U.S. patent application number 12/027205 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-07 for climbing skins.
Invention is credited to Kaj Gyr.
Application Number | 20080185817 12/027205 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39675513 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080185817 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gyr; Kaj |
August 7, 2008 |
CLIMBING SKINS
Abstract
Stiff cambered, profiled, flat plates are bonded to a snow
adhering surface of a ski base. The plates are coupled to the ski
base via straps, snaps or other securing devices to eliminate the
need for glue.
Inventors: |
Gyr; Kaj; (Nelson,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVID P. COOPER;Kolisch Hartwell, P.C.
200 Pacific Building, 520 S.W. Yamhill Street
Portland
OR
97204
US
|
Family ID: |
39675513 |
Appl. No.: |
12/027205 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60899926 |
Feb 6, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
280/604 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63C 7/04 20130101; A63C
7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/604 |
International
Class: |
A63C 7/02 20060101
A63C007/02 |
Claims
1. A climbing skin for use with a ski that has a ski base,
comprising: plural flexible plates bonded to a snow adhering
surface; and plural snaps associated with the plates, and usable to
cinch the plates to the ski base, thereby eliminating the need for
glue.
2. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein the snaps are adjustable
for width in order to fit different sized skis.
3. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein the plates include a
plurality of profiles in X, Y, and Z axes.
4. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein straps replace the snaps
for cinching the plates/battens to the ski base.
5. The climbing skin of claim 4, further including clips which wrap
around the edges of the ski adjacent to the skis' edges.
6. The climbing skin of claim 5, wherein said clips are adjustable
for ski width.
7. The climbing skin of claim 1, further including a glide zone
along a plurality of portions of the snow adhering surface
8. The climbing skin of claim 1, further including a plurality of
profiles at the lateral edges of said plates.
9. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein said plates/battens have a
trim able snow adhering surface adjoining them.
10. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein the edges of said
plates/battens may be easily trimmed for width.
11. The climbing skin of claim 1, further including folds comprised
of a mechanical hinge.
12. The climbing skin of claim 1, further including tip and tail
retainers in various combinations and methods germane to the
art.
13. The climbing skin of claim 1, further including variable
thicknesses in a plurality of portions of said plates/battens.
14. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein said plates are arced
concavely in relation to the ski base.
15. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein said plates are arced
convexly in relation to the ski base.
16. The climbing skin of claim 1, wherein filler material is placed
around said plates in any axis and in various thicknesses.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/899,926, filed Feb. 6, 2007 and entitled
"Climbing Skins", the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Climbing skins have been around for centuries. They were
originally made from the skin of Seals, which was strapped to the
bottom of skis to provide adhesion to the snow when climbing.
Mohair was adapted for this snow adhering surface, and as the years
went by various synthetic piles (short hairs) were employed. The
basic dynamic of the pile portion is to provide grip when climbing
and glide when moving forward.
[0003] Synthetic pile and mohair have improved with time, and it is
well acknowledged to be the best overall surface for snow
adhesion--better than other means, mechanical or otherwise. The
primary problem with skins is not their pile or snow adhering
surface, but rather the means with which they are attached. Several
decades ago skiers grew tired of some of the problems associated
with strap-on skins, notably snow accumulation, lateral squirm, and
poor edge control (due to the straps covering the edges). Thus the
era of the glued-on skin was born. With glued skins, a glue layer
adheres the skin to the ski, and clips on the tips and tails retain
the skin on either end. In the best of conditions glued skins work
well, but they have their own attendant problems: glue failure (due
to moisture, temperature extremes, or dirt), difficulty in peeling
the skins apart (they are stored with the glue surfaces adhered to
each other), difficulty in applying the skins, periodic need for
re-gluing, and excess glue adhering to the base of the ski once the
skin is removed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 shows the skin loosely attached to the ski at the tip
and tail.
[0005] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the cambered plates of FIG.
1.
[0006] FIG. 3 shows an elevational view of the skin attached to the
ski via straps located at the center of the cambered plates.
[0007] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the cambered plates cinched
against the ski via straps.
[0008] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the skin removed from a ski.
[0009] FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the skin strapped to a
ski.
[0010] FIG. 7 shows an elevational view of a folded skin.
[0011] FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the skin with a glide zone
toward the tip.
[0012] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the straps and
clips.
[0013] FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of thicker cambered
plates with a mitered edge.
[0014] FIG. 11 shows an alternative embodiment with reverse camber
plates and extra straps.
[0015] FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a skin with battens,
snaps, and an adjustment zone.
[0016] FIG. 13 shows an elevational view of a ski with three sets
of battens and three snaps.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Representative embodiments of the present inventive concept
are shown in FIGS. 1-13, wherein similar features share the common
reference numerals listed below: [0018] 21 Cambered Plate [0019] 22
Skin [0020] 23 Tip Retainer [0021] 24 Tail Retainer [0022] 25 Strap
[0023] 26 Center Fold [0024] 27 Plate Boundary [0025] 28 Glide Zone
[0026] 29 Filler [0027] 30 Reverse Camber Plate [0028] 31 Clip
[0029] 32 Buckle [0030] 33 Snap [0031] 34 Batten [0032] 35
Adjustment zone
[0033] One feature of the present invention is the use of flexible
cambered plates, or battens. As used herein, the term "plates" also
means "battens". The plates are attached or bonded to the skins
(snow adhering surface) and cinched up against the ski base via
straps or snaps, which ensures that the skin stays tight against
the ski bottom, limiting the possibility of snow accumulation while
enhancing ease of skin application. The plates may be made from
various plastics, composites, fiberglass, aluminum, or any material
that has a relatively high spring modulus, such that when they're
strapped or snapped to a ski they resist being pulled away from the
ski. Many plastics and composites are capable of this in
thicknesses of 1/16'' or less. The plates are bonded to the skin,
attached via adhesive, co molded, or attached via fasteners germane
to the art. The forward plate(s) may be attached to the skin at any
point aft of the upturned tip, but preferably it is attached as far
back as it can be without creating looseness of the skin or a large
gap. A filler material of closed cell foam or other similar
material may fill any void between the skin and ski base. The
camber of each plate should be such that, depending on the spring
modulus of the chosen material, it clasps the ski very tightly when
the straps or snaps are fastened. Flat non-cambered plates work,
but they must have a higher spring modulus (i.e., be thicker) than
a cambered plate of the same material. In effect the cambered
plates act as leaf springs, offering relatively equal distribution
of pressure along their length when tightened against the ski. More
than two cambered plates are possible (as in FIG. 13), depending on
the skin/ski length and need for compactness when folded. Each
plate or batten requires at least one strap or snap for retention
to the ski, preferably located at or near the peak of camber
(center of the plate) depending on how the plate is shaped. The
plate may have a concentric arc, or be asymmetric--these shapes
then dictate how the plate flexes, and thus influence placement of
the straps. Depending on the type of material used, each plate can
be very lightweight--around 1 oz. or less.
[0034] FIGS. 1 and 2 show two cambered plates or sets of battens
bonded to a snow adhesive layer. They are hanging, without straps
attached to the ski. This is what the present inventive concept
would look like with just the tip and tail retainers on. Once the
straps or snaps are attached, the plate's camber is flattened
against the ski, as in FIGS. 3 and 4. Since the center fold is
comprised of two plates abutting each other at right angles while
being held tightly to the ski via the straps or snaps, lateral
movement of the plates is constrained, making for very little
lateral or vertical movement--two problems skins of the prior art
had.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the present inventive concept
without a ski. The tip and tail retainers, center fold, straps, and
plate margins are apparent. FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the skin
attached to a ski with straps wrapped around the top (unseen)
side.
[0036] FIG. 7 shows an elevational view of the inventive concept
folded in the middle. The center fold is visible, with plates
abutting each other and bonded to the skin, allowing the skin to
fold easily at this point in a "living hinge" manner. The cambered
plates are tapered at each end and filler is visible filling up the
angled spaces at the plate boundaries. The filler material may be
comprised of any resilient lightweight material, such as neoprene,
closed cell foam, or anything that "fills the gap". It may be
bonded or otherwise attached to the plates in lateral, vertical,
and/or longitudinal axes.
[0037] FIG. 8 shows another option; a glide zone. The glide zone is
an area of slippery material that allows the ski tip to float on
top of the snow and glide forward with greater ease. The prior art
skins all have the pile going right up around the tip, and usually
it's wrapped around the tip retainer to allow for adjustment of
length. Thus the leading portion of the skin creates drag, making
the ski tip plunge deeper, while giving more resistance. Since the
first quarter of a skin provides very little grip (due to relative
lack of weight placed on this area, especially on steeper grades) a
portion of this leading area should be slippery instead of
providing grip. Thus a preferred embodiment would include a glide
zone made of thin plastic or other slippery material which is
bonded to the skin, or entirely replaces the pile material,
attaching at or near the tip retainer such that it provides the
right amount of glide, while not inhibiting the skin's grip. Since
such a material would be much thinner than pile wrapped around (or
otherwise bonded to) the tip retainer (as with skins of the prior
art), this embodiment limits snow accumulation and drag around the
ski tip--a common occurrence with all skins of the prior art. The
glide zone material may have an adhesive backing or other means of
adhesion so that when folded back on itself after going through the
tip retainer (or loop-like piece) it is thin but fully adjustable
for length. This is a big advantage over skins of the prior
art.
[0038] FIG. 9 shows a cross section of a ski with the present
inventive concept attached via clips and straps. The clip is bonded
or attached to the cambered plate at its lateral margins such that
it interfaces with the ski edge, wrapping around the edges roughly
perpendicular to them. It is then attached to a strap on top of the
ski, which is fastened with a buckle or means germane to the art.
The clip may be attached to the cambered plate such that it is
adjustable for width, thereby accommodating various widths of skis.
Velcro and other means between each set of clips is possible as
long as it is thin. The clip is made from an alloy or other robust
material, and it is preferably quite thin, so that it doesn't
inhibit the "bite" the edges exert on the snow. The straps may be
germane to the art with integrated buckles, or anything that allows
for quick tightening and release. Straps with no clips or clips
without straps are an option too. In lieu of clips flexible
stainless steel filament/wire or thin stainless steel banding may
be used (as it conforms to the edges and automatically adjusts to
different width skis) or simply straps which wrap around the
edges.
[0039] FIG. 10 shows a cambered plate with greater thickness,
mitered/profiled edges, snaps, and regular skin pile adjacent to
the miter/profile, extending to the ski edge. Since a portion of
the plate is raised from the base the effective area of pressure is
narrower than the base, thus (depending on snow conditions) this
design provides more pressure per square inch, while increasing
actual surface area of the skin. This ushers in the possibility of
fitting to a wider range of ski widths. The cambered plates could
be offered in a given width, and the plate-less portion of skin
could be trimmed to fit the base in a method germane to the art.
The plates of this embodiment may be offered in various widths
(e.g., 10 mm increments), all of which are little narrower than the
ski onto which they will be attached. A snow adhering layer (the
standard skin surface) then extends towards the edges, and is
trim-able for width. Since the cambered plate is mitered (or
contoured in any of the three axes) there is more skin in contact
with the slope when traversing steep slopes. The skins of the prior
art have very little skin in contact with the snow on a steep
traverse, and that often leads to extreme slipping. This embodiment
may further include filler placed around the plate in any of the
three axes--this filler providing thickness or contour(s) to the
snow adhering layer. For instance, the plate may be of the same
dimensions and profiles of the aforementioned embodiments, further
including a thickness of mitered filler between the snow adhering
surface and the plates. The converse may happen too; wherein the
filler or foam is placed between the plate and the ski, with the
snow adhering layer being bonded directly to the plate. Any
combination of the two is possible to achieve desired thicknesses
and profiles.
[0040] FIG. 11 shows a skin with reverse camber plates, detached
from a ski. If this design is employed additional straps are
necessary, for instead of retaining the plates in the middle it's
essential to retain them on both ends due to the camber of the
plates. As mentioned previously, non-cambered plates may also be
employed, as long as they are adequately stiff for holding the skin
to the ski base.
[0041] FIG. 12 shows a cross sectional view of a skin with battens,
snaps, and an adjustment zone. The battens are essentially narrower
and slimmer versions of the plates, and may be placed at various
points lateral of the longitudinal center, as shown in FIG. 12,
where they are against the edge of the skin, and connected to the
snaps. The snaps are formed stainless steel, plastic, or other
flexible and thin material. Ideally they need to snap tightly to
the top portion of the edges, which means that either the snap
itself bends, or the portion that is contiguous with the skin and
battens/plates is resilient and stretches. Either way, the snap
should be shaped to facilitate this, with a distal portion which
flares laterally. This allows the snap to slip around the edge of
the ski, while easing disengagement of the snap from the edges with
the pull of a finger or traction on the skin itself. The adjustment
zone is where the clips or snaps can be adjusted closer or further
away from each other in order to fit different width skis. A
variety of methods may be employed: hook and pile (Velcro), rivets,
sliders--anything that allows for adjustable tensioning between the
clips/snaps. Alternatively, the skins may be cut and sized to given
dimensions at the factory, thereby eliminating the need for width
adjustment. The snaps may slide freely below (on the snow side) the
battens or be connected to them in any manner which allows for
adjustment of width. The battens/plates may have minor indentations
in them in order to ensure that the snaps don't slide
longitudinally when scraped from the side.
[0042] In order to allow for adjustment of the skin to different
width skis, the skins may be offered with the battens/plates placed
at width increments of 10 mm or so, allowing the skier to trim the
skin material to the edges of his ski without having to cut the
battens themselves. Alternatively, the battens may be moveable then
re-attached to the skin at the desired width. Yet another
alternative is to make the battens out of a material which can be
easily cut, so it doesn't matter where they're placed.
[0043] FIG. 13 shows an elevational view of a ski with three sets
of battens and three snaps. The battens are not flattened against
the ski via the snaps (in order to better illustrate their shape).
When snapped to the ski edge, the camber conforms to the base. This
drawing shows a space between the battens where there is just skin
and no batten. Such a space allows the skin to fold. When three
sets of battens are used the center set can be slightly longer than
the end sets in order to facilitate easy folding, otherwise the
battens may interfere with each other.
[0044] Being that the glide zone may also serve as a means for
adjusting the length of the skin the tail retainer may be either
fixed or adjustable. It is not necessary to make it stretchy,
however, as the battens/plates limit stretching during use and the
ski itself provides enough "spring" for the tail retainer to
function in an over-center manner.
[0045] Accordingly, it can be seen that the skins of the present
inventive concept usher in a whole new realm of possibilities for
performance and ease of use heretofore unseen in any skins of the
prior art. Although the description above contains many specifics,
these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the
invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the
preferred embodiments of the present inventive concept. Various
other embodiments and ramifications are possible within its
scope.
[0046] For instance, various other profiles or shapes may be used
for the cambered plates and adjoining skin material. As in shown I
FIGS. 9-10 the plates may have various profiles and thicknesses in
all axes. The folds may be comprised of an actual mechanical hinge,
or a "living hinge" made up of the adjoining material or skin. A
plurality of plates may be employed, even one long plate that is
bonded to the skin and rolls up with it instead of folding.
Depending on the type of material used for the plates, the plates
themselves may be trimmed for width with scissors or more
aggressive cutting means. Anything that allows the plate to, when
strapped to the ski, retain its profile such that there is no room
between the plate and the ski base, thereby eliminating
accumulation of snow, is possible. The plates/battens may also be
formed or molded in a unitary fashion wherein there is a plurality
of connections between them (laterally). The present inventive
concept may also be used for snowboards or any other
human-propelled snow articles. It's simply a matter of altering the
dimensions of the snow adhering layer and plates.
[0047] In the preceding description, various aspects of claimed
subject matter have been described. For purposes of explanation,
specific numbers, systems and/or configurations were set forth to
provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter.
However, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art having the
benefit of this disclosure that claimed subject matter may be
practiced without the specific details. In other instances,
features that would be understood by one of ordinary skill were
omitted and/or simplified so as not to obscure claimed subject
matter. While certain features have been illustrated and/or
described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and/or
equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is,
therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended
to cover all such modifications and/or changes as fall within the
true spirit of claimed subject matter.
* * * * *