown in
In one example, the position of the top board 9 of the main body support 1 can be adjusted in relation to the base board 6 of the main body support 1. For example, the front tip of the top board 9 can attached to the front tip of the base board 6 by one or more hinges 7, as is shown in
Details of the various components of the Ice Sledding Device 100, including Blade 2, Front and Back Blade Holders 3a, 3b, Holder Strip 4, Front and Back Braces 5a, 5b, Base Board 6, Hinge 7, Height Adjuster 8, Top Board 9, and Front and Back Shoe Holders 10a, 10b, are described below in connection with
As
The Blade 2 can be formed to have various shapes. In the example shown in
The Blade 2 can be formed to have various lengths and thicknesses. The longer the Blade 2 is, the faster the ice sledding device 100 moves. A shorter Blade 2 can provide better maneuverability than the longer blade 2. In one example, the Blade 2 can be about 9 inches long. In another example, the Blade 2 can have a shorter length, such as about 8 inches long. In a further example, the Blade 2 can have a longer length, such as about 10 inches long. Additionally or alternatively, the thickness of the Blade 2 can determine the speed of the ice sledding device 100 during normal use. The thicker the Blade 2 is, the slower the ice sledding device 100 moves. For example, the thickness of the Blade 2 can be about 1/32″ thick. The thickness of the Blade 2 can be more than 1/32″.
In one example, the Blade 2 can be formed to be about 8.7″ long, 1.2″ high, and 0.039″ thick. The Curve 12 of the Blade 2 can start at the point 12a about 3.1″ from the front tip of the Blade 2. The Blade 2 can be made of various materials, including but not limited to steel.
The Front and Back Blade Holders 3a, 3b of the main body support 1 can be similarly formed, only one of which will be described in details in connection with
The Blade Holder 3 can be configured in various forms for mounting the Blade 2 to the remaining portion of the main support body 1. For example, the blade holder 3 can have a top portion 16 to be mounted to the base board 6, either directly or through one or more additional mounting elements, including a Holder Strip 4 as is shown in
The top portion 16 of the blade holder 3 can be configured in various forms to be mounted to the remaining portion of the main support body 1. In the example of
Additionally or alternatively, the lower portion 18 of the blade holder 3 can be formed to hold the blade 2. In one example, the lower portion 18 can be formed with one or more bolt holes 21, through which one or more pairs of bolts and nuts are mounted to secure the blade 2 to the lower portion 18 of the blade holder 3. For example, a fastening bolt can be inserted into a bolt hole 21 in the lower portion 18 and a fastening hole 11a, 11b on the blade 2 and fastened with a compatible nut, thereby holding the blade 2 to the lower portion 18 of the blade holder 3. In one example, the bolts and nuts can be about 3/32″ in diameter. In another example shown
The Blade Holder 3 can be formed to have various dimensions. In the example shown in
The Blade Holder 3 can be made of various materials. In one example, the Blade Holder 3 can be made of a metal material, such as steel. The strength of the Blade Holder 3 is no less than 800 lbs.
As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the Ice Sledding Device 100 and its various components, including Blade 2, Front and Back Blade Holders 3a, 3b, Holder Strip 4, Front and Back Braces 5a, 5b, Base Board 6, Hinge 7, Height Adjuster 8, Top Board 9, and/or Front and Back Shoe Holders 10a, 10b, can also be formed in various other forms as described below or developed later.
A Top Board Adjuster 11 can be provided and positioned under the board hinge 12 to support the front and the back board sections 9a′, 9b′ of the top board. In one example, the top board adjuster 11 can be movably supported on the base board 6. Moving the top board adjuster 11 backward can lower the board hinge 12. Moving the top board adjuster 11 forward can raise the board hinge 12.
The top board adjuster 11 can be made of various materials to support a player 27 during the normal use of the Ice Sledding Device 200. In the example shown in
In the alternative embodiment shown in
In a preferred embodiment, a Jumper 13 can be provided and fixed in the middle of the front board section 9a′. The jumper 13 formed on the Ice Sledding Device 200 can assist the player 27 in controlling the Ice Sledding Device 200 when sledding. For example, the player 27 can hold the jumper 13 between his feet and lift the Ice Sledding Device 200 to jump over barriers or gaps on ice tracks.
The jumper 13 can be configured in various forms to assist the player 27 in controlling the Ice Sledding Device 200 during its normal use. In one example as is shown in
The Ice Sledding Device 100, 200 can be used on various ice courses for sledding. For example, ice courses can be easily built in a backyard, while the courses of the prior art winter sliding sports cannot. The ice courses can have various shapes including any curves and straight lines. In one example, the width of the ice courses is about 2 feet wide.
To use Ice Sledding Device 100, 200, a player 27 will put the Ice Sledding Device 100, 200 on an ice course 29 so that the Blade 2 of the Ice Sledding Device 100, 200 is parallel to the ice course 29. The player 27 can step on the top board 9 the Ice Sledding Device 100, 200, with the help of a pair of sticks 28a, 28b, and place feet right inside the shoes holders 10a, 10b. When sledding, the player 27 can squat on the Ice Sledding Device 100, 200 to lower the gravity center of his body.
If the ice course 29 is a downhill course, the player 27 can slide down the ice course 29. If the ice course 29 is a flat course, the player 27 can move forward using a pair of sticks 28a, 28b. In one example, the sticks 28a, 28b can be around 3-4 feet long for the player 27 to use to balance and move forward on the ice course 29.
To make turns on the ice course 29, the player 27 can move his body weight back to apply more force on the Height-Adjuster 8 with the player's heels. When doing so, the tail of the blade 2 is further pressed against the surface of the ice course 29. The slot 38 formed on the blade 2 (see
To make a left turn on the ice course 29, the player 27 can hold the left stick 28b on the ice course 29 and lean his body toward his left side.
To stop the Ice Sledding Device 100, the player 27 can use the pair of stick 28a, 28b to reduce the speed until the Ice Sledding Device 100 comes to a full stop. In the alternative, the player 27 can make a left or right turn to stop movement of the Ice Sledding Device 100.
Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. A sporting device comprising:
- a first support;
- at least one blade coupled to a first side of the first support;
- a top board having a first end coupled to a second side of the first support opposite the first side at a first height and a second end coupled to the second side of the first support at second first height,
- wherein the second height is greater than the first height, forming an incline in a longitudinal direction of the blade.
2. The sporting device of claim 1, further comprising two foot supports arranged on the first side of the first support.
3. The sporting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one blade is arranged at a median of the first support.
4. The sporting device of claim 1, wherein the incline is adjustable.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 11, 2011
Publication Date: May 17, 2012
Inventors: Yi Zhou (Princeton Junction, NJ), Tao Boyang Zhou (Princeton Junction, NJ)
Application Number: 13/294,836