Water Sports Device
The present invention relates to a novel water sports device that allows a user to perform water skiing and other activities while sitting on the device. The device includes a toboggan style structure positioned atop a pair of water skis. The pair of skis are secured to the underside of the toboggan using a plurality of panels or supports so that the skis partially overlap and extend beyond the edges of the toboggan. Each of the pair of skis comprise a binding which is sized and configured to accommodate a foot of the user while sitting on the toboggan. The device provides enhanced balance, buoyancy, and floating capability, and also comprises a backrest for supporting the back of the user while enjoying the device on the water.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/231,316, which was filed on Aug. 10, 2021, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the field of sporting equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel water-skiing device that allows users to perform skiing and other water sport activities while sitting on the device and being towed by a watercraft. More specifically, the device has a combination of a toboggan style or “ski-boggan” seat mounted to a pair of water skis for aquatic sports. A rider sits on the toboggan style seat and places his or her feet on the pair of water skis. The water skis float on the water and allow a user to comfortably sit on a platform above the skis and perform water sport activities. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
BACKGROUNDBy way of background, water skiing is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a watercraft, such as a boat, jet ski or a cable ski, over a body of water, which skims the surface on one or two skis. Similarly, water surfing is performed using surf boards and body boards and are generally designed for riding waves, from which much of the propulsion power for the board is derived or can be propelled using a tow cable that is pulled by a boat or similar watercraft, over a body of water. People enjoy such water sports a lot, however, balancing on a water ski, surfboard and more during an activity can be difficult for the person using the sporting equipment and can lead to injury. Many people who cannot swim are deprived of having fun with such water sport activities or alternatively, they may need to wear bulky life preservers or other similar floatation devices to allow them to remain afloat in the event they fall off their water skis or surfboard. As such, people desire an improved water-skiing device that is both safe and can be used by people of all ages without the necessity of being a skilled swimmer.
Currently available water skis generally have one or two skis on which a rider either sits or stands. Sitting on such conventional skis is uncomfortable and individuals with dexterity issues may not even be able to sit on such skis. Standing on a ski while performing water activities is not safe as a rider can lose their balance and topple over easily. Therefore, people desire an improved ski that is easy to use without the need to balance on the skis.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a water ski platform that allows the riders to safely sit and use the ski for water borne sports activities. There is also a long-felt need in the art for water sports equipment that does not require a rider to stand on the ski while performing activities, such as water skiing. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for water-skiing equipment that provides an improved balance and lower center of gravity while performing the water-skiing activity. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for a water-skiing device that can be easily pulled by a boat or other watercraft. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for an aquatic sporting device that provides safe, fun, and pleasurable water activities without compromising the safety of a rider.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises water ski equipment. The water ski equipment allows a rider to perform skiing and other water activities while sitting on the invention without fear of falling off due to being unbalanced. The equipment features a pair of water skis including a first ski for placing right foot of a rider and second ski for placing left foot of a rider and the skis are held in position by supports connecting the skis to the toboggan style seat. The skis are configured to float on water and are made from a buoyant material. A toboggan style top having a semi-circular front portion, a rectangular middle portion and a rear sitting portion are positioned above of the water skis and connected to the water skis. The toboggan top has a top surface on which a rider sits, and each of the pair of the skis are attached to underside of the toboggan top using a plurality of curved support panels that are fastened using brackets and screws or other attachments. Each of the pair of water skis has a rubber foot bracket disposed thereon for accommodating the foot of a rider. A backrest is positioned near the rear end of the toboggan for providing support to a rider sitting on the toboggan and Styrofoam, or other floatation material, is attached to the underside of the front end of the toboggan top to improve buoyancy.
In this manner, the water-skiing equipment of the present invention accomplishes all of the foregoing objectives and provides users with an improved skiing device that has a combination of a toboggan-style seat and ski platform. The equipment can be used with any boat or other watercraft, such as a jet ski. The equipment has improved buoyancy, and also has Styrofoam allowing the equipment to float on water even when the rider falls off accidentally or when the device is not in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises water ski equipment. The water ski equipment comprising a pair of water skis including a first ski for placing the right foot of a rider and second ski for placing the left foot of a rider. The skis are configured to float on water. A toboggan top is positioned above the water skis and the toboggan top has a top surface for a rider to sit on. Each of the pair of the skis are attached to the underside of the toboggan top using a plurality of curved supports that are fastened using adhesive, brackets and screws or other suitable fasteners. Each of the pair of water skis has a rubber foot bracket or binding disposed thereon for accommodating foot of a rider. A backrest is positioned near the rear end of the toboggan for providing support to a rider sitting on the top surface of the toboggan and Styrofoam, or other buoyant material, is attached to the underside of the front end of the toboggan top.
In yet another embodiment, the toboggan top has a front semi-circular portion, a middle generally narrow rectangular portion and a rear sitting portion wherein the rider sits on the rear sitting portion.
In yet another embodiment, the Styrofoam, or other buoyant material, is attached to the underside of the front semi-circular portion and is configured to allow the equipment to float in water and not sink. The buoyant material may be provided along the entire undersurface of the toboggan seat to increase the flotation of the water ski device.
In yet another embodiment, the water skis are made from wood, fiberglass, carbon composites and the toboggan top is made from a solid or laminated material such as plywood.
In yet another embodiment, the equipment is configured to be pulled by a boat or any other suitable watercraft.
In yet another embodiment, the equipment has marine or other colors on its surface and graphics for the manufacturer or for user personalization.
In yet another embodiment, a piece of water sports equipment for performing skiing while sitting on the device is disclosed. The equipment includes a toboggan and a pair of skis mounted to the toboggan and spaced a distance from the toboggan platform. The skis are attached to underside of the toboggan using fasteners, such as stainless-steel bolts, nuts, and brackets, adhesives, or other suitable material. A 2 inch thick Styrofoam, or other buoyancy material, is attached to underside of the front end of the toboggan for providing buoyancy and improving the floating capability of the equipment. In use, a rider sits on the toboggan and places his or her feet on the pair of skis, and in the bindings provided for performing water skiing in a balanced and secure manner.
In yet another embodiment, the equipment floats even when a rider falls off the equipment.
In yet another embodiment, a water ski system comprising a combination of toboggan style riding platform and a pair of skis is disclosed. The water ski system includes a right leg ski having a foot holder or binder disposed thereon. A left leg ski having a foot holder or binder disposed thereon. A toboggan top, or platform, having a rider sitting portion and a backrest. The toboggan top is secured to the right leg ski and the left leg ski using supports which space the toboggan platform away from the skis a distance ranging from about 1 foot and 6 inches to about 2 feet. The supports are fastened using brackets and screws, adhesive or other suitable material. A 2 inch thick Styrofoam, or other buoyancy material, is attached to the underside of the toboggan top to increase the system buoyancy near the rider sitting portion, and the length of the skis is longer than the length of the toboggan top.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for a water ski that allows the riders to safely sit and use the ski for a water sports activity. There is also a long-felt need in the art for a piece of water sports equipment that does not require a rider to stand on the ski or board while performing water skiing. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for water-skiing equipment that provides for improved balance while water skiing. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for a water-skiing device that can be easily pulled by a boat or other watercraft. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for an aquatic sporting device that provides safe, fun, and pleasurable water activities without compromising the safety of a rider.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a water ski system comprising a combination of a toboggan style platform and a pair of skis attached to and spaced from the platform. The water ski system includes a right leg ski having a foot holder or binding disposed thereon, and a left leg ski having a foot holder or binding disposed thereon. A toboggan top having a rider sitting portion and a backrest, and the toboggan top is secured to the right leg ski and the left leg ski using supports which may made from wood, fiberglass, composites, laminates, or combinations thereof. The supports are fastened using one or more of adhesives, brackets and screws, and other fasteners. A floatation or buoyancy materials such as Styrofoam, polyurethane foam, nylon foam, polystyrene foam and combinations thereof is attached to at least a portion of the underside of the toboggan top, to improve the buoyancy near the rider sitting portion. The length of the skis, in one embodiment, is generally longer than the length of the toboggan top and the skis have a front portion that extends outwardly beyond the front portion of the toboggan top and the rear portion of the skis extends beyond the rear portion of the toboggan top.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The device 100 has water skis 110, 112 which may be made from wood, fiberglass, composites or other suitable materials and the skis 110 and 112 are positioned below the toboggan top 102 a distance ranging from about 1 foot to about 2 feet with about 1 foot 6 inches to about 2 feet being preferred. The skis 110, 112 are secured to the underside 1022 of the toboggan top 102 by one of adhesive, such as a silicone caulk, mechanical fasteners and hinges or combinations thereof. The right leg ski 110 has a front end 114 and a rear end 116 and is secured to the underside 1022 toboggan top 102 using a pair of curved connecting panels 118, 120 which may be made from wood, laminates, composites, fiberglass, and combinations thereof. The panels 118, 120 are fastened to the right leg ski 110 using a plurality of mechanical or other suitable fasteners 122 like screws, bolts and more. More specifically, the panel 118 is fastened near the front end 104 of the toboggan top 102 and the panel 120 is fastened near the rear end 106 of the toboggan top 102. The leading edges of the skis 114 and 124 extend about 1 foot to about 18 inches beyond the leading edge of the toboggan top 102 and the rear edges of the skis 116 and 126 extend beyond the rear edge of the toboggan top 102 by a distance of 1 foot to about 3 feet.
Similarly, the left leg ski 112 has a front end 124 and a rear end 126 and is secured to the underside 1022 toboggan top 102 using a pair of curved connecting panels 128, 130. The panels 128, 130 are fastened to the left leg ski 112 using a plurality of mechanical or other suitable fasteners 122 like screws, bolts and more. The panel 128 is fastened near the front end 104 of the toboggan top 102 and the panel 130 is fastened near the rear end 106 of the toboggan top 102. The panels 118, 120, 128, 130 provide support to the toboggan top 102 allowing the toboggan top 102 to handle a weight of up to 150 kilograms or about 330 pounds.
For supporting feet of the rider sitting on the toboggan top 102, the ski 110 has a right foot holder or binding 132 and the ski 112 has a left foot holder or binding 134. Each foot holder or binding has an opening for receiving a foot of a rider and has a covering for accommodating the foot. The foot holders or bindings 132, 134 are preferably made from waterproof leather, silicone rubber or other material that can be soft and flexible.
For providing additional buoyancy to the rider riding the equipment 100, the equipment 100 has a buoyancy material such as Styrofoam, polyurethane foam, nylon foam, polystyrene foam and combinations thereof 136 disposed on underside 1022 of the toboggan top 102 and preferably positioned near the front end 104 of the toboggan 102. The buoyancy material 136 allows the device 100 to float on water thereby prevents it from sinking. The buoyancy material is provided in an amount ranging from 1 inch to 4 inches with about 2 inches of material being preferred. The type and amount of buoyancy material can be changed so as to accommodate different sizes of individuals, and different blocks of material 136 may be added to the bottom of the toboggan 102 and held in position by hook and loop type fasteners or other mechanical fasteners as needed.
The water sport equipment, also referred to as “Ski-Boggan”, may be decorated with marine paint or graphics to add fun and stylish flair. A rope can be securely held by a rider riding the equipment 100.
It should be appreciated that the water sports equipment 100 has a buoyant construction. The water skis 110, 112, along with the toboggan 102 and buoyancy material, 136 provide the equipment 100 to float allowing even an untrained rider to balance the equipment 100. The toboggan top 102 balances the distribution of weight of the rider by providing foot holders 132, 134 and cut outs in the central portion 403 (see
The skis 110, 112 are preferably made from lightweight material so that the sled is easy to carry. Suitable materials include wood, fiberglass, composites, laminates, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the toboggan 102 can be made from ¾″ plywood and have a finished surface added, such as a rubberized coating, to assist the rider in remaining on the sled 100. The skis 110, 112 can be replaced with new skis by unfastening the fasteners 122, and longer or shorter skis can be added depending on whether the user desires additional performance capability. The equipment 100 has a length of about 50 inches to about 72 inches to accommodate riders having various weight and height.
As illustrated, length of the skis 110, 112 are longer than the length of the toboggan 102. This prevents the distribution of weight of a rider on the front ends 114, 124 and rear ends 116, 126 of the skis 110, 112 and thus provides better balance and buoyancy. It should be noted that the device 100 has higher buoyancy under the sitting portion 208, thereby providing balance to a rider while using the sled 100. The foot holders or bindings 132, 134 are symmetrically positioned on the skis 110, 112 respectively, and are positioned allowing a rider sitting on the sitting portion 208 to easily put their feet into the bindings without discomfort or unbalancing the equipment 100.
The buoyancy material 136 is positioned under the semi-circular portion of the toboggan. It should be noted that a gap between the toboggan and the skis allows air and waves to pass through easily and thus helps in maintaining balance and buoyancy of the device 100 in use.
The toboggan top 102 is attached to the ski 110 using the supports 118, 120 which may be curved or straight and are fastened using the screws 122 and the L-shaped brackets 406. The screws 122 are fastened to the brackets 406 for fastening to the skis 118, 120. The panels 118, 120 are also fastened to the underside of the toboggan 102 allowing a secure fastening of the ski 110 and the toboggan 102. Similarly, the toboggan top 102 is attached to the ski 112 using the support panels 128, 130 that are fastened using the screws 122 and the L-shaped brackets 406. The screws 122 are fastened to the brackets 406 for fastening to the skis. The panels 128, 130 are also fastened to the underside of the toboggan 102 allowing a secure fastening of the ski 112 and the toboggan 102. The foot holders 132, 134 are fastened using adhesive or alternatively using mechanical fasteners and are big enough to allow the foot of a user to be easily accommodated inside the foot holders 132, 134.
In use, preferably, a tow cable 508 is held by the rider 500 while sitting on the toboggan 102 allowing the rider 500 to ski on the water surface. The tow cable 508 can be fastened to any boat or other watercraft allowing the equipment 100 to easily move on the water surface.
It should be noted that the width of the equipment 100 is more than conventional water skis allowing a greater stability to the rider 500. Further, the rider 500 sits on an elevated toboggan 102 and does not have to stand or kneel on skis 110, 112, thus providing convenience to the rider 500 and allowing a broader spectrum of individuals to enjoy water skiing. In addition, any one or all of the support panels 118, 120, 128 or 130 may be provided with adjustable fins 505 which can be adjusted by a knob 507 to change the angle of the fin thereby providing lift to help the user in performing a jump and to keep the sled on the water or even as a brake. The adjustable fins may move from vertical to horizontal and any angle in between.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “water activity equipment”, “water-skiing equipment”, “water sports device”, “equipment”, “device”, and “water sports equipment” are interchangeable and refer to the water-skiing equipment 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the water-skiing equipment 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the water-skiing equipment 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the water-skiing equipment 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the water-skiing equipment 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the water-skiing equipment 100 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
Claims
1. A water sports device comprising;
- a toboggan having a front portion, a central portion and a rear portion;
- a first ski;
- a second ski;
- at least one buoyancy material; and
- a first set of support panels connecting the first and second skis to the front portion of the toboggan; and
- a second set of support panels connecting the first and second skis to the rear portion of the toboggan.
2. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one buoyancy material is one of a Styrofoam, a polyurethane foam, a nylon foam, a polystyrene foam or a combination thereof.
3. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein the toboggan further comprises a back rest attached to the rear portion.
4. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein the central portion has a pair of cut outs to allow a rider to sit centrally of the toboggan.
5. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second set of support panels are curved.
6. The water sports device as recited in claim 3 further comprising a repositionable seat portion on the toboggan positioned adjacent to the back rest.
7. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the toboggan and the first and second skis are constructed from one of a wood, a fiberglass, a composite material, a laminate or a combination thereof.
8. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein the toboggan is spaced apart from each of the first and second skis by between 1 and 2 feet.
9. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second skis comprises a foot holder or a binding.
10. The water sports device as recited in claim 9, wherein the foot holder or the binding are comprised of a leather or a silicone rubber.
11. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein a top surface of the toboggan comprises a rubberized anti-slip coating.
12. The water sports device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second skis is provided with a fin on an undersurface of the first and second skis.
13. A water sled comprising:
- a top portion comprised of a front end, a central region and a back end, wherein the central region is comprised of a pair of cut outs to accommodate a rider and the back end comprises a back rest extending upwardly from a top surface of the top portion;
- a first set of supports;
- a second sets of supports;
- a first ski, wherein the first set of supports connect the first and second skis to the front end of the top portion;
- a second ski, wherein the second set of supports connect the first and second skis to the back end of the top portion; and
- at least one buoyancy material disposed under a portion of the top portion.
14. The water sled as recited in claim 13, wherein the at least one buoyancy material is selected from a group consisting of a Styrofoam, a polyurethane foam, a nylon foam, a polystyrene foam and a combination thereof.
15. The water sled as recited in claim 13, wherein the at least one buoyancy material is positioned under the front end of the top portion.
16. The water sled as recited in claim 13, wherein a second buoyancy material is positioned under the central region.
17. The water sled as recited in claim 13, wherein a second buoyancy material is positioned under the back end.
18. The water sled as recited in claim 13 further including a first foot binding positioned on the first ski and a second foot binding positioned on the second ski, wherein each of the first and second foot bindings is comprised of a silicone rubber.
19. A riding ski comprising:
- a toboggan comprised of a front portion, a central portion, a rear portion and a back rest attached to the rear portion;
- a first ski mounted to the toboggan along the front portion by a first support panel and mounted to the toboggan along the rear portion by a second support panel;
- a second ski mounted to the toboggan along the front portion by an additional first support panel and mounted to the toboggan along the rear portion by an additional second support panel;
- a first foot holder or binding comprised of a silicone rubber and attached to the first ski;
- a second foot holder or binding comprised of a silicone rubber and attached to the second ski; and
- a buoyancy material attached to the toboggan, wherein the toboggan is spaced apart from each of the first and second skis by a distance of between 1 and 2 feet.
20. The riding ski as recited in claim 19, wherein the buoyancy material is attached to each of the front, central and rear portions of the toboggan and is selected from a group consisting of a Styrofoam, a polyurethane foam, a nylon foam, a polystyrene foam and a combination thereof.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 8, 2022
Publication Date: Feb 16, 2023
Inventor: Roger Dufresne (Ile Des Chenes)
Application Number: 17/835,046
