PIVOTING FOOTWEAR SYSTEMS AND, CONFIGURABLE TRACTION SYSTEMS
A device is disclosed that traverses snow and ice covered terrain. The device includes footwear that has the ability to mount directly to a sliding device or snowshoe and pivot without the need of a mounting plate or base plate. The footwear may also be configured for use in snowboard boot retaining bindings. The footwear may have strapless and detachable crampons. Additionally, the crampons may have a coating for repelling snow and ice covering exterior surfaces of the crampon. A configurable crampon may additionally be joined to a rear portion of the footwear. Furthermore, a mounting plate with a toe cleat and heel cleat are disclosed as being removably coupled with the mounting plate able to be attached to sliding or snowshoe devices in a quick-release manner and quick connecting manner. Also disclosed is a movable traction system that may be raised and lowered through a sliding surface.
This application claims benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/247,893 entitled “CONFIGURABLE SNOWSHOE AND SKI DEVICE” and filed on Oct. 7, 2005, U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/796,028 entitled “CONFIGURABLE SNOWSHOE AND SKI DEVICE” and filed on Apr. 28, 2006, U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/805,835 entitled “PIVOTING FOOTWEAR SYSTEMS AND, CONFIGURABLE TRACTION SYSTEMS” filed on Jun. 26, 2006, and PCT Patent application Number PCT/US2006/039839 entitled “PIVOTING FOOTWEAR SYSTEMS AND, CONFIGURABLE TRACTION SYSTEMS” filed on Oct. 10, 2006 for Lane A. Ekberg et al, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to winter sports equipment and more particularly relates to a winter footwear pivot system allowing transition from one binding apparatus to another providing different modes of winter foot travel with a footwear pivot system. Also disclosed is a configurable crampon and a strapless crampon system as well as configurable traction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Approach “randonee” climbing skiing is a popular winter sport that provides backcountry exploration, exercise, and entertainment. Likewise, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and snowboarding are enjoyed for many of the same reasons. In a single day, backcountry enthusiasts typically approach ski or snowshoe to their destination and return on skis, snowshoes, or snowboards. Unfortunately for such adventures, enthusiasts must pack extra equipment or heavy equipment for traversing winter terrain. The added weight and hassle of packing up the necessary gear is an obvious disadvantage of these activities of hiking up an incline to then ski or snowboard down an incline.
A solution to the added weight and expense of extra gear, space consuming gear, or heavy gear, is to offer a footwear system in which the boot or shoe of the user is able to mount up to an approach ski system in a fashion wherein the footwear becomes part of the binding. Combining the footwear and the binding eliminates the need for a mounting base or plate for the footwear to mount to. The footwear is then easily removed by quick-release means. When fully released from the approach ski the footwear can be immediately used on a snowboard binding or other winter gear. The ski or (optional) configurable binding plate, in accordance with the present invention may be made of carbon fiber and/or other extremely lightweight materials. Prior approach ski snowboard systems have been extremely heavy to operate and are expensive.
Approach skis are heavy and most do not accept snowboard boots. They do not pack very easily, and they do not offer multi-functions wherein the user may quick release and attach a variety of foot binding set-ups. A split-board is a snowboard design which is able to split into two approach skis able to aid a user in climbing up an incline. When the user desires to snowboard back down the incline they reattach the two approach skis forming a snowboard set-up. The problem with this system includes: weight, expense, does not ski well down hill, and the snowboard does not ride as comfortably as a normal snowboard setup. The approach ski mode is too heavy and limits the range a user can hike because of fatigue.
Three current solutions exist that enable a winter enthusiast to hike up and slide down on a snowboard. The first solution is to use snowshoes up an incline and then snowboard down the incline. Snowshoes are too bulky and do not pack well. They are also to slow in a constant up and down hike in which every small hill you must hike over the snowshoes can only walk down every hill instead of sliding. This method is more tiring and time consuming. Typical snowshoe bindings also offer a flimsy foot binding that prevents the binding and the snowshoe from working effectively together. The second solution is using a split-board which is very heavy, and it is very expensive. The third solution is to use current approach free heel designs that are too heavy and expensive and do not pack well.
What is needed is a device that overcomes weight, expense, and the current function in the art to hike a snowboard enthusiast into the backcountry to eventually ride the snowboard down an incline. What is needed is a light weight device that is relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and is easy to store on a back pack when the snowboard is in use. Additionally, what is needed is a strapless, and extreme light weight foot retention means to hold a hiking boot or snowboard boot to an approach ski without the need of a mounting base plate. A system is needed that eliminates foot retention hardware and straps wherein only the footwear the user uses acts as the binding when coupling means is placed through the footwear.
Additionally, what is needed is a ski that has the capability to have a plurality of foot retaining mounting binding plates that are quick-release and have a variety of designs and functions. One function that includes a detachable ski mounting plate that includes quick-release traction cleats that sit in the heel region and in the toe region forming a crampon with full heel to toe traction. Furthermore, detachable cleats for the mounting plate as well as snowshoes and snowshoe ski systems need a detachable cleat that includes snow and ice sticking repellent in the form of a coupled plastic piece to the crampon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is in response to the current state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not been fully solved by current available ski, snowboard, snowshoe, their foot binding devices, and needed footwear. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide pivotally equipped able footwear, a light weight climbing approach ski system, and a heel to toe detachable traction for a ski foot binding device or snowshoe binding system in response to needed gear not yet available or developed for backcountry snowboarders, snowshoers, and skiers.
The device may include a base for traversing over snow and ice covered terrain, a removable axis (axle) rotatably coupling footwear from group consisting of, snowboard boots, hiking boots, shoes, soft-shell, hard-shell boots, and footwear able to be used on snow and ice. Additionally, an optional mounting plate may attach and detached from the base member in place of the pivotally equipped footwear and the area from the heel to toe of the mounting plate may receive quick-attaching cleat traction in separate parts. This traction may also quick-release from the mounting plate. In another embodiment, the sole of the footwear has a hole running through the sole allowing an axle to be placed through the sole allowing rotatable coupling means of the footwear consisting from the group of snowboard boots, hiking boots, shoes, soft-shell, hard-shell boots, and all footwear able to be used in snow and ice and attaches to any device that traverses snow and ice covered terrain and holds a human foot.
In another embodiment the pivoting footwear is coupled to an approach ski with an axle running through the base of the footwear allowing forward walking and climbing motion. The pivoting footwear can be quick-released by moving the axle (axis) from its locked position in the sole of the footwear when the approach ski is no longer needed. The released footwear may now be placed in a snowboard binding for a snowboard descent down an incline. The footwear thus described would typically be a snowboard boot, ski boot, and the like with an axis hole through its sole to allow optional coupling means to an approach ski or snowshoe.
In a further embodiment, the device comprises pivoting means in the footwear with attaching means to an approach ski. The approach skis when free from the said footwear by quick-release means can be placed together with ski against ski so that each ski is fitted to the other ski for easy pack storage. Securing means may be present to hold the skis together to form a compact object for easy storage.
In one embodiment, the device comprises a boot with pivoting means in the sole construction and a locking feature in the heel of the footwear that may lock the heel. The heel can be optionally locked if the free heel motion is not wanted. In one instance the heel can be locked if the user intends to ski down an incline with the desire to have the heellocked thus the device can be used in a variety of skiing methods.
The device may also comprise a climbing skin that can be used on the ski to allow traction up a congealed precipitated incline. The climbing skin fitted to the base of the ski in a permanent or non-permanent manner. Other traction means may also be applied to the ski base in alternative ski base constructions including bases that accept metal traction mounted through them or on them.
Another embodiment of the device comprises a ski for traversing over snow and ice that contains attaching means on the ski surface area for footwear that has pivoting means and retention means in the sole of the boot Furthermore, the said ski has heel retention means built in the ski surface area to limit or stop footwear pivoting when the footwear is mounted to the ski device.
Another embodiment of the device includes footwear with traction mounting to areas in the surface area of the footwear. When the footwear is released from the ski it is able to accept traction mounted into the sole of the footwear. Traction mounting areas may be located in the heel area, the toe area, and in between. In one method the footwear is released from the ski by removing the pivot axle (axis) freeing space in the sole of the footwear to allow traction to be mounted in that same space or traction may be mounted in a strapless manner on the toe and ball of the foot region of the footwear. The heel area of the footwear is also capable of accepting attaching traction. Thus, the locking and pivoting areas in the sole of winter footwear can be used in a plurality of ways including mounting footwear to a ski or snowshoe and the same footwear bottom can accept crampons where the boot can now climb ice and snow covered terrain.
A further embodiment included a foot plate with two quick-release cleat portions in the front half of the mounting plate and heel part of the mounting plate. The heel cleat when released can also be used as snowshoe cleat traction quickly attaching to the base of a snowshoe. Additionally, the cleats may have plastic coupled to the cleat to prevent snow and ice build-up.
Another embodiment included in the disclosure is movable traction that is able to raise and lower through a sliding surface providing traction when lowered and sliding when raised. A further embodiment of traction in the device is traction that mounts to the bottom of a ski or on the sliding surface side of the apparatus.
Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.
These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided in order to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
The approach ski 31 may include a heel lift 17 to maintain a proper skiing platform. The heel lift may also include a footwear heel lock 51 mounted to the top side of the approach ski (not shown). Also, an adjustable heel lift may be used to relieve stress on the calve muscle when climbing inclines. The axle 52 may be stored on the sliding device 2 when the footwear 10 is removed from the sliding device 2.
The toe cleat 18 may also be used when the mounting plate 59 is attached to a snowshoe or hybrid snowshoe ski. Foot coupling straps may bolt to nut and bolt holes 160. The mounting plate heel area may lock by engaging heel lock hole 109 which prevents mounting plate from pivoting allowing the heel portion to move up and down. Also, disclosed is a plastic cleat piece 210 that couples to the toe cleat 18 or heel cleat 12 by coupling means 208 and coupling means 207. The plastic cleat cover repels snow and ice build-up on the metal quick-release cleats. When the toe cleat 18 and the heel cleat 12 are quick-released from the foot mounting plate 59 they may be detachably coupled (222) to one another with the spring loaded pin 137 holding them together for easy pack storage. A plastic snow repellent guard may also be placed on a metal version of the mounting plate. (See
In another embodiment, the footwear 71 may have one or more axle axes that footwear 71 can mount or dismount to in a quick fashion. The side rail 66 may be present wherein axis fittings are located. The side rail may be included in all of the foot pivoting embodiments in accordance with the present invention.
Sliding winter device 80 shows a movable portion 65 which pivoting footwear may rotate through when the portion 65 is opened. Sliding winter device 31 shows a typical ski sliding surface in which the pivoting footwear can also be used with when mounted to pivoting holes 20 in accordance with the present invention.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Claims
1. A device for traversing over snow and ice covered terrain, the device comprising:
- a ski with a mechanism that can removably couple footwear directly to the ski engaging at least one outside perimeter of footwear and at least one are directly on the ski to releasably couple the footwear to the ski.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a ski which has a mounting area for the said footwear and the footwear containing a pivotal mounting axis in its surface area.
3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a footwear that has at least one axis to pivot on a the ski.
4. The device of claim 2, further comprising pivotally equipped footwear in its surface area that may be mounted to a snowshoe that is configured to accept pivotally equipped footwear and pivot with the heel of the footwear moving in an upward and downward motion without the use of a mounting plate for the footwear to rest on.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the footwear is able to mount directly to a plurality of apparatuses that traverse over snow and ice covered terrain without the use of a base plate or mounting plate.
6. The device of claim 2, wherein a snowboard boot may have optional locking means built in the sole preventing the heel from moving in an up and down motion.
7. The device of claim 2, wherein the footwear may have optional locking means in the heel to prevent the pivoting the heel from moving up and down.
8. The device of claim 2, wherein the ski has a plurality of axes attachment holes.
9. The device of claim 5, wherein the footwear can detachably mount to a group consisting of a snowshoe, ski, snowshoe ski hybrid and split-board by means of at least one spring loaded pivotally equipped detachably coupled axis.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis attachment hardware consists of an apparatus that may move through the perimeter of the footwear sole and device the footwear is coupling to.
11. The device of claim 4, wherein the footwear contains a snowshoe pivot mounting area and an approach ski pivot mounting area in the same footwear.
12. The device of claim 4, wherein a strapless toe crampon containing traction cleats and coupling means able to mount to the front half of footwear in a quick-attach manner and also a quick-release manner.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein a independently functional strapless toe crampon under the ball of the foot toe containing traction cleats and coupling means can optionally couple to a heel crampon portion containing traction cleats and coupling means forming one conventional crampon unit
14. The device of claim 5, wherein the footwear has at least one axis mounting hole through the sole in which an axle may move through to mount the foot in a pivotally equipped position or an unlocked position in which the axle may move through the axis mounting hole allowing the footwear to be dismounted and mounted to the group consisting of a ski, snowshoe, crampon, and snowshoe ski hybrid.
15. The device of claim 4, wherein the snowboard boot has at least one pivotal axis in its surface area which to mount allowing the heel to move up and down.
16. The device of claim 5, wherein the footwear can be manufactured for the group consisting of a snowboard boot, hiking boot, or shoe.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the devices for traversing over snow and ice from the group consisting of a snowshoe, ski, snowboard, crampon, snowshoe ski hybrid, and mounting plate are equipped to accept mounted footwear with at least one pivotally equipped axis built into the footwear.
18. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one ski pivot axis located on the ski is spring loaded and may be manipulated from open to close modes and uses footwear that has pivoting means in the surface area of the footwear.
19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a spring loaded pivot axis is located in the snowboard boot design.
20. The device of claim 1, wherein the snowboard boot axis may be locked or unlocked in a quick-release quick-attach fashion from a group consisting of a snowshoe, ski, crampon, split-board, and snowshoe ski hybrid.
21. The device of claim 20, wherein the pivotally enabled detachably coupled axis may be found on the surface area of footwear from the group consisting of a snowboard boot, shoe, or hiking boot, and may be locked or unlocked in a quick-release manner from the group consisting of a snowshoe, crampon, snowshoe ski hybrid, or split-board.
22. A device for traversing over snow and ice covered terrain, the device comprising:
- footwear having a surface area to protect a human foot; and,
- a pivot axis in the design of the footwear enabling the footwear to pivot on a pivoting axis system within its own surface area creating an upward and downward motion of the foot wear heel; and,
- detachable coupling means for the footwear directly to and from the surface of the device that moves over snow and ice.
23. A mounting plate for winter footwear to be mounted to; and:
- a front traction portion that is detachable and attachable in a quick-release manner under the ball of the foot region of the mounting plate; and,
- a rear heel traction portion of the mounting plate that is detachable and attachable in a quick release manner.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 7, 2008
Publication Date: Aug 7, 2008
Inventor: Lane Ekberg (Salt Lake City, UT)
Application Number: 12/099,084
International Classification: A43B 5/04 (20060101);