Pole Attachment

Abstract

The present invention consists of a bar with a mechanism at one end that serves a dual purpose: it allows the user to attach the bar in a non-permanent fashion to a ski pole shaft and it serves as a hinge so that the bar may be fixed in a position either parallel or transverse to the ski pole shaft. In the transverse position the device, when integrated with a ski pole, may be used by an experienced skier to either tow uphill or to control the speed of inexperienced skiers.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention provides a safe and convenient manner for an adult to control the speed children skiing, or to aid children in surmounting inclines. The invention consists of a lightweight bar, approximately half the length of a typical adult ski pole, that may be attached non-permanently to a ski pole shaft just above the ski pole basket in a position either parallel (flush to the ski pole), or transverse with respect to the ski pole (so that the ski pole and the bar form an L shape). With the bar in the flush to the ski pole, the ski pole may be used normally. In the transverse position, however, the bar and ski pole combination form a hook that may be used to tow another person or to control the speed of another person, thus allowing an experienced skier to aid an inexperienced skier to surmount inclines or to control their speed.

DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

When learning to ski, children often have difficulties surmounting the most modest inclines. Unaccustomed to skis and inexperienced in their use, they will often try to step forward, only to have their skis slide back as soon as they put their weight down. This results in a treadmill effect; the child is walking but not advancing. The result is frustration, anger and loss of appetite for the sport for both the child and the adult supervisor. To overcome this difficulty, the adult supervisor will often extend his or her ski pole towards the child either for the child to grasp with their hands, or to place the ski pole between the legs of the child positioning the ski pole basket just behind the child's posterior in order to pull the child forward. In either case, the result is a dangerous situation where the adult is pointing a sharp metal shaft directly at a child who may lurch forward at any time, a risk that is exacerbated since the child is standing on skis to which he or she is unaccustomed. Added to this danger is the problem that the child often finds it difficult to grasp the smooth ski pole shaft with his or her hands, or difficult to clamp his or her legs together to keep the ski pole basket from passing between their legs. The result is that the child tires quickly and/or simply lets go, resulting in more frustration for both child and adult.

Another difficulty faced by adults skiing with children who are learning to ski is that the children do not know how to control their speed as they ski, and are not conscious of the dangers of excessive speed. In addition to the danger this situation represents, the strong acceleration experienced upon directing one's skis down a hill may hinder the child's ability or motivation to learn to ski.

Prior art addressing these issues includes harnesses with leashes (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,191). The harness is designed to fit over a child's torso and the leash is attached in the rear, allowing an experienced skier to control the child's speed by skiing at a controlled speed behind the child while holding the leash. The harness has several drawbacks.

First, since the leash attaches at the rear, it may be used to reduce the speed of the child by pulling on the leash from behind, but it is not convenient to use the leash to pull the child forward, since the leash will wrap around the child's torso creating a torque and causing the child to lose his or her balance.

In addition, the leash proves to be cumbersome and awkward to carry around, especially while skiing with a child. The leash must be gathered in at the end of each run, which proves to be an excellent way of getting one's gloves wet since the leash is often impregnated with snow. All this must be done while simultaneously supervising a child who is not accustomed to their skis or to the mountain environment, leading to a stressful situation for the experienced skier.

In addition to the awkwardness of dealing with a leash, one is also obliged to install the harness on the child and to remove it. Putting the harness on a child often requires removing one's gloves, which is likely to lead to cold and wet hands (the harness is rarely dry itself). It also increments by one the number of items required to dress a child for the sport. Once the harness is on, the child may find it uncomfortable or restrictive, and it reduces the insulation properties of winter garments by compressing them against the child's torso. The entire process must be reversed each time the child wants to have the harness removed, which may often be in situations that are extremely inconvenient for the adult supervisor, such as at the bottom of each ski run or even in the middle of a ski run. One is thus faced with the choice of dealing with a frustrated child by leaving the harness on, or with all the inconveniences of taking the harness off, neither choice being attractive. A final drawback of the harness and leash system is that it may only be used with one child at a time.

The device described herein addresses the problem of towing a child on skis or controlling their speed in a simple and effective manner by providing a tow-bar that may be integrated with a ski pole. This device allows one to tow or brake a child on skis in a manner that is convenient and safe for both the adult and the child.

The device is lightweight, portable, and easily attached or unattached from a ski pole. It requires no modification of the ski pole itself and may be used with virtually any ski pole. Furthermore, the device avoids the dangerous situation of pointing a ski pole directly at a child by obliging the adult supervisor to direct the ski pole shaft to the side of the child when offering to tow or brake the child.

The device allows an experienced skier easily to aid another skier in climbing up gentle inclines or in controlling their speed. Furthermore, the device does not encumber the experienced skier to any great extent. It may be left attached to the ski pole permanently without any major loss of performance of the ski pole, or it may easily be dismounted and stored in a backpack or locker, or passed to another person (for example, from one parent to another).

The device clamps securely onto the majority of commercial ski pole shafts just above the ski pole basket in a position either ‘open’ (transverse to the ski pole shaft, so that the ski pole and the tow-bar for an L shape, see FIG. 7) or ‘closed’ (parallel and flush to the ski pole shaft, see FIG. 5).

In the open position the combination of the ski pole and the device form an L-shaped hook that may serve to tow another person. To do this, the person towing positions themselves in front of the person to be towed and extends his or her ski pole back horizontally towards the hip of the person to be towed, with the tow-bar directed vertically downward. With the tow-bar positioned behind the person to be towed, the tower twists the ski pole shaft so that the tow-bar becomes oriented in a horizontal position just behind the person's posterior (see FIG. 8). With the tow-bar fitted securely behind the person's posterior, the tower can simply pull the person along by pulling on the ski pole.

The device may also be used to control the speed of another person by positioning oneself behind the person to be towed instead of in front (see FIG. 9).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The numbers correspond to the following components: 1) latch, 2) bar, 3) hinge-clamp, 4) sliding lock, and 5) lock-slot.

FIG. 2 consists of a sequence of isometric views of the hinge-clamp 3. Each panel shows a view that is rotated 45 degrees about a vertical axis with respect to the previous view (note the coordinate axes).

FIG. 3 consists of a sequence of drawings that illustrate how the invention is attached to a ski pole shaft.

In FIG. 4, panel 4C is the same isometric drawing as panel 3C of FIG. 3. Panels 4A, 4B, and 4D display different isometric views of FIG. 3C (i.e. viewed from different angles).

FIG. 5A shows an isometric view of the invention attached in the closed position to a ski pole shaft 13, just above the ski pole basket 14. FIG. 5B shows an enlarged isometric view of the hinge-clamp 3 from a slightly different angle.

FIG. 6 shows several isometric views of the device as the ski pole is rotated from the closed position (panels 6A and 6E) to the open position (panels 6D and 6H).

FIG. 7A shows an isometric view of the invention attached in the open position to a ski pole shaft. FIG. 7B shows an enlarged isometric view of the same thing from a slightly different angle.

FIG. 8 shows a possible use for the invention. In this figure, an adult skier is using the device to tow a child.

FIG. 9 shows another possible use for the invention. In this figure, an adult skier is using the invention to control the speed of a child on skis.

FIG. 10 shows an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 shows an expanded isometric view the mechanism for fixing the device to a ski pole shaft (in the closed position) for the alternative embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows an expanded isometric view of the mechanism for fixing the device to a ski pole shaft (in the open position) for the alternative embodiment.

FIG. 13 shows a different isometric view of the same thing as FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 contains four panels, 14A to 14D, which show different isometric views of the mechanism for fixing the device to a ski pole for the alternative embodiment.

FIG. 15 shows a view with the hidden lines exposed of a part of the mechanism for fixing the device to a ski pole for the alternative embodiment.

REFERENCE NUMERALS FOR DRAWINGS

The following list gives the name for each part number.

(1) Latch

(2) Bar

(3) Hinge-clamp

(4) Sliding lock

(5) Lock slot

(6) Upper dove-tail tab

(7) Lower dove-tail tab

(8) Upper dove-tail grove

(9) Lower dove-tail grove

(10) Upper cavity

(11) Lower cavity

(12) Axis of rotation

(13) Ski pole shaft

(14) Ski pole basket

(15) Knuckle hinge-clamp

(16) Top knuckle

(17) Bottom knuckle

(18) Top leaf

(19) Bottom leaf

(20) Top leaf pin

(21) Bottom leaf pin

(22) Top shelf

(23) Bottom shelf

(24) Elastic strap

(25) Parallel ski pole slot

(26) Transverse ski pole slot

(27) Bar stop

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the device. It consists of a latch 1, an 18 inch cylindrical bar 2 with a diameter of 0.5 inches, a hinge-clamp 3, and a sliding lock 4 that slides into the lock-slot 5. The device may be affixed to a ski pole in a position either parallel or transverse to the ski pole shaft, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, respectively. In the parallel position the device is said to be closed, and in the transverse position it is said to be open. The device may be constructed from any number of materials, a possible combination being aluminum for the bar and ABS plastic for the remaining pieces.

In FIG. 2 we show 8 isometric views of the hinge-clamp 3, with the sliding lock removed to show the lock-slot 5 and the upper and lower dove-tail grooves (8 and 9, respectively). Each isometric view is rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the previous view (note the coordinate axes that accompany each view). Also visible in this figure are the upper and lower cavities (10 and 11, respectively). When in use, the ski pole shaft is contained within these cavities, as will be discussed shortly.

To attach the device to a ski pole shaft, the hinge-clamp is oriented so that the lock-slot is parallel to the ski pole shaft 13, as shown in FIG. 3A. The sliding lock 4 is removed from the lock-slot by sliding it to the right, resulting in the situation shown in FIG. 3B. The ski pole shaft may then be inserted through the lock-slot into the hinge-clamp, as shown in FIG. 3C.

To make this step as clear as possible, we reproduce FIG. 3C in FIG. 4, panels A-D, where each panel in FIG. 4 shows a different view of FIG. 3C. In FIG. 4A the hinge-clamp 3 is viewed looking down the ski pole shaft 13, and one can see the upper and lower dove-tail tabs (6 and 7, respectively) and the upper and lower dove-tail grooves (8 and 9, respectively) that allow the sliding lock to mate with the lock-slot. The mating of the dove-tail tabs with the dove-tail grooves allow the sliding lock to resist deformational forces acting on the hinge clamp. Rotating FIG. 4A we arrive at FIG. 4B, where one can see the upper cavity 10 of the hinge-clamp 3 (note that it is visible in FIG. 4A as well). Rotating FIG. 4B we arrive at FIG. 4C, which is the same view as FIG. 3C. Further rotating the drawing brings us to FIG. 4D, where the lower cavity 11 is apparent. FIG. 4 shows clearly how the ski pole shaft fits through the lock-slot and into the upper and lower cavity spaces in the hinge-clamp.

Returning to FIG. 3, we continue with FIG. 3D. With the ski pole shaft still parallel to the lock-slot, the sliding lock may be inserted into the lock-slot, as indicated by the arrow in the figure. With the sliding lock completely inserted, we have the situation shown in FIG. 3E. The device may then be pivoted about the rotation axis 12 (this axis is perpendicular to the plane of the page) as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3E so that it is parallel with the ski pole shaft, as shown FIG. 3F. At this point the user simply pushes the hinge-clamp up the ski pole shaft (i.e. away from the ski pole basket, 14), as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3F, until, due to the widening taper of the ski pole shaft, the hinge-clamp becomes wedged onto the ski pole shaft. This will prevent the device from rotating about the axis of the ski pole shaft, even when the device is in the open position.

The hinge-clamp allows the user to change the angular orientation of the bar with respect to the ski pole shaft (without detaching the device from the ski pole shaft). It also provides the mechanical connection to fix the device in either the closed or open position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, respectively.

With the device in the closed position, as in FIG. 5A, the latch 1 grasps the ski pole shaft and prevents the device from pivoting towards the open position. FIG. 5B shows an enlarged drawing of the hinge-clamp showing the upper cavity 10 through which the ski pole shaft passes in going from the closed to the open position.

The transition in going from the closed position to the open position is shown in FIG. 6. The left column of panels shows isometric views where the upper cavity 10 is visible, and the right column of panels shows isometric views showing the lower cavity 11. Between each row of panels the ski pole shaft is rotated 30 degrees in the hinge-clamp. In panels 6D and 6H the ski pole shaft and the bar are perpendicular. This figure shows how the ski pole shaft passes through the upper and lower cavities as the device is rotated from the closed to the open position.

Finally, an enlarged view of the device in the open position is presented in FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7B shows an additional isometric view where the upper cavity 10 is visible.

Operation of Invention

To use the invention, one first attaches it to a ski pole shaft, and positions it in the open position, as described above. The device may then be used in combination with the ski pole to tow or brake another persons as depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively.

The fact that the hinge-clamp is wedged onto the ski pole shaft is important to the operation of the device. The friction of this connection allows the user to orient the bar by twisting the ski pole. Thus, to use the bar for braking, the user extends the ski pole shaft horizontally in front of them, then orients the bar so that it is pointed downwards. Then, positioning him/herself behind the client, the user inserts the tip of the ski pole underneath the arm-pit of the client and rotates the ski pole to position the bar horizontally across the client's waist, resulting in the situation depicted in FIG. 9. A similar manipulation is done to tow a person.

When there is a load on the bar, the torque produced at the pivot of the hinge-clamp causes a significant amount of friction between the hinge-clamp and the ski pole shaft, preventing the hinge-clamp from sliding down the ski pole shaft (towards the basket). Similarly, the leverage provided by the bar allows the user to easily disengage the hinge-clamp by applying the opposite torque (i.e. by pivoting the bar to the closed position).

Alternative Embodiment

One possible alternative embodiment of the device is shown in FIGS. 10 through 15. In this embodiment the hinge-clamp (labeled 15 in FIG. 10 and called a knuckle hinge-clamp hereafter to avoid confusion with the hinge-clamp in the preferred embodiment), is designed as a full-mortise, six-knuckle, plain bearing hinge, with the bar 2 serving as the pin for the hinge. The top 16 and bottom 17 knuckles of the knuckle hinge-clamp are labeled in FIG. 10. The top knuckle, and every second knuckle thereafter, are fixed to the top leaf 18, while all other knuckles are fixed to the bottom leaf 19. The top and bottom leaves close around the ski pole shaft, as shown in FIG. 10, and an elastic strap (not shown in FIG. 10 but shown in later figures) attaches to the top and bottom leaf pins 20 and 21, respectively, to keep the leaves of the knuckle hinge-clamp closed.

FIG. 11 shows an expanded isometric view of the knuckle hinge-clamp. In the closed position, the ski pole shaft is maintained in the parallel ski pole slot, 25. This slot is has a semi-circular cross section formed from two quarter-circular cuts in the top and bottom leaves. FIG. 11 also shows the top 22 and bottom 23 shelves that fit together when the knuckle hinge-clamp is closed. When the device is in the open position, these shelves enclose the ski pole shaft in the transverse ski pole slot 26, which is between the two leaves of the knuckle hinge-clamp. The top and bottom leaves are held together by an elastic strap 24.

In FIG. 12 the device is in the open position. The bottom knuckle 17 is longer than the other knuckles and has a slot cut into it to allow the ski pole shaft to pass through.

FIG. 13 shows another isometric view of the device in the open position. In this view we can see how the ski pole shaft fits into the transverse ski pole slot 26.

FIG. 14 shows several isometric views of the knuckle hinge-clamp with the bar removed. The knuckle hinge-clamp is partially open in these views. In panels 14C and 14D the top and bottom knuckles are labeled 16 and 17, respectively. The bottom knuckle is different from the other knuckles in two respects: First, it is longer in the axial direction and is cut by the transverse ski pole slot 26 (see panel 14A) so that it fits around the ski pole shaft when the device is in the open position (see FIG. 12). Second, it's bore does not transpierce the entire knuckle, as can be seen in FIG. 14A, which shows the solid underside of the bottom knuckle 17.

FIG. 15 shows a view with the hidden lines exposed of the bottom leaf of the knuckle hinge-clamp. The bore that transpierces the two upper knuckles of this leaf does not transpierce the bottom knuckle, as indicated by the dashed line labeled 27. This constitutes the bar stop which prevents the bar from sliding through the knuckles of the knuckle hinge-clamp. It is also where the bar is glued to the bottom knuckle, preventing the bar from rotating about its axis (note that the other leaf of the knuckle hinge-clamp can still rotate about the bar).

The operation of this embodiment is the same as for the preferred embodiment.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE OF INVENTION

The invention described herein integrated with a ski pole provides a safe and easy way for an experienced skier to tow or brake children or other inexperienced skiers. The invention is lightweight, robust, and is easily attached and detached from a ski pole. When attached to a ski pole in the closed position, it does not encumber the skier to any great extent. It is simple to put into use and to carry when not in use (it can stay attached, in the closed position, to the ski pole), and may be easily passed from one person to another (one parent or ski instructor to another, for example).

While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of two preferred embodiments thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be determined by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A ski pole tow bar assembly, comprising:

a. ski pole;

b. a tow bar having a distal end and a proximal end;

c. a means for pivotally attaching said proximal end of said tow bar to said ski pole; and,

d. a means for holding said tow bar in a locked position when rotated into a parallel position with said ski pole.

2. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for pivotally attaching said proximal end of said tow bar is a hinge-clamp body attached to said proximal end of said tow bar, said body includes a cavity that extends transversely through said body, said cavity capable of receiving a section of said ski pole extending transversely over said body, said cavity being aligned on said body so that said tow bar is perpendicular to a section of a ski pole extending through said cavity enabling said body to rotate approximately 90 degrees on a ski pole extending through said cavity.

3. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for holding said tow bar in a locked position parallel to said ski pole is a latch body attached to said distal end of said bar, said latch body including a pole slot capable of receiving a ski pole when said hinge-clamp body is attached to a ski pole and rotated so that said bar is aligned parallel to the ski pole.

4. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for pivotally attaching said proximal end of said tow bar is a knuckle hinge-clamp comprising two leaves pivotally connected together when closed, surrounding said ski pole, said two leaves each including a pin that are engaged by a strap to hold said leaves in a closed position around said ski pole.

5. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 4, wherein each said leaf includes an elongated, quarter circular void, when said leaves are closed around said ski pole, said ski pole fits inside said voids.

6. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for holding said tow bar in a locked position parallel to said ski pole is a latch body attached to said distal end of said bar, said latch body including a pole slot capable of receiving a ski pole when said knuckle hinge-clamp body is attached to a ski pole and rotated so that said bar is aligned parallel to said ski pole.

7. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 6, wherein each said leaf includes an elongated, quarter circular void, when said leaves are closed around said ski pole, said ski pole fits inside said voids.

8. The ski pole tow bar assembly, comprising:

a. a bar having a proximal end and a distal end;

b. a hinge-clamp body attached to said proximal end of said bar, said body includes a cavity that extends transversely through said body, said cavity capable of receiving a section of a ski pole extending transversely over said body, said cavity being aligned on said body so that said bar is perpendicular to a section of a ski pole extending through said cavity enabling said body to rotate approximately 90 degrees on a ski pole extending through said cavity;

c. a lock cap selectively attached to said cavity to hold said body on a ski pole; and,

d. a latch body attached to said distal end of said bar, said latch body including a pole slot capable of receiving a ski pole when said hinge-clamp body is attached to a ski pole and rotated so that said bar is aligned parallel to the ski pole.

9. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 8, wherein said bar is approximately 18 inches in length.

10. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 8, wherein said hinge-clamp body is made of plastic.

11. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 9, wherein said hinge-clamp body is made of plastic.

12. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 8, wherein said latch body is made of plastic.

13. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 9, wherein said latch body is made of plastic.

14. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 10, wherein said latch body is made of plastic.

15. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 6, wherein said pole slot is approximately ⅝ inches in diameter.

16. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 15, wherein said bar is approximately 18 inches in length.

17. The ski pole tow bar, as recited in claim 16, wherein said bar is made of aluminum.

18. A ski pole tow bar assembly, comprising:

a. a bar having a proximal end and a distal end;

b. mean for pivotally attaching said bar to a ski pole, said means for pivotally said bar to a ski pole including means for enabling said bar to pivot approximately 90 degrees between a perpendicularly aligned position and a parallel position on a ski pole; and,

c. latch body attached to said distal end of said bar, said latch body including a pole slot capable of receiving a ski pole when said bar is rotated in a position parallel to the ski pole.