Inflatable sports device
Many people enjoy outdoor sports, both in summertime and wintertime. During the summer, water sports are very popular; during the winter, snow related sports come into season. Inflatable sports devices are particularly useful, as they can readily be transported from the user's home to the place of use. Whilst for many years, inflatable water sports devices have been known in the form of dinghies and rafts, only recently have these also been used in winter sports, such as sledging. The current invention, relates to an inflatable sports device, which is further integrated with guiding ribs provided on the underside of side regions of the device. In particular, these side regions are formed such that they do not continuously contact the underlying surface of the device, and therefore provide for enhanced steering control.
Outdoor sports are enjoyed by a great many people, both in summertime and wintertime. During summertime, people often enjoy spending time in the fair weather and in particular water sports are very popular. In many parts of the world during wintertime, significant snowfall occurs, which allows people to enjoy the winter sports such as skiing and sledging. Whilst it has been known for many years, that inflatable devices such as dinghies and rafts can be used on water, only more recently has this technology been applied to winter sports such as sledging.
The present invention relates to an inflatable device, which is intended to be used on water and/or snow depending upon the season. Traditionally, sledges or sleighs for use in snow conditions, have been provided either by solid wooden construction devices or more recently preformed plastic devices. Whilst these have the advantage of both durability and ease of construction, significant difficulties are encountered when attempting to transport wooden or plastic preformed sledges to the site of use. In particular, if several people are going to enjoy a day of winter sport, either a limited number of wooden and/or plastic sledges can be taken, or multiple means of transport are required.
Provision of an inflatable sports device, as in the current invention, addresses the problem surrounding transporting large often bulky and sometimes cumbersome sledges or sleighs. Furthermore, it is often the case that the user of the sledge or sleigh during wintertime, or the inflatable device during summertime, will not be able to obtain transport, such as car, taxi or any other similar transport, directly to the point of use of the sports device. Therefore, provision of an inflatable device will allow the user to readily carry the sports device from the mode of transport to the place of use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,933, discusses an inflatable sleigh, which is possessed of an improved body. This document discloses an inflatable sports device, which is possessed of numerous inflatable elongate tubular elements. On the underside of these elements, are provided a series of ribs which re designed to improve the running of the sports device on snow. Similarly U.S. 2003/0098558, also discloses a sports device which is possessed of multiple inflatable tubes. This document discusses the use of multiple inner inflatable members, for improving the stability and strength of the sports device. Additionally, it is disclosed that a series of tracks or ribs on the underside of the sports device can be provided to improve its running. Neither of the above documents, fully addresses the problems associated with attempting to turn the sports device during use. In particular, the ribs provided on the underside of the sports devices according to the above prior art documents, are primarily related to simple improvement in the running of the devices.
SUMMARYIn one embodiment, an inflatable sports device comprises multiple tubular elements in both the body and side regions. These tubular elements are possessed of upper and lower surfaces, with the upper surface providing a user supporting surface and the lower surface of the tubular elements being intended to run on the underlying surface. In particular, tubular elements which make up the side regions of the sports device, are intended to not provide a lower surface which is in constant contact with the underlying surface, and therefore provide an improved mechanism for steering the device.
It is preferably possible for the tubular elements making up both the body and side regions of the device to be interconnected to provide one inflatable cavity. Alternatively, it is also possible for each of the tubular elements to be individually enclosed, therefore for inflation of the device each of the tubular elements must be filled individually.
A further preferred embodiment provides the tubular elements which make up the side region of the sports device, being positioned at an angle with respect to the tubular elements making up the body region. This angle will then lead to the lower surfaces of the tubular elements making up the side regions being raised from the underlying surface of the device when in normal use.
It is also preferably possible for the tubular elements making the body region to be of equal size to each other, whereas the tubular elements making up the side regions can be a different size from these. In particular, the tubular elements of the side regions may be any one or more than one shorter than the main body tubular elements, narrower in the vertical direction than the main body tubular elements, and profiled to be wider at the front of the device and tapering off towards the rear of the device.
In a further preferred embodiment the underside of the tubular elements making up the side and main body regions, are provided with a series of ribs which are provided to improve the running characteristics of the sports device in use. Furthermore, it preferably possible for these ribs to be provided by a separate ribbed material. This ribbed material could be provided integrally with the under surface of the sports device, or could be provided as a separate layer which is affixed to the underside of the sports device after manufacture.
It is preferred that the ribs which form the underside surface of the main body tubular elements, are parallel with the direction of movement of the device. It is further preferred, that the ribs on the underside surface of the tubular elements making up the side regions are formed at a angle with respect to the motion of travel of the device.
In particular, the angle of the ribs on the underside of the side body tubular elements, lies in the range of 5° to 35° with respect to the direction of motion of the sports device. In particular, the angle of the ribs on the underside of the tubular elements making up the side region, could lie between approximately 5°-10°; approximately 10°-15°; approximately 15°-20°; approximately 20°-25°; approximately 25°-30°; approximately 30°-35°.
It is furthermore preferable that the ribs formed on the underside surface of the sports device, have a width lying in the region of between 2 mm and 7 mm, and they have a depth in the region of 2 mm to 7 mm. It is also possible, for the width and depth to be of different dimensions from each other. A further preferred embodiment, provides the ribs on the underside surface of the side body tubular elements with widths in the region of 10 mm to 25 mm, and depths in the region of 10 mm to 25 mm. Again, the widths of these ribs need not be the same as the depths.
In order to improve the handling of the device and ease of use, handles may be provided on the upper surfaces of one or more of the tubular elements making up the main body region. Furthermore handles are preferably provided on the upper surfaces of the tubular elements making up the side body regions; such handles are useful for improving the turning characteristics of the device when in use.
The sports device as discussed above, is intended to be that of an inflatable sled or sleigh for use on snow and/or water. Furthermore, it is intended that the device be made from a durable plastic material, such as low density polyurethane (PE), high density polyurethane (PE), poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC) or polyamide (PA).
Looking at
The central body region 2, provides a user supporting surface on which the user of the sled or sleigh sits or lies depending upon the mode of operation. The body region tubular elements 10 are possessed of upper 11 and lower 12 surfaces, the upper surface 11 being provided as the user supported surface. Additionally, the lower surface 12 of the body region 2, is used to support the device 1 on the snow or water. As with the tubular elements 10 making up the body region 2, the tubular elements 20 making up the side regions 3 are also possessed of upper 21 and lower 22 surfaces. Once again the upper surface 21 of the side tubular element 20, can be used as further supporting means for the user of the device 1. As can be seen most clearly, in
Whilst the device 1 is in use, it is quite desirable for the user to be able to steer to the left or right whilst moving. This is achieved by providing the two lower surfaces 22 of the side tubular elements 20 raised from the lower surface of the tubular element 10 making up the main body region 2. Whilst the device is in use, and the user is lying or sitting on the upper surface 11 of the body region 2, application of a downward force on the upper surface 21 of either of the side tubular elements 20, will force the lower surface 22 into either the snow or water of the supporting surface. Such an action is intended to increase the friction on the underside of the device 1 in general, and will lead to the device turning either to the left or right dependent upon which side region 3 of the device 1 was depressed.
Looking at
On the underside of both the main tubular elements 10 and the side tubular elements 20, a series of ribs 30 may be provided in order to improve the running of the sports device 1. The positioning of these ribs 30 can be most readily seen from
As is most clearly seen in
It is preferably possible, but not necessary, to provide the ribs 30 on the underside of the main tubular elements 10 as a great many low profile ribs 30. For example,
As is clear from above, the sports device 1 is designed to be inflatable. It is possible that the tubular elements 10, 20 making up both the body 2 and side regions 3 of the device 1 are all interconnected with each other. That is, only one valve need to be provided for the whole device 1, and inflation of the device 1 as a whole occurs through this one valve. This has certain advantages in that the device 1 is more easily inflated, and there is only one valve provided which helps reduce manufacturing costs. However, it is also possible for each of the tubular elements 10, 20 making up both the side 3 and body 2 regions, to be possessed of individual valves. This would mean, that for inflation the individual tubular elements 10, 20 would need separate valves and need to be inflated individually. Advantages of this system, are that should one of the tubular elements become punctured, the whole device is not deflated during use. Additionally, if the valve provided on the single valve inter-linked tubular elements 10, 20 device 1, is faulty, the entire device will deflate during use. Provision of multiple valves on each tubular element 10, 20 of the device 1, will mean that only one of the tubular elements 10, 20 deflates during use. This will further mean, that the device is more readily re-inflated after each run, or when the faulty tubular element 10, 20 requires re-inflation.
As a further possibility, the sports device 1 could be possessed of multiple material layers making up the device 1. In particular, it is possible for a single, or multiple, internal inflatable device to be provided within a more wear resistant material. In particular, the internal inflatable region, may be provided by a plastic or other polymer material such as low density polyurethane (PE), high density polyurethane (PE), poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC) or polyamide (PA), which may not be too resilient to tearing or puncturing. The outer material of the device, could be provided by a heavily wear resistant material, which may not necessarily be of an airtight construction. Furthermore, as has been detailed above, the ribs 30 provided on the underside surfaces 10, 22 of the device 1, may form part of this second outer durable layer. Furthermore, the ribs 30 could be provided by a specialist ribbed material 31, as detailed above.
As can be seen from each of
The above discussion is presented as a non-limiting example of a sports device 1 only. The full scope of the invention is defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. An inflatable sports device, comprising a body region and side regions wherein:
- the body region comprises a plurality of inflatable tubular elements of substantially the same size and similar shape, which have upper and lower surfaces, wherein the upper surface provides a user supporting surface and the lower surface is for supporting the sports device on an underlying surface;
- the side regions comprise further inflatable tubular elements, which have upper and lower surfaces and are positioned either side of the body region;
- wherein the lower surface of the tubular elements making up the body region each extend to substantially the same level to provide a supporting surface for resting the sports device on the underlying surface, and the lower surfaces of the side region tubular elements are substantially higher and do not rest upon the underlying surface.
2. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the tubular elements making up the body and side regions of the device, are all interconnected within the device to provide a single air filled cavity.
3. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the tubular elements making up the body and side regions of the device, are all separate and individually inflatable.
4. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the tubular elements making up the side regions are positioned at an angle with respect to the plane formed by the lower surface of the tubular elements in the body region, thereby raising the lower surface away from the underlying surface.
5. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the tubular elements of the side regions are one or more than one of:
- shorter than the tubular elements of the body region,
- narrower from upper to lower surface than the tubular elements of the body region,
- profiled to be wider at the front of the sports device, and
- taper off along their length to be narrower toward the rear of the sports device.
6. The sports device of claim 1, wherein on the lower sides of some or all of the tubular elements there are provided ribs for guiding the sports device.
7. The sports device of claim 1, wherein on the lower sides of some or all of the tubular elements there is provided ribbed material, which comprises a plurality of ribs for guiding the sports device.
8. The sports device of claim 6, wherein:
- the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements of the body region are formed parallel with the direction of motion of the device, and further: the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements of the side region are formed at an angle with respect to the direction of motion of the device, and point outward from the central line of the device in the direction of rear to front of the device.
9. The sports device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements making up the side region and the direction of motion of the device lies in the range of 5° to 35°.
10. The sports device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements making up the side region and the direction of motion of the device lies between approximately 5°-10°.
11. The sports device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements making up the side region and the direction of motion of the device lies between approximately 10°-15°.
12. The sports device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements making up the side region and the direction of motion of the device lies between approximately 15°-20°.
13. The sports device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements making up the side region and the direction of motion of the device lies between approximately 20°-25°.
14. The sports device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements making up the side region and the direction of motion of the device lies between approximately 25°-30°.
15. The sports device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the ribs on the lower side of the tubular elements making up the side region and the direction of motion of the device lies between approximately 30°-35°.
16. The sports device of claim 6, wherein the ribs have a width which lies in the region of 2-7 mm, and a depth which lies in the region of 2-7 mm.
17. The sports device of claim 6, wherein the ribs on the lower surface of the tubular elements in the body region, have a width which lies in the region of 2-7 mm, and a depth which lies in the region of 2-7 mm.
18. The sports device of claim 6, wherein the ribs on the lower surface of the tubular elements in the side region, have a width which lies in the region of 10-25 mm, and a depth which lies in the region of 10-25 mm.
19. The sports device of claim 1, wherein handles are provided on the upper surfaces of one or both of the tubular elements making up the body and side regions of the device.
20. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the device is made from a durable plastic material, such as low density polyurethane (PE), high density polyurethane (PE), poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC) or polyamide (PA).
21. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the sports device is an inflatable sled, or sleigh for use on snow and/or water.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 16, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 1, 2007
Inventor: Even Helley Hansen Sorby (Son)
Application Number: 11/454,999