Information
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Patent Grant
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6663094
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Patent Number
6,663,094
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Date Filed
Friday, February 15, 200222 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, December 16, 200321 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 269 4
- 269 9
- 269 10
- 269 40
- 269 43
- 269 45
- 269 275
- 269 130
- 269 131
- 269 88
- 269 296
- 269 286
- 269 906
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International Classifications
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Abstract
Apparatus for holding a ski in a stable horizontal position during ski base preparation and maintenance, which apparatus also employs means permitting the ski to be placed in an edge-up orientation and held there in a stable manner for ski edge maintenance procedures. A three-point arrangement includes two ski end supports and an intermediate device which secures the ski to a work station while retracting and holding the ski brake. The apparatus is portable and adaptable for use with all skis having a ski brake.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for holding a ski or the like in such manner as to facilitate waxing and maintenance operations thereon.
The prior art has provided various forms of devices for holding skis on or above a stationary support such as a workbench to allow for preparation of the ski base and edges. One such ski holding device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,887 to Weissenborn et al issued Sep. 29, 1992.
Skis have become increasingly popular in recent years and require frequent maintenance to ensure optimal performance and prolonged useful life. Maintenance procedures include cleaning, repair and waxing of the ski base materials as well as maintenance of the ski edges to remove roughness and the like. These procedures must be repeated throughout the life of the ski and hence it is desirable to provide apparatus for securing the ski in positions such that maintenance work can readily be accomplished, with, at the same time, a minimum amount of time and effort being required to mount and dismount the ski to and from the ski holder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for holding skis and the like at a work station during repair and maintenance operations.
A further object is to provide apparatus for holding a ski in a stable horizontal “base-up” position during ski base preparation and maintenance, which apparatus also employs means permitting the ski to be placed in horizontal “edge-up” orientation and held there in a stable manner for ski edge maintenance procedures.
A further object is to provide apparatus of the nature noted above which incorporates means by which to retract the ski brake so that said ski brake does not interfere with ski base and edge preparation and maintenance procedures.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved three-point ski-holding arrangement where two end supports provide substantial support of the ski for ski base and edge preparation and wherein an intermediate tensioning device retracts the ski brake and firmly holds the ski to said end supports under tension with the ski either base-up and parallel, or on its side with the ski base perpendicular to the top surface of a work station.
It is a further general object to provide apparatus for use in ski maintenance and repair procedures which is adaptable for use with a wide variety of skis with bindings.
Accordingly, the invention in one embodiment provides a portable support for use in spaced relation with a similar support as a ski support for maintenance operations at a work station, each said support being adapted to support one of the opposing end portions of the ski. Each portable support typically comprises a base section adapted to be fixed to a work station in a generally upright position and a ski support head mounted to said base section allowing placement of the ski in a desired position to facilitate maintenance procedures.
The ski support head typically has a resilient surface thereon to frictionally engage the ski when resting thereon in a generally horizontal ski base maintenance position or, alternatively, the ski edge maintenance position.
A typical embodiment of the invention provides a tensioning device comprising a clamp associated with a length of rope or accessory cord and a cleat and which tensioning device is adapted to be attached to the work station intermediate a pair of said supports to provide means by which to engage and retract the ski brake and thereby hold the ski against said supports during ski base and edge maintenance.
Further features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description of preferred embodiments which follows hereinafter, reference being had to the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF VIEWS OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view showing a spaced pair of ski supports for supporting opposing end potions of the ski and a tensioning device intermediate thereof, all of the above being shown as clamped to a table or work station and illustrating a ski with binding shown in a raised position above the apparatus;
FIG. 2
is a further perspective view showing the ski positioned on the two supports with the tensioning device employed to facilitate ski base preparation/maintenance;
FIG. 3
is a further perspective view of the tensioning device assembly showing the C-clamp, accessory cord and cleat components thereof;
FIG. 4
is a further perspective view of the ski in a horizontal position with the accessory cord relaxed and looped around the ski brake portion of the ski binding;
FIG. 5
is a further perspective view of the ski in a horizontal position with the accessory cord looped around the ski brake and held taunt thereby retracting said ski brake to facilitate ski base preparation;
FIG. 6
is an elevation view, partly in section, of the ski positioned horizontally for base preparation with the accessory cord looped around both ski brake arms thereby retracting the ski brake;
FIG. 7
is an elevation view, partly in section, of the ski positioned horizontally on the ski support to facilitate ski base preparation;
FIG. 8
is a further perspective view showing the two ski supports and tensioning device clamped to a work station with the ski having been moved into an “edge-up” position and held by the tensioning device against the supports for ski edge maintenance;
FIG. 9
is a view similar to that of
FIG. 4
except that the ski is positioned “edge-up”;
FIG. 10
is a view similar to that of
FIG. 5
except that the ski is positioned “edge-up” to facilitate ski edge preparation;
FIG. 11
is a view similar to that of
FIG. 6
except that the ski is positioned “edge-up” to facilitate ski edge preparation and the accessory cord is looped around only the top ski brake arm thereby retracting the ski brake; and
FIG. 12
is a view similar to that of
FIG. 7
except that the ski is positioned vertically to facilitate ski edge preparation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to
FIGS. 1-12
, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention there is shown a pair of portable supports
10
for use in spaced relation with one another as a ski support for maintenance operations being carried out at a work station. Each of these supports is adapted to support one of the opposing end portions of the ski
12
.
Essentially, each support comprises a base section
14
adapted to be fixed to the work station in a generally upright position. A ski support head
16
is mounted to the base section
14
to facilitate ski base maintenance (as seen in
FIGS. 1
,
2
and
7
). It will also be seen that the ski support heads
16
each further include a side holder
18
thereon for holding the ski in a generally “edge-up” orientation for ski edge maintenance (as seen in FIGS.
8
and
12
). By virtue of this mounted support head
16
and side holder
18
arrangement, the supports
10
facilitate both ski base maintenance and ski edge maintenance operations. Further details of the holder configuration and construction will be described hereinafter.
As clearly seen in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the supports
10
are mounted to the work station by means of C-clamps
20
. The base sections
14
of the holders are provided with convenient apertures
22
extending above and parallel to the base bottoms thereby to receive the upper legs of the C-clamps
20
to permit convenient clamping to the work station.
Reference will now be had to
FIGS. 7 and 12
which show the supports in detail. Each support
10
is preferably made from a sturdy moulded plastics material preferably reinforced with glass fibers to provide the necessary strength and rigidity. The base section
14
is preferably moulded as two halves being held together by threaded fasteners
40
. These two halves of the base section, when assembled together, also interlock with and securely fix the support head
16
to the base section
14
.
The upper half of the base section
14
includes a spaced apart generally parallel pair of wide but relatively thin flanges
42
. The previously mentioned support head includes a head portion
44
, to the central portion of which is affixed a support tongue
46
. This support tongue
46
is generally rectangular in shape and sized so as to fit between the two flanges
42
noted above so that tongue
46
is sandwiched between flanges
42
. The flanges
42
and support tongue
46
have an aperture
48
that allows a threaded fastener to pass through the support tongue
46
and flanges
42
thereby providing means to secure support head
16
firmly to base section
14
and preventing any unwanted movement between base section
14
and support head
16
.
The head portion
44
of the support head
16
is provided with a resilient rubber pad
56
that wraps around one side of the flanges
42
of the base section to prevent damage to the ski
12
upper surface during use and also provide for good frictional engagement therewith. The support head
16
is also provided with reinforcing flanges disposed in flanking relation to the support tongue
46
to provide the desired rigidity.
With reference to
FIGS. 7 and 12
for example, the side holder
18
is an integral part of the support tongue
46
portion of support head
16
and is moulded as a one-piece formation providing a recess
58
for holding a ski in the “edge-up” position. As illustrated in
FIG. 12
the side holder
18
allows the ski to be positioned in a generally edge-up orientation in recess
58
between rubber pad
56
and the inside walls of the holder
18
.
Reference will now be had to
FIG. 3
which shows the tensioning device
60
and all related components thereof. Essentially, said tensioning device
60
comprises a length of nylon accessory cord
62
fed through an aperture
64
towards the distal end of the upper leg of the C-clamp
20
, with said nylon accessory cord being fed through a V-cleat
66
mounted vertically on one side of the C-clamp
20
by means of threaded fasteners
70
. The accessory cord
62
is knotted at both ends to prevent detachment from C-clamp
20
. A plastic co-extrusion
72
is snap-fit onto the underside of the upper leg of the C-clamp
20
to prevent damage to the work station surface during use and also provide for good frictional engagement therewith.
With reference to
FIG. 1
the tensioning device
60
is fastened to the work bench intermediate the ski supports
10
and directly under the ski brake
30
. With the apparatus fastened to the workbench the tensioning device
60
can be used to hold the ski firmly in one of two positions to be described hereinafter.
As best seen in
FIGS. 4-7
, holding the ski firmly for ski base preparation and maintenance is best accomplished by looping the accessory cord
62
through both arms
30
a
and
30
b
of the ski brake
30
portion of the ski binding
31
and pulling said accessory cord
62
down to fully retract the ski brake, then biasing accessory cord
62
while held taunt into cleat teeth
66
a
, so that cleat
66
firmly grips and secures accessory cord
62
thereby holding the ski firmly to the ski supports
10
in a generally horizontal position under tension with the ski brake
30
retracted. As illustrated in
FIG. 6
, viewed in elevation with the ski secured horizontally in the apparatus, the accessory cord
62
has a configuration resembling the letter ‘M’.
As best seen in
FIGS. 9-12
, holding the ski firmly for ski edge preparation and maintenance is best accomplished by looping the accessory cord
62
around the ski
12
and uppermost arm
30
a
of the ski brake
30
and pulling said accessory cord
62
down to fully retract the ski brake, then biasing accessory cord
62
while held taunt into cleat teeth
66
a
, so cleat
66
firmly grips and secures accessory cord
62
thereby rotating the ski somewhat counter-clockwise about its longitudinal axis and holding the ski against the upper vertical portion of the support head rubber pad
56
and the bottom inside wall of the side holder
18
(as illustrated by the two arrows in
FIG. 12
) thus holding the ski firmly in a generally edge-up position under tension with the ski brake
30
retracted. As illustrated in
FIG. 11
, viewed in elevation with the ski secured edge-up in the apparatus, the accessory cord
62
has a configuration resembling the letter ‘C’.
Reference may also be had to
FIGS. 2 and 8
which clearly illustrate the tensioning device holding the ski against the ski supports
10
as described above in a generally horizontal position to facilitate ski base preparation and in a generally edge-up position to facilitate ski side edge preparation, respectively.
The various ways in which the apparatus described above may be utilized will be readily apparent from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in this particular art will appreciate that the apparatus described above permits ski repair and maintenance work to be readily accomplished with, at the same time, a minimum of time and effort being required to mount and dismount the ski to and from the ski holder.
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described by way of example. Those skilled in the art will realize that various modifications and changes may be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. Hence the invention is not to be limited to the embodiment as described but, rather, the invention encompasses the full range of equivalencies as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. Apparatus for holding skis at a work station comprising a pair of supports adapted to be used in spaced apart relation to support the opposing end portions of a ski, each support comprising a base section adapted to be fixed to the work station in a generally upright position and a ski support head mounted to said base section, said support head having a top surface for holding a ski base-up and in a generally horizontal position for ski base maintenance operations, and a tensioning device adapted to be attached to the work station intermediate the spaced pair of ski supports for engaging the ski and holding the latter against said spaced ski supports while at the same time holding a ski brake on the ski in a retracted position; said tensioning device including a length of cord capable of being brought around the ski brake for retracting the latter and holding the ski against said ski supports; said tensioning device also including a C-clamp adapted to be fixed to the work station and a cleat mounted on said clamp, said length of cord co-operating with said C-clamp and capable of engaging said cleat such that when said cord is tensioned and engaged with said cleat it provides means to pull and retract the ski brake thereby holding the ski under tension against the pair of ski supports.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2189615 |
May 1997 |
CA |
2030395 |
Nov 2000 |
CA |